Help! think I'm losing my way..

[getmeagin]

Have read lots of threads about feeding your baby and now feel that I'm not doing the right thing by my ds (8 months). Please can someone reassure me or put me right? He has baby porridge or weetabix with various kinds of fruit mixed in it for breakfast, pureed veg with finger foods for lunch with a pudding and then a meaty tea - things like beef, chicken or lentils. I'm confused because sometimes I read that they are supposed to have protein foods once a day,sometimes I read twice a day. Is pureed veg enough for lunch? He won't eat fish, apart from fishfingers as a finger food (desperate to get fish down him!). I was really keen for him to have what we have but find this really hard as we cook our meal when he's in bed and it's not often stuff i can puree for him. Should he really be having chopped foods, or mainly finger foods? When should he be starting to use a spoon? oh, and he only drinks a couple of sips of water.
Gosh, what an outpouring - sorry!

I wouldn't too much - it'll drive you mad (bit like me when it comes to DC's food).
What you're doing sounds fine - why don't you grate some cheese into the veg puree at lunch time and then that'll be more protein! Or how about a yoghurt?
I think it sounds great what you're giving him.
Could you mix white fish or salmon into a cheese sauce with some peas or something if you're keen to get him eating more fish?
Stick with it though - you're doing so well and his diet looks really healthy. The Annabel Karmel Baby and Toddler Meal Planner is a great buy and has loads of yummy recipes in it and lots of info on all the food groups and what they should be having at different ages. I still use it now and cook some of the family meals which my DH loves!

don't worry, i think it sounds like you're doing great. as long as you don't start cutting back on milk you'll be fine as that's where the bulk of his hutrition is coming from now. until they're one food's just for fun and all that...
and i think dd could grab a loaded spoon and approximately jam it into her mouth at around 8 months... a messy business but good fun. other than that spoons were great bath toys.

Thank you, cheese thing a good idea! I get really confused with the food/milk thing. He's got a good appetite for his milk (he was bf til 6 months old, now on formula - at least a pint a day) but there's so much about them having a varied diet in the books I panic that he's not getting everything he should. Think I'll put a spoon in front of him tonight with his tea and see what he does. Oh, yes that was my other thing which I forgot to include in my outpouring - he doesn't seem to like yoghurt! I envy my friends who have babies that wolf down those petit filous things, my ds just pulls faces at them!

good for him, they're full of crap... take a look at the ingredients if you don't believe me. loads of sugars and weird gummy fillers.

honestly, don't worry about his eating just yet, it sounds like you are doing really well. and don't give yourself the stress of making sure he has a 'balanced diet' every meal. i always think of dd's eating over a week, as there are still, at 14 months, days when she lives on air and milk alone.