Am I feeding too much to my baby?

[Velma75]

7.30am Milk feed
9.30am Porridge
12.30 Solid feed
3.30pm Milk Feed
6.00pm Solid feed
8.00pm Milk feed

I feel like I am feeding my baby all the time! My HV has not been to see me since my baby was 2 months old, he is now 6.5 months and I am doing it all myself. I am worried that I am doing this all wrong and it will cause problems in the future.

I have read weaning books but what I really want is to be told what to feed and at what times, and whether to give milk at the same time as solids, or leave a gap like I have been doing. ADVICE PLEASE!!!!!

Always give milk first as it provides the majority of the calories and nutrients your baby needs. And then offers solids to appetite. If you offer finger foods and allow your baby to self feed, he will eat to his appetite and probably enjoy the experience of exploring food.

Thank you ShowOfHands. So should I always be giving him milk at meal times and then the solid feed after? That is probably where I am going wrong!!

Velma, I don't want to sound harsh but.... WELCOME TO PARENTHOOD!! Unfortunately the HV's don't have time to hold our hands all the way (and who would want them to anyway, with all the things they come out with).

It's imposssible to say if your baby has "too much" food as you don't say quantities, but to be honest 3 milk feeds in 24 hours sounds a bit low for a 6.5 month old, although of course it depends how much he/she takes. Showofhands's idea of offering milk before solids is a good one, although when he/she gets a bit older you may want to seperate the two as giving milk with solids inhibits iron absorption.

Just try to follow your baby's lead, make sure you feed him when he's hungry (i.e. don't make him wait until a set meal time), and only offer healthy food, and you won't be doing anything much wrong.

Good luck, HTH

He is having 8oz in every feed. I was told he had to have 20oz min every day so he is having enough, I hope!

We make our own solids or us Hipp jars if out and about.

I felt like I was doing ok, but I did talk to my HV and she made me feel like the worst mum ever!! So that is why I am seeking advice.

Thank you for your good luck wishes, I think I need it!!!!

Velma I'm going through the same now but not as far along as you, but my HV and the tin of food I use (dairy intolerance) says 6mths+ should be 2-3 bottles of 8oz a day so 20 sounds absolutely fine.

That sounds fine to me! My ds is also 6.5 months and he has:

7am - milk (breastfeed)
8am- breakfast of half a weetabix or a small bowl of porridge or half a piece of buttered toast
10am - milk
12pm - lunch, today he had a mini breadstick, some cucumber sticks, a bit of cheese and a yoghurt
1pm - milk
4pm - milk
5pm - tea, today will be a small bowl of chicken stew and half a banana
6.30pm - milk
11pm - 100ml of formula

Obviously as he's breastfed I don't know how much milk he has, and his feeds at 10am and 1pm are more just feeding him to sleep than a proper feed!

MoonUnitAlpha that is brilliant!!! It is great to see that you are working along the same lines as me!! Thank you thank you!!! :)

Similar here too. :) DD is 7 months and her food routine...

7:30am - Half a weetabix w/full fat milk.
10:00am - 6floz formula.
Noon - Lunch, normally pasta in sauce w/veg. Water to drink.
1:30pm - 6floz formula.
3:00pm - Snack, pieces of fruit. Water to drink.
4:00pm - 6floz formula.
6:00pm - Dinner, normally whatever is going. Water to drink.
7:00pm - 6floz formula.

She turns down a bottle if offered first thing in the morning.

HTHs!

Are you pureeing your evening meal Spirael?

No, she manages the lumps ok - despite having no teeth yet! Tonight she managed strips of muffin and the same macaroni cheese with peas that DH and I were eating. :)

Hi my little girl is slightly older at 8 months old but an average day goes like:
6-7am- 50z milk

7-8am- bowl of porridge with pureed fruit in. Will than snack on a piece of toast with butter and sometimes tiny amount of marmite.

9-10am- 5oz milk (will not drink any more at one feed and never has done)

11.30-12pm- chicken and vegs etc followed by a yoghurt

1pm- 5oz bottle

2-2.30pm- snack of cheese spread sandwich, some fruit

3.30pm- 5oz milk

4.30-5pm- dinner of whatever we are having (casserole/pasta dish/roast etc)

6-7pm- 50z bottle of milk

She is a big eater though and has been since weaned -although she is not big just long.

What you are doing sounds fine to me

Oh, she will also drink water with food

Velma, your schedule sounds identical to mine, even down to the 3 x 8 oz milk feeds. My DS is 6 months.

DD is 10 months and has had pretty much the same food routine since about 7 months. Todays menu is:

7am - 6-8oz milk
8.30am, - 1 weetabix
11.30 - lunch (cottage pie etc plus fruit)
2.30 - 6-8oz bottle
3.30 - Afternoon tea (cowboy hotpot plus a flapjack)
6pm - Dinner (spiral pasta with cheese and brocolli sauce, plus a fruit yougurt)
7.30 - 6-8 oz milk.

She is 84cm long and 10.5 kilos. She is on the 95th percentile for length and weight.

I am really happy to read that many people are doing the same as me . Thank you all!!

Velma75 - what you're doing sounds fine. I have the opposite worries to you....that my 6.5 month DS isn't eating enough. He has:

6-7am - 210ml formula
8am - half weetabix
10.30am - pureed veg
11am-midday - 210ml formula
3pm - pureed fruit
3.30pm - 210ml formula
7.15pm 210ml formula

He is starting to like his food but don't think he could manage any more than the above at the moment.

My DS is 5 months, so just to compare:

8:30am: Porridge and fruit
10am: Bottle (6oz)
12pm: Lunch (mushed veg)
1:30pm: Bottle (between 6 and 8oz)
4:30pm Bottle (6oz)
5:30pm: Dinner (mushed veg with a yoghurt for pudding)
7pm: Bottle (8oz)

He may have another bottle of 6oz in the night depending on whether he sleeps through or not. If he DOES sleep through he will have a bottle on waking at around 7am.

Your pattern seems completely normal to me.