to ask if i am getting 8 month old food wrong?! No idea...

[goodfoodl]

Ds is 8 months. He currently has 800-1000 ml or 30 ounces of formula a day, as well as one small banana and one avocado for breakfast, 125g of hipp organic jar of baby food, then another 125g of ella’s kitchen or hipp organic again for dinner.

No idea if this is right? Should it be more? Less? I can’t seem to see any actual guidance on amount of food online, it just advises on what sort of food to eat.

Also what happens as he grows, should he soon be having 150g of food a time etc?!

I wouldn’t worry too much about exact amounts. I just let DS eat as much as he wanted. Sometimes that meant 3 weetabix (!) or 1 teaspoon of purée. He’s a little person, sometimes he’ll be really hungry and other times not at all.

Is 125g the size of the jar/pouch? Sorry I have no clue how big they are! I wouldn’t worry about the exact amounts eaten. If they’re still hungry give some more, if they’re done after a few bites then they’re done!

We didn’t really use many pouches/jars but they are definitely handy. I probably wouldn’t give one for lunch and dinner every day though unless I was out/away. So I think at 8 months I’d maybe give one pouch for a meal plus some stuff for them to pick up themselves after, like bits of fruit, veg, strips of meat, cheese, scrambled egg, pasta, rice etc. Usually I tried to modify what we were eating so I didn’t have to cook extra, but that’s not always practical

some days they’ll eat loads, some days they’ll eat hardly anything!

Your baby's stomach is the size of their first it sounds like there getting plenty of food I wouldn't worry

The size of there fist sorry

I wouldn't worry too much. he will tell you if he needs more:-) sometimes he will be having a growth spurt and eat more. sometimes he will eat less. if you can make some homemade purees and freeze in batches - that might be better than the hippo or Ella puches. obviously if you are busy and this is the only thing that works for you, then you carry on :-)

Food before one is just for fun

Just give your DC a little off your plate whilst you are eating (-salt).

You don't need to measure it, for a start most will end up anywhere apart from his mouth and that is part of the learning process.

Also I'd be careful of any pouches/containers you can't see into.

When DD was young lots of baby's got sick as the batch of pouches hadn't sterilised properly and were full of mould and parents didn't know as they were just squirting it straight on a spoon or into baby's mouth.

I never really bothered about amounts, I just let both DDs have access to what we were eating and when they started just chucking it and not eating it I'd assumed they'd had enough! Are you offering finger foods for meals too? Are you eating meals together?

At 8mo he can have what you are having, just make it without salt (you can get low salt stock cubes and other things), so you can just give him his own plate or bowl and leave him to it!

Pouches and jars can be quite expensive and I think they kind of lack the texture that is interesting for babies. We used to do a fruit pouch for afters but stick to textured food for the main part of the meals so they could get used handling different foods and self-feeding.

Don't worry about the amounts. Offer a bit, if he eats it offer a bit more until he's had enough.

I would try and do some home prepped food though and not rely on pouches and jars (fine for the odd occasion). It'll be much better for him nutritionally and cheaper for you (and better for the environment).

I would Concentrate less on amounts and more on variety. Can you just mash up what you are having? Pouches are fine for now and again but not really for every day.

I wouldn't worry about amounts but I'd be offering food that isn't processed. Pouches and jarred baby food is great for when you are out and about but at home I'd be offering things like boiled potatoe and boiled veg.

Also if you are spoon-feeding, it's important that you are aware of your baby' full cues. It's tempting when you have a bowl full of something and you're feeding them with a spoon to prompt or cajole them to finish a last few mouthfuls, but that's teaching them to ignore their satiety cues, so make sure you are watching for when they start to turn away or lose interest and even if there's still some of the jar left, don't push.

Have a look here, OP: https://www.firststepsnutrition.org/eating-well-in-the-first-year

Loads of good ideas for how to present first foods and meal ideas etc.

I never bothered with baby food. Have you tasted it ! And very expensive.

DS had mashed banana, puréed carrot, parsnip, little buttery wholemeal toast fingers, scrambled egg. He'd tell me if he was full or wanted more.

When you're at home just give baby what you're having but modified as others have described. Baby will love trying different textures. Try reading the book Baby Led Weaning, gives great tips on what to give and reassuring about any fears you have about choking (basically their gag reflex stops them from swallowing anything too big). Makes mealtimes more sociable and fun.

The amounts sound fine to me.

Baby's have this rather loud knack of telling us when they're displeased with something so you'll know if he's hungry.

The only thing id add in would be to have a go with a bit of whatever you're having at a mealtime just for variety. (We used jars and pouches loads at the time so it's not a judgement, just that it helps with their ability to feed themselves, along with all the sensory fun it gives them).

At 8 months you should be planning to move on from pureed pouches, to give baby more exposure to different textures and practice at chewing. As others have said, I'd be aiming to reduce the pouches and offer your baby regular food at the same time you eat where possible. They should be able to start tackling things like soft sandwiches, well cooked vegetables, pieces of egg, pasta with sauce, tender pieces of chicken, fruits and berries etc.

Mine were eating a bit more in terms of food - but I think less in terms of milk (3 short breastfeeds).

Typically mine had porridge for breakfast with a variety of toppings.

Usually something easy for lunch, bread/toast with a filling or spreads. If out we did use a pouch - the 220g ones that are more textured.

Dinners mine loved spag bol, lasagne, curries, pizza - quite easy to make your own if you're concerned about buying ready made. Whatever we were eating really.

Mine had snacks too, yoghurt, rice pudding, flapjack, fruit/veg.

Mine would turn their head when full if I was spoon feeding or just stop eating when it was finger food. I knew when they were still hungry because they'd get excited when they saw food.

I honestly don't think there's a typical amount though - one of mine used to throw lots on the floor but still gained loads of weight. Another would eat everything.