How much baby food is too much?

Denise - posted on 12/04/2008

hi, well i feel at 8 months old (with the experiences from my own 4 kids) that he can eat anything you eat, just be careful of the main allergy foods, he is probably growing yes then you may find the bottled food is just not doing it for him, adult food would be a better choice.my kids all had meat and vegies, pasta's and stews or whatever we had by that age.start giving him more solids if he wants but make sure he still has his required formular as well, in all honesty i think bottled food can not replace a healthy meal made from scratch, if you use bottled for convenience then all you have to do is keep a make a little extra each meal and freeze it in a container the size of his meals and grab them when your busy. this worked for all my kids and i also must say when i did give them processed bottle stuff they seemed hungrier, hope this helps, cheers

Stephanie - posted on 12/03/2008

It is only normal that you ask yourselves these types of questions.... moms questions everything and that's how we find out the best for our kids.... never stop questioning! It is hard to say if you are feeding him too much or not enough because it really depends on what foods you are feeding him.... is there a lot of protein or simply veggies and fruits and what type of oatmeal... the pablum with formula or simply oatmeal! There are 2 realities, babies will often, actually thay will almost always tell you when they've had enough and so don't hesitate to feed more if he wants to. I would also make sure he gets plenty of fresh fruits like bananas or any fruit that you can blend yourself just because they still have their natural enzymes and wil aid in his digestion. But there is a way to overfeed your child and it is hard to say exactly how except to keep a routine about his eating patterns and not to feed him everytime he cries because he will then associate comfort with food and possibly develop bad habits that could lead to childhooh obesity..... you see where I'm going here I'm sure.... you are nowhere near that route don't worry!!!!

Linda - posted on 12/03/2008

Thanks Candi! I am up for reading something new and that sounds like an interesting book!

Candi - posted on 12/03/2008

You're not paranoid. Most moms worry when they think their babies eat "too much", but you don't need to worry, because babies and kids are much better at listening to their bodies than we are. Let him eat as much as he wants. If you try to limit the amount he eats it will only backfire and he will want to eat more. I would recommend reading the book "Child of Mine: Feeding with Love and Good Sense" by Ellen Satter. I am a health professional and she is one of the best childhood nutritionists out there!

Linda - posted on 12/03/2008

Thank you for your advice! He definitely lets me know when he's had enough - but I just worry he's over-eating on solids for his age. He will eat EVERTHING, he is not picky at all. So I should be happy about that :)

User - posted on 12/02/2008

little boys eat alot! dont worry about how much as long as it is healthy foods.limit sugar foods.maybe try more solid foods like mash potatoes....and you could definatly cut back on the formula.now that he is eating good on solids there isnt a huge need for it.try water for some bottles.he is a little young to be so interested but thats alot better than a picky eater!just make sure his foods are more veggies than anything...

Tara - posted on 12/02/2008

With my daughter, she always wanted more and more and at first, we worried she would eat too much but we tried giving her more and she found ways to let me know when she'd had enough. She's 13 months old now but she was drinking 4oz. of formula per feeding at the age of 4 months. She's a big girl but not overweight, just stocky and very healthy. Our doctor told us to feed her what she wants and she'll let us know when its enough and it worked out quite well. You could also try giving him oatmeal or rice cereal more often or you can make something like mashed sweet potatoes with cinnamon and a small amount of butter. My little one loves it and it fills her up good but its also good for babies. Good luck and let me know if I can be of more help.

Becky - posted on 12/02/2008

8 months is a good spot for a growth spurt (heck, any time is for a baby).

He should still be getting most of his nutrition from formula, though. If he has some teeth sticking in there, maybe give him some baby chew biscuits. He may be more into the oral fixation than the actual eating.

As far as formula, does he throw up, or spit up? Is it in any quantity, or just when he gets an extra bottle? Try mixing in a bit of rice cereal with the formula (and enlarging the bottle nipple to let it through).