Baby-led feeding? my dd eats loads as it is!!!

[jofeb04]

My dd is 6months, and apart from today (got diareah (SP)), she eats loads. First thing in the morning, she has porridge, or wetabix etc,both with formul milk, then has a bottle about a hour later. She will have either a yoghurt or a rusk as finger food about half 10ish.
For lunch she will have a whole sweet potato (the long ones), or two or three normal ones etc, as well as other veg, and maybe some fish, or other soft meet etc.
Again, she will have a desert, maybe a banana or pear etc.
She will have similar foods for tea, about 5ish. She will then have a bottle about 7 or 8, before bed.
Thing is, she only has two or three bottles during the day, as well as water. But if we try to offer her milk throughout the day, she will not have it!
She finishes every bowl we give her, wanting more as well.
Whats best, make her larger and larger amount of foods, or keep on going as we are?
Thanks

anyone??

TBH, that sounds like a simply huge amount for a 6 month old to be eating. I think I'd be wanting to cut down on the solids and increase the milk - she really should be getting the vast amount of her calories from milk at this stage, and it doesn't sound as though she'd be able to fit enough in! But I'm no expert but at least this will bump for you - wouldn't expect much of a response today though, it being Easter Sunday and all.

thats what i thought, but dd just doesnt want the milk!

Blimey - if only we had that problem!

It does sound a lot. On a very good day my ds (7 and a half mths) will eat half a weetabix with a cube of fruit puree and a bottle for breakfast, 5 cubes of something for lunch and a banana, a bottle at 3pm, 5 cubes of something different at tea time with a yoghurt and then a bottle at bedtime. More often than not he won't finish any of his meals! Will finish his milk though :o

Babyled weaning is finger food... how much of it is fingerfood? You can feed a lot with spoonfeeding. If you give her ONLY food she can choose and eat herself, would she eat as much ?

TBh, she eats most of it with her fingers anyway!! we dont really want to stop her eating what she wants, as my ds (2.2years) is a real fussy eater!!

well if it is entirely her choice....
having said that you can also restrict the quantities.

i was thinking about reducing it all, but she still has around 30oz of milk a day. Plus extra with cereal etc.
I thought that the advice was to follow the babys lead??

Thx

30 oz of millk is also quite a bit! Your child obviously has a great appetite!!!

wow! Am ! DS at 10 mo won't eat nearly that!!!!

I think dd2 is going to have a HUGE appetite when she goes on solids. She's already a champion feeder and wee stoater who loves her milk. She's been chomping her chops and watching us eat quite keenly these days. She's 18 weeks, tho.

It sounds like she is having enough milk. I think I have read somewhere that protein will stay in their tummy longer and keep them satisfied longer than carbs. I may be wrong, so someone else will tell you Im sure. Try giving protein foods (meat, fish etc) with the veg as you know yourself that veg is fairly low in calories. Just a thought! Im not an expert!

I am jealous of you all. MY DS at nearly 10 months is a terrible eater (was v hard to bottle feed too, constant struggle to get enough in) and has recentl;y started to refuse virtually everything except fruit, yoghurt and bread. I find it extremely stressful and worrying but just can't bring myself not to offer him what I know he will eat after a seesion of refusal and screaming

I know adults who eat less! Sorry - not very helpful! I would say that if you feel the need to cut back then you could safely do so. However, I would also think that at 6 months, her appetite control might not be fully formed and also growth spurts can be huge so she may start cutting back herself naturally.

How long does it take for her to eat at a mealtime? My DS gets mostly finger foods and would keep going forever if we let him. However, my HV suggested limiting meal times to 30-60 mins max. I offer some spoon food towards the end just incase he's really hungry and can't get the food in fast enough! Mind you, he has quite a por appetite.

Had you considered introducing protein? Lentils are good, and chiken, maybe the veg just isn't enough for her now? Annabel Karmel has a good recipe for lentils, my ds loves it.

hi any1 got any tips on what i can give my baby when he reach 4 months u can email me at [email protected] thanku :)

Ummm.... milk! Formula or breast.

Sorry, don't mean to sound blunt, but milk really is all a 4 month old needs/should have. The WHO recommendation is for milk only up to 6 months - your baby's gut will definitely be mature enough by then to cope with solids. Before 6 months, it's a bit hit or miss because the gut is open to allow the milk to pass through easily, which means there's a chance that solids can also get through into the bloodstream. Not worth the risk IMO. The signs of readiness are (taken from Kellymom):
"Baby can sit up well without support.
Baby has lost the tongue-thrust reflex and does not automatically push solids out of his mouth with his tongue.
Baby is ready and willing to chew.
Baby is developing a “pincer” grasp, where he picks up food or other objects between thumb and forefinger. Using the fingers and scraping the food into the palm of the hand (palmar grasp) does not substitute for pincer grasp development.
Baby is eager to participate in mealtime and may try to grab food and put it in his mouth."

Hope this helps.

Hiya
thanks for the advice,
Shes still eating loads, looks like it might be a growth spirt for, and as shes a roller, she may just be using up alot of energy etc.

Thanks
Jo