K.K. asks from Washington, DC on January 09, 2009
Feeding Schedule for 10 Month Old - Washington,DC
I was wondering if anyone has any advice on a feeding "schedule" for my 10 month old. Right now, she wakes up around 7am and takes about 6 oz of formula from a bottle. The issue is that she is then not hungry for breakfast. I give her lunch around 12 and then another bottle of approx. 6 oz in the afternoon. Dinner is at 5pm and bedtime (she takes about 8 oz then)at 7pm. I also offer her a sippy cup with formula in it at mealtime and sometimes wiht a snack (which she usually requires mid-morning since she wont eat breakfast!). Should I be giving her less formula in the morning and afternoon so that she is hungry for her meals? I was under the impression that babies her age still need about 24 oz of formula a day...I just cant seem to get her to eat very much on top of that! Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
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A.Z. answers from Washington DC on January 10, 2009
Hi Im A. mother of 3 boys,try to give her less formula or for breakfast mix formula with gerber cerea,but i think cut back with the formula so she be hungry for her meal time :)goodluck
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A.P. answers from Washington DC on January 10, 2009
The 7 am bottle is her breakfast. She is only 10 months old.
She can't possibly eat so much. Don't be concerned unless she is
not eating at all!
K.S. answers from Washington DC on January 12, 2009
K.L. answers from Washington DC on January 09, 2009
Formula/Breastmilk is their only source of nutrition for the first year. Introducing foods is not for nutrition, its merely for "fun" to teach them how to eat and to help their systems adjust to a variety of things.
I know someone else said something about putting cereal in the bottles but that should not be done unless recommended by a dr for medical reasons. It can actually be dangerous to do it.
I would recommend giving her water in the sippy cup throughout the day to get her accomodated to drinking it. I keep a cup of water accessible to my son (almost 8 months), he might drink a total of 2 oz throughout the day, but its a good habit to get them used to becuase a lot of kids won't drink water at all.
N.B. answers from Washington DC on January 10, 2009
Hi, K., It sounds like she is doing fine. When she's hungry, she'll eat. She may not be having a growth spurt right now, and is satisfied with her intake. I'd just relax and let it all unfold naturally. Don't let food become a struggle. Hope this helps! N.
C.S. answers from Washington DC on January 10, 2009
Hi K., My baby (11 months) has a similar eating schedule. She nurses first thing in the morning, then I feed her baby food at around noon after her first nap, then baby food again at around 4 after her second nap, and then once again at "dinner time" when my husband and I eat around 7. In addition to that, she nurses throughout the day as needed, usually just after she's finished in her high chair. It sounds like a lot, but she actually doesn't eat too much. She'll have a couple of tablespoons of baby food and some little finger foods at each sitting. The reason I don't often feed her breakfast is because, like you said, she's not hungry after her morning nursing. Some of the other posts here have mentioned that the eating is just for practice at this stage, but my baby is very small and the doctor keeps encouraging me to feed her food to boost her calorie intake. I can't be sure that she's getting enough, but I know she'll eat if she's hungry. Hope this helps.
A.Z. answers from Washington DC on January 10, 2009
Hi Im A. mother of 3 boys,try to give her less formula or for breakfast mix formula with gerber cerea,but i think cut back with the formula so she be hungry for her meal time :)goodluck
A.L. answers from Washington DC on January 10, 2009
Every child is different as far as the amount of food and breast milk or formula they take in, so I would go by her. Also, I'd check with your pediatrician for guidelines. As long as your daughter is healthy and growing, then she is probably eating enough. Some kids prefer more solids, some prefer more breast milk/formula. My daughter didn't like baby food, so she nursed more often than some 10 month olds that liked the baby food. Again, I'd check with your pediatrician, but I'm sure everything is just fine. Best of luck.
J.Y. answers from Washington DC on January 09, 2009
You can try the solids before giving her the formula. My son liked Gerber brands oatmeal. If she doesn't like that, you can try regular oatmeal. If she has teeth, you can try giving her small pieces of fruit that she can chew. You may also try putting rice cereal or oatmeal (Gerber brand if you prefer)in her formula to thicken it up if she doesn't eat the solids. Hope this advice helps! :)
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