How Much to Feed 6 Month Old Who Is Going on Solids

you are doing great! your little one i telling you that he is doing great too! if he's not hungry, you know he is getting all he needs from your milk! my little one didn't start solids until she was a year old and now at 22 months she is still about 75 percent breastmilk! it all just depends on your babe. a great resource is www.mothering.com - go to the "discuss" tab and you will find the forums there. there are several breastfeeding forums that have great advice. i would look into the rice cereal because it really doesn't have any nutritional value and is highly processed...
again, great job!

First place you can/should go is to the phone and call your pediatrician for this advice, as he/she should know the child's history and weight, along with any health factors.

He/she may recommend the next step, as our ped. did: Go to the Gerber.com website, or google Gerber.com feeding chart. They publish a chart you can get online (Dr.s have it to hand out, too) that gives you recommended feeding amounts, along with when to add another type of food in, and explains the sequence recommended.

Your baby will let you know when he needs more. He'll clean his plate more and will get fussy sooner. You've probably already noticed his appetite changes as he goes through different ages, based on growth spurts, illness and metabolism slow downs. At this age, breast milk or formula should still be his major nutrition as he dabbles in solids. And be prepared for stinkier diapers!!

Hi L.,

You've got great advice so far, but I'd just like to add two things. Apparently, the more different tastes you introduce your baby to before they turn one, the more likely they are to continue to appreciate these foods once they become toddlers, those famous "picky eaters". As others have pointed out, solid food is not really important for nutrition in most breast-feeding infants before they turn one (and sometimes later), but it's all about getting the body - and the mind - used to the taste, texture, and how to digest this new form of nutrition, before it starts to become essential. At only just over six months, your little one has tons of time to learn these lessons!

Also, I was worried when my son was about 8 months that I wasn't giving him enough lumpy food - he loved all different kinds of mush, but always spat up even the tiniest lumps. Well, I gave up on the lumps for another four months, and he's now 18 months and chowing down on everything I give him, not a puree in sight. I was (am) a nervous first-time mom too, but it seems you can trust your infant to let you know his own needs!

I think you are doing fine! I started my son on cereals in the morning for about a week before moving him up to 2 meals and then eventually up to 3. It was gradual because you have to watch for allergies. Always start with veggies when introducing new foods and make sure you feed the same food for atleast 3 days in a row to watch for any allergic reaction. Introducing solids is a gradual process and it sounds like you are doing just fine!

The infant being introduced to solids will often start out slowly...breast milk is still the major source of nutrition...that is ok. You can't MAKE a kid eat anyhow...just keep introducing new appropriate stuff!
Snacking on healthful stuff is ok too...it may make it hard to judge how much your child is eating while nibbling...but most kids thrive if good food is made available.

At this age, he doesn't need solids, like he does your BM, so I wouldn't stress about it :). The Super Baby Food book is a great guide to help.

L.: Kara's idea about room time (time alone in their rooms) is a good one. I have suggested this before to someone else. They may want more than 30 minutes. My kids learned to love room time, It became a time of quiet and imagination. They could wind down and learn to control their play.

Take care
K.

Hi L.,
I found out babies can be very good at self-regulating.
If it feels right to you, try adding another meal and see what he does.
If it makes him breastfeed less (or have dry diapers), or spit up more, or eat less at another meal, then he probably doesn't need it.
Also, keep an eye on his growth to make sure he stays on track :)

T

PS My babies loooved mashed sweet potato or peas mixed in with their cereal (yummy).

Hi L.- Just set him at the table with you in his high chair, and offer whtever you ar having, with apropriate nsizing of foods on his plate. Nurse as long as you are able- it will avoid many allergy and immune system issues later, in my opinion. S.