Calling all mommies of babies 8 months and older!

I have read the "stickies" on this and wanted some more current and detailed information if you would be willing to share

My DD's were 9 months yesterday and I have some questions on feedings...

1. If you say you made them a 6 ounce bottle, then does that mean that it was 6 ounces of water PLUS formula (which actually equals out to more than 6 ounces) or is it 6 ounces total once you have made the bottle (i.e., formula plus water)?

2. What finger foods are you giving them at this point?

3. BOTTLES.... how many are you giving them? How many ounces per bottle?

4. What time are you feeding them?

5. How much baby food puree are your little ones eating?

My LO's are still getting 5 bottles per day. Our schedule goes like this.. I'm ready for a change!!!!!!!

-5:45am-6am: 6 ounce bottles

-back to bed until 7:30ish

-Play and then feed them around 8:30: 4ounce bottles plus 3 ounces each of puree.. maybe some banana puffs

-back to sleep for an extremely short nap (that's a whole other ballgame!)

-Around 11:45am-ish 6 ounce bottles only

-Down for another short nap around 12:15

-2:45-ish: 4 ounce bottles and then 3 ounces or so of puree and maybe some more puffs

-play then at 5:45pm bedtime 6 ounce bottle


I think we need to be fading off of so many feedings and introducing some fingerfoods and another meal (have breakfast, lunch, dinner) Any advice welcome!!!!

 

I can't help you with the formula and water issue because my guys could only take the pre-mixed. But at that age, we were doing three meals, approximately 4 oz. of solids at each meal, plus formula (around 26 oz. for Gabe an 28 oz. for Mike). They were big eaters and still are, so they were eating a lot. Michael especially is ALWAYS hungry!

Anyway, as best as I remember, our day was like this around 8-9 months:
6:30am - bottle
8am - breakfast (cereal with fruit)
10:30am - bottle
12:30pm - lunch (4 oz. - veg/protein and fruit)
2:30pm - bottle
5pm - dinner (veg, cereal with fruit - about 4 oz. total)
6:45pm - bottle and bed

Around 10 months, I dropped the 10:30am bottle and started a mid-morning snack instead (usually some cut-up fruit). We didn't do much of any finger foods before 10 months other than puffs and Cheerios because Gabriel was a gagger. We really started ramping up the finger foods around 10 months when he could finally take more without gagging. At that point, I started phasing out the purees and going with real foods, like cut fruit, peas, corn, etc. And at 11 months, I started phasing out bottles in favor of straw sippy cups. They had their last bottle the evening of their 1st birthday.

 

At 9 months, our schedule looked like this:

6:30 nurse
8:00 Breakfast: cereal w/mashed fruit
9:00 6 oz bottle
12:00 Lunch: 6 OZ bottle, some finger foods (fruit & veggies), ~4 oz. pureed food
3:30 snack (yogurt & fruit/veggie)
5:30 Supper: some finger foods (fruit & veggies), ~4 oz. pureed food
6:30 6-8 oz bottle

We dropped the 3:30 bottle at 9 months & replaced it with a snack. They dropped the 9:00 bottle ~10.5-11 months. They are starting to refuse pureed foods & eat mostly finger foods now (at 11.5 months)

For finger foods, they get lots of fruits and veggies, puffs, toast, waffles, egg yolk, grilled cheese & mum mums. I started giving them meat recently (we don't eat a lot of meat at our house anyway). Nitrate free sandwich meat is a favorite of theirs, but I try to only give it to them 2-3 times a week because of the sodium content. I'll start giving them beans soon, but I'm still nervous that they'll choke. Right now, they're eating pretty much whatever we eat, except for beans.

 

My twinkettes are 9 months today and here's what we are doing.

1. Good question on the formula. I have always wondered this myself, but we use the premixed since I cannot find organic powder anywhere anymore. On the rare occasions I use the power I use 4 oz of water and get more than 4 ounces for the bottle.

2. Finger foods - we are just entering the world of puffs. Despite lots of teeth, the girls don't get the concept of chewing. They need something they can suck on and dissolve.

3. Bottles: We do 5 per day, every 3 hours starting at 7 with anywhere from 5 - 7 ounces. What they actually eat varies. We refill when needed and throw out if they don't finish.

4. Bottles: 7, 10, 1, 4, 6:30. Solids 7:30, noon, 5:30

5. Quantity: Depends on the day. During growth spurts my girls eat a ton. They ate a half of an acorn squash the other day. When I am giving premade food, they're not as enthusiastic and eat from 1 - 2 level 2 meals, or most of a level 3.