Feeding an 8Mo Old!! HELP!!!

My son is going to be 8 months on the 16th and he eats baby food twice a day and then the rest of the day he is breast fed. To be honest you're not starving him at all. He will let you know when baby food isn't enough. Babies are very good with that. You're doing fine.

Every information source I know if is vague, because it depends on your child.

When my daughter was 8 months, she'd eat like crazy for a few days during a growth spurt, then hardly anything after the spurt was over. That's including breastfeeding, infant cereal, and jar food.

I'd say if your child seems hungry, offer food in small amounts at a time until he seems full. I used old margarine tubs as free baby bowls for the cereal and jar food, so as not to contaminate the jars. Some days my daughter would shock me and eat a whole jar in one sitting; other days she'd barely finish one in a day.

The more active the child is in terms of starting to crawl/walk, the more they'll eat. They're burning tons of energy at that age.

Don't worry about overeating or dieting. Your baby knows how much he wants and needs and won't "pig out" or anything.

If you're on a rigid schedule (I'm not a fan of them, but I know some people are really into them), you'll find keeping a hungry baby fed difficult because his tummy might not match the schedule.

Your breast milk will provide your child with ALL of the nutrients and vitamins he needs until 2 years old. He does NOT need water, solids or anything else unless you choose to give it to him. As long as you are taking your vitamins and you are obeying proper nutritian, your doctor is absolutly correct in telling you to NOT stop breastfeeding as the number one source of diet for him. This decreases health problems, diabetes, thyroid issues and millions of other diseases he can get at this age......dont be concerned, be happy, you made it through what most women cant...keep it up as long as YOU feel you want to!!!

My daughter started eating baby food at 5 months and still breastfed until she weaned herself at 9 months. She started eating "people" food around 8 months and we never looked back from there. She ate when she was hungry and I offered food every hour, sometimes she took it and other times not. I do not think at 8 months of age that breastmilk is a baby's main source of food supply. It is supplemental to the food they are eating, people or baby food.
D.

That doesn't sound stupid, I was in the same boat but I stopped breastfeeding at 6 1/2 months so for me it was balancing formula with food. At 8 months old, I fed my son food at breakfast, formula the rest of the day, and food at dinner. By 10 months he was down to food at breakfast, snack, lunch, a bottle in the afternoon before his nap, snack, dinner and a bottle before bed. By one, he was eating 3 meals a day and 2 snacks, then whole milk in the morning after breakfast, and milk before bed. Also, I let him eat as much as he wanted to. If he finished a jar of baby food I would open another, or if he eats all the food on his plate I give him more. It is ok...when he is done he will let you know by getting distracted easily or turning away. I started giving him solid food like cheerios, fruit cut up small, chicken, and finger foods like that at 9 months. I hope this helps you!!
~S.~

First of all, kidos for BFing and allowing your son to show interest in foods first, and for having a supporting pedi!!

I like the Dr. sears' site advice on foods. www.askdrsears.com
Basically, go with his interest, but you can nurse him first to make sure he gets enough BM, and then offer solids. at that point in DD's life, I went with her interest, we dind't have a set "Schedule", some days she got babyfood once, others twice, still some days she dind't get it because she didn't ask for it and I forgot.

But I ditto that, because he's 8 mo. old, you can start giving him some 'real' food. That's another plus of waiting until they're older to intro foods. I used to love putting fresh fruits into a mesh pacifier (safe self feeding device).

Progressively, she ate more, and at set times, but that wasn't til she was over a year.

first of all - no need to mess with baby food at 8 months! most 8 month olds can eat whatever the rest of the family is eating - with a few allergen exceptions! if you use soft cooked, whole foods (sweet potatoes, avocados, soft cooked meats, beans, etc. etc.) and make sure you breastfeed first (and whenever your baby shows a need/desire) you will be well on the road to good nutrition and eating habits!

but breastmilk *is* still the main source of nutrition at 8 months, and for many babies, even at a year. as long as baby has free access to the breast and is given solid foods whenever he/she shows an interest, the baby can lead the way!

when solids replace breastmilk is when early weaning happens - the weaning *process* begins with the first bite of solid foods, but it naturally takes many months or years to complete.

consider attending a La Leche League meeting in your area - it is a great place to hear from other mothers with babies of various ages, and a variety of experiences!

from the La Leche League web site:

First foods for babies

How to start solids:

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Nurse your baby before offering other foods. Human milk remains the single most important food in your baby's diet until his first birthday. Additionally, he is more likely to show interest in new foods if he is not ravenously hungry. At this age, other foods are more for experimentation, play and fun. Remember to offer to nurse again after the solid "meal".
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Some babies like to sit in a high chair while others prefer to sit in somebody's lap. Babies are messy, so you may want to put an old shower curtain under his chair for easier cleanup.
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Many babies prefer finger foods to spoons. First foods are for fun and experimentation. Neatness doesn't count!
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Never leave a baby or young child alone with food in case they begin to choke. Never give your baby small, hard foods like peanuts or popcorn. Foods that are circular in shape such as carrots or grapes should be sliced and then halved or quartered.
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Start with tiny amounts of food – about a quarter of a teaspoon once a day. Gradually increase the amount of food and the frequency of feeding to satisfy your baby's hunger and interest.
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Use only single ingredients and wait about a week between introducing each new food. Then, if something upsets your baby, you will know exactly what it was.
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To minimize the risk of allergies, it's a good idea to wait until your baby is at least a year old before introducing citrus fruits (including oranges, lemons, and grapefruit) kiwi, strawberries, peanuts and peanut butter, eggs, soy products (including soy milk and tofu), and cow's milk (including cheeses, yogurt, and ice cream). If there is a family history of food allergy, consult your doctor or allergist for advice on when to start your baby on these more-allergenic foods; it may differ from recommendations for babies without allergic history.
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Babies under a year should not be given honey or corn syrup as they carry the risk of botulism.

Good first foods for babies

Save money and give your baby the freshest food by making your own baby food. Here are some suggestions.

Fruits

Most babies love fruits. Make sure they are ripe, and wash well before peeling. Here are some favorites:

* Bananas cut into slices which have then been halved or quartered
* Unsweetened applesauce, or tiny apple chunks that have been softened by cooking in the microwave
* Plums, peaches, pears, and apricots, gently cooked if necessary
* Avocado diced into small, bite size pieces

Vegetables

Fresh vegetables should be washed, peeled and cooked until tender. Frozen veggies are convenient to have on hand. Avoid the canned varieties to which salt has been added. Your baby may enjoy:

* Baked or boiled sweet potatoes, in tiny chunks
* Mashed white potatoes
* Baby carrots, green beans, peas and squash

Meat and fish

Babies often prefer well-cooked chicken, which is soft and easy to eat when shredded. Be careful to remove even the tiny bones when serving fish.

Beans and legumes

Remove the skins from beans as they tend to be harder to digest. If you use canned beans for convenience, make sure they are unseasoned.

Grains and cereals

Commercial, iron-fortified cereals are often the first foods served to babies who are not breastfeeding because they need the extra iron, but breastfed babies are rarely anemic as the iron in human milk is well-utilized. If there is concern about the baby's iron levels, a simple test can be done in the doctor's office.

Whole grain cereals, breads and crackers are the most nutritious. Wait until later in the year before offering wheat products. If you use cereals, make sure that they only have one ingredient and use either water or your own milk for mixing. Many mothers prefer to let their older babies chew on a hard bagel or an end of bread instead of sugary teething biscuits.

My son is 9.5 months and I also breastfeed, I feed him baby food about 2 times a day. As long as I feed him and nurse him during the day then he sleeps alot better. If I skip a feeding of baby food, he wakes up because of hunger. So just try to feed him as much as he can handle. I am going to start skipping the nursing in the morning and replace it with baby food. (So hopefully he will be ready to wean soon!!! lol)
I would give the rice cereal (or oatmeal or the mixed) mixed with juice or breastmilk. I would do about the same amount as in one of the jars of baby food. Other than that anything that comes in the baby food jars. I would start with veggies first for a couple of weeks and then move onto the fruits, he will be more likely to want the fruits and not eat the veggies if you start with them first, since breastmilk is sweeter he will lean towards those more. Hope I helped a little!

dear go to Gerber.com. That is where i got alot of my information. My daughter is eating solids and still drinking 5-6 oz every four hours starting at 7 am till 9 pm-bed time. She eats a mixture of 1 tablespoon fruit or veggie, 1 tablespoon water and 2 tablespoons cereal. Around 3 times a day. Your baby will let you know how much...they will not let themselfs starve they will cry or fuss something to let you know it is eating time....my advice to you is if you are breastfeeding or not give them there Liquid diet first and after they have had all they want of that then give them baby food. That is what I do with my little one. She has her 5 oz for breakfest lunch and dinner and after her 5 oz she gets her mixture wich add up to 4 oz or one jar of cereal and baby food

Oh honey, relax you are doing great. There are many mommies that can't breastfeed or have to stop very early and all is well. Take it from a mom that couldn't feed past the first 4 months on any of the 3 kids I have. They are all very healthy and my youngest is 3 and has yet to even get an ear infection. Trust yourself to know if your baby doesn't look or act healthy. Your super mommy intuition will keep you clued in better than anything. Now take a deep breath , go enjoy your baby and save the worries for all the many other things that you will drive yourself to distraction with later.

check out babyzone.com, they have lots of great info. two servings a day is fine as long as he gets breastmilk or formula. my friend didnt give her son his first solid til he was 11 months old because his dad wouldnt let her, he only had breastmilk until then. he is five now and very smart and healthy