Many experts encourage parents to keep in mind that food
before one is just for fun. At this age, Henry is still getting all the
calories and nutrients he needs from his liquid diet of formula. For the most part, only a small amount of solids are making it down to his
stomach. If he was being spoon-fed, Henry would be swallowing more. With
baby-led weaning, however, he is learning how to get food to his mouth and chew
it before he learns to swallow.
Starting solids is about exploring new flavors and textures, not about how much Henry eats. |
The World Health Organization suggests
offering food two or three times per day when baby is six to eight months old.
Henry joins us at the table whenever he is awake for a meal. He is usually
awake for breakfast and dinner, but he is often napping during lunch. If he
misses two meals in a row, I just add some vegetable soup to one of his bottles
to make sure he gets some flavor variety that day. I do not offer snacks or
make-up meals. As Henry consolidates his naps from three to two per day, he’ll
be able to join me for lunch on a more regular basis.
Henry joins us at the table whenever he is awake for a meal. |
The experts do not seem to agree on the quantity of food
Henry should be eating, with recommendations ranging from a quarter of a
teaspoon to several tablespoons of food per meal. I am leaving it up to Henry
to decide how much to eat. I place a few items on his tray and he chooses what
to try. When he drops some on the floor or begins to lose interest, I place a
new item on his tray or offer him a sip of water. If he is still not
interested, then I do not pressure him to take another bite. This removes the
need for games and tricks that parents often resort to in order to get their
child to eat. As he gets older, I am trusting Henry to learn when he is
satisfied. This should encourage him to listen to his body’s signals of being
hungry or full.
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