Adding veggies...

So tonight I am going to add veggies to the world of solids. My boys have been on cereal for a month now. We started with rice, then went to oatmeal-which they enjoy much better!

So-my question is-how do you do the veggies? Do you still do the cereal with the veggies? Or do it separate? Right now the boys take 2tbs of cereal. So how much veggies would I give them? I think dh and I were planning on splitting the container between the two of them...

Someone needs to write a book about this stuff!

BTW-the boys will be 5 months old on Tuesday...

 

If I were you, I may start the veggies as a separate meal. Maybe do cereal mixed with EBM or formula in the AM then do a half a jar of veggies in the evening.

As for solids, we do:

about 8 AM, 3 TBSP oatmeal mixed with 1 1/2 oz EBM, 2 oz fruit
noon, 2 oz. veggie mixed with about 1 TBSP rice cereal, 2 oz fruit
about 5 PM, 2 oz. veggie mixed with about 1 TBSP rice cereal, 1/2 canister of YoBaby yogurt

When I started the veggies and fruit, I just made sure they nursed before they had the solids and then would just feed them until they stopped opening up or starting grunting or turning their heads. Usually it was about 3/4 of a Stage 1 jar.

I totally agree ... I have so many books but they are all pretty worthless when it comes to figuring out how to feed solids! Go with your instincts and let the babies tell you how much!

 

wholesomebabyfood.com was very helpful.

 

You can do it either way -- mixed in with cereal or alone. Depends on how strong you think the taste of the veg is, I think. The first ones I did were sweet potatoes and zucchini. I baked the sweet potatoes then mashed and mixed with breastmilk to consistency of the cereal. The zucchini I boiled/steamed then pureed and added cooking liquid to thin consistency.

How much to feed -- my pedi always said as much as they will eat.

 

P.S. I used the Annabel Karmel book
http://www.amazon.com/First-Meals-Expanded...6015&sr=1-1

 

I just mix a few spoonfuls of fruit/veggie in with the cereal, oatmeal & fruit in the morning, rice & veggie in the evening.
I do give them a few spoonfuls of prunes mixed with a little bit of ebm (to thin it out) every night as dessert to keep them regular.

Good luck and have fun!!

 

QUOTE(cohlee @ Mar 15 2008, 08:37 PM) [snapback]670891[/snapback]
I just mix a few spoonfuls of fruit/veggie in with the cereal, oatmeal & fruit in the morning, rice & veggie in the evening.
I do give them a few spoonfuls of prunes mixed with a little bit of ebm (to thin it out) every night as dessert to keep them regular.

Good luck and have fun!!


OK. Next question... When do you go to two meals??? I have a hard enough time doing one! So tonight I did sweet potatoes-which went well. Then we did some cereal. DH and I ate-then they had a bottle-and they are down. Could I be overfeeding them? They ate it-didn't refuse it. We split the veggies between them, then they got 2tbs of cereal, then a 4oz bottle-usually it's 6oz-but they ate a ton so we didn't do that. One ate it all, the other didn't finish the bottle.

So-could I go to 2 meals? How do you feed them both on your own?!?! Ack! I need a nanny just for feedings!

 

QUOTE(megkc03 @ Mar 16 2008, 12:53 AM) [snapback]670912[/snapback]
OK. Next question... When do you go to two meals??? I have a hard enough time doing one! So tonight I did sweet potatoes-which went well. Then we did some cereal. DH and I ate-then they had a bottle-and they are down. Could I be overfeeding them? They ate it-didn't refuse it. We split the veggies between them, then they got 2tbs of cereal, then a 4oz bottle-usually it's 6oz-but they ate a ton so we didn't do that. One ate it all, the other didn't finish the bottle.

So-could I go to 2 meals? How do you feed them both on your own?!?! Ack! I need a nanny just for feedings!


We did 2 meals once I thought I could squeeze it in the daily schedule between naps and bottles. Probably about 7 months or so. If they are not refusing the bottle, I dont think you could be overfeeding them. Keep an eye on the bottle amounts and if they start to significantly decrease, then decrease the amount of solids since they need the nutrients from the bottles more.

At first I fed one and then the other after the first one was done. Once they got more proficient then I would just alternate spoonfuls to each baby. Good luck and have fun!!

 

QUOTE(megkc03 @ Mar 15 2008, 08:53 PM) [snapback]670912[/snapback]
OK. Next question... When do you go to two meals??? I have a hard enough time doing one! So tonight I did sweet potatoes-which went well. Then we did some cereal. DH and I ate-then they had a bottle-and they are down. Could I be overfeeding them? They ate it-didn't refuse it. We split the veggies between them, then they got 2tbs of cereal, then a 4oz bottle-usually it's 6oz-but they ate a ton so we didn't do that. One ate it all, the other didn't finish the bottle.

So-could I go to 2 meals? How do you feed them both on your own?!?! Ack! I need a nanny just for feedings!


My girls started doing rice at night to help with their reflux and they weren't taking bottles, this was shortly before they were 4mo.
At their 4mo appt pedi said we could add breakfast but it shouldnt cut in on their milk intake so I just do 2 teaspoons with a couple spoonfuls of fruit mixed in, its so little and doesnt take more than 15mins or so. And since they are already confined in the chairs it gives me a few minutes to eat, do the dishes, etc while they digest.
At night they get a little bit more, like 2 tablespoons (between the 2 of them) with some veggies, then the prunes. This takes a little bit longer but its part of our nighttime routine, they nurse, nap #3 (catnap), have dinner, take a bath, nurse and go to bed.
My girls have definitely gotten quicker eating solids over the past couple weeks and they enjoy them, they are so excited so they are not as distracted like when they're nursing. I just put them both in their feeding chairs and use 1 bowl and 1 spoon and alternate.

ETA: typos

 

After a month or so of veggies, I went to 2 meals. My DS especially was loving it and eating tons so I went to 2 meals. I tried green beans first and they seemed to like them, they worked out well. I usually don't mix veggies with cereal. Now I mix fruit with the oatmeal as it doesn't constipate like rice cerseal. They never get the cereal anymore.

Also check out www.wholesomebabyfood.com It is great and has lots of practical advice on what to feed and when,.