Non-cereal solid question-- Portion Size

I plan to make my own food-- but we are going away for 2 weeks and I think I am going to hold off til we are back before starting. So, I am just gonna start Sasha with some jars.

That said-- whether I am using the frozen cube thing, or a jar-- how much should the baby be eating?

Do they eat the food in addition to their bowl of cereal?

If you have some food leftover, and you put in the fridge-- how do you heat it up??

Thanks!

Re: Non-cereal solid question-- Portion Size

ok, here is was JAZ eats a day.

5:30 am, 6oz bottle
9-930ish: 1 jar stage 2 Gerber Oatmeal, applesauce, banana combo

10:30ish another bottle

12:30 a container (lg size) stage two fruit. (what I pull out first)

3ish another bottle

5-530 1-2 jars of stage 2Gerber dinners.
Some nights he has more fruits, really depending if IM waiting for bedtime.

7:30-8ish, another final bottle. Anywhere from 6-10 oz, depends on his mood.

Also, any of the above portions can be more or less too, again some days he eats and drinks a lot more.

ETA: if I reheat something, I heat it in a bowl in the micro for about 15 secs.

Message edited 8/17/2009 8:39:13 PM.

Re: Non-cereal solid question-- Portion Size

I just started solids, so I might not be much of help. I just started with jar food and I have been giving him half a jar once a day and hour after his bottle. As of yesterday, he is up to a whole jar at one sitting. He kept opening his mouth for more, so I gave him the rest. I'm not mixing with cereal for now since DS got very constipated from it. I know a few people who give there kids cereal in the morning and then jar food in the evening.
I started with pears for 5 days, and now I have him eating Sweet potatoes. I will do that for another 5 days and then I will try carrots.
I'm starting off slow to see how he does.

Re: Non-cereal solid question-- Portion Size

When we first started Chloe would eat one cube of fruit or veggie mixed with cereal. She will now eat 2 cubes most of the time. Jarred food - she used to eat 1 jar of the stage 1 (sometimes less in the beginning) and will now eat just about the whole jar (stage 2).

ETA.. sorry, about the reheating - I don't always heat DD's food. I wanted her to be able to be used to it at room temp or even cold if necessary. Luckily, she doesn't seem to mind any temp. food. When I do reheat food I put it in my Beaba cook and steam it for a few minutes (this way I don't have to clean a pot). Im not a microwave girl, but if I was at a friends house I would do this and make sure to mix it well so that there are no hot spots.

Message edited 8/17/2009 9:16:26 PM.

Re: Non-cereal solid question-- Portion Size

when Melania started, she was only eating one cube of fruit or veggie, plus 2 tbsp of cereal, with an oz of formula to water it down..
just an FYI if youre using jar food, you CANNOT reheat or reuse any of it, if you are feeding directly from the jar..the babys saliva contaminates it..i would put half of a stage 1 jar in a lil bowl, and see how she does..i never heat, i just defrost to room temp, this way if were out, its no biggie..

when i started, she did
cereal and 1 cube fruit for breakfast

1 cube fruit 1 cube veggie for lunch

cereal and 1 cube veggie for dinner

Re: Non-cereal solid question-- Portion Size

I've been giving Samantha about a tablespoon of non-cereal food at a time. Since right now it's really not for nutrional value, but to practice and to see what she likes and can tolerate. Except today, I sent a full container of pears to daycare (her first day on pears) and she ate the whole thing I was NOT expecting that!

Re: Non-cereal solid question-- Portion Size

I just started DD on carrots last night and I took the stage 1 carrots and poured half of it into a bowl and will feed her the other half tonight. As a PP said if you don't think your child will eat the entire container put some in a separate bowl and you can always add to it.

Re: Non-cereal solid question-- Portion Size

thanks everyone-- but after you open the jar, aren't you supposed to refrigerate it? Good idea to just take some out for a bowl-- so the jar doesn't get contaminated.

I guess I can just take it out, and bring it up to room temp instead of heating it in the microwave or whatever for the next feeding.

So, to be clear-- I should give her cereal the same as I did before, and try a little real food in addition? See how that goes- and work up from there?

I can't seem to find any info on HOW to give the food-- just what foods first, etc. Grr....

Re: Non-cereal solid question-- Portion Size

Message edited 8/18/2009 8:54:01 AM.

Re: Non-cereal solid question-- Portion Size

Re: Non-cereal solid question-- Portion Size

thanks for the tips...

she didn't dig the sweet potatoes... we'll try again later.