Does anyone have a BIG eater??

DS is just about 7 months old. The amount of food he eats is unbelievable to me!!! He gets 2 x 8 oz bottles at daycare and nurses 3 other times per day.

I give him solid meals a day for now. For breakfast, he has 4-5 oz of fruit with 3 Tbsp of oatmeal. For dinner he gets 4-5 oz of veggies plus 3 Tbsp of barley. Sometimes, he is still hungry and I will give him an additional 1/2 a banana or 1/2 an avocado. No joke, this kid can eat his normal meal and eat an ENTIRE banana or avocado if I offered it.

Here is the thing. My doctor told me to feed him until he doesn't want anymore. Problem is, he ALWAYS wants more. He has never turned his head away. Never closed his mouth. Never spit out his food.

Does anyone have a child like this? I feel like I am regulating him when I shouldn't, but I feel like this kid has no guage as to how much to eat. Truth is, I am a bit worried he is going to turn into me I have struggled with my weight and eating my entire life. It makes me nervous that this kid has no sensor.

As far as weight he is in the 75% percentile but he is long and lean (90-95% for height). I know I shouldn't worry and I am GLAD he loves to eat. I guess I am transferring some of my fears over to how he is eating.

Message edited 1/21/2011 12:22:27 PM.

Re: Does anyone have a BIG eater??

DS was like that at that age (was always 75% weight and off the charts length), but when he started walking, his body became more lean (though he's 85% weight now), and he eats less. He still LOVES his milk at 18 months, but he's so busy RUNNING that he doesn't want to sit and eat!

It's a stage...Feed him til he pops. And as for turning into you, he'll be a world-class runner!

Re: Does anyone have a BIG eater??

My DD is a bit younger than your son (5 months old) but when I told my Pediatrician that I was giving her a stage 1 fruit w/ 2 tablespoons of rice cereal her exact words to me were "why are you putting her on a diet? She encouraged me to up the rice cereal to 4 tablespoons. Im just scared to let her eat too much, I dont know why though!!

Re: Does anyone have a BIG eater??

DD was not a big eater when she was on formula...but she can eat more then me now at the age of 3! mind you somedays she wont want to eat at all and some days she eats soooo much.
she does not gain weight though! shes in the 50th percentile or just under now...shes 3 and weighs about 31lbs

Re: Does anyone have a BIG eater??

Eat now, run later, he's bulking up for the marathon.

Ds was like this, he still eats a ton, but as soon as he's not starving anymore, he sees a toy and that's the end of dinner. He wants up and wants to crawl around.

My cousin tells me that her son just drinks milk all day and won't eat, he's too busy

Re: Does anyone have a BIG eater??

Posted by nov04libride
It's a stage...Feed him til he pops. And as for turning into you, he'll be a world-class runner!

Re: Does anyone have a BIG eater??

I wouldn't worry about it. Once he starts walking and really playing food will come second. One of my sons was a HUGE eater and now totally regulates himself. They eat a huge breakfast, smaller lunch and dinner is hit or miss

ETA: One thing i would do is to start giving him all sorts of different fruits and veggies, hummus, yogurt etc. get him used to different tastes! For example-brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, kiwi etc.

Message edited 1/21/2011 2:43:04 PM.

Re: Does anyone have a BIG eater??

Azad, he sounds so much like Julianne - but she did say no or shake her head at times when she did not want anymore. Not ALL of the time. And yes, I chalked it up to her being like "my side of the family" and it gave me worries like you have. Babies and kids eat what they need, I just really try to watch what it is she is eating. Even when she was younger. She has always been on the larger side of the scale which even as a baby had my thorns up. I plan on having her begin marathons with you very soon!

And keep in mind that he is going to learn your new healthy habits in life because that is what he is going to have as his daily life. The healthy cooking, the active lifestyle, the determination you have had now for so long is all he is going to know. And that will just be "normal" life for him. Not to worry - he is just gorgeous and apparently he knows what he wants to be as cute and adorable as he is