How Much to Feed My Twins

Congratulations Y.. I have 2 sets of twins. Both were big eaters. My boys, now 21 months, eat a ton. Talk to your pediatrician about thier diet. There are many articles today advising against putting rice in babies' milk as it may be linked to the development of diabetes. I think at 4 months I started my babies on cereal for breakfast, but the rest was formula. At 4 months the boys were still eating every 3 maybe 4 hours. Not only did they eat a ton during the day, but they would wake up absolutely starving to death. The dr said they were not really hungry, just wanting to be with me, but I tell you they woke up screaming and would suck down 8 oz or more so fast you would not believe it. They had a growth spurt every time we turned around. But they have evened out; it all worked out. One thing to consider, though, many times when babies have gas they think they are hungry so be sure they are not suffering with gas. I think your doctor will tell you the babies know when to stop eating; don't worry so much about it. Of course, my doctor just could not believe how much milk the boys were drinking at every checkup. She would shake her head and tell me they should only be getting so many ounces...but they seem to be very healthy now, albeit big as 3 yr olds. Hang in there and look forward to that magic day when they sleep through the night, or at least most of it...

Well, I say that altough it does sound like a lot, they may be trying to catch up, and for sure they could be having a growth spurt. Sometimes they eat a bunch, and then go back to a more normal eating pattern with in a week or two. But, I will say, I would lay off of so much baby food, and be sure that most of their food is formula still. They really need the nutrition from the formula more than the fillers of the food. There is still discussion as to when babies should even start solids, and I wait until mine are 6 months, and we never do rice(again, it is just a filler:) But, for sure, I say feed them until they are full, and not showing signs of overeating like spitting up etc. Good luck, it is always a delicate balance knowing what our kids need! ~A.~

feed those babies! they are telling you they are HUNGRY! all my babies ate like horses, and now my 3 babies are 13, 11 1/2, and 8, and all are skinny, but my oldest is super skinny. my oldest is on the 25% and below, on the growth cart for his weight, and the other two are 50% and below. i have worried about my oldest but the pediatrician asked a few things. Does he eat? well, yes. up and down, sometimes alot and somtimes a little. it seems to cycle around his growth spurts, around a pending spurt he is like an eating machine, then just normal. Is he playing? yes, very much, and thinks a 3 mile round trip bike ride to the park is fun. The doctor said, well i don't see anything to worry about. he's not sick, he eats, he plays, he does his school work. he is just genetically skinny or has a high metabolism.
you have to remember your little ones are doing alot of growing in their little bodies at this time. so feed them. they would not be continueing to act hungry if they were not. i also used yogurt at about 6 months, mixed with their cereal. i know the warnings about milk products but wanted them to have healthy cultures in their systems. but mine would be so hungry you couldn't shovel it in fast enough, and still nurse and drink milk.
i think you are doing great to be so in tune with your kids. they are all different and all need things at different times. if they are hungry feed them. how can they eat to much? if they are having no problems, like spitting up or vomiting, then i would say you are not feeding them to much.
you might want to buy stock in like Kroger or HEB. Because with my 3 boys, they will eat you out of house and home. So, it will only get worse from here!! ;)
Be thankful they eat, and shovel it in!
L.

Y.,

Hey. I want to reassure you that children usually know when they are full. They may have a fast metabolism, which means their body burns calories fast. If so, then they need much more formula than other babies. If they're not spitting up, let them have what they ask for. I wouldn't hold back on them.

My kids all have fast metabolisms and even as toddlers they out-ate me. Mine is slow and I don't need to eat much. They've always eaten a ton and stay really skinny. Some people are just like that.

I wouldn't underfeed them. Give them all they need.

Hope this helps.
A.

My oldest son was like this. We started him on solids around 4-5 months old. He was always a skinny kid, but so hungry all the time. They don't get as much nutrition from the baby food as they do the formula or breastmilk. So, to beef up his diet since he wanted solids so badly was to do the rice cereal (or oatmeal which was his favorite) mixed with the formula instead of water. As he got a little older, we'd mix in a jar of babyfood fruit with it. He would eat a huge bowl of this first thing in the morning from the time he was 4-5 months old until about 2 1/2 years old. The liquid just didn't seem enough to satisfy him. He is 6 years old now and still can eat like a horse, and he's still super skinny. When I asked the pediatrician, he said he rarely worries about a skinny child as long as they are growing at a steady rate, which my son was. At that young, babies don't overeat. They'll know when they are full.

My twins are 4 1/2 years old now. We started them on solids when they were about 5 months old. By the time they were 6 months, they were ravenous! I remember that, at times, they would each drink a full bottle (6 oz or more), eat 2 jars of babyfood, and still be hungry! Babies know when they are hungry and when they are full. Just be sure you are giving them nutritious food and they will be fine!