What Kind of Schedule Should My 7Month Old Be On

Updated on January 30, 2007
K.R. asks from Wendell, NC
18 answers

My son is 7 months old today and starting to act like he wants more food and that his eating schedule may be changing. I know he will let me know what he wants and when he wants it but just out of curiosity, what kind of eating schedule were your 7 month olds on. How many times a day did they eat baby food? Should they get a full bottle after eating or should I cut back on the formula? I know they should have formula until their first birthday so I won't be cutting it out all together. I'm just curious to know how things go in other households.

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So What Happened?

So Aiden took his whole schedule deal and threw it out the window. When he's hungry, he lets me know. You know you can really tell what your baby wants by the way they cry. Or whine in Aiden's case...lol His doctors say he's eating well and gaining weight like he should so the whole schedule idea is pretty much gone. Thanks for all the advice though. I make sure he gets the amount of formula that the docs recommend and that he's getting "real food" too. But only if he wants to sit still and eat it. Now we're trying to tackle cup training. Will the drama ever end? LOL

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A.S.

answers from Charlotte on

Hi K.
I fed Hannahwhen she seemed hungry some snacks and 3 big meals a day. Healthy food mostly and always as much formula as she wanted. He will let you know when he is full.
I do want to connect with other moms. It can be very lonely! I work 2nd shift and am home till 2-3 everyday alone. I get anxious and bored and sometimes just want an adult to talk with. I have a 16 month old little girl and she is too smart for her own good! I have lived here in the carolinas for 10 years and know my way around if you want to get together.
A.

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C.W.

answers from Richmond on

Hi! My name is C. and me personally i would feed him more than formula.still give him formula but if he is eatting more than it might be good to just give him less formula because he will get full on just the food.now as far as how many times a day,it depends on how much he eats.for my kids they did not stay on baby food long because they started eatting regular food when they were about 5mths.

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A.C.

answers from Norfolk on

I have a 7-month old who is my third. She eats 3 meals a day, and then I breastfeed her whenever she seems to want it. Kids will naturally drink less milk or formula when they start to eat solid food, but the breastmilk or formula is still the most important food they get, so don't cut back on that. My experience is that babies know what they need, so don't worry about feeding him too much, as long as what you are giving him is good. Give the formula first, then as much baby food as he wants on a reasonable schedule for you! Enjoy him! This is a really fun age!

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B.P.

answers from Jacksonville on

Hey you sound just like me, I move here about 2 1/2 years ago and I don't have many friends here either, once you become close with people they move so quickly (hince.. it's a military town) So feel free to email me anytime I'm always on the computer...Talk to you soon
Anyway, coinsidenty my son just turned 7mth's on the 23rd. My son primarily gets his nutrition from formula I just stopped nursing him about a month ago. But, I have started to incorporate veggies, fruit and also 100% fruit juice. For the morning he gets a bottle filled with formula and cereal (he only eats oatmeal not rice). In the afternoon he gets a snack wether it's a teething cookie or a small jar of fruit. He does not get his two 3.5-4oz jar until dinner time. Then finally before bedtime he gets a bottle but, sometimes he goes to sleep before he gets the bottle. Just keep in mine my schedule works for his needs, you have to make your son schedule that is convient for him.
P.S Every child is different so is their feeding schedule the only advise I have is to watch his calorie intake but, feed him on demand....

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D.B.

answers from Greensboro on

Hello! Formula shoudl not be his primary source of nutrients now. When you start feeding a baby baby food, you start to cut back on formula because they are getting nutrients from other sources now. I would suggest you feed him breakfast, a snack, like cheerios or gram crackers a bottle, then lunch veg and fruit. Even if he does not have teeth or any many teeth, he can chew on things like grahm crackers because his gums are hard and it helps paves way for teething. My daughter was eating cereal at 3 months and baby food at 5 months. She stopped taking a bottle at 9 months. I would give him baby food for each meal and a bottle in between if he wants it. I woudl alos start giving him snacks. When you give him snacks put juice, water, or formula in a sippy cup. I know it sounds crazy, but you want him off the bottle by 1 year and he can start to understand a sippy cup and learn how to use it. It takes a little while to get them used to it. It is a different kind of sucking. However, they get it.

I work in child care and am in school for early childhood education. I am a single parent of a 4 year old girl. I am new to this site and am excited to meet new people.

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K.O.

answers from Charleston on

With both my girls I had them on the same routine that I was. My youngest is now nine months and she wakes up around seven-ish, she gets a bottle and then fruit with some cereal, she plays with her sister til around nine-ish (generally when she starts getting cranky)then she goes for a nap. I make sure she is awake by eleven (otherwise she won't nap with her sister later) she takes a bottle and then eats fruit and veggies with cereal. We play and read and such until around one-ish when they both go down for a nap (halelujah! :) after nap depends...we like her to eat with us as a family...so if my husband gets off work at 4, I don't give her a bottle when she gets up from her nap (generally around 3)...sometimes I'll give her some gerber puffs and a cup of juice...depends on if she is fussy or if her sister requests a snack...dinner ( again a bottle and fruit and veggies with cereal)is around five...she then has a bottle at bedtime (7:30) and that's it! If we eat dinner later, as we have been since my hubby's working OT...I give her a formula bottle at snack to hold her over until 7 dinner time...I know this sounds very wordy...but it really has made my life so simple...and both girls know what to expect, which cuts a lot on whining!

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T.J.

answers from Norfolk on

My son had been eating since he was 3 months old, he is ten months old now! My doctor told me that I should give him all but a few ounces of his bottle before he ate, since babies really need to eat it. He only drank 3 to 4 (depending on our day!) bottles each day. However, these were six ounce bottles. I have been feeding him three meals a day of cereal and/or baby food, since about 4 months. I hope that helps. If you aren't sure you should ask your pediatrician about the formula and how much your baby needs.

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L.M.

answers from Charleston on

We follow a routine of EAS (Eat, Activity time, Sleep) at 7 mths, this is what our schedule looked like:
8am 7 ounce bottle
9am solids for breakfast
Nap
1pm 7 ounce bottle
2pm solids for lunch (we actually didn't introduce lunch until 9/10 mths)
6pm breast feed
7pm solids for dinner
8pm put him down for the night
10pm I normally pick him up from the crib and top him off before going to bed myself.

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N.P.

answers from Columbia on

Hi K..
I am new to the area too. I just moved here from Reno, NV. I also moved when I was pregnant with triplets. I have a two year old and an adopted five year old. My pediatrician recommended that I have my son Addison on baby food meats at eight months and he really started taking off. I remember that he used to eat cereal with fruit every morning, then have a baby friendly snack, then veggies for lunch and dinner, with a fruit snack in the middle. I gave him about 5 oz of breastmilk in between the food too. He was always a skinny kid. We also made our own baby food which he seemed to like a lot better, and it was a lot cheaper.
:)
Hope this helps.

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E.C.

answers from Charlotte on

At 7 months all three of my boys were eating more than just baby food. My oldest is 18 and my youngest is 5. When they eat their meals and need something to drink it is okay to give them something other than formula. Try a cup of juice or whole milk, just enough to make sure he has that fluid. I had all of my boys drinking from a sippy cup, as well as a bottle, before they turned 1. So go with the flow of your child and you decide what is best for him. Every child is going to respond differently to every new thing you try. Goodluck!

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B.

answers from Charlotte on

My daughter also turned 7 months today! Goes so fast, doesn't it? Anyway, this is her schedule:
7 am breastfeed(weaning from this), then off to day care
8:30 am daycare gives her oatmeal and about 6oz formula bottle
10:00 nap until 11:30 or 12
12:30pm daycare gives her 7-8 oz formula and a veggie jar, stage 2
2:00 nap until 3 or 4pm
4pm daycare gives her 7-8 oz formula bottle
6pm I give her 1 stage 2 veggie or fruit jar
7:30pm 7-8 oz formula bottle or breastfeed/ 8pm, goes to bed until 6:30 am

Her Dr said I can try a meat any time now, and I've also started putting Cheerios on her tray for practice picking up small food pieces. Looks like you got a lot of good advice - I was curoius myself as to what a good schedule is for her. I think every baby is different and it's always a learning experience! Good luck!

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M.M.

answers from Norfolk on

I just followed my son's cues. He nursed on demand and once or twice a day I'd give him a small amount of mashed up food. At 7 months solids should be complementing milk, not supplementing it. Offer the same amount of milk. If he wants it, he'll take it. Unless you are force feeding, you cannot overfeed an infant.

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J.H.

answers from Greenville on

babyfood three times a day and bottles 3 times should help. six feedings a day should satisfy him. it did mine. i hace 5 children all grown and still eating like theres no tomorrow...lol

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S.

answers from Spartanburg on

K.,
here is my 7month old schedule:

about 7 or 8 am - cereal mixed with formula and beechnut fruit (pear or applesauce or whatever);

next feeding, mid morning - bottle of formula (he gets 8 oz);

Lunch - cereal mixed with formula+ half jar beechnut beef (or chicken or turkey) + a half jar beechnut vegetable;

Next feeding, afternoon - bottle of formula (8 oz);

Dinner - cereal mixed with formula+ the rest of the jars (meat and veggies).

Night feeding(s) - bottle of formula.

Start over the day after!!!!

Note that my baby won't take the bottle after eating the regular meals (he gets full), so alternating solid foods and bottles makes sure he gets the proper amount of fluids (32 oz daily per doctor recommendation) every day.

Also keep the bottle(s) for the night feeding (if yours wakes up like mine does) it's easy and fast (and keeps him moist during the night). You don't want to feed him food and wake him up too much at 2 or 3 am!! My baby after taking the bottle at night, goes right back to sleep (although I keep him upright in my arms or in a swing chair for at least 30' before putting him down, to avoid reflux and bad digestion).

Good luck

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M.H.

answers from Hickory on

Don't worry about a schedule with a 7 month old!! They do their own thing!! Once you think you have a schedule that's when the baby changes it!! Just roll with it and enjoy the time you have with them!!

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V.C.

answers from Charleston on

I have always been told follow your baby lead. My daughter when she was 7 months (oh how long ago it seems lol) she was eating a jar of baby food and 4-6 oz. of formula for lunch and dinner and for breakfest she had a 6 oz bottle and and oatmeal. but then again Julianna is a healthy eater. lol What my doctor said at first you give them a full bottle of eating the baby food and they will drink it till they are full. They might finish the bottle and they might not. But after a couple of days you can figure out how much they will drink so you dont waste to much formula

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S.J.

answers from Wilmington on

I remember having this same question when mine started really eating solids... "Your Baby's First Year" by the american academy of pediatrics has two pages of what a normal baby eats... I think one was at 8 mos. and the other at 12. It really helped me gage what mine "should" be eating. :) And in general I really like the book anyway.

I say if he wants to eat more food, give him more food! I think at this age I was giving mine most of her food at around lunchtime or shortly after. And those fantastic zwiebacks while we ate dinner. Mine always wanted to eat when we ate.

Its hard to connect with people when you move to a new place... we moved here two years ago and I only just now feel like we're home. :) There are a lot of really nice people out here, you just have to look!

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M.V.

answers from Richmond on

wow.. I am sitting here reading and thinking geesh heh.. people are asking about 7 months old.. well my son just turned six months old.. and He has been eating since he was 3 months old.. first it was just fruit and veggies and now we have incorporated meat in as well.. well that was at five months.. so He eats three meals a day.. breakfast is ceral and fruit.. lunch is veggies and for dinner since He doesnt like just plain meat he gets meats and veggies or meats and fruits.. and He still has 6-7 5 ounce bottles of formula a day! He is a very healthy eater and lets Me know when He is not hungry.. but when He is hungry I feed Him.. He isn't on any kind of schedule other then eating those three meals a day.. He has bottles before or bottles afterwords..I just feed him when He is hungry.. good luck!

M.

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