amount of formula and baby food

The girls are about to turn 8 months and they still share a 4 oz jar of baby food. Right now, they are drinking between 6-7 oz of formula 4 times a day. I keep reading that there is no set amount of baby food that is right to feed your baby just feed them what they can handle and then I read about pediatricians who say they should be eating such and such amount at this time. Our pedi didn't say anything about an amount of baby food, but she did give us a weird look when we told her that the girls only drank up between 24-28oz a day like they are supposed to be drinking more.

Every once in awhile I can get them to finish their own jars of food, but mostly they share one. Sometimes they don't even finish a full 4 oz.

Just curious if anyone else had or has small eaters like myself? How much baby food did/do your babies eat?


TIA

 

I could never get my girls to take much baby food! I don't think they ever each took their own container, all the way until I switched them off baby food. They had a huge growth spurt when they stopped eating baby food b/c their intake increased so much.

 

well, at least it saves me some money! lol

 

It sounds like they are eating okay to me. I don't remember either of mine ever eating an entire jar of baby food. They started eating much better after they could feed themselves.

 

My boys are the same way and still share a jar. Sometimes my bigger guy will eat more but not usually. My boys also only drink between 28-30 oz in a day. My pedi says as long as they are happy and growing then things are good.

 

My twins were small eaters compared to my other 3! When we were still on formula/bottles, I could never get any more in them then about 26oz a day. I don't recall how much baby food they ate, but I know they weren't big eaters. Like Tina's kids, they started eating a lot more when they were able to feed themselves, and when we made the switch to milk.

 

Mine will have 4-5 6oz bottles per day plus one container of food each. They just won't eat anymore than that. Their pediatrician didn't say anything. We have started doing 8oz when they get up and 8 when they go to bed and 6 for the others.

 

Thanks for this post! I'm right there with you and will be watching for responses!

My girls just turned 7 months, but I've been so concerned as well on their food/formula intake. They typically eat half of two jars of baby food each twice a day. (sometimes just once) Moreso than that, its their formula intake that worries me. My girls only drink 4-5 oz. of formula 4-5 times a day!!! I guess I should add that every bottle they take is now thickened with rice cereal, so I'm guessing that is filling them up! (Doctor's orders, of course. They have horrible reflux that Reglan didn't touch... rice cereal is a miracle drug though!)

They are both little squirts. At a little over 7 months, they both are only about 13-13.5 lbs! We are wearing size 3 or 3-6 months clothes and we are in Size 1 diapers! I'm shopping tomorrow and I'll be buying size 2 for the first time ever. (Mixed emotions there!)

Anyhow, that's my girls stats. I'll be watching this post!

 

I think it depends more on the size of your babies than their age.

Mine eat 2 containers of stage 2 food, twice a day. So they each eat a full container twice a day. Plus have 4 8oz bottles a day. Sometimes they don't finish all their bottles (especially my ds who is a hair smaller), but they always finish their food and act like they want more!

At 6 months my dd was 19.2 lbs and my ds was 16.12. Both good sized babes!

 

both my girls weight 16lbs 7 oz right now.

 

My girls are 8.5 months, and I'd guess they weigh about 16 pounds. Our feeding routine is this:

7 - 7oz bottle
11 - they split a bowl of baby oatmeal mixed w/ fruit (probably about 6 oz?)
noon - 4oz bottle
3 - 7oz bottle
5 - they split a "dinner" meal, like a 3rd Foods size jar of chicken/veggies or something like that
7:30 - 6oz bottle, then bedtime

Most days, they don't drain all their bottles. In fact, the weirdest thing is that after sleeping for 12 hours, they usually don't finish their first bottle! ??? Anyway, I wouldn't worry about your girls' eating. As long as you are offering them formula and food often enough, they'll take what they need. My pedi's office recommends a minimum of 24oz formula per day, and if we hit at least 21 I'm happy. I just think they are petite girls, and small eaters!

Also, if you haven't tried this yet, maybe start them eating some of the Gerber Puffs - like the banana flavor? Once I tried that, it seemed like my girls were a lot more interested in eating solids. I just tried tiny cheese bits with them yesterday and they loved them! Sometimes I think they are just bored with formula.

 

I think they get bored with their formula as well.

The girls wake up at 6:30-7 and they both usually finish a 7 oz bottle.
Around 8 they share a jar of fruit
They take a nap around 8:30-9 until 10 sometimes 11

I am finding that when they wake up from that first nap that they aren't hungry at all like they used to be. Like right now, it's just about 11:30 and they don't want to eat at all.

Stacya, when did your babies drop down to three bottles? I think mine are ready now, but I know that most babies don't drop down to three until they are 9 months old.

 

I think it sounds you are right on track. My ped said 20-30 ounces and 2-3 meals of solids a day was fine at 7-8 mths. He didn't specify a size for the meals. However, if you look at the calorie count on baby food containers, most veggies/fruits don't have a high calorie content, so there isn't really that much difference between 1/2 and a whole container.

 

Our girls are much the same, little eaters. It's frustrating at times but what can you do? I spend our day trying to fill them up. I like to think they will let us know when they are ready to up it.

 

Our boys are similar - they only take in 4 -6oz bottles a day and usually leave some behind. They eat about 4oz fruit/veggie/cereal combo each twice a day. Their weight is only in the 5th percentile but has been that way since birth. I was a little concerned with their intake but they both pee/poop enough so I'll just chalk it up to them watching out for our budget.

 

Ty turned 8 months today and he hes 4-5 6oz bottles a day. He also has 4 4oz containers of food per day. Usually 1 after his morning bottle and cereal, 1 for lunch and 2 for dinner. Hes has been on the smaller side But does not have a well visit until 10/22. i would guess hes around 16lbs now.

 

I was just going to ask this question myself today. I think my girls eat a lot. They just turned 7 months and are about 20 lbs each. They drink 5 bottles a day 6-7 oz each time. They eat half a jar of #1 fruit mixed with cereal in the morning, share a jar of veggies for lunch and eat the same amount for dinner. Is this too much?

 

I don't think there is a such thing as "too much" right now, at this age. I think your babies are just big eaters. It sounds like you are doing a great job of listening to them and their wants. With their weight (as mine are the same age and not quite 14 lbs) they probably will eat more.

I think you are doing fine!

 

I agree with macie&makenna'smommy for the most part. My babies eat 4 8oz bottles a day (although they don't drain them all the time), share 2 stage 2 jars of food for lunch and 2 for supper. My dd was 19.2 lbs at 6 months and my ds was 16.12 lbs. My ped said my dd's "curve" wasn't curving anymore, she was heading straight up, so I have to water her formula down a little bit and increase her solids intake (there aren't as many calories in solids).

You can't really "overfeed" them but you can "overcalorie" them. But it depends on how their curve is going. If they are following their growth curve, then they are doing fabulous. If their line starts going vertical like my dd's, you may have to decrease some of that formula

 

thanks for your comments. I will try to decrease their formula and increase their solids. Last check-up, they were 95% weight and 25% height and it was the same thing at 4 months...

 

Mine only eat about 20-25 oz per day and take 1 or 2 3-4 oz meals per day. Even if I only feed them one solid meal they just won't drink more formula no matter how much I offer it. I just quit worrying about it they are both growing like crazy in both height/weight and are healthy.

 

Well my girls will be 8 months this Wednesday. They drink about 3-4 8oz bottles and I feed them solid twice a day. They each get a 4oz jar of veggies and share a 4oz jar of fruit at each feeding. My issue is which solids to feed them. They now eat all the basic ones. I have not try any mix fruit or the veggies n meat. Plus I know it will be coming soon but when should I start giving them table food. I feel so lost here. And mind you I have a 5yr old son. But I just cant remember what was his feeding routine. lol I guess I will keep going with the flow.

Take care ladies

 

My boys had been drinking 32-36 oz a day from 4.5 months all the way till 8 months. We started solids at 6.5 months, moved to two meals at 8 months and then went ahead and moved to 3 meals last week. Their formula intake has decreased over the past few weeks to about 28-32 oz a day. They each eat about 5 oz of baby food a day plus 1/4-1/3 cup prepared cereal. They'll split a jar of fruit for breakfast; for lunch they'll have cereal and split half a jar of baby food. For dinner, they'll split a jar of veggies (sometimes with a little cereal or Baby Mum-Mums).

 

Oh and as for weight, I think right now my boys are about 21 lbs (Alex) and 19 lbs (Will) at 8.5 months. You can see their stats through 6 months in my siggy. (At 6 months, they were both 55th for height; Will was also 55th for weight and Alex was 75th.)

 

Well, I have petite girls who apparently aren't that hungry. lol i'm pretty sure they want to drop their third bottle, but i don't think they will drink 8 oz.