giving 3 meals aday

[Jyates]

hope you can help my dd is just over 6 months old and has been having two meals per day for about two weeks i have been giving her rice for breakfast with a fruit puree and tea time vegtables with a pudding fruit or yogurt.
When do i move to three meals per day and what should i feed her a dinner time a main and a pudding or just one and do i stay with main and pudding at tea time  any advice!!!!!

[Sarahboh]

hello,

Ella just turned 6 months and I transitioned to 3 meals a day just before 6 months. It seems to work for us and she seems hungry at each meal except her 11:30 am bottle typically isn't fully taken in one part, usually 2. It depends on your lo though if you think he/she needs another meal. Here is our routine, hope it helps.

7:30 am wake and 6-7 ounce bottle
9:00 am 4 tsp fruit or veggies, 1/2-1tbsp rice cereal with 1 ounce formula in it
9:45-11:30(11:45) sleep
11;30-11:45 5 ounces
12:45 5 tsp veggies or fruit, 1-2 ounces formula
1:30(1:45)-2:45(3:00) nap
3:30 7-9 ounces bottle
4:45-5:15 catnap
5:30 2tbsp rice cereal, 6 tsp veggies and/or fruit, 2-3 ounces formula mixed with cereal and by mouth
6:30 bath, massage, cuddle
6:45 bottle 6-7 ounces,
7:00pm bed
Sleeps until 7:30am (no nightwakings)
She typically takes in 2-3 tbsp day rice cereal, 15 tsp day fruits and veggies total and has her extra milk in her cereal and from a cup during and after meals. Her formula intake is between 29-32 ounces a day with food. I guess it all depends how hungry your lo is and whether he wants the extra food. Feel free if you need anymore info to ask.

[*Natasha*]

I alos started my DD with meal 3 at 6months as i found she was getting hungry earlier before her bedtime bottle. When she was on 3 meals i gave her:

Breakfast: 2tbls cereal with a few tpsn fruit
Lunch: Custard or yoghurt 2-3tbls
Dinner: Veges 2-3tbls

[Jyates]

hi dd s meals so far are

tbsp of rice in morn with 5 oz bott
tea time 2 ice cubes of veg and 1 cube of fruit or/ fromage frais

so if i start giving her a 3rd meal at dinner time shall i just give a dessert and can she have normal custard as a dessert?

[Jenn©]

So far, I just use some fruit as dessert for mine.  I figure she has plenty of time for dh to teach her junk food later.  Seems most of the "dessert" stuff here has too much added sugar.  On the other hand, I'm not ambitious enough to make her food yet. 

[Jyates]

i have been giving fruit for a dessert such as banana and apple i have also been giving fromage frais can i give normal custard?

[Lªuren]

hi dd s meals so far are

tbsp of rice in morn with 5 oz bott
tea time 2 ice cubes of veg and 1 cube of fruit or/ fromage frais

so if i start giving her a 3rd meal at dinner time shall i just give a dessert and can she have normal custard as a dessert?

You may also want to consider giving a proper cereal in the morning i.e readybrek, weetabix rather than starting a third meal, I give readybrek and add 2 icecubes of fruit to it. (is it baby rice you give for b/fast?)

Once you are consistantly giving a 'proper' breakfast and continuing your tea time as it is (or move the fruit to b/fast with a cereal, etc and just add another cube of veg), then think about adding another meal.  at dinner time.


Weetabix and ready brek are fine to give to LO's over 6months either with formula or full fat milk (well in the UK anyway).

[*Natasha*]

If your baby has room for dessert after dinner and will still happily take the bottle or breastfeed after then that is fine. DD always gets dessert at Grandmums house when we go for dinner (at Easter she got chocolate mousse LOVED it). When DD starts to decrease her bottles i will start giving her some dessert after dinner.