Advice on Feeding Schedule for 9 Month Old and Good Finger Foods

I started buying my 9 month old the "Gerber wheels". She loves them, and really does a good job with them. Once in a while she may stick to much in her mouth at once but usually she takes little bites like she should.. But like I said, she loves them!!!!

Don't fret about it. If you're breastfeeding, your daughter is getting all the nutrition she needs. Any food you feed is her is just extra. (In some cultures they exclusively feed for 2 years.... Nothing else.) It is so commonplace to formula feed that doctors don't give out seperate advice for breastfed babies. Breastmilk changes as your baby gets older. God made it that way. Your milk would be sufficient if that was all you were feeding her.

My son didn't have any food at all until he was about 8 months old. He was completely content just nursing. Even now at 11 months (he's a big boy too) he has just started to eat lunch with us. For other meals he may "snack" a little at what's on my husbands plate but for the most part he gets his nutrition from breastmilk.

Don't let others opinions change what you know is right for your daughter.

here's my list of finger foods:

meatballs
chopped egg
cheese (DS likes fresh mozzerella - TJ's has mini fresh mozzerella balls) but shredded whatever works

Beans (pinto,black,etc)
Peas
green beans
brocolli
asparagus
shredded carrot
cooked carrot
celery small
peppers small
asparagus
cukes

whole wheat pasta or if you can find wheat free pasta (i found some at my local coop)
brown rice
Toast, Tortilla, Pita (TJ's has a mini whole wheat pita that's a good size)
waffles/pancakes (we use trader joe's gluten & egg free, the mini pancakes are the perfect size)

you could spread all kinds of things on bread/toast/mini pitas and break into pieces (hummus - my son loves garlic hummus, bean spreads, leftover fruit/veggie puree, cream cheese)

mashed potatoes

cheerios
plain rice puff cereal

kiwi
cherries
grapes
cantaloupe
grated apple
cooked apple
all kinds melon
mangos
papayas
avocados

dried fruits & veggies (the brand "just tomatoes") - my son LOVES the dried mangos - these are a good alternative to "puffs"

I dont think it is bad to have him nap after eating. My son does it sometime. He is 9 months old, and this is what he eats. Breakfast between 8-9 of baby oatmeal with some fruit or toast. morning snack whenever he seems a little hungry normally around 10:30ish. He will have either puffs, cherios, baby gold fish, grahm crackers, fruit, toast, pretty much anything he can gum since he only has 2 bottom teeth. Lunch around 11:30-noon. Gerber graduate little dinners (they have all sorts of varieties, like ravioli, spagattie, sweetpotatoes, mac and cheese, etc and he loves them) or some bread with meat and cheese or a veggie. Afternoon snack same as above and dinner a little of whatever we have with some babyfood. He also has a morning bottle, one before bed and 2-3 4 oz ones during the day. He drinks water or juice with meals. He loves to eat and we let him try most anything. He has a very high motabolism so he eats a lot. Just keep giving your daught new things and see what she likes. If she dont like something now she may later on, so keep introducing her to things.

What about getting one of those feeders (they hold on to it and the food goes in the neeting)? This way they don't choke on food, it's not a texture issue, it's not slippery to pick up, etc. My son (10 months) has enjoyed that. He also likes the gerber wagon wheels, banana slices, yo baby yogurt, organic mozarella cheese, avocado, etc...just keep trying. It takes them awhile. Also, try pureeing some chicken/veggie/sweet potatoes and giving her that at mealtime. Good luck.

It bugs me that so many different authorities keep telling moms what they "should" do - so that we feel badly if we can't follow their directives. If a child is hungry they should eat. Not every kid wants or needs two snacks a day, or X number of bottles or X number fruits. Variety, low sugar and lots of opportunity to try everything under the sun is all a kid needs to grow up healthy and well balanced. My kids ate on demand when they were little and now they eat everything from Thai to Indian to Mexican and beyond. If a kid ignores fruits and veggies, leave off the bread for long enough and he'll eat them! My advice is go with your gut. If your child seems hungry, feed her. If not, unless she has some unusual medical condition, she probably doesn't need anything at that time. We need to relax and trust ourselves to mother these kids.

SAHM of seven, 23yr - 18 mos.

You don't have to schedule snacks S.B., just put finger foods out for her while she is playing. I would always put a small bowl of snacks out on the floor in the play area for my kids. They can then stop and snack whenever they feel hungry. If you are worried about the mess, take off everything but her diaper and put the food on a towel laid on the floor.

Stop serving her cheerios and puffs altogether. They are empty calories and inhibit proper nutritional choices. Neither of these are "food", they are expensive fillers.

Set out cheese, melon, berries, thawed peas, steamed potatoes and sweet potatoes (chunks are great), toast, avocado chunks... there are endless ideas when it comes to finger foods. At nine months she is able to eat most of the soft foods that you eat without worries.

Best baby food website ever:
www.wholesomebabyfood.com

You will get all sorts of ideas about finger food. One thing that helps babies pick up cut up fruit and other soft squishy foods is to coat them in crushed up cereal. You can use a mortar and pestle, or just crush the cereal in a plastic bag. I like to use Kashi Go Lean for that, because it has a ton of protein and actually tastes good with the fruit.

Another thing that my son has always LOVED which seems weird to give is tofu! It's so easy to prepare and he just gobbles it up. Cube it up and coat it in cereal (as described above) and watch your daughter go nuts!

Good luck, and don't forget to check out the website - it's fantastic.

Also, I wouldn't worry about squeezing in all these feedings if your daughter seems satiated and is gaining weight appropriately. I remember hearing about the two snacks too and thinking, "When am I going to be able to do that???" My son only just began packing in snacks at about a year. Just do what comes naturally, and your daughter will be fine!

Best kept secret: frozen waffles! Snap one in half. They thaw pretty quick, but are great for teethers.

My son is 10mo & I feed him about 6x/day. He's always been a baby that eats very little, but eats often. Breakfast (7-7:30) usually oatmeal/rice cereal & cheerios, toast, or fruit. He is also very fusy with being spoonfed. Formula before nap (9-10). The bottles before his naps seem to relax him enough to be able to fall asleep. Lunch - puffs, cheerios, cheeses, fruit, hot dogs, pretty much whatever I have - (12-1pm). Bottle before nap (3-4). Dinner - I try to give him what we are eating, unless it is something that really would be hard for him to eat. So he gets ham, chicken, pasta, mashed potatoes, veggies, etc... If he can't have what we are, then he gets crackers, cheese, puffs, etc. I rarely give him jar food anymore. Then he gets a bottle at bedtime (8:30). He is doing just fine with a great bill of health from the Dr. Just keet testing her to find out what she likes. Pretty much anything can be a finger food, just make sure to cut it up or mush it into smaller portions. Be creative. Remember that every baby is different. You have to find what works best for you and her! She is still required to get a certain amount of breatmilk a day because that's where their best nutrition comes from anyway. On days where my son isn't eating his formula well, some of the lunches/dinners/"snacks" are replaced with formula to ensure that he gets his proper nutrition. Not to discount your doctor, but feed your baby how she wants to be fed. If it's 4x or 6x, then that's what it will be. They know when they are hungry and full, so just trust your instincts and your baby's attitude. She'll be just fine.

Try something like frozen peas and carrots, just a small bowl cooked in the microwave. Just keep offering a variety, you don't want meal time to become a battle! I find that if we keep offering, they'll eventually get what they need. Most pediatricians will say you should look at what your kid eats within a 2 week period, not per day. My daughter will go days without touchign a veggie, and then for a day or so will eat nothing BUT greens! it really is true, toddlers are the BEST at reading and knowing their bodies as to what to put in it and when; we just have to be patient and keep options open!

Oooh fun, finger foods. I liked the gerber graduates peaches and apples (pears a little too hard) and the puffs (various flavors. Anything that is cut up small and soft. Other ideas: cut up bananans, green beans, whole wheat/grain noodles, peas, well cooked carrots. As they start to get more advanced, you can give them other things like lunchmeat, graduate crackers and other cooked veggies like beans, broccoli, etc.

I had the identical situation with my oldest. Once I introduced him to those blasted Gerber snacks (wagon wheels, puffs etc.), that's all she wrote. No more anything to eat but those. It was like he was addicted! If I didn't give them to him, he would have an awful tantrum. This combined with Grandma's feeding him sweet rolls and donuts turned into a Carb nightmare.

My solution to the problem was to wean him. Long before "The Sneaky Chef" and "Deceptively Delicious" (by the way I highly recommend both cookbooks available at amazon.com) came along, I started hiding veggies, fruits and meats in bread based foods such as muffins, breads, pies etc. Except, instead of using processed flours and mixes, I started grinding my own whole wheat organic flour. On lazy days, I'd use already milled stuff from the organic grocery store. I used no sugars, and would substitute organic fruit juices to sweeten things. Before I knew it, he slowly kicked the "fake" food cravings and actually eats very healthy now. And not just "breads and carbs". He eats veggies..and fruit! :)

I don't allow very many processed snacks in the house now. And with all subsequent children, have totally avoided all of those snacks, meals, etc. aimed at toddlers. That stuff teaches bad eating habits, and is probably not very healthy. I don't know for sure...but I'm basing this on my own experience. Go organic, I swear by it.

And about the snacks...forget them. If your child is gaining weight, and seems content, you don't need them. Forcing your child to eat when they don't want to IMO only invites eating disorders. Let her call the shots. All we can really do as parents is make sure the food they're getting is healthy and safe and that they're eating something every day. Even if its a small amount.

However, don't discount mother's intuition. If you think your daughter has a problem that's causing her not to eat, definitely see her pediatrician. But as I said before, if she's eating, she's fine. In fact, my pediatrician never blinked an eye when I came to her concerned because the puff-eater was only eating puffs. She said introduce healthier foods, but don't force him. She said no kid will ever let himself starve. They will eventually eat. Even if it takes a while. She recommended a very loose feeding schedule. Check out the Superbaby Superfoods book. The chart inside is what she recommended to follow as a guideline.

Breads, raisins, dates, pasta all great finger foods. Just give her one thing at a time. She will be more likely to try it when she doesn't have so much choice.

Sounds like it is a texture thing. My kids never liked to pick up fruits and pasta because they felt wet and slippery. Does that make sense? Try things that are like the cheerios in that they are easy to pick up and don't make their hands sticky. Raisins are easy. I give my kids fruit snacks, Just get the low sugar ones. They got plenty of nutrition from breast milk, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I let them snack on whatever they want. Most moms would not agree, bad habits, and all, but my kids are healthy, off the charts for growth, and exceling in school so whatever:) I would also give her graham crackers. Variety is great! Good luck finding what your little one likes!