Feeding routine for 6-9months

[hannahs_mum]

Well, I don't know what it's supposed to be like, and I came here to see if I could find a similar schedule, but this is what my 6 month old daughter is eating.. we are just starting solids, other than rice cereal and oats cereal and so this is what it looks like (she was 7lbs 9oz when born and now 14.5 lbx)

7:30-8am - 6oz formula
12:00noon - 7 (formula scoups) oats cereal and sip of water
4:30- 5pm - 7 (formula scoups) rice cereal and sip of water
6:30pm - 6 oz formula

I have replaced some of the 12 noon and 4:30 scoups with trials of carrots and sweet potatoes.. now does she seem to be eating too much?  I see "tablespoons" but that's not happening here it's the scoup that comes with the formula that I thought I measured as a tablespoon, but I wonder..  She has been on this schedule for the last month and 1/2 and last month she only gained 2 lbs.. 

Help!  I am not sure if I am overfeeding or not

[molynekl]

Hannah's Mum,
Is there another time in there that you're giving your daughter formula?  Formula should still be her main source of nutrition even though you've now started solids.  My son is 8 1/2 mos., but since we started him on formula 6 weeks ago, he's supposed to have at least 24 oz. of formula.  I always make sure I can get that much in him and fill in solids where I can.  He doesn't eat more than 12 tablespoons of solids a day.  He is growing well and is almost 19 pounds (7 lbs. 2 oz. at birth).  Our routine is by no means perfect, but I actually just talked to the doctor myself about this.  You asked for help and I hope I was able to offer some.

Best of luck!

[BabyE'sMama]

Stacy,
I'm so jealous of your baby and his wonderful eating habits.  I'm about going crazy trying to get my LO to drink a normal amount of formula.  My LO has a mind of her own in that she will only drink her formula if the time, temp, and atmospher are just right and of course the moon has to be perfectly alighned.  I really feel like a lousy mom because my LO's cues are so vague.  I keep thinking I' not reading her right because she can go 5+ hours between feeds and still only take in 2-4 oz.  I can't get her to eat in the am either so I'm just lost. 

Here is the plus side:  She loves her solids!  She gets 2 meals a day (after minimal formula) and she can pack it away.  I know I should reduce her solids so she'll drink more but I've tried that and it doesn't seem to work.  She went 3 days without solids but it didn't affect her formula intake.

She has always been a light drinker.  Getting her to feed has always been a challenge.  I'm either misreading her cues or she's an inefficient sucker.  Have you ever heard of that?  Do you know where I can get more information on hunger cues?  My LO is 6 months and I still haven't figured that out.  How sad is that?

Margie

[BabyE'sMama]

See, I can't even answer that question right.  I oretty much went to feed on demand.  I'm trying to read her cues and feel like I'm failing miserably.  This is how it usually goes:

7:30 wake
8:00 bottle 2-3 oz
9:00 solids (2T oatmeal-made with formula, 1Tfruit)
12:30 bottle 2-3 oz
1:30 solids (2T Rice made with formula, 1T veggie)
5:00 bottle (this can be anywhete from 2-8 oz)
7:30 bottle (ditto)

Dream feed She used to take 8oz but in the last weeks shes taken 0-6oz

At mealtime I also use some formula to teach her how to drink from a cup.  More gets spit out but she opens up big for the cup.  I'm not sure I'll even use the zillion different sippy cups I bought.  I know she's been going through a lot of developmental changes but I just can't stop worrying about her formula intake.  I may follow your lead and skip the oats and rice.  She loves her veggies.  I've also introduced arrowroot cookies as a treat.  She can self feed those with supervision and she never finishes them since they get mooshy and fall apart.

About her sleeping.  She has been sleeping through 'til 6am or so but the last few weeks she's been waking up between 3 and 4 am.  At first I fed her then later she didn't want the bottle.  It takes a while but we get her back to sleep and she'll stay asleep until 7-7:30.  I also try to get her 2 good naps (1-2 hr) and a cat nap in the day.  We're still fighting the 45 min. monster but I'm seeing progress there.

I just feel like I can't get her on a routine because I can't read her hunger cues and try to feed her too soon.  Even with these feeding issues she's a happy, bright, active baby and a delight to be with.  I just hate stressing so much about her intake.  It's been a stuggle since day one when she had to undergo the light treatment for Jaundice.  She was so upset she wouldn't nurse.  That was the begining of the feeding drama.

Anyway,  thanks so much for listening.  I really appreciate all of your help and suggestions. 

Margie

[msrsleeves]

hi elizabethsmom my ds is 2 weeks younger than your dd and he too wont drink much formula, i tried solid food during the week but he drank less so i stopped.he's tongue-tied and i'm not sure if that may have something to do with this?

[BabyE'sMama]

Call me crazy but what is it to be tongue tied (other than not getting the owrds out)?  I've tried cutting out and reducing the solids and she still is light on formula.    So I opt for the solids to use formula to mix the oats or rice.  I figure it adds to fluids and I'll take all I can get. 

Could being tongue tied be the cause of inefficent drinkers?  Mine has no problems eating solids!!

Stacy, I almost cried when I saw your new picture.  Your baby boy is really growing up and is gorgeous!  What a wonderful picture of the two of you!  Like I said above, I like to give the oats and rice since I can mix with formula but I will try just veggies at lunchtime.  We'll see how this goes. 

You know what I don't get?  How can my babe wake up and not be ravenous?   I would think that she'd wake up and devour and entire bottle.  I just don't get it!

[BabyBsMommy]

Just a thought, but in addition to cutting back on the cereal and doing fruits/veggies instead, what about offering the solids a half hour after a bottle instead of an hour....for example, maybe if you gave the bottle at 8 and the solids at 8:30 then at 12:30 she'll take a few more oz from the bottle?  I don't know if I can be much more help than that since my ds is a little piggy and eats whatever we give him!  I have yet to give him solids at a meal until he tells us to stop because he would eat so much and I don't want him to not get enough milk.  We are up to about 3 tbsp at breakfast, 2 at lunch and 3 at dinner plus 4 feeds and a df.

[msrsleeves]

hi it means the thin piece of skin that joins the tongue to the bottom of his mouth is all the way to the front of his mouth,so his tongue is stuck, he cant stick it out or lift it up. we have to wait till he is 2 to see if he has speech problems and may have to get it snipped. i think he cant suck efficiently he rarely takes more than 5ozs he's thriving though he's 18lbs 11 no solids was 8ibs3 born.

[BabyE'sMama]

Well today she's thrown me for a loop.  While she only drank 2oz this morning, she had her 3 T of oats w/formula and bananas.  I thought it was a lot of food but it was the same amount as other moms where feeding their LO's so I went with it.  She scarfed it up!  So based on all of your recommendations I was worried that she wouldn't drink her next bottle.  Well she took a long nap and I fed her at 1:15 and she drained a 6oz bottle.  Wouldn't you know it!  The day I don't offer 8oz she would have taken it.  Then I fixed oats w/formula and peas.  I made fewer oats but more peas so it was about 3T again.  Well she ate all of that.  During her solid feeds I'm also trying to teach her how to drink from a cup.  I'm using a Tupperware Pooh sippy but I take the top off.  The top of the cup has a little lip on it that is perfect fer her little mouth.  I think she's really starting to get it eventhough I think she wears more formula than she sips! LOL.  I'm bound and determined to get her to take more formula. 

Msrsleeves:  I can see where that would make it difficult for your lo to suck properly.  He does seem to be doing really well in spite of his poor tongue.  Good for him!!!  Hang in there!

Margie

[BabyBsMommy]

Has she always been a smaller drinker when it comes to her milk or is it a recent development?  Is it very hot where you are right now?  If it is, maybe she isn't in as much of an eating mood as usual (I know I don't feel as hungry when it is really hot out).  Just throwing another thought out there!  Sounds like today went well for you!

[BabyE'sMama]

It really has been an ongoing thing.  But it really concerns me now that we live in AZ.  We live on an Army Post in Sourthern AZ.  It doesn't get extremely hot but it is very very dry and we are a higher altitiude similar to Denver (The Mile High City).  It was quite an adjustment when we first got here in May.  My poor Elizabeth Grace had nose bleeds.  We went straight to the Post Exchange for a humidifier.  That was scary.  Anyway, I really worry about dehydration in addition to her nutrition. 

Today went much better even though we had our feeding moments.  Including what went into cereal she had about 21.5oz.  This is a good day.  I love my wee babe to death but I wish she'd have 8 more oz today.  I'm so jealous of all of you moms lucky enough to have a great eater. 

I'm going to try a dreamfeed tonight.  We'll see.  She hasn't been taking them like she used to. 

Can you great moms share with me some of your baby's hunger cues.  I am having such a hard time reading my LO.  When I don't think I see any cues and feed her because it's been 5 hours she sees the bottle and whines until it's in her mouth.  That's her cue.  I would have fed her earlier if I could read her better.

We have her 6 mo check up next week.  I'm hoping she will have gained at least 1 pound since last month.  That would put her at 16.  The bad news is that she also has more shots coming.  It will be a tough week.  Please bare with me!

Thanks guys for all of your help and listening to me. 

Margie

[BabyE'sMama]

You crack me up!!!  I wish Elizabeth's cues were that obvious! LOL

[BabyBsMommy]

Brenden starts to smack his lips together when he is hungry coupled with a really annoying whine!

[ErinGP]

Here's Aidan's routine. I end each solid meal with bf because I have low supply and try to make sure he gets enough milk. He's 7 1/2 months.

7:30 am bf
8:30 cereal
11:00 bf
12:30 cereal and 1/3-1/2 jar fruit
4:00 bf
5:30 1/3 jar fruit and 1/3 jar veggies
7:30 bf
9:00 bf and bed (I know, late bedtime...we're working on it)

[lauraj79]

Charlie is 6 1/2 mths, started solids at 20 weeks on HV`S advise;

7 am- half a weetabix with milk out ofan 8 oz bottle
7.30 am- offer rest of milk
11 am- 6 oz milk
12.30pm- 3 tablespons pureed veg, fromage frais
3pm- 5-6 oz milk
5.30 pm- pureed veg, pureed fruit
7pm- 6-8 oz milk

Also offer a cup with diluted juice throughout day, especially on hot days.