Somewhere (babycenter maybe?) I was reading about incorporating cow's milk at one year of age. And the amount you're expected to feed these kids is nuts - something like three full bottles a day. How is he even going to get through two bottles...? He would have to have a bottle on his face all day long! I have a weird association with milk because I was always completely grossed out by it and hated being made to drink it as a kid - one of my mother's more stellar moments was standing up for me when the school I went to for 1st grade absolutely insisted I drink milk every day. With that said I'm not opposed to feeding B milk - it just seems like SO much; how can I even keep up...? Still at some point in the next year I'll want to wean, and this may be the key.
Then there's all the other foods he'll be allowed - even the most conservative opinions seem to still allow for real adult food by the one year mark. So the squeezy bag breakfasts may be on their way out! B has learned how to feed himself the little cheerio-type pouf things; once it dawned on me I needed to let him try by himself rather than placing them in his mouth, he figured it out very quickly. So now instead of just eating one or two he chomps them down handfuls at a time. This kid is ready to eat. Mom is not ready for him to eat. But mom is going to have to get over that.
It occurred to me that once he makes this transition to adult food - and especially once the boobie is over - that's it. No more changes; he'll be on adult food forever. It's much like my desire for him to be big enough for international travel; once he is, he is for life. Once he's big enough to no longer need a car seat or booster, that's it. The changes come so quickly, and then they're permanent. There's no going back. Which makes me both happy and sad.
So for now I need to spend the next few weeks preparing to change up our food routine. I will start using his high chair finally; I will get larger bottles; I will start feeding him solids more than once a day. It's going to be a lot more work. Not looking forward to that aspect of it. I'm especially afraid of him hating my cooking. It's not for everyone. If he just detested everything I make it would really break my heart. But I need to be prepared for that to happen.
So, on to the next steps!
I have one who doesn't drink much Milk (or anything else for that matter)and the doctor has assured me she only need 16oz of dairy a day. Not just Milk, all dairy counts. Between milk, cheese and yogurt, she more than has the 16oz covered. You'll figure it out.
ReplyDeleteIf you only have small bottles, I'd skip the larger bottles and go right to sippy cups.
I was surprised to see that you still can use 5 oz bottles. Neither of my five-months-olds are still using the little bottles (although they are exclusively bottle fed and only eat during the day). My son is up to 9 oz sometimes even.
ReplyDeleteI think that variety is probably the most important thing. I worry about feeding mine too as my eating habits are atrocious and I am VERY picky eater. I am hoping the cook book I bought will be my best friend for the first couple of years.
Good luck! My guess is that he will do fine and that will make it easier on you as you go.
It is always so hard to figure out when they are ready to handle more. I can completely relate to feeling nervous about letting them try new things. (I also don't like milk, even the scent....but love rice/soy milk!)
ReplyDeleteI think cow milk is the grossest thing and must have from a young age. I didn't drink it then either. We do yogurts, cheeses (or at least he does cheese) and coconut milk as a sub.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the above, sippy cup? I don't have much personal experience with bottles large or small but sippy cups are great.
I agree with Sarah about going straight to dippy cups. That's another change that's permenant too I guess, no more bottles.
ReplyDeleteUM...he is (essentially) a year old and you are only feeding him solids (and I think by "solids" you mean only baby food pouches?) once a day? Yeah, it is time to make a change.
ReplyDeleteI'm a little confused why you find this so stressful and complicated, but it really isn't. Make him a grilled cheese sandwich. Steam some veggies (or microwave frozen ones). Buy a rotisserie chicken and give him small shreds. Make any of a million combinations of noodles and sauce. Scramble an egg (fair enough if you want to wait until he is technically a year for this, though I didn't). Or even better, whatever you make for yourself, let him try it!
Things have only gotten easier as Felix has been able to eat more of what I eat. Last night we shared tortilla soup and quesadillas, for example. I read they should start 3 solids a day around 9 months but were not there yet.
ReplyDeleteI stressed out so much when starting solids with Finn. I started earlier than you, but he wasn't really interested at all until he hit about 1 year. He's such a good eater now that it's hard to even remember why I was so stressed, but it is a big change.
ReplyDeleteOne thing to remember: it is NORMAL for them to gag with solids. It takes a while for them to get used to the textures and the idea of chewing and swallowing. It freaked me out, but it is normal.
Finn likes milk ok, but he loves yogurt - he has two of the YoBaby or YoToddler yogurts every morning with some organic oatmeal mixed in - we make it thicker now that he's older and insists on feeding himself.
I've read that you have to expose a child to a food 20 times before you can be sure they don't like it. So far, that's proven true for us. I can't tell you how many times I've given Finn something to eat that he acted like he hated, but I kept on giving it to him, and eventually he'd eat it and like it!
Have you looked at the Baby Led Weaning stuff? B is old enough now to try adding solids that way - he might like it better, too.
Jordyn may well be the world's best eater. She's not quite 7 months old, and she'll eat literally *anything* I give her. And her pediatrician is super laid-back - the only things I'm "not allowed" to give Jordyn at this point is raw honey and anything that's a choking hazard - everything else is fair game. And it's fun, because she really does like *everything*! She's had guacamole, lentil/vegetable soup, egg drop soup, Chinese eggplant I pulled out of a Chinese delivery dish and smushed up, pineapple, mango, sweet potato, avocado... The list goes on. So, I'd say give B all kinds of things, and see what he likes! I bet you'll be surprised at what he'll eat. And the sooner he starts experiencing new flavors and textures, the less likely he is to be a picky eater as he gets older. Good luck, and have fun with it!
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