Feeding Schedule for an 11 Month Old

I also have an 11 month old. She was a very late teether and got her first (and only tooth so far) at 10 1/2 months. However, I started her on table food at around 9 months. As long as the food is cut up dime size and smaller, they can gum the food down. Table food allows babies to feed themselves giving them a sense of independence as well as enhancing eye/hand coordination and fine motor skills as they work on their pinch grasp. My daughter loves bananas, mac and cheese or any pasta for that matter, cheerios, grapes (skinned and cut), bread smeared with marinara sauce, and cheese. She isn't a big meat eater but we do try to give her dark meat chicken and small pieces of steak.

If he's got teeth let him use them. At this point he should be starting to eat table foods there's no reason why he can't have a lot of table foods by now. Baby foods are an expensive convenience.

Guess what? Your baby is not a baby anymore! He's entering toddler stage and I don't think it's a bad thing to introduce more finger foods and put him on the same kind of schedule you eat on. You may want to wean the babyfood away and start with regular table foods - green beans, cooked carrots, bits of chiken or meatballs, mashed potatoes (watching him eat that with his hands is a riot)... that sort of stuff.

I know it's hard to believe that at 11 months your son is eating beef-a-roni. It all happens so fast! My son didn't spend very long on baby food either.

J.

PS - the daycare may be preparing your son to move into the next class, that's why they are feeding him other food. At my daycare, once your child is walking, off bottles, and eating "center food" (daycare provided menu) they can move up to the toddler class. Most of those milestones take place around a year old.

I pretty much agree with everyone else. I started my daughter on table food at 9 months (and she only had about 2-4 teeth at that time). However, my niece had texture issues and was still on baby food after a year old, but my sister was always trying table food with her to help her get over the strong gag reflex she had. So, you really do need to go with whats best for your child.

Daycare should respect your wishes, but they may also be getting your son ready for school lunches. At my daycare they start providing snacks and lunch at 1 year and a few weeks before she turned a year old they started giving her lunch to make sure she was ok with what they feed them. Are they just trying to prepare your son for school lunches?

My daycare also provides a three week rotating schedule of whats for lunch so you can track and see whats planned. Maybe your daycare does the same and you can send alternate lunches on days they serve things like "beefaroni". I know I wasn't always crazy about how many carbs it seemed like my daycare was feeding my daughter but my mom reminded me they're very active (especially once they're up running/walking) and growing quickly so they need lots of snacks and good carbs (along with plenty of fruits and veggies).

I've had my share of difficulties with daycare as well (constantly changing teachers, no director for 4 months, missing diapers/wipes), just be up front with them and see how they respond, after all, he's still YOUR child.

My 10 month old is following a similar diet... I am still nursing and since I was feeding "on demand" from the beginning I have just went with it. I feed him until he is full - I can tell when he becomes disinterested. He has - since week 2 - been a good eater. I am feeding him mostly fruits, vegetables and iron-fortified grains though there are the occasional fruit loops (when dn Alaina visits - aged 6) and sips of soda!!! (also introduced by miss Alaina). I think the key is moderation and a regular (not strict) practice of basic nutrition.

Other people always have OTHER opinions – they are what make life interesting. But you need to find your comfort spot, and then listen to YOUR voice.

If you feel that the lunch you pack is sufficient on the 4 other days of the week that you get to feed him lunch (lucky duck) then you are RIGHT to express that to his caretakers. The "let him eat what I provide then supplement if he is hungry" makes sense to me.

Just remember that he might ACT different when he is not in your aura! I work from home and my boy is a crabby kid with the sitter in the mornings and a comedian in the afternoons with her AND the complete OPPOSITE with me on the weekends. BTW - The kid naps for 2 hours with her - I get two 15-30 minute cap naps out of him on the weekend. Your boy might be MORE hungry when you are not around. Hey, stranger things have happened. If I were a nutrition researcher I might even study it - baby with mom (not stressed -time of plenty- 4oz of food) baby not with mom (stressed -time of famine- 8oz of food). I don't know - but there may be something there.

BTW- The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends, "Gradual introduction of iron-enriched solid foods in the second half of the first year should complement the breast milk diet. It is recommended that breastfeeding continue for at least 12 months, and thereafter for as long as mutually desired."

SEE even the APA recommends – what you have done instinctually -- your doing fine, you have a right to feel one way or another (that your instincts, voice), don’t forget to question why you are concerned about your judgment as it seems saine to me (do you need to bone up on your nutrition basics?, do you have a bad relationship with food?) Trust yourself and have fun with him!

L.,
I can't remember when we gave my son table food butit was definitely before he was one year. We juts tried everything! If he liked it he ate it. If he didn't he would gag or spit it out. Of course it wasn't anything that would be very gassy or harmfully spicey. Just stuff like small cut up pieces of fruit, hot dogs (all beef) only once in awhile, pizza, waffles, cheerios with milk, french toast, meatballs, sheesh anything that we had for dinner we let him try. He was not keen on the pasta, still isn't and for some reason gags on it. But he is great with everything else. :0) I would also try whole milk a month is not going to make that big of a difference.
Good Luck!
Christina

Hi L.,
Every mom is an individual and how you choose to feed your child is all up to you. Have you maybe called your Ped. to see what they think about how you feed your son as opposed to how the daycare feels you should be feeding him? I will tell you that my 8 months old eats more and when my 2 1/2 y.o. was 11 months, he was just about eating everything that my hubby and I were eating and his formula intake went down to about 20 or so oz./day b/c we were giving him more juice and at 11 months, we were also mixing his formula w/milk. Do I think you could be offering your son a little more, yes, but again, it is completely up to you and what your Ped says. Goodluck!

I introduced my daughter to Gerber Puffs at age 9 mos and she didn't have any teeth until 10 mos but that was because they really melt in your mouth. She loved them and I gave her other mushy things. I made my own baby food with a food mill a lot of the time and also used the Magic Bullet food processor for almost all of our meals. She got used to the texture of real food really fast and at age 10 mos she quit baby food completely. She refused to eat the stuff! I used the Magic Bullet to shred her meat until about a month ago. That thing is great! Her absolute favorite food was steak! With A1 sauce on it! (you can buy it at Bed Bath & Beyond or Linens-N-Things with a 20% off coupon for about $48) Every child is different and of course you know what is best for your child. But it is good to introduce real food at that age because a friend of mine had a problem where her son wouldn't quit baby food because he didn't like the texture of real food. She told me she wished she had started him sooner on finger foods (this when he was 1 yr old and he also attended daycare and she was being pushed by them as well to get him to eat real food). Good luck!

Hi L.,

I don't think you are doing anything wrong, daycares seems to think they know everything when it comes to your child. 11 months old in my experience were already on table food and not so much baby food, gerber has a great line of table/toddler food out now which is great you may want to try some of that. I have 3 children 18yrs, 8yrs and 3yrs old. so things have been different for me what I did with my 18yr old I didn't with the 8 & 3 yr olds.

Hi L.. Of course what you feed your child is your choice. But I am going to respond from a different perspective because I worked in a daycare in an infant room. Certainly they should use the food you provide. But I know from when I was working, we would introduce foods to try to help infants with development. I'm sure they aren't doing it to be defiant against you. Maybe you should just talk to the teacher in the room, so you can have a better understanding. I have a 9 month old (my first), and I am slowly giving him table foods so he can get used to it, and eventually want to eat those foods. My son (who is a pretty big boy for his age) takes about 24 oz of formula a day, and he eats rice cereal/fruit for breakfast, fruit/vegetable for lunch, and a fruit or veggie and meat for dinner. He eats puffs and now some fruits (bananas mostly) in between. I do know that the daycare where I worked, in the One year old room, they were eating table food. Good luck.

Hi L. -

It's not a bad idea to get your 11-month old used to some table foods so that he doesn't have major texture issues. Sometimes babies will learn to refuse regular foods b/c they only want the smooth textures of baby foods. It could be time to start the transition. I think by this time I started my daughters on things like grilled cheese, pastas, well cooked veggies, fruit cut up small, cheese, etc. It helps integrate them into family meals (and is cheaper too!)- they start wanting what you have. I think around 12 months, your dr. will tell you to back off the milk too (unless it's breastmilk). My 15 month old has about 2 1/2 sippy cups of whole milk per day. She'd have more if I'd let her. I'm sure you know how much your baby needs to eat - if he's not hungry he shouldn't be force fed. So I think you're on the mark there! Good luck!

Jen

Hi L.,

I work in a day care and sometimes I think that since the parents don't get to see their children all day, they may not get a grasp on how quickly kids change at that age. Not saying that this is the case for you, but it's certainly normal. In my opinion, an 11 month old should be eating 3 meals plus snacks. They don't have to be large meals since they are usually drinking breastmilk or formula, but they should definitely consist of the foods YOU chose. Every child develops differently and requires different amounts to satisfy their appetite just like adults. My son was eating some regular table foods by 10 months because my doctor said they should be completely off babyfood by 1 year. Suggesting finger foods doesn't neccesarily mean that the caregivers don't want to spoon feed your son. Finger foods help your child to develop skills like the pincer grasp and hand-eye coordination. I would suggest the gerber finger foods. They have the puffs that melt away, yogurt melt aways, dried fruit and crackers that also dissolve. I know our daycare provides cheerios and crackers for the kids. Since your son is 11 months, you could even begin introducing yogurt. Cereal bars are also sent in a lot. My son was and is a fan of foods like waffles, pancakes, scrambled eggs w/cheese, fruits (cut very small) and the flavored instant oatmeal. You should always introdce new foods slowly so that you can pin point allergies if any. I would be angry if someone fed my child foods that I did not consent to. They should have talked to you about their observations first. Sometimes kids just want to eat because they see others eating, not because they are really hungry! I hope you find some insight from all of the moms, but you do what you think is right for your child!

God Bless

That is VERY upsetting that they are giving food without your approval (it makes me wonder what else they are doing that you wouldn't approve of).
I recommend "Super Baby Food" by Ruth Yaron (make sure you get the 2ND edition. VERY informative. I just got it and have started shopping at Whole Foods and loving the recipes for my 11 month old!
p.s my dd chokes on Gerber Puffs. Plus, read the label...lots of junk in them..the above book gives a ton of healthy suggestions for snacks that aren't empty-calorie foods!

Hi!
11 months is such a great age! I have a 18 month old. So, I was were you were not too long ago. My thoughts for you are, you are the mom, you need to decide what works for you and what you feel most comfortable with doing. My daughter was on complete table foods by 9 months and breastmilk because that is what I decided worked best for her. Do you have an understanding why the child care providers are insisting on table food and not your food? What are the signs of hunger that he is exhibiting, that indicates to them, he needs table food? Feel confident that your choices for your child are the best and work with the care providers to support you!
Best of luck!
G. H.

First off, I want to say that your daycare should NOT be giving your son food without your approval. I would also be upset if someone gave my child beef-a-roni! You need to have a serious conversation with them. That being said, I was surprised to hear that your 11 month old is still on mainly babyfood. My guess is that your son is indicating a desire to explore & taste other foods when he sees other babies his age eating "real" food at daycare. My 2nd daughter (12 months) completely rejected babyfood jars at 10 months! She eats whatever we eat - cut into small pieces. She eats things like: whole wheat toast with cream cheese, bagels, scrambled eggs, ALL fruits, cereal (cheerios, kix, etc.), turkey, chicken, cheese, yogurt, cucumbers, cooked carrot chunks, peas, cooked pasta (she ate baked ziti with meatsauce & onions last night!), bean & cheese quesadillas, grilled cheese sandwiches, avocado chunks, tomatoes, corn, black beans, burgers, veggie burgers,etc. Lack of teeth is NOT an issue! They are quite good at gumming food if you give them a chance. My first daughter had NO teeth at 11 months, but was on table food at that age. She did eat some jars here and there, but strongly preferred our food, and was on tablefood completely by 13m with only 2 teeth. I think the sooner you introduce a variety of tablefood, the better eater your son will be later in life. Don't hold back on offering him all the things you eat - spices & all.

Good luck!

my son is 11 months old. we feed him
7:30 8 oz bottle
8:30 breakfast water, toast or bagel or waffle and yogurt or applesauce
10-noon nap
noon lunch whatever we are eating..just chopped up. spaghetti, cooked veggies, etc... not a lot of meat.
2:00 8 oz bottle
5:00 supper. much like lunch.
8:00 8 oz bottle and sleep

we just cut out his 10 am bottle and i think we will start giving him a little snack before he goes down for nap.
that is what works for us...hope it helps!

Your doing great...go with your gut feeling! It's probably just easier for them to have more snacks to keep him happy & busy...not that he needs them.
Wouldn't we all be happy if we could snack away all day?!?! I would have them do whatever you do at home. You are his mom, and with him more than anyone...you know best what he needs!

I agree with the other posters that your daycare shouldn't serve foods not approved by you; on the other hand, you are serving a very small amount of solids for his age. My son at 11 months was putting away 2, if not 3 stage 2 containers of baby food at a meal, plus some cheese, peas or other small veggie or fruit cut up, and puffs or crackers. Also, their fluid intake starts to decrease--they only need about 24 ounces a day at that age in either breastmilk or formula. I would definitely try offering more solids, either as finger food (something you've checked for allergies, etc) or baby food.

Ugh. The waffles and beef-a-roni are loaded with chemicals, preservatives, artificial colors, sugar and salt. That's way too much junk for a child under one year old. Unless they are supplying whole grain natural organic waffles and organic natural beef-a roni with no sugar added and no hormones in the beef. Which I doubt. Just tell them you don't want your son eating junk food, and you doctor said that what you're feeding him is adequate. Tell them he's on a special diet and not to give him anything you don't approve. Supply extra portions of the food you bring and tell them that's what he has to eat. I have the same problem with what "other people" always try to feed my daughter! If it's a rare situation I just give in and let her have some bad things with relatives or friends, but if it's regular like daycare, you have to put your foot down. Don't worry what other people think, you know your son is not underfed. Good luck!

How dare they give your child something not approved by you. As a child is introduced to foods Alleries can be discovered, some of which can be life threatening. Also junk food such as Beef-a-roni is garbage high in sodium and MSG. Any daycare should only be giveing the food sent by a parent or parent approved. My daughter was nursed through 22 months due to highly dangerous dairy and egg alleries. She was introduced to other foods at a slow rate and now eats anything she is able to allery permiting. If a care provider feels that your child needs more or different foods, they shoud consult with you first. This way issues concerning alleries, religous beliefs, veggiterian/veggan, and other family choices are made by the childs parents.

Hi L.

32 ounces is a bit much for formula. About 16 ounces is what I was always told at that age by our pediatrician, dittio for whole milk at 12 months. Both of mine were eating 3 meals - breakfast, lunch and dinner plus 2 to 3 snacks per day. Table food, generally not baby food at that point. Occasionally I'd supplement with a jar of fruit or with cereal if I felt they had been lacking on nutrition. My daughter just turned 15 months and hasn't had a jar of baby food since she was about 9 months old, she wanted and liked what we are eating. Every baby is different and every Mom is entitled to do as she feels is best. If you are afraid to give him table food talk to his pediatrician and see what they recommend.

Our 11 1/2 month old eats pretty much what the rest of the family eats except his are smaller portions. Additonally, he has 16-24 ounces of formula a day. He usually starts the day with 8 ounces of formula and a little something for breakfast (not much in the way of food for breakfast as we aren't really morning people). Then he has lunch and a bottle afterwards before nap (6-8 ounces). Then he has dinner with us at about 6 pm and a bottle at bedtime (8 ounces). This has been his routine since he was about 9 months old.

All of the material I had read said he should be having 16-24 ounces of formula a day and this works for us.

Hope this helps.

I started real food (baby food) at 6 months, and by 8 or 10 months old, my child was eating everything we ate. We pureed some of the food, but depending on the ability to eat it, the girls ate everything we ate. Cheerios were always fun, because while I got the meal ready, I could spil some on the high chair tray and she could practice picking them up and feeding herself. I suspect a whole lot of moms who currently have youngsters will be able to give you great advice from this site, but you might also want to ASK your daycare people what other kids your son's age are eating. They have been through a whole lot more babies than you have. And I found my daycare providers were a great asset to me as I worried about behavior issues, and or whether or not they were sick enough to require a doctor's visit. One of my girls had chronic ear infections for one winter. I got a number of calls from the sitterr and took her to the doctor 4 times -- but you know what ? In spite of the 60.00 cost that went with each visit, my babysitter was NEVER wrong. She worried about my spending the money if it were a false alarm, but amazingly it never was. She knew my daughter and loved her, and she was a great resource person to me as I raised her.

If you don't have that kind of trust with your daycare provider(s), I would make a whole bunch of inquiries and find a provider whom you trust to parent your child.

Hi L.! At ll months old you should be uping the amount of finger and real food your son is eating and start weaning him off the bottle. Soon he will be a year old and you will be able to take him off formula, changing to whole milk and he will/should be eating just about everything you eat.

My kids, as well as the little one's I babysit at that age were eating mostly table food at regular meal times. Yogurt, cerals, eggs and even waffles (no syrup too messy & sugar loaded) for breakfast. Small pieces of shaved meats like turkey, chicken, ham or beef, a veggie or two soft and finger ready and some fruit for lunch and the same type of meal for dinner with a small snack of fruit or veggis inbetween lunch and dinner (depending on the time schedule). I stay away from juices (except for a treat) and give them all milk or water with their meals.

No, you haven't done anything wrong! Don't even start down that road! You maybe just a bit more conservitive. Good luck & best wishes!

Each child is different and remember you know your child better than anyone. My daughter didn't get any teeth till she was 12 1/2 months old, so we were limited as to what she could eat table food wise, but I did begin introducing table food to her around 9 to 10 months of age. Cheerios worked well, as did grilled cheese sandwiches (just a quarter to half sandwich cut up). Other items she handled with no to few teeth were cut up fruits (peaches, banana, watermelon, plum, etc.); soft cooked veggies like green beans, corn, carrots, etc.; pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, scrambled eggs. All of this seemed to work well. I didn't do the eggs till she was a year old to reduce chance of allergic reaction but she was fine. Oh, a little bit of jelly on bread works well, too. Good luck!

hmm. what does your doctor say about the daily menu you give your son? by 11 mos, my daughter, who started on solids at 6 mos old was eating everything we ate pretty much, just much smaller portions, and really tiny pieces. we also fed her chow-baby organic baby food starting at 6 mos. and it's made with herbs and spices and interesting ingredients so as to help build the palate of the baby so they are more apt to eat more things. it worked, but now at 27 mos she's getting picky a bit, liking one thing one day and not the next. it's so frustrating! but i agree with your doctor in regards to adding fat to the meals your baby does eat. try avocado, cheese, beans and brown rice, etc... there are always helpful baby cook books to refer to as well, just to get a sense what you can feed a child at a certain age. take care!

I think both of my boys were eating at least some regular food by 8 or 9 months because baby food is so expensive and it was so much easier to feed them our food than to keep buying jars of baby food. My pediatrician had no problems at all with my starting them that early. I might also say that eventhough they both started whole milk at 1, they were both breast fed past that age as well. My first son weaned himself at 15 months and I weaned my second at 27 months. So I guess my suggestion is talk to your doctor about increasing his regular food heathily but don't stop the breast milk unless you want to. I agree with the suggestion that you talk to the daycare and make them realize that you are the mom and whatever you say is the final word on what and how your child will be fed.

It sounds like you need to have a talk with your son's daycare teachers. While it is perfectly normal for a daycare to supplement a child's diet if the child is still hungry (provided the choices are appropriate), it is not normal to ignore the parents' wishes and feed the child whatever they want, then ask if the child needs the food provided by his/her parents. At this age my kids all ate most regular food and no baby food at all, but I mashed everything or cut everything into tiny pieces. I was starting to wean from formula to whole milk, and all 3 did great. It sounds like the food they are giving him is appropriate, but it still goes against your wishes. Please talk with them ASAP, they need to be on the same page as you.

L., do what you think is best for you and your son. I personally started my son on 'table' food around 9 months. I think we started sooner than average, but he was interested in what we were eating so we started then. We just recently started him on whole milk at our pediatricians recommendation about three weeks ago. He'll be one at the end of August. He gets 4 8oz bottles a day, three 'meals' and a snack. His meals are small, but they usually consist of cereal mixed with fruit for breakfast and yo baby yogurt. Veggie, Mac/Cheese and or Raviloi for Lunch. Meat, Veggie and starch for dinner. Snacks are usually cheese slice, fruit, cheerios or puffs. We're talking small portions. Move at your own pace. Let you son guide you. You'll know.

You are doing nothing wrong, however, at this age he can definately eat table food. I am on boy #3 (he's 7 weeks old) so I've raised 2 boys who started eating table food and whatever we ate at restaurants at about 9-10 months. And the earlier he eats diferent foods and the more varied foods he eats, the better off he is bc he's getting used to different textures and such. If he ate green beans, go with it and be happy!! My sons loved bread or bagels lightly toasted with melted cheddar or american cheese on them. It's a great first finger food for at home too. Good luck! Oh, and you are doing nothing wrong. You seem like a very concerned parent who is doing her best. Enjoy the fact that he is exploring new foods. Let me know how it turns out. Nicole

Hi L.,

I work in a daycare. The first thing I must say is that I agree with you that the daycare should first serve him the food that you bring in for him. We are NOT the child's parents and we can not make those decisions for the parents.

Second, Most of the children at our daycare around that age are eating "people" food. It consists of waffles, pancakes, pasta, some veggies, small bites of certain meats(depending on how many teeth the child has), fruits, etc. I do feel that eating real food helps them grow faster and fills their belly better.

This is solely your decision though. You are your son's Mom and you know him better than anyone.

L.

First off, I would be absolutely LIVID that the day care gave my son food without talking to me first. They have no right to do that. Foods should be introduced one at a time to make sure there is no allergic reaction. Granted it seems as if they food they gave him have a low chance of reaction but still... And Beef a Roni??? Is that even a food??? LOL

Both of my kids were pretty much done with baby food by 11 months old. I found it easier to just give them what we were eating...granted cut up into small baby bites. It gives them so much variety and less chance of fussiness about food down the road. I can't help you with the formula. I nursed my kids well beyond the first year. But I did give them whole milk right around 11 months or so.

That being said, your are his mother and the best judge of what he likes and doesn't like. Is he reaching out for your food while you are eating? He can pretty much eat whatever you are having..just cut it up into finger sized bites. There are a few foods you aren't supposed to give them too early (honey and peanut butter to name a few) and if there is a known allergy in your family, I would avoid it. But beyond that, have fun!

Don't beat yourself up. You didn't do anything wrong! And don't be nervous. Kids are really hard to break!! LOL You will do just fine!

My son is 10 months old. He is skinny but eats very well. He can eat 1 1/2 to 2 jars of baby food per meal. He also eats gerber puffs, cheerios, and I give him little bites of whatever we eat for dinner so he can learn to try and taste new things. My son does like noodles ( you have to mash them real small. I have let my son chew on a waffle when he was teething and he liked that. You just have to watch they don't break off big chunks. He will eat bread and crackers when you break them real small, and he loves yogurt and cheese. So I am using some adult foods, but still mostly baby food and starting a slow transition to regular. He doesn't really like his bottles anymore and will only take one when he is tired. He drinks about 24- 30 ounces of formula a day. We are also in the process of introducing a sippy cup. He usually dumps more than he drinks, but is learning.

First, they absolutey should NOT be giving your child random food without asking you first. BEEFARONI? That doesn't even qualify as "food" - I would be livid about that. Aside from that, presenting new foods always runs the risk of a reaction. They could make him very sick and guess who has to deal with it when he gets home. If he is hungry, they may give him something from your approved list of foods. My feeling is that they do not want to take the time to spoon feed him. It's easier for them to sit him in a chair with finger food and tend to something else.

Second, there is plenty of fats and protein in breastmilk. Good for you for keeping it up for 11 months. But he may need more solid foods to feel satiated. My first instinct was to tell you that 1 jar of food doesn't seem like much at his age, it is a very active time, but you know your baby best. As for my experience, my daughter simply refused pureed food one day around 9 months and I began offering soft finger foods to her. But each baby has his/her own way of doing things. He is likely old enough to try finger foods under YOUR supervision and with permission from his ped.

A good reference book for you would be Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron. It is probably in your library. It contains nutritional guidelines and information about caloric intake for each stage. There are also great food suggestions and healthy toddler snack recipes. It will give you confidence in the amount and types of foods he should be eating.

You should sit down with the director of that daycare and work this out. Find out WHY they think he needs more food. (waffles have ZERO nutritional value, by the way - unless they are whole grain and do not contain high fructose corn syrup) What is he doing that is cuing their recommendation. Then let them know that you will consider their advice, but expect them follow your wishes on such an important matter.

Good luck!

I don't think your behind with anything but it is a very good time to start introducing him to "big" boy food. Both of my daughter's were done with baby food by 10 months. They wanted real food and my doctor said go ahead just as long as the pieces were small enough. I think your daycare is just trying to help you wean him from baby food to real food. Besides baby food isn't very filling at all. It's like eating a jar of pudding. Also keep in mind your son may see other kids eating real food and show an interest in it... I would say give real food a try, it will be more fun for your son and in the end help make him a better eater.

Hi L.,

First of all, I think you need to consider moving your baby to a baby care place that will pay attention to your instructions.

Secondly, here are some web sites:

http://parents.berkeley.edu/advice/eating/fingerfoods.htm...

http://www.bounty.com/articles/bounty/pdf/you-and-yourgro...

Hope this helps. D.

Hi L.,

I was afraid to start regular food as well. Once they have teeth and have gone through all the baby foods. You can start feeding your child anything, ex: waffle, pancakes, cheerios without milk, pasta, fruits and vegetables. Just remember to cut into small pieces. You can still give Breast/formula but it's not as often since they are getting enough to eat. Once he is 12 months, change to water and milk and he can eat everything except, peanut,raisens, things that are gummie.

I hope this help and makes you feel more confident.
Good Luck!

I firmly believe the daycare should only do what you ask them to, especially regarding food. That said, my son has been feeding himself fingerfoods since 8 or 9 months. We went exclusively to finger foods by 10 months. He will be 12 months on Sat. We stopped formula last week (finished our last can) and switched to milk & more solid foods. He eats cheerios & bananas for breakfast w/some milk in a sippy cup. About 2 hours later he has a cheese & fruit snack w/more milk from his sippy. (I fill the sippy w/8 oz of milk in the morning & keep putting it back in the fridge & taking it out at meals & snacks until he finishes it. It usually takes all day). About 2-3 hours later he has lunch (usually leftovers from dinner). Then he takes a nap. After his nap he has another snack. Then we have dinner btw 5 & 6. He is eating everything we eat except for peanut products. Last night we had steak, green beans, cooked spinach (he liked throwing that around), and rice. He ate a little of everything. (He really likes his meats & usually finishes them). He also has water throughout the day.
All that being said, I have a friend with an 11 month old who still mostly does baby food.
I think its ok to still do baby food if that works for him, but you should make the switch soon. You don't want him to get so dependent on you feeding him that he refuses to feed himself. Make the transition slowly. Offer finger foods at snacks or at the start of meals & finish with the baby food.
Good luck

L.,
Is he reaching for the food you eat? Babies vary a lot, but by a year old they should be eating much of the food you do-- just in tiny pieces. Yes, he can feed himself, too. Yes, it is messy beyond belief but he is exercising his small muscle development when he learns to pick up food. That is why the daycare is encouraging it! He is also learning about textures and tastes!
If you haven't recognized his early cues about wanting to eat what you are eating, he may have decided that it's easier to be a baby and be fed. ( I have heard of a loving grandpa spoonfeeding a 3 yr old instead of insisting she learn to feed herself!)
Sorry, L., at 11 months, you don't have a baby anymore. He's soon a toddler and you have to let him grow up!
It's great you are still breastfeeding, but a good variety of healthy people food is a great learning experience for him!
BTW, if it is a registered daycare, they probably have official guidelines about what food they are giving certain ages. Ask for a copy!
A lot of moms worry about gagging on the table food. Just start with little pieces that will almost disintegrate, and let the little guy explore it on his own. Don't hover. Give him the freedom to experiment with this new substance without having to meet your approval. Let him concentrate on what he is doing.

Dottie,
mom of 5 , grandma to 6
My oldest started eating table food at 7 months- HER choice, not mine! She taught me well!

I am wondering...they are probably feeding him at the same time as they feed the other kids...and because he sees them eating, he might 'seem' hungry...like he wants more. I noticed that with my daughter when she was small-plus if he has to sit in a high chair or seat of some sort-he might be anticipating the food-and 'seem' hungry even though he finished his meal but has to wait to be cleaned up and let down. At that age, my daughter would eat and eat and not stop...I assumed she was hungry and kept feeding her...but then I tried setting her down after a 'normal' sized meal and she was FINE...didn't cry for more food.

Ask them what he does to make them think he wants more...does he cry? Scream? Their tummies need time to process and realize that they're full, just like we do. I would ask them to feed him and then wait 5-10 minutes to see if he is still hungry...

Then again, my daughter was on baby food for an extended period of time-she didn't cut her first tooth until she was around 15 months old!

Good luck...it's hard when you have to trust someone to care for your child and YOU know best...

Well it looks like u have gotten a pretty good response from everyone. I would also sat that the daycare was in the wrong. What stage of baby food is your little getting? Do u make ur own baby food? There is another book out there that is called "Feed me and I am yours" I think that is the name of it. It helps with some feeding questions and it also gives recipes on making some of your own food or snacks for the age that ur little one is.
My 3rd children at that age was eating table foods and didn't want anything with baby food. My other two where diffenet. My one son started baby food later do to delevlopemnt issues. So when started him on table food a little latter.
What it comes down to, is that u know your little one better then anyone else. Put your foot down with the daycare and what they want to feed ur child before they give him something that he isn't ready for.

It's funny that you are asking this, because I am going through a similar situation. My son turned one a month ago, and we had been doing mainly baby food up until then because I was giving him organic baby food and it was easier than cooking all organic meals. He was also eating bananas, cheerios, puffs on a regular basis. Now that my doc recommended more table food to boost his calories and weight, we are running into some issues. My son is VERY picky! I think it's mainly a texture thing. After about 2 weeks of trying anything we're eating, it's going better. But, I wish I had started table food on a regular basis around 9 or 10 months when it wouldn't have been as stressful for me, but more gradual. All this to say, from my own experience, listen to those who are have experience! I know I will be passing on my advice to my friends who ask. They can learn from my mistakes! I would start table foods sooner than later. Foods my son is eating without a fuss now are pizza, yogurt, apples, crackers, peas, green beans, bread, waffles, pancakes. We're still trying! I'm also still breastfeeding and need to start whole milk. My next hurdle. Good luck and I know how you feel!

When my daughter was 11 months old we were feeding her regular food. She still drank one bottle of formula a day at that time. She was done with that after she turned one. She had a mouth full of teeth and was very interested in the foods we ate. Her pediatrician saw nothing wrong with giving her the food so long as we did not give her nuts (which she is allergic to) seafood and anything too spicey. Though 32 oz of formula or breast milk seems like a lot a day. My son is nine months old but he only has two teeth so we had to give him stage 3 fruit but stage 2 veggies because he doesn't quite have enough teeth to chew with yet. He gets 4 oz of formula with his cereal and fruit in the morning and 4-6 oz of formula at night before he goes to bed. At lunch and dinner time he gets a fruit and a veggie. You know what's best for your baby but if nothing else, ask the doctor. Good luck.

I'm a first time mom also, so I can understand your nervousness. I would be extremely annoyed with the daycare for giving him food you didn't approve. How did they know he wouldn't be allergic to any of that food? Especially Beef-a-roni!I believe it has cheese in it. Besides that, I started my little girl on finger foods before she was a year. Just simple things like pieces of fruit and toast. We even started giving her tastes of what we were eating, within reason. Things like mashed potatoes and macaroni. Just start slow... and test every food for a few days. If he has not showed any problems with jar food he should be fine.

I think you can start introducing other things, but as long as he has enough teeth to chew it!

The number of teeth your son has definitely makes a difference as to how much table food you can give them. We've been blessed??? with an early teether (started at 4 months) & so he's been on table food for a while now (started at 8 months introducing mashed potatoes and other "pureed" foods). Applesauce or even yogurt are really good alternatives to the baby jar food. You could even try cheerios. If you're nervous, introduce it at home first before sending it in with your son.

My 9 month old is a very curious eater. She takes around 25 oz. of formula daily. For breakfast she gets fruit mixed with baby oatmeal OR a beechnut good morning meal (the nutritionals on them are great)...either way it's about 6 oz. For lunch she usually gets any fresh fruit or veggies that I'm having cut very finely and maybe 4 ounces of a babyfood fruit or veggie. For dinner she gets a stage 3 meal that has hunks and bits of food for chewing. She also gets little chunks of whatever veggies we are having...which she feeds herself. She does not have any teeth but does just fine with pees, black beans, cut green beans, soft carrots, potatoes, brown rice with veggies, etc. Many times I have to mix bits of 'big people' food in with her runny babyfood so that she'll eat the baby food too. She also gets a snack or two in between meals and bottles (puffs, biter bisquit, bran crackers, bits of animal crackers, cut fresh fruit, etc.) Whatever you decide to do with your son YOU are his mommy and YOU know best and YOU should make that clear to the day care.