Menu for 8 Month Olds

Sorry, I'm really peppering the board with questions these days, but we're going through so many changes that I'm unsure about.

We're feeding two solid meals a day right now, and will go up to three (adding oatmeal and a fruit first thing in the morning) starting tomorrow, when they are officially 8 months old. I have no idea if what I'm feeding them currently is appropriate and there is precious little specific information to be found in books and/or online, I guess because babies vary so much on this. Can you guys look this over and see what you think? Right now, this is what they're eating:
6 oz bottle (formula) when they wake up
2 oz bottle right before first nap
When they wake up from first nap: 2-3 TBLS of oatmeal with a little over 2 oz of a fruit mixed in -- usually prunes or pears, a little over 2 oz of a vegetable -- either carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, or peas; no liquid with this meal as they won't take liquid with the solids
2 oz bottle when they go down for second nap
6 oz bottle when they wake up from second nap
Between 5 and 5:30: 2-3 tbls of rice (might switch this to oatmeal as daughter has constipation issues) a little over 2 oz of vegetables mixed in; a little over 2 oz of a fruit; no liquid
6 oz bottle right before bedtime

Starting tomorrow, we'll be adding 2-3 TBLS of oatmeal and a fruit to the breakfast routine so I expect that to cut down on the amount of formula they eat first thing.

My biggest question is whether or not we're giving them enough liquids, since I can't seem to interest them in bottles WITH the solids. Should I be giving them a bottle FIRST, before I feed them solids, and, if so, how much? Right now, they're getting about 22 oz of liquids and I don't think that's enough. Also, is that enough food? Those gigantic, 4.2 oz of baby food say one serving on them, but I can't imagine them eating all of those prunes in one sitting, but maybe they're supposed to be?

Thanks for your help.

 

For that age, our pedi always said 24-32 oz. of formula. So you may need to give them a bottle first before solids. Our boys always split one of those large containers - that was way more than they could eat at that age.

 

I'd say give them the bottles first as their primary nutrition right now is formula. Solids are mostly just for practice for a while yet, so make sure that their formula intake stays up. But I think you have a great schedule otherwise!

The serving size for the larger jars is for toddlers I think, and the small jars are more of a serving size for one baby. My kids ate like horses from day one and would eat as much as I would give them. I made my own food and stored it in ice cube trays, then I'd just have to defrost a couple cubes at a time. That way I didn't have to worry about the waste of open jars and I could always pop another cube in the microwave if I had to.

 

Okay, thanks, both of you, for that advice -- I did not realize that formula was still supposed to be primary, so that was very helpful advice. They are currently drinking 4 oz bottles right now prior to their dinner of solids! Thanks so much!

 

Hi my twins are 6 1/2 months and here is my schedule:
wake up: 8 oz bottle then breakfast, 2 tbspoons of oatmeal with 1/2 fruit jar mixed
after 1st nap: 1 oz juice mixed with 3 oz water
lunch: 1 jar of veggies each
2pm: 8z bottle
4pm: 1 oz juice, mixed with 3 oz water
6pm: 8oz bottle
6 30pm: 2 tbsppons of oatmeal mixed with 1/2 jar fruit

they weigh 20 pounds, they are pretty big, but they like to eat.lol
they also eat mum mums occasionally

 

I am currently watching an 8 month old, so this will be easy for me to remember vs my kids! LOL!

First off-yes-bottle first. When my kids were that age, we did bottles first, then 30 minutes-45 minutes later did the meal(bkfst). They did lunch first, and then bottle for bed about an hour + later(we moved to that by one year), and then dinner then bottle right before bed.

Right now, the child I babysit has a schedule like this:

7/7:30am: wake
8 am: 8 oz bottle
9 am: one 4.5oz jar of baby food, sometimes I add in some cereal as well(I just eye it)
10-11:30am: nap
12: lunch-one 4.5oz jar of baby food. If I am having something she can eat, I will give her little pieces(pasta, chicken, turkey, etc) of that as well on top of the baby food
1: 8oz bottle
1:30/2-3/3:30: nap
4: small snack/water
5/6: dinner at home
7/7:30: 8 oz bottle and bed

 

Oh, great, thanks for the info. Anyone have an opinion on whether or not it's okay to give them yogurt at this age? Everything I'm reading says it's okay but I notice that no one who has answered has it in their menus.

 

Yes-totally on for yogurt. You can start at six months. I did the yobaby yogurt for my boys. They loved it!!! It wasn't an everyday occurrence around here. I'd buy it, use it up, then get some more in a few weeks. Perfectly fine!

 

Oh, great. I think I'll try that for their first solid meal of the day, then. I've had some good luck making my own fruit purees, so I'm looking for a way to use them! Thanks for the input!