really stupid solids feeding question
redshoegirl
member
How much is too much solids?
Currently Will and Dash eat the homemade equivalent of one jar of baby food - split between them - twice per day (so they each eat about one jar total per day - I don't know what it is in ounces, sorry). They'd definitely eat more if I offered it, and I've read that you can feed them as much as they'll accept, but I'm a little worried about their solids to milk ratio.
After they eat solids, they naturally don't want to drink as much formula compared to when they only have a bottle, so I'm wary that they'll end up dehydrated or something (although they do still have 2-3 other bottles each day without solids).
Is there some kind of guideline for how much baby food is too much at 6 months old? Should I start introducing very small amounts of water between meals or are they still too young? Is this one of those things that I'm totally overanalyzing and shouldn't even bother thinking about lol?
Re: really stupid solids feeding question
Considering K is only 3 months, I don't have any advice or pointers
But, I'm really interested to see what others are saying. I'm a big worry-wort, so I'm already trying to figure out how to do the combo milk/ baby food in the near future.
i always BF first to make sure she gets enough milk, since the milk is nutritionally balanced and the solids i'm giving her are not....in your case you could give them formula first. at 6 months you can definitely give them sips of water while they are eating, but you could just as well give them formula too. i don't give water between meals but just during meals. once we switched from purees to finger foods, i could always tell when she was thirsty b/c she'd start refusing the food and wouldn't take anymore until i gave her something to drink.
here's a good link w/guidelines on how much to feed though honestly i've never followed it b/c i always nurse her first. i also haven't given her any cereal ever since we transitioned from rice cereal to purees, and the pedi said that was ok.
Jaime & Brent
Oahu, Hawaii | Sept. 9, 2005
My Food Blog - Good Eats 'n Sweet Treats
Ditto to Jaime, I would just give them the formula first, or if you want, give them the formula and then wait and hour or so to give them the solids.
TTC/PG Blog | Mommy Blog
I would say to check on wholesomebabyfood.com or kellymom.com like Lori said or there's something on the dr sears website but I can't remember the link....
I think around 6 months Bella was barely getting solids. You could check my blog for sure. I fed her one cube (home made food) in the evening and cereal once in a while at breakfast. I would always BF first because at that point the milk is most important.
I've never offered Bella water except in our glass when she reaches for it. She's never had a sippy or bottle of water, not even with meals. She's on the slender side so our pedi said to give her as much milk as she'd take. We offer milk MULTIPLE times a day. She rarely drinks an entire sippy at one sitting but she's also almost 15 months old. At 6 months she was drinking full bottles though... I've always been told not to give water until they are a year old (through nursing school and during hospital orientations that's what I've learned) because of the risk of "overfeeding" water. Most parents won't but there are those few and far between that will and then the kids electrolytes get all messed up.
I use the feeding guideline on earth's best website...its in the lower right hand corner. https://www.earthsbest.com/
That being said when they reach around 6 mos they should receive most of their nutrition via breast milk or formula. But the ratio of solids to BM/formula should gradually shift so that they eat more solids then BM. Personally I don't think you're over feeding them solids.
Kailani is about the same age as your handsome pirates and she eats ALOT of solids!!! She has 2 servings of rice cereal (3 tbl spn, mixed with 1.5 oz of formula & some baby food) in the morning and evening. She also eats one SMALL jar of baby food at lunch. She drinks three 8 oz (250 ml) bottles about an hour after each meal plus one 2-4 oz bottles at bed time.
All this and my MIL still wants me to give her MORE. I have to put my foot down and say that is ENOUGH stop. But that's an old school Italian MIL for you. Manga manga!!!!
I have no clue exactly how much milk A's getting since I'm primarily breastfeeding, but I do feed him solids twice a day. He has a hearty appetite for the solids, but I'm assuming it's OK since I'm feeding him in-between and not in-place-of any nursing sessions. I don't give him water, except for little spoonfuls at the table just for fun.
I don't think there's an exact science to it, but it sounds like you're doing fine as you are!
Thanks all! This will sound stupid, but I hadn't thought of simply feeding them their bottles first - we initially gave them solids when they were most hungry to help introduce them to the idea of eating, and even now that they're loving food, it hadn't even crossed my mind to switch. Silly me!
This and this
are good to know, thank you! I feel a bit better now.
Oh, and it's late to mention this, but I thought I should add that they aren't showing any signs of dehydration or anything - plenty of wet diapers, etc. - I'm just being neurotic lol.