Q&A: baby food?
Hi,my name is Anne,I did the following:
Q&A: baby food?
my son will be 8 months old in 3 days. how many meals of baby food should he eat? right now he gets 1 and the rest of his food is formula. should i switch another feeding to baby food?
The answer in the following:
Answer by bangbanks72
how long has he been eating baby food? i dont see why you couldnt. If memory serves me right, i fed both my boys at 8 months, 3 meals, and formula!! as long as hes taking the one meal good, go the next step, try another andanother….
Answer by janeannpat
Start off with infant cereal and fruit. My kids were both eating three meals a day of baby food with cereal at two. If he isn’t hungry for it he won’t eat it.
Answer by timetopopnow
I think he should be having two meals of baby food by now. My daughter was a chubber though and ate and ate and hated the bottle eventually. 
But I think 8 mos is about time to add another meal in. Unless he starts to get sick and having much more spit up than normal or he vomits. That could mean he’s getting too much food.
Answer by jazzy
when my son was 8 mon I was giving him 2 meals of baby food a day I think 2 is ok right now because soon he will be feeding his self and he needs to learn eating with food instead of milk
Answer by charisie
give him as much as he can handle if he starts to get fussy i would cut down how much he gets a day
Answer by Nicole A
I have three kids and they all ate three meals a day plus 3-4 bottles of formula at that age. The day went something like this, wake up have a 8oz bottle but mix some of it with cereal, 3-4 hours later lunch and bottle befor nap, 3-4 hours later dinner and some 100% juice, then bottle befor bed. Just an idea but every baby is different, just remember the formula is the most important until the age of one. Good Luck!!
Answer by h.e.
If he will let you just try. Have you looked to parent center .com ? They answer everything there about all kinds of stuff like that!! I was always on there with my son! It is very informative!
Answer by soeur_deux_de_ny2005
by that age he should be getting cereal in the morning baby cereal of course. and a small bottle then fruits and veg for lunch and a small bottle etc. He is old enough to be having baby food for all three meals not huge amount half a jar each time or one small jar of each. But the formula should be cut down by this age they should be on whole milk by 1 year
Answer by todieisgain_121
Sounds good!! Just remember that breastmilk or formula is the main food source for the first year. Food at this point is for practice and not nutrition. Offer milk first and then top them up with solid food if they’re still interested.
Answer by Mel
Hi by 8 months old your baby should be having 3 meals a day and having around 3 to 4 bottles a day. I have five children and they all started eating solids 3 times a day by 7 months. I suggest you add an extra meal now & then add the other meal in about a months time.
What do you think? Answer below!
Don’t worry too much about how much he’s eating. His food should be primarily milk (whether breastmilk or forumla) at 8 months of age. My daughter was still almost exclusively breastfed at that age, just getting a few finger foods here and there. She hated baby food. It’s not a big deal at all. She started eating more food around 10 months of age and was eating mostly table foods around 15 or 16 months. Today she is healthy and happy at 27 months, and eats a wide variety of foods.
You can try it and see how he takes to it. Formula should be his main source for nutrients but they do need solids to make up for the increase need for iron. Maybe you can start giving cereal in the morning for breakfast and then baby food for another meal.
Your baby should be eating as much solid food as your baby can eat! WHAT? You’re wondering about the above statement aren’t you! Ask the vast majority of pediatricians and they will all say, “Feed your baby as much as your baby will eat”. One of the caveats is that you ensure that your baby is still receiving proper amounts of breastmilk and/or formula! Solid foods in the early stage are not meant to provide for baby’s nutrition as breast milk and/or formula are!
Following your baby’s cues during feeding time will ensure that your baby is eating the proper amounts of food for him or her. There is no “set-in-stone” guideline or chart of exactly how many jars of baby food or how many 8 ounce bottles of formula each baby should be receiving. This is simply because each and every baby is different! For example: You may wonder how it is possible that your friend’s 7 month old baby is eating 2 whole jars of baby food (8-9 oz) in one day while your 7 month old baby barely manages to eat 3 or 4 baby food cubes (3-4 oz) of food per day. You may also wonder why your baby nurses every 2 hours at 7 months old while your friend’s baby may only nurse every 3 or 4 hours. Again, each baby has different food and milk needs and these needs are just right for the individual baby!
How much solid food a baby will be eating depends on a variety of different things.
A baby who began solid foods at 4 months of age will be eating more solid foods than the baby who began to eat solid foods at 6 months old. A baby who is eating soft diced foods as beginner foods may seem to eat less than the baby who is being spoon-fed purées. Another influence to how much solid foods a baby will be eating is simply the individual baby’s appetite! As with adults, some babies will eat more than other due to their individual appetites.
A baby who is ill or teething may eat less than what has been typical for a few days and then suddenly the typical appetite comes roaring back. An infant who is busy exploring the carpet or the new soft-book she has received may be miffed when she is put into a high chair and offered food. Then there is the natural slow down of growth that babies go through. They are ravenous for a few days or a week or two and then suddenly they are barely eating. Babies who are coming out of a growth spurt will tend to eat less than they were during the growth spurt!
How do I know if my baby is eating enough solid food?
As all pediatricians will tell you “Your baby will never starve himself or herself!”. The majority of healthy babies will eat just the right amount of foods that they need. Offering a well balanced diet of solid foods will help ensure that your baby is eating the right amount of the right foods. It is important to pay close attention to your baby’s cues as your baby’s feeding patterns will change daily and may be affected by the goings-on around him. You do not want to accidentally override your baby’s ability to self-regulate his or her feeding by continuing to try and feed your baby. Here are a few things to watch for to ensure that you are not over or under feeding your baby:
Signs that your baby may want to continue to eat:
Leaning in for the spoon
Opening the mouth
Grabbing for food and trying to put it in the mouth
Signs that your baby may be full:
Closing of the mouth as the spoon comes close
Spitting out the food that is being fed
Turning the head away as the spoon comes closer
A healthy well-fed baby should be producing wet diapers regularly as well as producing a bowel movement or two during the day. Ensure that you take your baby to the well-child visits as scheduled so that your pediatrician may weigh and measure baby to ensure that your baby has good sustained growth.
If you are ever uncertain about the foods and the amount of solid foods you are feeding your baby, always consult your baby’s pediatrician! Your pediatrician should be able to assist you in validating your feeding routines and also help allay your fears!