How Much Do You Feed Your 8 Month Old

If he acts hungry, feed him more. Babies are hard to overfeed. I fed my daughter rice cereal and a jar of fruit for breakfast, 1-2 jars at lunch, 1-2 jars at dinner, and 4-5 bottles of 4-6 ounces throughout the day. My daughter is 50th percentile. I know it's hard to know how much to feed them, but if they act hungry I always offer food first, then a bottle.

At about six months, when my daughter could sit up by herself, I began giving her foods that were soft and cut into small pieces. I fed her finger foods like well-cooked pasta, fruits & veggies whenever I ate. She loved sitting at the table with us! I only give her breastmilk or a bottle in the morning, between meals and shortly before bed.(3-5 a day depending on how much she ate.) My doctor always stressed the importance of WATER! I never forced her but I tried to give her food before a bottle and only provided healthy growing foods. By the time she was 10 months she could practically feed herself and drank from a sippy cup. :-) Now she's a very independant and confident three-year-old and thinks baby carrots and pears are treats rather than candy. She also has always been in the mid-upper 90's in height and weight.

My youngest child 14month boy has always been in the 95-100+ % as well. He was eating way more than your child so I don't think your overfeeding him. It is hard to compare because they are all so different. My daughter ate way less. I would definately start giving giving him some more solid foods. I had already had my son on finger foods by then. He was also drinking 8 oz's of formula when he had his bottle (I believe 2-3 bottles a day and more solid foods). Children do get most of their calories from their formula/breastmilk...but sounds like he's wanting more solid foods. Plus, I would start giving him sippy cups of water. (apple/prune juice-diluted if the new more solid food constipates him)

I do know from 10 1/2 months-12 months both of my kids only had 1 8oz bottle @ bedtime and ate other foods throughout the day. I also took the bottle away when they turned 1 and this made the transition easy.

Also, keep in mind that his diet will constantly change. I can tell my kids growth pattern by their eating & sleeping habits. They really put it down (food) when they are in a growing spurt. Sometimes they don't eat much at all. My daughter is very tiny 10-20% height/weight and my son is big and they have both followed those patterns.

You know your child best and it's really trial and error.

Good Luck!

Wow, what a coincidence. My son just turned 8 months last Saturday and his name is Max and he is up there in the 97th percentile for his weight. He eats 18 to 32 oz of breastmilk throughout the day with a cereal and fruit in am, a veggie around noon, and then a veggie and fruit for dinner around 5pm. Those "MAX" babies are so smart, they need all the healthy food they can get for brain power :-)
I would call your pediatrician to find out what they suggest, but in my opinion, whatever makes that baby happy.

BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER AND SNACKS INBETWEEN IF THEY EAT GOOD. USE FRUITS

If that boy is that hungry, sounds to me like he wants something besides rice cereal. Have you tried table foods yet? Our dietician told us that feeding a baby rice cereal adds just a few calories, but the real purpose is to teach a baby what to do when they have food in their mouth. I assume when you say a veggie and a fruit you are talking about baby food. I would try him out on some small pieces of meat and real veggies and bread even. My three sons all started on table food about 7 or 8 months. Good luck!

I have a 10 month old son and that is about how he ate in when he was 8 months. The only difference is we did one bottle at about 8am and oatmeal and fruit for breakfast when he seemed to be hungrier. I think putting two bottle feedings back to back like that may not be enough got your little guy anymore. At about 8 months is when I started doing every other feeding as a bottle or "snack". Also, I know some doctors say you shouldn't do this but I put 1 tbsp of rice in his 6oz bottle. My pediatrician says it's fine to do it just don't put to much in there. It isn't much but I think satisfied him more after we started that. I also don't think you can over feed your little guy, they will let you know when they are full. I get food BLOWN back at me and he starts to get destracted when my son is finnished!:>)

I am surprised by some of the responses as they differ quite a bit from my own. But our now 9 month old was eating many finger foods by that age, not just cereal and formula with an occasional veggie. Our ped said to start giving him processed (in food processor or mashed) whatever we ate, aside from anything tough like meats. These days, he prefers to only feed himself. He eats a good breakfast and lunch, but a light supper because doc said a large meal in evening only stirs his metabolism and makes him wake up hungry in the middle of the night. Just advice, but good luck.

This is our feeding Schedule: fruit and cereal for breakfast at 8am 6-8oz bottle between 10 and 11; fruit and veggie for lunch about 1 or when they get up from their nap. 6-8oz bottle at 4pm; veggie and cereal for dinner around 6pm. and a 6-8 oz bottle at 9pm after their bath. depending on what time they get up in the morning they get a bottle if it is around 6am. They seem to do fine with that. They are eating the 2nd step gerber foods. they each get their own container. sometimes during growth spurts babies and kids eat a lot of food and then not so much but sleep a lot. That is a sign of them growing. If your child starts not wanting so much then don't worry, he/she will eat when they are hungary.
Hope everything goes well for you. :)

It sounds like he is right on I would do cearel and a fruit in the morning and only one bottle. I was an Ast Director at a child care center and I am in Early Care Eduaction and that is what we feed our 8 month olds at the center. He is doing great. If I remember corectly that is what my daughter did when she was that old. Hope this helps I dont know what stage he is on I would try maybe the stage 3 jars or the Greber Gads. I had to start my daughter on them about 8 months also I would offer those puffs or Cherios in the afternoon like after nap. If you choose to do table food dont add anything to them. But you are the mommy and you know best go with your gut!

Hello,
My daughter Nyla is 8months and for breakfast Nyla gets 3 tablespoons of cereal mixed w/ formula, 2-3 ounces of fruit, and 4oz bottle and then for lunch she gets 2-3 ounces of veggies and 6 oz bottle and she get an afternoon snack of 3 ounces of fruit, and for dinner she gets 1 ounce of veggie and 3-4 tablespoons of cereal, 6oz bottle. Throughout the day she consumes between 20-26 ounces of formula a day. She just started on finger foods so she also get cheerios in the morning and evenings. Throughout the day Nyla gets a 6oz bottle as needed...every 2-3 hours.

Good luck to you and Max!

When my lil boy was 8 months I tried to give a serving of dairy and fruit in the morning. For lunch I would try to give him a source of dairy,meat,vegetable, and a fruit. The same for dinner and before bed I would give him a snack.

M. W.,

According to my WIC book, they have listed (for an 8-month old) the following per day:

26-32 oz. of Breast Milk or Formula with Iron
4-8 Tbsp. Baby Cereal (using a spoon)
4 oz. Baby Juice (using a cup)
2-9 Tbsp. Plain Fruits and/or Plain Vegetables
4-7 Tbsp. Plain Meat/Legumes

Other Feeding Hints for Infants:

1. As a baby grows older, offer the larger amounts of foods in the Food Guide for Infants.

2. Apple juice makes a good first juice. Wait with orange juice, especially if there are allergies in your family.

3. Rice cereal should be the first cereal. It is easy to digest.

4. Do not add sugar or salt to baby's food.

5. Use plain fruits. "Fruit desserts" are high in sugar.

6. Begin to offer mashed or junior foods at 7 months.

7. Use plain meats and plain vegetables. Vegetable-meal "dinners" are low in protein and iron.

8. At 9 to 12 months of age tender table foods may be given.

9. Help your baby drink from a cup at 9 to 12 month of age.

10. Discuss your baby's individual food needs with your docotr or dietitian at your clinic.

I do know this: Most babies will eat until they are full and stop when they are. It does sound like he is going through a growth spurt in which case he is going to eat more. And I have to agree with the other mom who said to start giving him soft food and teething biscuits and toast and things of that nature. Just make sure you are watching him very close when you start introducing these things to him. They can lead to choking if they are not watched close enough. My daughter had a bad incident that ended her up in the ER. So just make sure you go slow and be very watchful. Good Luck and I hope this helps.

sounds like a growth spurt to me... But yet I am on several mommy boards and their are a ton of babys that are in the 95%. It is almost Normal!! They all go up and down... as they start to move around a bit... they slim down and then you will be worried are they too thin.. That happen to my sister!!!

I was told feed till they refuse food... My son just started his 9th month... and he he is only 3%... We try to feed him food.. but when he eats solids ... he wont eat his bottle.... when he eats his bottle only.. he has a cow and is hungry... so who knows.....

You are the mommy... You know what is best for your baby....

But if you need a snack.. go for it... even those puff's... My son is reallly liking them... I started them at 8 months...

What stage food are you on.... Maybe it is time to move up for your little one.... Josh just would not eat.. so we got a late start... We are still on stage 2... but we do give him some stuff off our plates at times... he seems to like it.... Maybe yours would like that...

Good luck!!!

My daughter is 8 months old. I never know when she is going to eat like your son, but when she does. She usually will eat rice cereal, around 7:30-8:00am, then a mid-morning snack of breat milk around 9:00-10:00am.She then has lunch around 11:00-12:00pm, which is a jar of baby food, breast milk and some biter bitts for her teething. she then well take a nape and around 3:00-4:00 she eat breast milk and then around 6:00 she eat another jar of baby food. Before she goes to bed she eat breastmilk again, which is around 7:30-8:00. there are times I feel like I am never going to get her full. Most doctors say it is them going through a growing spert. Your son will let you know when he is done. My daughter won't open her mouth when she is full.

If he is hungry, let him eat.

Do not worry about weight (in regarde to being "fat" unless it is an extreme circumstance) until at least 3yo. Children should not have their fats restricted.

A baby will not overeat unless he is pushed to (like insisting the baby finish that last ounce in the bottle).

My son is 7 1/2 months old. At about 6 months I thought he was eating way too much. When I asked his Ped. she said it was a growth spurt. According to her you cannot overfeed a baby until about 1 1/2 years, when we start to associate food with pleasure.Unless your force feeding him, he should be fine. Just as she said, about 2 weeks later he slowed back down. I've also got a big boy. Since birth, all of his measurements have been >97%. His doc said his body is trying to keep up with his head =) He's got a cyst in his brain so his head is expected to be large. Anyway my boy has had GERD since birth so his meals are a little different. He gets an 8 oz bottle of a special formula thats already thickened, along with a fruit mixed with rice cereal. That will hold him all morning. At lunch he takes a 6 oz of the same formula and a veggie again mixed with rice cereal. If I dont mix w/ cereal he throws it all back up. Seems like even the baby food is too thin. Then he'll get another 8 oz and veggie mixed w/ cereal for dinner. Right before bed he takes another 8 oz and that always holds him till morning. There are days that he doesn't eat all the bottles or all the food and I just don't make him. He does just fine. My boy is alittle behind with his eating (he just finished starting his first meat)because of all his hospitalizations, but his doc and I think he's doing great. I've read some of the other responses and saw at least one mom mention cereal in a bottle. All my childs doctors (he sees many different specialists) say that is a big no no. First of all cutting the bottle nipple poses a choking hazard. Cereal is designed to help a baby learn to chew and when you put it in a bottle he learns to take anything of that consistancy and just swallow. As you can imagine this could later cause your baby to attempt to just swallow things that need to be chewed as chewing is the first step in the process of digestion. Slow digestion could constipate your baby or worse (I don't know what the worse is, I'm just quoting the docs. I'm really not trying to find out.) Anyway, I've always heard from every nutritionist and gastroenterologist that cereal in a bottle is a NEVER. Try giving your baby an extra veggie during the day to keep him full and don't worry he'll get back into a routine after his body is done doing what it does best for the time- growing.

If he has some teeth and is handling the consistency of the other foods you're giving him, I would start giving him some other things to chew on. You could try some toast or teething biscuits, plain bagels, crackers, etc. They're also working on developing the pincher grasp at this age, so test his abilities with grabbing cheerios off his high chair. Also, other than formula, are you giving him water throughout the day?

I highly recommend the book "Super Baby Food" by Ruth Yaron. It takes the guessing out of your babies diet. She divides the book up by chapters and tells you what babies should be eating month by month. She also tells how to make homemade baby food, if you're so inclined.

Sounds like he is going through a growth spurt. Let him have a snack in between meals when he shows that type of hunger. He won't always eat like that.