M.L. asks from Boynton Beach, FL on November 22, 2006
Eating Schedule for 11 Month Old
What is a goos eating schedule for a 11 month old? My son doesn't eat much solids takes anywhere from 22-25oz formula. I am wondering if I am doing something wrong. Doctors just say it is fine but you know as a mom its not.
7am breakfast cereal and fruit 1/2 cup with 6oz formula
11-11:30am eats 1/2 jar of food with 6oz
3:00pm 6oz formula
4:30 dinner sometimes eats sometimes doesn't
6:30 -7:00pm 7oz bottle of formula
Then its bed time
Does this sound like a bad schedule?
Featured Answers
T.L. answers from Melbourne on November 24, 2006
Looks great!
I would only add a snack in the morning between breakfast and lunch.
Have you tried giving him food before his bottles. That might help.
Bottom line - the doctor says not to worry - don't worry! Just keep trying and he will eventually eat more food and need less bottle.
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T.R. answers from Miami on November 23, 2006
Check out a site called www.babycenter.com and search food schedules for 11 month old babies. good luck!!
S.F. answers from Melbourne on November 25, 2006
I have an 11 month also. She eats everything in sight. She eats pizza, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, canned peas, french fries, mashed potatoes. And on top of that usually a HUGE bottle of milk. I just can't get her to drink juice, she doesn't like it. I say if you can get them to eat at all it's better than nothing. My 5 year old barely eats anything, so if she wants waffles with peanut butter for every meal I am happy with that too.
B.R. answers from Orlando on November 22, 2006
As you probably know, every baby is different. Thought I'd let you in on what works for my child. My baby boy is 14 months old. And what I've done from 4 months of age is do meal time like we do. Three meals a day. My child has constipation problems so I never did cereal in the beginning. We have fruit or toast and 8 oz of milk for breakfast. Then lunch around noon which is usually veggies and another 8 oz of milk. Then a snack between lunch and dinner. Crackers, applesauce, yogurt, whatever your child likes. And juice mixed with water in the afternoon for constipation. Then dinner around 6 pm. I still give him a #3 baby jar with meat and veggies with 8 oz milk. So my child gets about 24 oz. of milk for a 14 month old. Hope this may give you a little help. Good luck.
T.L. answers from Melbourne on November 24, 2006
Looks great!
I would only add a snack in the morning between breakfast and lunch.
Have you tried giving him food before his bottles. That might help.
Bottom line - the doctor says not to worry - don't worry! Just keep trying and he will eventually eat more food and need less bottle.
L.K. answers from Boca Raton on November 23, 2006
I think it sounds okay to me. My oldest didn't eat much more that a tablespoon of cereal and a tablespoon of fruit until she was 11 months old. She was breastfed so I don't know how much she was drinking except when I was at work she got 12-15 ozs of breast milk and one or two bottles of juice for a 12 hour shift-3times a week. I think you'll find during growth spurts he'll of course eat more and then slow down. I tend to look at what my kids eat over the course of the day, and make sure they are getting protein fruits veggies and starchie carbs(which is what I make sure I don't give too much of because that can spoil an appetite) I always through some real food in their tray, cheerios, rice chex, etc, while I'm getting their meals. I also use steamed veggies, carrots, green beans, peas, canned fruit that I rinsed, dried w/paper towel and sliced into sticks, they always loved the pears and that fixes a lot of constipation problems as well. Even if they don't have too many teeth.
Now, I noticed at bedtime you give a 7 oz bottle. Could that be triggering his reflux? I always kept my kids bottles around 4 oz otherwise they seemed to spit up. We had very mild reflux issues and that seemed to keep it under control. Still at almost 18 months my twins drink 4-5 ozs at a time.
HTH,
LaurieK
www.mymonavie.com/LaurieK
D.D. answers from Port St. Lucie on November 23, 2006
My son refused the jars early at around 9 months. He showed me how independent they can be sometimes... Instead of jars of vegatables and fruits, try finger foods with your son with his cereal at his normal feeding times. Incourage your him to use his teeth! Here are a few of my son's favorites...
rasberries (they are soft and easy for them to eat), blueberries, sweet potatoe puffs (they dissolve easily), beans (kidney or baked beans), tortilla, cheese (sargento makes star shaped cheeses that he loves), cheerios, strawberries, orange slices, goldfish crackers, graham crackers, pretzel rods, dried fruit (cranberries, rasberries), raisins (they love the little box gives it gives them something to do for a while), nutrigrain bars or waffles.... i hope this is of some help to you.
B.G. answers from Daytona Beach on November 23, 2006
Sounds like baby is eating as much as he wants...Is he gaining weight at a steady pace?
Don't worry...I had the same concern with daughter at this age (my son was always a healthy eater). My doctor told me that their appetite picks up the second year when they start toddling around and building up that appetite!
I didn't formula feed, so I'm not sure how much is the right amount, but I would agree with some of the other mamams about adding some "real" food to his menu. My kids loved for me to cook frozen peas and carrots at that age--they are a good finger food, and very soft. They also loved any kind of pasta (but I found spirals the easiest for them to gum), slices of cheese, banana chunks, and avacado chunks. He may just be bored with the baby food!
V. answers from Boca Raton on November 22, 2006
Hi M.,
Are you concerned your son isn't eating or he's hungry still? I guess I didn't understand. My only sugegstion would be to give him something between breakfast and lunch. Maybe a small snack. At that time i remember I was trying to set up 3 meals a day plus two snacks (wasn't working well, but i was told that's what i was supposed to do). later i learned that the snacks were filling up my girls who were already picky eaters, so at mealtimes they were eating much. I also remember at this age i started offering table foods, like what we were eating though iw as making theirs separate so not a lot of spices, but just try it in the beginning, give a mini pancake after you have finished feeding him breakfast and see how he does. earlier you start introducing real foods it is better to avoid having difficulties later. And then lunchtime after he has finished what you have planned for him give him a triangle of grilles cheese for example or some cooked pasta with a bit of butter, just so he starts getting used to that texture. Around 12 months is when you will switch him from formula to milk, and it would be a good time to get him off the bottle then and start him in a sippy cup (trust me that ended up being another battle for us).
isn't it fun? i always wondered, and still do, how come babies didn't come with a handbook? and every day i learn a new thing or i learn of a mistake i have done :)
good luck
V.
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