From: millerj@belize.crd.ge.com
Newsgroups: misc.kids
Subject: feeding question responses (long)
Date: 22 Dec 92 14:16:51 GMT
Reply-To: millerj@belize.crd.ge.com ()
Distribution: na
Organization: GE Corporate Research & Development


	I got several requests to post what information I got.  So, here 
is my questions some of the responses.  I didn't include some that were 
very similar to others.
	I also talked to my pediatrician Friday.  He said that I should hold
off on finger food till around 8-9 months.  Meat, fruit and vegetables are
all fine at this point (6 months).  Work up to feeding him solids 3 times
a day.  One should have some baby cereal for the iron and other things they
fortify it with.  A rash on his cheeks and back of the arms that seemed to
be caused by some vegetables is ecxema (sp?) and he should grow out of it.
I just need to keep the skin well moisturized and use hydrocortizone (sp?)
on his arms.  Thanks for all the advice.

>
>	Once a baby has started on solids, how much of his daily feeding
>should they become?  How quickly do you move from the "stage 1" foods to
>the other stages?   I heard that they only need two cups of milk/formula a
>day.  Is this correct and how quickly do you cut down on the milk feedings
>and put solids?  Do I increase solids by adding more solid feedings?  Right
>now I try to feed him til he gets fussy and an indication of when he is
>full.  To get in more solids, I'd have to add more solid feedings?  He
>has two bottom teeth right now.  Should I try finger foods now or progress
>thru the different "stages" first?
>...

********************************************************************************

It seems like so long ago that I had these same questions.  doug is 15 mos
old now and I barely remember baby food jars.  I can let you know what we
did and then you can take what is useful.

I nursed Doug first thing, then cereal for breakfast about 1 hr later.
Lunch was cereal and fruit, with a bottle in the mid AM and another in mid
PM.  Then dinner was vegetable and fruit.  Nursing before and/or after and a
bedtime nursing session.  We started cheerios and graham crackers at about 6
mos.  then quickly added small pieces of cut up canned pear, applesauce,
cottage cheese, and mashed sweet potatoes.  We never used any of the baby
food "dinners", Doug just skipped that "stage".  In fact, we never really
used stage "2" foods, except forthe variety--they are no "lumpier" than
stage "1", just more combinations.

It was clear when Doug wanted more solids--he would snarf down whatever was
offered and be looking for more--he has always been a good eater.  It's easy
to say in hindsight, but just use your instincts, they let you know if they
are hungry!  I weaned Doug at 8 mos and he drank a quart of formula, 5 6oz
bottles, for several months after that, even though he was eating big meals.
By about 9 mos he had a banana and cheerios for breakfast, finger foods for
lunch, and finger foods for dinner, with snacks of crackers in-between.  For
lunch/dinner we served some cooked pasta, veggie pieces, and fresh furit
chunks--or something similar.  He liked/likes cut-up chicken and fish,
hamburger, pasta, all fruits and most vegetables (except broccoli).

there was a time when he was stuck on a few things, pears, cottage cheese,
noodles, and melon, and wanted those almost all the time.  He now has a
broader taste and surprises me at what he likes--mushrooms for instance.
But something he will eat one day he may turn his nose up on another.

Good luck.  They gradually replace milk with food, but at least inour case
it took several months.  Now, we notice a definite decrease in milk
drinking.

Chris Himes

********************************************************************************

They seem to adjust their milk/formula intake themselves.  As Lea gets
older (she's 11 mos) she drinks less and less formula.  I've been 
supplementing her liquids with sips of milk, water, juice...etc. because she 
doesn't want much formula.  Right now she doesn't drink any more than 12 oz a 
day.

She ate cereal and fruit twice a day from 5 1/2 months on.  This changed to
lunch and dinner from 6 1/2 months on.  I added breakfast about 3 weeks after
that.  Since then her meals have been something like:

7:00   breakfast: 4 tbsp oatmeal + 1 tbsp yogurt + 1 tbsp fruit + 3 oz formula

10:30  3 oz formula

12:00  lunch: 1/2 gerber small jar meat + 3oz fruit + 3 oz vegetables

3:30   3 oz formula   

5:00   2 oz juice

7:00   dinner:  4 tbsp oatmeal 2 oz fruit 3 oz vegetables, 1/2 jar meat
		sips from sippy cup of water or milk

8:00   2 oz formula

She's 11 months old and weighs 20 lbs.

diana

********************************************************************************

Ok, here's a data point for you.  My daughter is 6 1/2 months old.
I started her on solids at about 4 1/2 months.  She's sort of on 
this schedule:
7:00 am breast feeding
9:30 am 8 oz bottle of formula
11:30 cereal with fruit (about 2-4 oz) and a vegetable (2 oz)
      and about 2-3 oz formula.
2:00pm 8 oz bottle of formula
4:30 pm 8 oz bottle of formula
7:00 pm cereal, fruit and 2 veggies (about 4 oz all together)
	4 oz formula
(8:00 pm optional 8 oz bottle of formula)
9:30pm breast feeding.

So far we've had rice, oatmeal and corn cereal, applesause, peaches,
plums, peas, green beans, spinach, sweet potatoes, carrots, squash,
and baby cookies or bits of soft toast as finger foods.  No noticeable
reactions to anything.  She does like sweet potatoes best, and is
least interested in the corn ceral. 

She eats a lot, but she is a *big* baby at 19-20 lbs,27-28 in.  She is
also crawling & pulling up on stuff.  When she started the crawling
we needed an extra 8-12 oz formula.

I have never tried to "cut back" on anything.  I have tried to introduce
a large variety of foods.  I try to be responsive to how hungry
she is.  If she's hungry I feed her more, if she isn't she gets
less.  Some times she doesn't finish 3 bottles of formula during
the day.

Our peditrician said anything except eggs and milk or milk products
(cheese, yogurt, etc.) was fine.  I introduced the finger foods a
bit early because she kept grabbing the spoon and sticking it in
her mouth (mostly) herself.  The cookies facinate her and she does
a credible job of gumming them.  The toast bits aren't quite as neat,
but she's probably managed to eat several pieces of bread now.

Hope this helps,
Elise.