What to Feed My 1 Year Old?? - Corpus Christi,TX

Hi A.,
You might try keeping some mashed potatoes available for him along with his dinner meal. I think you are right- if he is a big boy- he most likely is hungry- so I would try substuting solids at nite- most kids that age like to eat with their fingers- so give him a few green beens- or other finger foods (ignore the mess) and give him the stage 3 if he is still acting like he wants more..... or if you are uncomfortable with that- try putting cereal in his nitetime bottle.
If this does not work for you- it is possible he could be teething.
good luck
blessings

You may start thinking of giving him table food, you can cut or mash these foods, mac.and cheese is always a big hit,mashed potato's, green beans, peas etc.

My daughter is 9 months old and we've been feeding her variations of table food since she started eating solids at 5 months. (she started grabbing forks out of our hands pretty early on). At first we made sure it was all smashed up but now she does pretty good with small pieces of almost everything we eat. We make sure everything is small enough that if she swallows it whole she won't choke. She gums things really well and only has her two front top and bottom teeth. I always keep something on hand, however, when it comes to things she won't eat. She refuses to eat beef for some reason?? Who knows. Perhaps another Mamasource question in the future.
I think your son is beyond ready to start eating what the big people are having. But I don't think that's why he's waking up. My bets on teething.

Try some solids that mimic the same foods he's been getting from the jars.

Good luck!
Jen
http://www.mommysjoy.com

We never used jarred baby foods--too many preservatives. When they indicated they were ready for solids (none of mine had anything but breastmilk for 8-9 months), we started with mashed sweet potatoes, corn, peas, diced chicken, etc. Whatever you eat should be fine for baby. He will chew with his front teeth until his molars come in!

Hello

I just want to share with you what I fed my kids when they were babies. I would make some fideo(mexican soup)with very little grease,cook it as normal. When completed just blend it in a blender. Just enough for the baby to try. Start by giving him small portions and see if he even likes the taste and if so increase the portions. It is very tasty and for the dessert. Peal two small apples and boil them and do the same.Blend it and add just a tiny bit of sugar..very little just enough to add flavor and believe me he will love it. Nothing better than fresh home made food..It will blended and you do not have too worry about baby not having any teeth. This is what my grandmother thought me. I have 4 growing healthy boys and I raised them all with the same receipe. Good luck...Please let me/us know how it worked out for you....

I would think he could eat table food. My daughter loved grilled cheese sandwiches at 1. She also loved the frozen mixed vegetables. Just watch him carefully and start slow. Good luck.

If your child has ANY teeth he is ready to try soft easy to chew table food! Cheerios are good as well. give him a bit or two of anything you eat (within reason) and if he likes it, give him more) toddler friendly foods are great for other feedings (hot dogs - cut to non choking hazard size, raviolis, spaghettios, peas, graham crakers, etc)

Good Luck...

Do you think there is a possibility that it could be teething rather than hunger? Both of my two would start waking up in the middle of the night 2-3 weeks before a tooth would cut. I would rack my brain trying to figure out why they were waking. Then suddenly a tooth would emerge! Try giving him Motrin one night (pain relief and to reduce the swelling). If he sleeps a little better, then you'll know. The unfortunate thing is that when they start waking several nights in a row, it often becomes a habit that you have to break (whether they have a little pain reliever or not). Good luck.

My daughter didn't get teeth until she was a year and she was on table foods by 9 or 10 months! She loves to eat. Just be careful about what you give and start out slow so that you know he is able to gum things pretty well. Give him what you are eating with some exceptions but you will really be surprised at what he can accoplish with those little gums. Start by giving him well cooked veggies so he gets the idea and go from there. Just keep an eye on him to make sure you think he is getting food crushed up well enough.

All of those suggestions are good. Be real careful with weiners as they are very easy to choke on. I also give my 19 month old thinly sliced lunch meat filled with cream cheese which is easy for him to old and chew. If he continues to wake up don't give him a bottle of milk give him a bottle of water. Trust me from my experience, I have an almost 4 year old and a 19 month old, they continue to wake up for that nightly feeding for weeks. You might also try potatoes as they are also very filling. Goodluck!

Since he is a year old now, maybe you can try adding some potatos to his dinner, maybe even some toddlers buscuits. This may help tide him over a little longer. It does sound like he may be having a growth spurt however and if adding bulk to his meal, you may just have to do some night-time feedings for a while.
He could just hava a hiccup in his routine. Try soothing him and getting him back to sleep without a bottle. This could help narrow down your options.
M.
Mom of three 7, 11, 17

Oatmeal just before bedtime worked for me. Both kids slept through the night. Good luck.

At our son's one yr check up the doctors said its time to let him cry it out. I had never done this. They said he didnt need the bottle at night, and it would take 3-4 nights by the third he was not waking. My son (14 months now) is just getting his 6th tooth. He eats table foods now and for the past month. Do what your son is ready for. If he can eat BABY MUM MUM'S himself thats on track. I would however add chunker bits to his baby food. Make the transfer from mush to solids alot eaiser. Super Baby Foods is a great hand guide on what they can eat. Soon he will go to whole milk and then before you know it he will be on the sippy cup.

A.,

I recently took my 9 month old for his well check and my pediatrician said I could start him on SOME table foods and he has NO teeth. She told me as long as it's something soft that they can "mush" with their gums it should be fine. I've been giving him cooked carrots, beans, bread, etc. Just make sure it's in extremely small pieces and he should be fine. She said I could even give him crumbled up hamburger meat. It wouldn't hurt to at least give it a try. Good luck! :)

There are a variety of reasons your son could be waking at night. Teething, growth spurts, developmental growths... Sometimes it's impossible to tell. If you feel he's hungry, don't be afraid to give him more table foods. He's ready to experience new foods. Jarred food can only offer so much variety and texture. Teeth or no teeth, the food still needs to be soft and cut into small pieces. Try some naturally soft and yummy foods like bananas or avacados. Trust your instinct.

All the mommies gave great food suggestions. However, it could be that baby is teething. That will wake a baby too. Make sue he has a full belly, by also check out the gum lines you may have some new teeth cutting. If that's the case you may need some baby orajel. Good luck!

I would try out avocado on him, and if he likes it, you will hit the nutrition jackpot. You can cut it into tiny pieces for him to pick up and feed himself. Or, you can mash it up with a fork. If you mash it, for extra nutrition or calories to fill him up, you can add olive oil, any kind of baby cereal (rice, barley, oatmeal), pureed meat, shredded lunch meat, or wheat germ. I buy a product called Wholly Guacamole from HEB, which is not spicy at all> I like it because it is so smooth.

I totally think he is ready for table food. Just make sure to mash or puree it well. Also you could try giving him a sippy cup of water when he wakes.

My son is eating some table food mixed with baby food. As other moms suggested just make sure it is soft and small bites...your pinky finger nail or smaller. You will be surprised by what your son likes.

As for the waking up. He might be going through a growth spurt. My son hates water at night so I water down formula. Very watered down. On good nights he sleeps through the night but then we have the nights to where I give in b/c I am a working mom and he is slowly getting the idea.

Good luck

Table food! My daughter is almost 14 months old & has never had jarred baby food. I've made her food since she 1st started eating, around 6 months. Whatever you're wanting to cook for him (fruit, veggies), steam it with bottled water (I use nursery water), let it cool down a bit, then through it in the blender & puree, then use some of the water you steamed it with, add a little at a time until you get the consistency you want, then pour it into ice cube trays. Freeze it, then pop them out & put them in a freezer zip lock bag. Label it & date it, it is good for up to 3 months. It's pureed so he won't choke on, it's the real deal so he's getting all the vitamins & the true taste for foods. I hope this helps! Also, if he's teething, which might be why he's waking up), I like the Hylands teething tablets. I've been told that baby oragel actually toughens their gums & that's no help! Have fun & good luck. God bless you & your family. H. B

My youngest was completely on table foods (no baby foods at all) by 8 1/2 - 9 months, and she primarily ate whatever we were eating for dinner--meat, pasta, soft veggies, etc. They really don't teeth to be able to chew--their gums do just fine. The main thing is to give them small bites and things that are easy to mash. No steak!--but other meats (especially chicken) are good. My kids all loved beef Lil Smokies at that age, cut into half and then into smaller pieces. Most fruits are also good; the main thing is just to cut them into small pieces to help prevent choking. I would even give my daughter small pieces of apples. Also, though he'll probably feed himself with his fingers for awhile yet, you can also introduce the fork with dinner. At that age, my daughter couldn't stab the food by herself, but if I stabbed it for her, she would put the food in her mouth on the fork. It was almost a guaranteed way to get her to take a bite if she seemed to be playing with instead of eating her food. It's a great thing when you can all eat together and the same thing, and you're not having to feed the baby during your own meal!

I would say that you could give your baby table food now. I used to work with the infants at a school for 6 years, and learned that babies can gum just about anything! You would be amazed how strong their gums are. Start off with the soft foods first, Mashed potatoes, mac-n-cheese, green beans ect. Babies are fast learners. Good Luck!