Can you tell me what your child's feeding schedule is like? How much solids?

Mishy626 Posted: Feb 23, 2005 04:32 PM

Can you tell me what your child's feeding schedule is like? How much solids?

Because of the irritability of my son, I called the doc's office today, asking if they thought he could have reflux or something else wrong. Long story short, the nurse suggested I change his eating schedule. He was eating every 3 hours, because he screams to the point where we think he is hungry.... she said he shouldn't need to eat that often, and to make it every 4. This is what she suggested:

wake up around 6:30... have a bottle about 4 to 5 oz.

2 hours later, have cereal and fruit.... then about 20 minutes later, a bottle

lunchtime, I guess about 4 hours later: a veggie, and a bottle

Dinner: cereal and fruit again and a bottle

Before bed: bottle

My question: How much cereal/fruit is good for a 5 month old? Maybe he has been fussy because he eats too much? Is this what she was thinking? I just gave my son about half of the prunes (the gerber 1st stage in the plastic cups), and I guess about 1 tablespoon of cereal mixed with formula. How much solids should he eat? What about at lunch? Does he eat all the veggies? I can't really go by what he 'tells' me because all he does is fuss, so I don't know if he wants more, less, etc.

Please, I am curious, what is your child's feeding schedule like? Thanks so much!!!!!!

jillybean66 Posted: Feb 23, 2005 06:45 PM

Re: Can you tell me what your child's feeding schedule is like? How much solids?

Nick is 5 1/2 months and his feeding schedule is something like this:

Wake up at 7 - 7:30, bottle (about 7 oz).
Bottle at 10:30, about 7 oz.
Cereal and fruit at about 11 or 12. He gets about 2 TBSP cereal with half a jar of fruit.
Bottle at about 2 - 2:30, about 7 oz.
Bottle at about 5-5:30, about 7 oz.
One jar of stage 1 veg. at 6 - 6:30.
Bottle with cereal in the bottle - 7 oz formula, 3 TBSP. cereal at about 8:30 - 9:00.
Bed at 9 or 9:20.

Some days he will eat all of the fruit, cereal, veg., but some days he won't really want it. He always drinks all of the formula. The dr. said he should get cereal morning and night, with a veg. for lunch. We kind of modified that to fit with what works for us.

michele31 Posted: Feb 23, 2005 06:45 PM

Re: Can you tell me what your child's feeding schedule is like? How much solids?

Is the fussiness new? I know that many others on here do not agree but I am a believer that before 6 month a baby should NOT have solid foods...their digestive system is not mature enough. Again, others think solids are fine...I do not.

Personally I would cut out all of the veggies/fruit. See if that helps. I would stay away from prunes unless he is constipated. The prunes could be causing him some discomfort. Again, I would cut everything solid out for 2 weeks to see if there is a change. Here is a link that you may find very interestingKelly Mom

If your son is still fussy in 2 weeks then reintroduce a cereal slowly and take him the Ped and say that you INSIST he is tested for a GI issue. Mothers KNOW their children and your gut instincts are rarely wrong IMO.

I have always feed Molly on demand so I did not follow a written schedule. If he is hungry, feed him IMO.

Mishy626 Posted: Feb 23, 2005 07:18 PM

Re: Can you tell me what your child's feeding schedule is like? How much solids?

Unfortunately the fussiness is not new. He has been labeled as having 'colic' but I was told it should pass by 4 months. It never passed, and now at 5 months, he is still going strong. He really is an unhappy baby, although when he is happy, at some points during the day, he is extremely happy. It just seems 45 minutes after eating, he gets fussy again. I'm at the point where I think I may bring him to a gastroenterologist, but I don't want to seem like a paranoid mom, but I honestly feel like something just isnt' right. The prunes are for HORRIBLE constipation, so I can't stop that, although I can't find them anywhere and am running out and Gerber emailed me to say they are in short supply and will be making more in a few weeks.

Will I seem crazy if I brought my son to see a specialist? Am I overreacting? I just know that something isn't right.... or is he just an unhappy baby?

Mishy626 Posted: Feb 23, 2005 07:18 PM

Re: Can you tell me what your child's feeding schedule is like? How much solids?

Jillybean, when you say 2 tablespoons of cereal, is that before you add formula/water or after? Thanks!

Deb_n_Rob Posted: Feb 23, 2005 07:36 PM

Re: Can you tell me what your child's feeding schedule is like? How much solids?

Emily is six months old and here is her feeding schedule:
7:30 2 Tbsp oatmeal mixed with water(she didn't like it mixed with formula) and 1/2 jar of peaches or prunes. 3oz of formula.
9:00 takes three oz of formula and a nap(45min)
11:30 1/2 container of veggie 1oz. of water in a sippie cup 3 oz of formula.
12:30 3oz. formula and another nap(45 min)
3:30 6 oz bottle
5:45 2 tbsp oatmeal and remainder of veggies from lunch, with 3oz of formula.
7:30 takes 5 oz of formula and falls asleep for the night.
Emily is a very SLOW eater. She usually takes in 26-28 oz of formula for the day. It took her awhile to get use to the solids. I think I started to soon. I'd say she really started eating better about three weeks ago. I tend to use this schedule as a guide line. If she wants more of the bottle, I'll give it to her. Sometimes she doesn't eat that much of the solids. That doesn't really bother me as long as she is taking the bottle. I always think to myself that there are days that I eat more and days I eat less. I assume she feels like that sometimes too.

Deb_n_Rob Posted: Feb 23, 2005 07:41 PM

Re: Can you tell me what your child's feeding schedule is like? How much solids?

Posted by Mishy626

Unfortunately the fussiness is not new. He has been labeled as having 'colic' but I was told it should pass by 4 months. It never passed, and now at 5 months, he is still going strong. He really is an unhappy baby, although when he is happy, at some points during the day, he is extremely happy. It just seems 45 minutes after eating, he gets fussy again. I'm at the point where I think I may bring him to a gastroenterologist, but I don't want to seem like a paranoid mom, but I honestly feel like something just isnt' right. The prunes are for HORRIBLE constipation, so I can't stop that, although I can't find them anywhere and am running out and Gerber emailed me to say they are in short supply and will be making more in a few weeks.

Will I seem crazy if I brought my son to see a specialist? Am I overreacting? I just know that something isn't right.... or is he just an unhappy baby?

TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS!!! It doesn't hurt to go to a specialist. If someone thinks you are a paranoid mom, LET THEM! You have your child's best interest at heart and nobody can say that is a bad thing.

michele31 Posted: Feb 23, 2005 09:48 PM

Re: Can you tell me what your child's feeding schedule is like? How much solids?

You need to trust your gut! It is never wrong.
Here is something that might help for constipation...mix prune juice with cereal. The juice might help him more than the fruit. The juice is not in the baby food aisle. It is in the regular juice aisle.

I would still cut out all of the veggies right now. If he does have a digestive issue then the veggies could be making it worse. Also, do not use rice cereal since it is binding. Use the oatmeal baby cereal instead. I would mix 2 tablespoons of cereal with 1-2 tablespoons of the prune juice or formula. Also, what formula is he on? Maybe even though it is ultra senstive type it is still not great for him?

Mishy626 Posted: Feb 23, 2005 10:20 PM

Re: Can you tell me what your child's feeding schedule is like? How much solids?

He is on Lactose Free formula.... I was wondering if I should try the hypoallergenic formula.

Regarding the constipation, Matthew is actually, besides eating the prunes 2x a day, getting 1 oz prune juice mixed with 1 oz water... and it still doesn't help at times. Lately, he either has explosions every 2 days or every 2 days somewhat harder movements (although softer than before all the prunes). I really think I need to see someone just so I can put my mind at ease and be sure he is ok..... I'm going to post to see if anyone can recommend a gastro dr. Thanks again!

sha11209 Posted: Feb 23, 2005 11:30 PM

Re: Can you tell me what your child's feeding schedule is like? How much solids?

I think my son must be a PIGGY!!
He is a little over 5 months, here is his eatting schedule:
breakfast 2 tablespoons ceral mixed w/formula and a full container stage 1 fruit followed by about 5.5-6oz bottle.
lunch a full container of stage 1 veggie and a 6oz bottle
dinner 2 tablespoons ceral mixed w/formula, a full veggie and a full fruit followed by a 5oz bottle
night time 6oz bottle before bed
Is my son eatting too much??
Yikes!

jpsgirl Posted: Feb 24, 2005 09:41 AM

Re: Can you tell me what your child's feeding schedule is like? How much solids?

That's about what angela (6 months) is eating, i think its fine. sometimes when she eats that much food, she tends not to finish the bottle, so we are cutting back on the food just a bit so that she gets all of her formula or breast milk...