Snacks?

bumpuser10054788

TL;DR: Do any of you offer your LO snacks during the day (in addition to their 3 meals + BM/formula feedings)?

Reason I'm asking...currently, LO's schedule looks something like this (exact times depend on wakeup time/nap length):

Wakeup: 6:30am
Bottle: 7:00am (offer 7oz, usually finishes)
Breakfast: 8:30am
First Nap: 9:30am (until hopefully 11:00am)
Bottle: 11:30am (offer 7oz, usually eats 6-7oz)
Lunch: 1:00pm
Bottle: 2:00pm (offer 7oz, usually eats ~5oz)
Nap: 2:15pm (until hopefully 3:45pm)
Bottle: 5:00pm (offer 6oz, usually eats ~3-5oz) - if we have an early dinner sometimes she'll skip this bottle
Dinner: 6:00pm
Bottle: 7:40pm
Bed: 8:00pm (offer 8oz but really varies in how much she eats, almost never finishes anymore)

Generally she'll eat 23-29oz of formula a day, plus her three meals. This is right within the range of formula intake the pedi suggested for her (22-30oz) and I'm happy with the amount. However, the pedi also suggested she should generally be ~4 bottles a day by 9 months and ~3 bottles a day by 12 months. Currently she is still taking 5 bottles a day. Mainly this is because we added a bottle before her 2nd nap since she was waking up early from that nap. Her nap has *knock on wood* improved since adding that bottle, but she also isn't finishing that bottle or the 5:00pm one.

I've seen example schedules for a 10 month old that have 4 bottles a day but include a mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack. I've been debating trying this to see if we could "drop" the extra bottle, but I'm not sure what would happen. She could either drop a bottle and make up for it by eating more at the other ones (the ideal), or she could drop her total bottle intake (which I wouldn't be ok with).

I know I could just try it out and see what happens but was curious if anyone was even offering snacks at all. I'm definitely in agreement that bm/formula is the primary nutrition source for the first year (and so is our pedi), but at the same time I'm slightly concerned about needing to wean her off of 5 bottles at 1 year instead of just 3-4. Then again, if it is working currently, maybe I shouldn't try to fix it :-P

(Just for reference, I did try to call the pedi today to ask about snacks, etc. I hoped to speak to a nurse or doc but the receptionist said she could handle the question, and gave me totally different advice than her actual pedi. She said should be eating real food before bottle and only 16-20oz a day. I didn't feel comfortable with this advice and don't plan to follow it.)

ETA: Just realized this post is longer than I planned, sorry :-P Added a TL;DR.

kelley72

I do give snacks.  Usually puffs or piece of fruit/slices, sometimes a couple of crackers, slices of cheese, etc.   

I think minimum of 20oz is what I would be comfortable with but my guy is on the large size (height 90+% and weight 65%)... plus the three meals and snacks.  Levi doesn't drink any juice and does have a small amount of water of which I am not adding in the 20oz

fish8412

NewMomma8 said:

I second @babylentilbean about the receptionist comment.

Yes. I would also inform the next nurse or doctor you speak to about the receptionist giving medical advice to parents.

fish8412

No snacks yet. 3 solid meals a day. 4 nursing sessions during the day and 1 at night.

bumpuser10054788

babylentilbean said:

The receptionist gave you advice? Umm, no. I would have insisted on speaking to the nurse. A receptionist has no training other than to answer phones, make appointments, and other OFFICE work. I would call again. As for your question. I don't offer snacks yet bc E barely eats at her two meals and doesn't do finger foods.

I agree, it was kind of strange. It felt like she didn't want to bother them with the question. I probably should have pushed to speak to someone else, but I didn't consider it a super important question, since she is doing well on her current schedule. I had to call about a billing question anyway, and the thought had been on mind, so I figured I'd try to get their input.  When I didn't get what I was looking for, I figured I'd ask the awesome M14 ladies what they are doing currently I have the feeling that the pedi's viewpoint would likely be that as long as her formula intake stays within what he mentioned, and she is eating at least 3 meals/day, he will be happy. He's a pretty laid back guy.

I also consider myself really lucky to have a little lady who really loves her food and her bottles, so will eat whatever we give her

SurpriseAt39

I'm bad at giving 'snacks'. I feel like some days all I do is feed the kids and try to get them to nap. I don't have time for snacks. Lol.

Both boys have 3 meals.
DS1 (25 months) gets a snack if he wakes up from nap more than an hour before supper.
LO gets a snack as prep for lunch or supper. It's mostly just to keep him happy until the 'meal' is served.

LO also nurses 4-6 times during the day plus to bed for the night and maybe once during the night (due to teething or his brother waking him up).

lindsey1031

If that were my LO's schedule, I'd offer a snack at noon and again at 4.  Probably would time it while I'm out and about so that I could use the snack as a distraction while I completed errands.

WisconsinCheese12

Not really a snack for fill her up but a snack to distract her from crying in the store, or while I try to accomplish something I throw some puffs her way

newmomdee

Is my baby the only one not drinking enough in the day my pediatrician isn't concerned she drinks about 12-16oz I always ask her about that and she never seems to question it

alfriedeck

Lo eats 4 - 8 oz formula bottles a day,  usually week day schedule is: 8am, 12pm, 4pm and 7-7:30pm.  She also gets 2 meals at 10am and 2pm.  I will sometimes give her a snack to keep her occupied while I get something done (put up groceries, get laundry going..).  If she is with us while we are eating she wants whatever we are eating.  It is quite funny to see her spit her paci out, she can get some air with it!!

 

Typical snacks: she loves the mum mums.  puffs, yogurt melts, going to start the Fruit pickups and mandarin oranges.  Daycare will offer her toll house crackers as snacks.