8 1/2 mo. old eating schedule questions

[graceesmom]

My daughter is 8 1/2 months old and so far eating solids has been somewhat of a struggle.  I feel like I am second guessing myself all the time if I have her on a good schedule for eating solids.  This is her schedule:

6:30-Feed her oatmeal (2 tbs. mixed with 2 oz. of formula) with 2-3 oz. of fruit mixed in.  Followed by bottle, 4-6oz.

8:30/9:00am-Nap for 1 1/2-2 hours

10:30/11:00-Snack- I usually give her a little snack that usually is something like cheese, cheerios, little pieces of bread and water in sippy.  I tried a snack bottle her but then she is totally not interested in eating solids at lunctime.

12:00/12:30-Lunch-1 jar of veggies (4 oz.) and 1/2 (2 oz.) to 1 jar (4 oz.) of fruit, if I can get all of that down her, she often does not want to eat all of her solid foods.  Followed by bottle, 4-6 oz.

1:30/2:00-Nap for 1 1/2-2 hours

3:00/3:30-Bottle 4-6 oz.

5:00/5:30-Dinner-I jar of veggies or veggies/meat dinner(4 oz.) and 1/2 (2 oz.) to 1 jar (4oz.) of fruit.  No bottle just water in sippy.

6:30/7:00pm-bedtime, 6-8oz. bottle.

I have to work really hard at getting her to eat solids, I have to pull out every trick in the bag.  Let her play with her own spoon or something to keep her occupied to get her to eat.  Meal time has become a battle.  The end of the meal is always her crying to get out of her high chair.  I feel like she is not eating enough solid food at all for her age.  It seems like she does not like baby food very well.  She always seems interested in my food a lot more.  Now she is starting to wake up at 5:00am instead of 6:30am.  Could it be related to her eating?  I am confused.
Please, please any advice would be great!!!

[momtoelise]

My daughter is the same age & in my opinion, yours is eating plenty of solids (quite a lot more than mine).  Does the struggle start when you first start feeding or is it only at the end?  Could she just be full & not want that much?  Maybe try cutting it back for a couple days & see what happens... 

I wouldn't think the earlier wakings would be due to this, but I'm certainly not an expert.  Is there anything else going on in the house or in her routine that could be causing earlier wakings?  Maybe try on the sleep board for suggestions...

[C-line]

My son is the same age as well and it looks to me like you're doing quite well to me also.  My pediatrician also told me that most of their nutrition right now still comes from their bottles and not to worry too much if he's not taking too much in solids.  I just went through a few weeks where he would no longer eat much of the solid food he'd been eating for a couple of months.  He was all of a sudden only interested in yogurt, oatmeal and fruit and she even said it was fine if that was all he ate.  That has changed this week - who knows why.  I'm just continuing to offer foods and trying to keep it fun (well, as much fun as solid food can be), lol.  If she's more into your food, then maybe offer her bits of yours?  If you're struggling at every feeding then maybe just cut it short and try again in a few days with that food? 

Personally I think there's so much going on with them right now (for us teething is in full force which I think is effecting things a lot) that its hard to know what's what.  Just hang in there and keep trying.  As long as she's getting enough formula each day, i wouldn't worry.

As for the early waking, my son has been doing this as well.  I personally don't think its related to eating but for him, its habit.  I've been trying to move his schedule a bit later in the hope that he'll wake around 6 or 6:30, rather than 5 or 5:30. 

HTH

[jsmakm]

It sounds like your baby is eating great. I have a 8 month old and this is her eating schedule...
8:00 cereal mixed with formula and followed by 4 oz bottle
12:00 jar of fruit and 6 oz bottle
4:00 6 oz bottle
5:00 dinner jar of veggie and jar of fruit
7:00 6 oz bottle
8:30 jar of mixed cereal with applesauce
9:00 6 oz bottle

Hope this helps!!!

[Mckenna&Barrett's Mom]

My dd is 9 months next week and I am having the same confusion.  I always bf (on a 4 hr EASY just recently) first then give her solids right after three of the feeds.  I guess I'm doing it wrong, lol!  I never keep track of how much she eats, I just give her more until she refuses the spoon.  I guess she eats quite a bit considering she just had a bf.  Last night she ate 3/4 of a large jar of squash and a 1/2 jar of fruit too!  Wow was that a messy dipe today!

Here is her current feeding routine:
7:30 am wake and bf, followed by some cheerios (to practice self-feed), oatmeal and some pureed fruit or veggies.
11:30 am bf, followed by a Farley's biscuit or some cheerios, oatmeal or fruit or veggie.
3:30 pm bf
7:30 pm bf, followed by cereal and fruit and veggies.
usually one nightfeed between 3 and 5

Have I been doing this all wrong?

[Katet]

I think you are doing great, Infact I think the milk is slightly lower... my ds#1 didn't like baby food NEVER wanted to ate Jar/bottle stuff & only ate finger foods...ds#2 I only give home made stuff & just offer until he loses interest...no idea ofo quantity.

i don't think there is a hard & fast rule, but you just need to make sure they are getting a good variety & PLENTY of fluids... I bf, but I think at this age they should be getting a min of 24 oz Milk + other water/dilute juice, so maybe the early wake up is thirst rather than hunger...which is actually where the milk comes in these days as "nutrious liquid" rather than food

Kim - Liam's bf & I do bf before solids too & that is how it is recommended  in Australia, to give milk before solids until 9-10months & then swap it around. So I don't think you are doing it wrong...although I do 7.00 bf + solids, then bf 11, then solids, then 3pm bf, then 5.30pm bf, then solids then 7pm bf & bed & mostly I can get him to go the night through, so maybe that might help get rid of your 3/5am feed

[Mckenna&Barrett's Mom]

Thanks Kate, maybe I'll try that 

[debbieforbeck]

Hi there,

I was just reading your posting and was wondering how much your baby weighs... because weight/size has a lot to do with how much they will eat.  I don't know, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that you might be feeding your baby too much...but i don't know.... that's just my opinion..  I have an 8.5 month old as well and only feed her a 2.5 oz jar for lunch and she is full by the end.  She gives me a little cry and spitting action to let me know that she's full.  I then give her a little water to wash it down.  She might eat a lilttle more for breakfast and dinner.  My lo weighs 16 lbs and is in the 20th percentile.  Also, since milk is still her main source of nutrition, I give her 4-60z of milk first for breakfast and lunch and then an hour- 1.5 hrs later, her solids.  I switch the order for her dinner solids which is at about 5:30-6:00pm followed by 2 oz of milk and then later at 7:00pm she has her bedtime bottle.