8 month old should eat 3 meals a day??

oakandfig19

Wed, Dec 15 2021, 3:40 pm

Was just googling and it said that 8 month olds should have 3 meals a day. I don’t understand how this is realistic. My baby goes to daycare, and it’s very very hard to get him to drink enough formula. I know that formula is the main source of nutrients so why would I fill up his stomach with food and risk him refusing a bottle when he’s barely drinking enough? I’d probably have to quit my job to have enough time to feed him 3 meals a day plus like 5-6 bottles (yes, because he drinks small amounts). Moms who have been here before- am I missing something? I’m a first time mom and the thought of giving him 3 meals a day on top of bottles 3 hours while I work most of the day…seems pretty impossible.

amother

Maple

Wed, Dec 15 2021, 3:42 pm

oakandfig19 wrote:

Same question! Also first timer, same age and baffled.

BrisketBoss

Wed, Dec 15 2021, 3:44 pm

At that age you should offer solids only a short time after a full milk feeding. And three meals isn't absolutely necessary yet. I do more like two.

amother

Whitewash

Wed, Dec 15 2021, 3:49 pm

I don't do any meals at this age. I don't start meals until 12+ months for most kids. They eat what they want when they want, but yes, formula (or for me nursing) is the primary source of nutrition.

Take anything like that, which makes no objective sense, with a large grain of salt. You are the mother. If the child is not hungry, you don't need to change anything.

amother

Butterscotch

Wed, Dec 15 2021, 3:55 pm

I def don't do three meals a day at that age. I think it was 1 solid meal and then slowly introduced a 2nd.. even at a year baby doesn't always eat a 'real' breakfast.. He just doesn't seem hungry and is gaining weight very nicely. (Nurses and gets a bottle as well..)
You def don't need to take e/t you google at face value..

SG18

Wed, Dec 15 2021, 4:08 pm

My LO is almost 8 months. We don't do any meals. Nursing is her main food source, and she'll taste different foods here and there.
I know everyone has different mindsets, but I follow food before one is just for fun.

oakandfig19

Wed, Dec 15 2021, 4:12 pm

Phew thanks everyone! I saw this suggestion on pretty mainstream baby sites like thebump.com…but I guess even those can be wrong! I’ve been trying to do 1-2 meals a day, usually ends up being one meal and some snacks like puffs to help him practice chewing. I feel so much better now.

amother

IndianRed

Wed, Dec 15 2021, 4:26 pm

amother [ Whitewash ] wrote:

This isn’t the right thing to do. Pediatricians nowadays recommend 3 meals a day much earlier then that. It’s important for iron and a host of other developmental milestones. It takes a lot of time and energy but is the correct thing to do.

amother

IndianRed

Wed, Dec 15 2021, 4:29 pm

simba wrote:

A bottle is still considered a meal.. you can too it off with some baby food to balance it.

A bottle is separate from a meal. It doesn’t replace a meal and a meal doesn’t replace a bottle.

amother

Stonewash

Wed, Dec 15 2021, 5:01 pm

My baby is almost 9 months old. He eats solids a few times a day (veggies, eggs, chicken, crackers, kugel, puffs, Bemba....) and nurses a few times a day and throughout the night. I don’t specifically give “meals”, but it’s obvious when he’s hungry for solid food and needs more than milk. It’s been a slow transition, but guided by what my baby needs. I don’t think it’s a given that babies need solid meals all at the same time. Every baby is different.

amother

Whitewash

Wed, Dec 15 2021, 5:10 pm

amother [ IndianRed ] wrote:

Honestly, pediatricians recommend a lot of nonsense, especially in areas outside of their realm of expertise, so I take that with a grain of salt. (Pediatricians do not receive much training in nutrition, for example.)

Please point me to the research that shows that exclusively nursing babies are iron-deficient or developmentally delayed.

tichellady

Wed, Dec 15 2021, 5:37 pm

Meal doesn’t mean adult servings. Could just be something offered that’s not formula three times a day. Could be bamba, banana and peas

amother

Celeste

Wed, Dec 15 2021, 6:05 pm

amother [ IndianRed ] wrote:

A bottle is separate from a meal. It doesn’t replace a meal and a meal doesn’t replace a bottle.

That doesn't make any sense. Babies who nurse (or have bottles), that is their meal for many many months.
My babies don't actually start solids till around 8 months. They are gaining beautifully on nursing, nice and chubby bh, and that is their meals until they are ready for solid meals.

SG18

Wed, Dec 15 2021, 6:11 pm

amother [ Celeste ] wrote:

Same, my ebf baby is BH doing very well weightwise. And developmentally, she's reaching every milestone on the earlier end.
If I notice any changes, I would definitely change something, but for now, I'm going to cater to her individual needs.

Window

Wed, Dec 15 2021, 6:31 pm

It very much depends on your baby’s size and weight gain. If your baby is having a hard time drinking formula, is the weight gain okay? Are the doctors concerned?
Generally, until 12 months, formula/breast milk is the main source of nutrition. (If your baby is having formula, you don’t need to worry about iron, he’s getting it already.) Under 12 months, food is served as “practice,” to get them used to it, not so much for nutrition.
If your baby is gaining well, then feel free to offer lots of solids. If your baby isn’t gaining well, then your doctor might want you to minimize solids.
My baby wasn’t gaining well, so I was told to minimize solids and focus on bottles

gootlfriends

Wed, Dec 15 2021, 6:58 pm

You are offering fist full amounts. A scoop of eggs. A scoop of avocado. To get the child used to food and learn how to eat.

amother

Maple

Wed, Dec 15 2021, 7:09 pm

gootlfriends wrote:

You are offering fist full amounts. A scoop of eggs. A scoop of avocado. To get the child used to food and learn how to eat.

How do you feed it? By me I can only get her to take it if I distract her - otherwise she takes one bite and that’s it! But I don’t do bottles…. Won’t she starve if I don’t force food down her throat??
Any tips for distraction? Let her crawl around and keep putting food in? SO DRAINING!!

BrisketBoss

Wed, Dec 15 2021, 7:12 pm

amother [ Maple ] wrote:

I have good news--the best way to handle this is also the easiest way. Sit the child down and put food on the tray. If they choose not to eat much, it's fine. Don't use distraction. That's actually harmful in the long run. Just provide the food, that's it.

amother

Celeste

Wed, Dec 15 2021, 7:25 pm

amother [ Maple ] wrote:

Do you nurse? An 8 month old needs to either nurse or have bottles.