Am I overfeeding 11 month old DS?

[CaptainAmericaishotwithabeard]

DS loves food. He's always been a good eater and he pretty much eats whatever I put in front of him with hardly any wastage at all.
I really struggle with portion size because he doesn't seem to be able to restrict himself yet, and has a little cry when the food is finished usually (Lasts approx 3 seconds so it's not real distress!)

He's a chunky little boy but still easily in 9-12 month clothes and only just 11 months, plenty of room in them. The chub is all round the face, thighs and arms (deliciously squishy!), his torso and tummy etc aren't chubby at all.

However, he does seem to eat a lot! A typical day is:

6am wake up, 6.30 7oz formula
8.30 breakfast - 2/3 weetabix and milk or porridge fingers or porridge/overnight oats
10.30/11 am snack - banana/melty puffs/toast if he hasn't already had it/ banana egg pancake/yogurt
12.30 lunch - this can be anything from cottage pie and fruit, toast scrambled egg and avocado (depending on what he's already eaten that day), an Ella's pouch if we have been busy and need something quick, spread cheese sandwich )again dependent on what he's already eaten), pasta, any of that kind of thing usually about 5-6 tablespoons plus fruit.
3/3.30pm 7oz milk
5pm dinner - similar to lunch this can be anything from spag bol, chicken and leek bake, mushroom and tomato couscous, lamb and rice, risotto, whatever we're having or I've got pre-made in the freezer plus a 'pudding' such as yogurt, fruit, homemade rice pudding - again in total about 6-7 tablespoons max.
Then he has 7oz milk before bed at 7.

I often add finger foods in - so sweet potato batons etc, and if I do that I make his spoonfed portion a bit smaller to account for it.

Does this sound about right? I really struggle with portion sizes as he never seems to stop (I know they say they'll stop when they're full, but he doesn't seem to!).

That sounds right to me! My little girl is nearly 16 months and also a big eater. She’s on pretty much the same amount, maybe a little more (she has a big bowl of porridge AND peanut butter toast for breakfast) and it hasn’t increased that much since she was about 10 months. One morning and one afternoon snack sounds good to me - I think over feeding happens if you offer snacks all day.
Per some guidance, we stopped bottles at 12 months and she naturally cut back quite a lot on her milk at that point - now we make sure we incorporate it in her food so she gets enough.
Trust yourself! If he looks happy and healthy he probably is

Sorry I have no idea, i had exactly the same question recently about my 7 month old.

But if he eats it, and your not forcing him then I guess it’s fine.

Mine seems to eat small amounts, but that’s what I offer as I figured he’s only just started eating for a few weeks. But he would happily take more I think. It’s confusing. We give purée and finger food

Apart from being surprised at what I understood to be 2 or 3 weetabix for breakfast the rest sounds fine. Maybe I should have read it as 2 thirds.

Same as @MummaGiles

Also by 1 He will only need about 11oz of blue milk, so that will be a major cut down of calories

Very similar to what my ds was having at that age. Sounds like a healthy varied diet. Don’t worry he’s doing great.

Sounds exactly the same as my little one at that age, they will eat when they want and not when they dont. Interestingly he’s now 23 months and we’ve dropped the morning milk but the rest of the amounts are similar and he’s growing steadily. I’m happy he eats tbh and has some extra chub (on the thighs, tummy and shoulders are skinny) for if he gets poorly etc. Also when you cut the milk start giving extra vitamins, especially vitamin D, if you’re not already. Well done, sounds like he’s doing fine!

If he didn't want it he wouldn't eat it. So don't worry about it.
My DS is 16 months nearly 17 months and only eats 1 weetabix.. think he'd make me wear his breakfast if I tried to give him two!

Sorry that's my bad typing two thirds not two or three :)

Thank you all.

How big are the snacks you give yours? He only has one or two snacks a day, usually one

I was unsure whether I needed to start cutting his milk gradually now or wait until 12 months

I don't think I could manage 3 Weetabix!! I should have written that out as two thirds of a Weetabix biscuit

No sounds very reasonable although the one thing I cut out was the morning formula, I just offered water and then we went down for breakfast but that's also completely your choice xx

That sounds good. Maybe a lot for his age, where others may be still more reliant on milk still but not a lot in itself. He's doing really well. Keep going with it.
Most of these foods are super healthy anyway so you dont have to worry.

Mostly sounds fine. 2/3 weetabix is loads though. I don’t even think I could eat 3 😂 I’d probably offer 1 weetabix with fruit and yogurt to fill him up more.

I’ve attached a link on portion size which I find handy. I’ve been clueless with Ds and this has helped a lot.

www.swft.nhs.uk/application/files/4314/7929/4203/Recommended_intake_and_portion_sizes_for_children_-_all_appendices_2016_FINAL.pdf

(I know he’s not quite 1 yet but it should be useful soon)

*sorry have just seen your update on the weetabix haha!

Also, I waited until ds was 12 months to actually reduce his milk intake (when we switched to cow’s milk). Your ds is eating brilliantly so I would consider all the formula as a bonus. I’d only forcibly reduce milk intake if ds wasn’t eating as well.

Honestly, your baby will slim down massively once mobile. So long as you are not force feeding then you are fine.
Once your child is mobile then getting them active is the key to long term fitness.

Great thank you so much.
He was only 5lb 5 at birth and didn't gain weight initially and now he's definitely making up for it :)

He's at the latter end of the window for his milestones but progressing nicely - he's crawling (although much prefers cruising and standing), cruising and pulling up and climbing and trying to walk (backwards at the moment!) So he's getting more mobile.
We are trying to give him a bit more free reign of the house now we have baby proofed so he can get faster/better at moving.

Thank you for the portion size guide that's really helpful

Snacks for my 15 month old: half or whole banana, or some grapes halved, or half a pack of veggie straws, or an organix carrot cake bar. HTH

I had a diddy one first, 4lb 7oz and she walked at about a year old. I work on a benign neglect parenting style and she is now 23 and it hasn’t harmed her.