Is it time to give up baby food??

Question

*My daughter is 8 1/2 months. She used to be eating 2 containers of food at lunch and dinner easily and has just recently started fighting after just one. I don't push it, I figure she's full but within an hour she'll take down a 6 ounce bottle.

*She's great at picking up her own food. She loves cheerios, cheese, pasta, toast w/ butter, some veggie chunks, applesauce, yogurt but that's it. I have yet to find a fruit chunk that she likes.

*I've heard that between 9 and 12 months when babies perfect feeding themselves they don't want to be fed and that's when it's time to stop baby food, correct? My problem is, my daughter hardly eats enough "people food" to tide her over for a meal.

Any suggestions??

Answer 1

She seems to actually be right on track, as are you. Around 7-8 months is when babies taste buds hit a developement spurt, and baby starts to actuall decide what she likes, and what she doesnt like based on taste, not textrue.Although I am not a fan of gerber jar foods (they are not as nutritional as Beech Nut), they do make wonderful toddler premade dinners. They are just as good as cooking yourself, and much faster. If you are a cook, then by all means do so. She may just be trying to assert her independance. Try giving her her own spoon, and put food in 2 bowls. Let her try to feed herself from 1, and you feed her from the other. She will most likely not even notice you are actually the one doing the feeding, she will feel she is doing it herself, and this way you can be satisfied she is getting enough. Just remember, her tummy is only about the size of her fist, so it does not take much to fill it. The bottle could be from thirst, or could be a comfort. It is familiar and easy. As long as she is growing and gaining weight, she is perfect. Keep up the good work!

Answer 2

My daughter just turned 10 months old and I stopped feeding her prepared baby food about a month or so ago. It seems sometimes that she is in the mood to want to only eat food she can pick up and pushes the spoon away or just grabs it from me. Your daughter might like the taste and texture of the "people food" better. Not too mention getting to use her new skill of picking things up!

I met with a nutritionist and the info she gave me said that babies b/t 8-10mos need at least 4 tablespoons each of baby cereal, vegetables, and fruits a day. And 1-6 tablespoons of protein foods like ground up chicken, egg yolk (no whites of course), and dried beans. I have read that babies stomachs are the size of their fist, which seems hard to believe. Maybe your daughter is going through a phase of just wanting to snack or graze throughout the day. Or maybe she takes the bottle so soon afterward because she's thirsty? I don't know about the bottle b/c I nurse but I am trying to get my little one to drink water from a cup because I know she must get thirsty sometimes.

I find it much more satisfying to cook for her and know exactly what she is eating. She also seems to eat better. Luckily, I haven't found anything she doesn't like. She loves banana and kiwi. Sweet potatoes cut up in little chunks are the her absolute favorite. Tonight I steamed some fresh pear chuncks and she loved it. I also make brown rice and lentils for her and she is able to pick that up as well. I bought a cookbook that has some great recipes for cooking for babies from 4 months to 3 years. It has a no egg pancake recipe which is delicious for both of us.

Whoa, sorry, long answer but I hoped it helped a little.

Answer 3

It seems like you know that the rule with feeding is to stop when your baby wants to stop. It helps them with self-regulating and helps them not over-eat when they grow up. Babies and kids go through a lot of different stages with eating - one day they will want to eat and eat and eat, and the next day they'll just pick at their food. It could be affected by growth spurts, new teeth, and all kinds of things.

I would offer your baby "people food" first, and then maybe a little jar food if she hasn't eaten a lot. We give my 14 month old baby whatever we are having for dinner cut up into bite sized chunks. She only has 4 teeth, but she handles it very well. A suggestion for fruit - my baby loves to be given half of a banana to hold herself and chew on much better than banana pieces. She likes strawberries, too, but I cut the tip off so she can taste how good it will be. My son loved plums. Gerber Graduates has great freeze-dried fruit chunks that my baby loves.

As for the bottle, she might be thirsty, or she might use it to soothe herself. My daughter will eat a whole dinner and then still want to nurse before bed.

Answer 4

She will eat when she is hungry. and she may eat more often through out the day.
i would just try and introduce her to a new taste everyday. thats what i did when my kids were done with baby food and it seemed to work very well.
Her age is perfect for starting real food. just be careful if you feed her hot dogs. tiny triangles is how you would want it cut up.And obviously dont give her anything she cant handle like steak! lol
good luck!

Answer 5

too young for table food. it poses a huge choking hazard. put the baby food in a bowl and give her a spoon and let her feed her self. on jar of food and then a 6 ounce bottle is actually perfect she still needs formula no table food til after age one

Answer 6

http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/feed47m.html