struggling a bit with solids

MayBride2B2007

so i've been going really slow with solids since hadley's pedi wanted us to start her around 4 months.  we skipped rice cereal and started with oatmeal.  i try to give her one meal a day. 

we added a veggie in about 2 weeks ago and tonight started on our 3rd veggie (she started with squash, then sweet potato, now green beans).  the issue i'm having is not knowing how much to feed her.  the nutritionist suggested we give her oatmeal along with the veggie because she needs the iron. 

i typically make about 3-4 teaspoons of oatmeal and the same of the veggie and give it to her around dinner time, in between nursing her.  sometimes she eats it all, sometimes she doesn't.  it doesn't seem like a lot of food though (i have friends giving their babies an entire container of baby food per meal, some even give 2!).  at this rate it takes her 2-3 days to finish one container. 

how do you know how much to give???

sdkrlm

I can't find the link that people sent me but basically I gave A. one ounce of fruit or veggie and maybe a teaspoon of oatmeal mixed in it. 

now she's up to 2-3 oz of purees (this is still less than a jar of food)

valkaz

Babies will quit eating when they're full, so I wouldn't worry that you're not giving her enough. That actually sounds like a perfectly fine amount to me for Hadley's age. Some babies eat more, some eat less. DD never drank more than 6 ounces at a time in her bottles while I know my niece (who is 2 months younger) would drink 8-10 ounces.

Kris721

I can't wrap my head around starting solids.  It seems like so much work and remembering!!

daisy58

I'm lost too! I just give 2-3tbsp cereal or oatmeal and half the container of veggie. Today was the first day for veggies!

Sueball1

My new (as in just this minute) theory on solids is that we don't get much guidance b/c there is no real "right" way to do it. Leo has gone through phases where he will eat an entire jar /Baby Cube of veggies plus cereal and fruit at dinner and a jar of fruit at breakfast. Now, I'm lucky if I can cajole him into eating a few tiny bites of chopped up pears, some puffs, and a few spoonfuls of veggies a day. He is likewise all over the place with his formula consumption. I have no idea what he "should" be eating and many of his friends are eating a crapload more solids than he is. But he is hardly starving (I mean come on, look at him) so I am assuming he knows what he needs.

Just keep offering her solids; if she seems hungry for more, give her more; if she refuses it, then let it be. I think as long as you are offering them enough food, they kind of self-regulate at this point!

maramarrie

Kris721:

I can't wrap my head around starting solids.  It seems like so much work and remembering!!

This. I am SOOO not looking forward to this. I'm sorry that I can't help.

Skatcat

Remember, at this point solids are just sort of practice for Hadley. She's not relying on them for nutrition so the amount she is eating sounds just right. Today mine ate about 2tbls of oatmeal mixed with water and a bit of fruit puree, so the total was probably about 1/3 cup worth. That was breakfast...dinner was about 1.5 oz of pea puree (maybe less) plus a couple of tbls of avocado. That was for both of them. 

We just give them as much as they want and they let us know when they are full.