Feeding 7 month olds

We started the girls on cereal at 6 months and have introduced fruits and veggies. So far, they still get just one "meal" a day. I have a little booklet from WIC that tells what they should eat when and how much, etc. but I don't entirely trust it since they highly recommend juice. Anyway, I was hoping some of you could answer some questions. I honestly don't remember how I did all of this stuff with DD1 since it's been three years (plus I think I've changed my mind on some things).

When should I introduce a second meal? How much cereal, fruits/veggies, etc. should they be getting each day? In the WIC folder it says everything in Tblsp., but I'm just wondering how that translates into jars/containers/oz. When do I introduce finger foods?

Thanks.

 

I've got 7 month olds as well, but I think we're not the norm when it comes to solids. My little ones love them, and eat them really well. whenever I put something in my mouth they both start reaching for it and "yelling" to get some for themselves! We moved very quickly from cereal to table foods. Like today they ate oatmeal with me for breakfast and a half a banana each, for lunch they had some peaches in their mesh feeders and for dinner they ate mashed potatoes and stuffing. They basically eat modified versions of what we eat, and about as often. I let them feed themselves anything they can pick up (bananas, crackers, the mesh feeders full of stuff etc.) I still nurse them every three hours or so as well, so it hasn't really cut into their nursing schedule. HTH!

Reyna

 

Well, I have 7-month olds as well, and they only get solids once a day, if that. Max loves food - he has tried lots of fruits and veggies (in puree, separately) and has some mixed stuff now. He also has had brown rice and barley cereal. Kate isn't keen on solids at all - I give her a taste of whatever Ma is having, but she rarely eats more than a tsp or so. On a day when he is really hungry Max will have part (maybe 1/2 - 2/3) of a jar of stage 1, or the equivalent in homemade, fruit or veg, and about 1-2tbsp (dry measure) of cereal. Everyone said that I would be more relaxed about solids with the twins than I was with my first, but I really am not. I have friends with kids with allergies, and so I am pretty vigilant about not introducing allergenic foods, and about going slowly. Also, solids are only supposed to be for taste/texture in the first year - they are not supposed to replace BM/formula, so I am not fussed about getting them to eat large quantities. I will start them on finger foods soon, so they get used to textures - but I will only give them select table foods (no allergens such as dairy, wheat, egg, and no salt) until at least 9 months. Hope that helps.

 

My two are on solids as well, they disliked the pureed food. They have anything I eat and love fruits in their mesh feeders, they will even bit of some bread. They will have cereal for breakfast and then they will have some fruit for luch and what ever we eat in modified versions at night. They love eating. They still nurse three times a day and once at bedtime.

 

I'd just let your babies take the lead and try to follow their cues. Some babies are ready for several meals at that age, some want nothing to do with solids. Mimsy is totally right - at this point, solids are just for fun/practice, not for nutrition, and your milk is still #1. Whatever solids they get should be in addition to nursing/bottles, not a replacement.

My babies have been very picky with solids, so I pretty much feed them whatever they'll eat. They loathed spoon-feeding, so we went straight to finger food (slices of apple and avocado, toast, cheerios, etc). They generally like big stuff they can take "bites" of (hadn't been planning to follow the advice of this article, but turns out my babies had their own ideas!). I get them to eat veggies by spreading veggie puree on toast or waffles. At 7 mo we were doing 1 meal a day, but sometimes skipping a day, since they weren't that interested. Now they have enough appetite for the stuff to do "lunch" and "dinner," but we always nurse beforehand (1/2-1 hr before) and usually right after too (gotta have milk to wash down those cheerios!).

But - that's us, and I'm sure your babies will let you know what they want loud and clear!

 

QUOTE(Raneysmama @ Dec 11 2007, 10:51 PM) [snapback]530117[/snapback]
When should I introduce a second meal? How much cereal, fruits/veggies, etc. should they be getting each day? In the WIC folder it says everything in Tblsp., but I'm just wondering how that translates into jars/containers/oz. When do I introduce finger foods?

Thanks.

Well, thought I'd chime in here as my two are not really much into table food. I make my own baby food and put it into the 4oz Earth's Best jars and I also buy that brand along with the Gerber organic in the glass bottle. I use my blender and puree sweet potato, spinach, pumpkin, and apples and I sometimes add cinnamon or cumin or yogurt to what I'm pureeing. I also add whole milk yogurt.

My two generally split three 4-oz jars between the two of them, 3 times a day. If I wait too long and feed toward the end of their wakeful period, they scream and cry and feeding them is impossible. I won't try to force a crying baby to eat, so I've moved up the feeding to try to catch them when they are less fussy.

I still breast feed them when they wake up, before each meal, and at night, along with any other time they want it.

Hope this helps.

Sotto

 

We started recently with one meal a day at lunch, too. Pediatricians are all over the board on their advice in this, so I think you just have to take your cue from the babies...

At our 6-month appt this week, the pedi was encouraging three meals a day, and really pushing the solids. He also said they will drink anywhere from 24 to 32 oz. of formula/breast milk a day in addition to the food, but if they really eat a lot, it's fine for them to get as little as 18 oz.

I was kind of surprised by this, as I thought the milk was the most important thing....so, I'm disregarding his advice, and doing things at our own pace.

I've been pureeing all their food myself so far, and freezing in ice cube trays -- the Magic Bullet is great for this! I generally offer a fruit or veggie mixed with Earth's Best brown rice cereal. I just introduced the oatmeal cereal, too, and whole milk plain yogurt. Also, I poached some chicken breasts in broth -- added a little garlic, salt and pepper, as I can't stand bland food, LOL -- and pureed that as well.

So far, they seem to like the food, but they are still getting the hang of eating off a spoon. I'll likely wait until they are eating really well at this one meal before introducing a second -- and frankly, it takes forever and is a big mess, who has time for that?! They're still taking about 30 oz. of breast milk and formula, and I'm not looking to reduce that amount until they start eating very well....

My two are also somewhat delayed with fine motor skills, and have trouble grasping things, and bringing items to their mouths -- so I expect it will be a LONG while before their pincer grasps are good enough to self-feed. So, we'll probably hold off on finger foods for a bit....

ETA -- our ped said to feed them until they turn their heads away and refuse to take more. I guess I sort of do this, but mine don't really turn their heads, they just get fussy and start complaining, which is how I know they're done. I'd say they eat about 4 tablespoons each, which is only about 2 oz. of food....or maybe a tad more.

 

Mine are 7.5 months old and they eat any kind of stage 2 foods... They eat half veggie and half fruit twice a day... They never cared for cereal but i think that after trying it again last night and them loving it i will try to do a fruit and some cereal in the AM now and fruit and veggie in the evening? I am all new to it as well and if they miss a meal on some days we dont fret since it is all suppose to be practice. I have tried the Zwieback toast and about had a herat attack so i am waiting till 8 months to attempt it again... LOL.. They each had a biter biscuit last night and loved them. They are so messy but alot of fun for them. Also we are slowly getting them to eat the puffs, they like them but i get nervuse. I see that the Parents CHoice are softer than the Gerber ones. I break them in half and allow them to eat them to mainly see if they will pick it up etc. It really is a learning process and the milk is the best for them so there is no wrong or right way to be honest. Good luck!

 

I do breakfast @ 9:00: (3-4 tb mixed grain cereal and 4 tb fruit) and dinner @ 5:003 tb cereal, 4 tb veggies, sometimes 6 tb veggies). Other than that, they get 3 6 oz bottles (7 am, 12:30, and 6:00). I worry that it's not enough formula, but it goes to waste if I make more. I might start offering a bottle after breakfast.