Portion size & milk requirements at 8 months

[StuckOnARollercoaster]

My 8 month old is enjoying her food and is eating with us 3 times a day, but I'm not too sure about portion size. I suspect she does not have an 'off'/I'm full feeling and would quite happily eat as much as I put in front of her because she just keeps eating. This has been prompted because today she was at grandma's and I gave them food to feed her but they thought she was still hungry - gave her loads more and then when she came home and I gave her nighttime feed she threw up food and milk (everywhere all over me and the bed!)

An example of a typical day: 4 breastfeeds, then in between those 3 meals of - breakfast I give her 1/4 of an adult portion of porridge, with 2 dessertspoons of apricot/prune puree, lunch - 1 piece of bread with thick butter, pieces of cucumber and tomato, 10-12 grapes, dinner - roast butternut squash - about medium potato sized amount followed by a small stewed apple. Usually has 2 breastfeeds in the night.

I think its because the guidelines are that milk should provide the majority of nutrition so I'm not giving her large portions of food. It feels like she has already reduced her milk intake - my boobs are shrinking and when I swap a feed for a bottle she will only take 1 bag (about 3oz) of expressed milk where before it was more like 2 - or 6oz.

So should I offer her as much food as she might take or should I be managing her portion size - in which case are my portions about right or too small?

[gretagrape]

I also have a baby with no off switch! I've regulated his portions myself as well, as there are quite clearly babies who DON'T turn their head away when they've had enough, and I generally work to the rule of a meal being 1/3 carbs, 1/3 protein and 1/3 fruit or veg. Re the size of the portion, a casserole might consist of 2 chunks each of carrot, parsnip and sweet potato, with meat/fish being about 1/3 of my portion...so I guess that means his meals are roughly 1/3 the size of mine.
No idea if it's right or not, but height and weight are on the same line so it can't be too far off!

[CornishYarg]

Just a thought Stuck but I would increase the amount of protein in her food. There's hardly any protein in the typical day's menu. Protein is makes you feel more full up so she may find her "off" switch if she eats more of it.

[StuckOnARollercoaster]

Greta - it's a relief when you find out your baby isn're the only one!

Cornish - you're right about the protein. We have been slowly introducing but getting some bad eczema reactions but I'm hoping it's not a full on allergy or intolerance - just that it's taking a while for her body to adjust to meat, but I should probably try more cheese with her (we don't really eat it so I forget that it's a useful protein that she might be ok with...)

[TheScience]

I was going to say the same as Cornish - it's all very sweet/carby food without much fat or protein that would keep her feeling satisfied.

[Huitre]

Protein doesn't have to be meat - pulses, beans, lentils etc are good. You can mash/squash something like chickpeas if you think she wouldn't cope with the texture whole. I used to make dal for my baby with red or yellow lentils and root veg, spiced with just a little bit of cumin and coriander. Also yoghurt/cheese/egg. Fish is very easy to eat for a baby and very nutritious. A fishfinger or similar (you can just roll a stick-shaped bit of fish in flour and fry it) is also very easy to pick up. A cheese sauce on eg broccoli or cauliflower is delicious.

[gretagrape]

Oops - didn't mean to imply all meals are meat or fish! I usually do meat or fish for one, then pulses/beans for the other. I find it useful to squash the beans a bit anyway to break the skin and make sure he digests them properly - he's fine to eat them whole but then they tend to come back out whole as well!!