Comments on: Do you stick to a strict schedule when feeding solids to your baby?

By: Melissa Parlaman (Graco Contributor)

Melissa Parlaman (Graco Contributor) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:06:29 +0000

i am following the same exact approach (except i don’t have Pinkie Pie her bottle until later). I give her fruits for lunch & veggies & fruits for dinner (she too loves to eat). Pinkie Pie gets 6 bottles a day (which has about 5 oz in it) so I am thinking she is doing well. Pinkie Pie also loves her puffs so we supplement her with those when we need some quiet time at dinner or during tv time.

By: storkexpress

storkexpress — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 11:19:22 +0000

Like Julia, we went for baby led weaning. Still used some jarred food but my son preferred finger food.

By: Julie

Julie — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 19:19:14 +0000

We skipped jarred baby food and cereal entirely and went forwards with the baby led weaning plan of feeding infants. So at 6 months we started to introduce finger foods and let our son feed himself. We’ve taught him how to hold his own pre loaded spoon with real food (yogurt, oatmeal, applesauce) and get it to his mouth independently, he also picks up bite sized pieces of food on his highchair tray and feeds himself. He’s just over 8 months old now and is an incredible eater, willing to try just about anything! We’re so pleased with our choice and hope that he’ll continue to be an adventurous eater.

As for food vs breastmilk, he nurses about 5 times a day and eats 3 meals a day as well. If he skips a meal due to a nap, he’ll have an extra nursing session to make up for it instead. We’re not really on a schedule for nursing, but he lets me know when he’s ready for it.

By: Leah

Leah — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 05:02:43 +0000

My baby is 5.5 months now, and eats solids almost every day but most of his diet is breastmilk. At this point the food is just for fun, so I only give him food if it seems like he’s drunk enough milk for how far along the day as at that point. I tried rice cereal but it constipated him something awful, so I switched to baby oatmeal and that seems to be fine. I also make foods for him – applesauce, carrots, butternut squash, avocado, bananas. Steam and puree. Couldn’t be easier! He hasn’t refused any foods yet, but definitely didn’t like the avocado as much as he likes carrots or apples! Can’t wait to try something green.

By: Tori M.

Tori M. — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 23:25:49 +0000

I’ve been (theoretically) the worst parent when it comes to feeding. Or so I thought. I started solids at four months with my little guy. By six months he was already eating stage 3 foods. A month later, he was eating table food. Now at almost nine months, he eats whatever he wants. He still gets bottles during the day, and he BF’s first thing in the morning and right before bed, but for the most part I just share what’s on my plate… albeit in smaller bite-size pieces. Just this week, though, I found out this is actually a THING. It’s called Baby Led Weaning, I guess. Letting him choose what he wants to eat and when he’s ready. Go figure!

By: Tracylynne

Tracylynne — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:24:09 +0000

My little guy has been eating solids since 5 months. I feed him cereal (Heinze ) mixed with fruit. For lunch he gets the same with a veggie, dinner is meat of some sort mixed with cereal. In between he drinks a bottle. At night though I feed him first and then a bottle right before bedtime. I have found that mixing cereal with the food is better, it doesn’t seem to go right through him. I don’t add much cereal enough to give the food more texture. He likes the little puff snacks and he drinks from his sippy cup.

By: Katherine

Katherine — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:54:18 +0000

I just went with my baby’s flow when it comes to eating solids. Some days we fed him three times a day, other times two, sometimes one or none. Sometimes he would just want a bottle! It wasn’t until he was about 9 months where we really fed a lot of solids. It was at that time also where he started to self-wean from the bottle (we had to almost make him drink it). So, it’s definitely a dance day to day. Your baby will tell you what he wants!

By: Siera

Siera — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 07:08:33 +0000

I breastfed my guy and gave him a bottle of formula a day. We were on the go a lot and I wasn’t regimented. If I was lazy, and we were out I’d just whip out the boob.

Have you tried giving him sips of water? You can once they’re 6 months. He can drink a little out of a sippy cup. Your lucky you got your guy his rotavirus shot. My guy got it at 14 months and had to be hospitalized for dehydration. I didn’t even know what it was till he got it. Then I am told there is a vaccine… I was choked..

By: Z's Mom

Z's Mom — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 01:53:48 +0000

My pediatrician gave me the opposite advice. My baby is two days older than yours, and he’s been on solids since 4 months. He has been instructed to have the solids first, followed by the bottle, as he’s getting more nutrition from food. Babies 6 months and beyond start to get more nutrition from food, but there are guidelines. 1-2 servings of protein, 3-4 servings of fruits/veggies at this stage.

We have a breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert schedule. Breakfast is fruit mixed with oatmeal, followed by bottle. Lunch is protein and veggie, followed by bottle and dinner is the same. Green veggies in the afternoon, because they cause a lot of gas, and orange veggies at night. Before bed, he’s still enjoying his “dessert” bottle before he conks out. He rarely finishes any of the 4 8oz bottles I make. He’ll drink anywhere from 4-6 ounces. I’ve also started giving him water, more often now that he’s fighting a cold.

As for naps, 2 a day, one late morning, one in the afternoon. Solids really changed everything for us. I am so thankful for our much more manageable schedule.

By: Mom of a 7 Month Old

Mom of a 7 Month Old — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:12:14 +0000

Here’s our little one’s eating schedule

7amish-6oz sippy cup of formula
8:30-9aish: Oatmeal (Mixed Grain) w/ 1/2 jar of fruit, puffs and a sippy of water or milk (2oz)
11a: 6 oz sippy of formula (may or may not finish)
12:30-1p: Oatmeal, 1/2 jar of fruit, whole jar of vegi, puffs, and a sippy of milk or water (2oz)
4pmish: 5-7oz sippy cup
6pm: Oatmeal, 1/2 jar of vegi, puffs, and a mum
7-730ish, 4-6oz bottle, then right to bed.

When does she nap you ask? Ha, she’s not much ofa napper. She take 3, 30-45 minutes naps a day. She’s a great eater. We like ot give her a variety of finger foods, oatmeal, veggies, and fruits.