What do you give for breakfast, lunch, & dinner? (7 & 1/2-month-old)

[esta_837]

....I'm at wit's end, I'm trying to please my in-laws by doing the "right" thing in their eyes, they're arriving soon, and I'm about to go out of my mind thinking that I have to wake up early to make porridge in the mornings too. Please, do you all feed porridge in the mornings, lunch, & dinner as well? Currently, I've been taking care of baby myself, and she's having something like:

Breakfast: Oatmeal cereal with fruits
Lunch: Rice porridge with meat & vegetables
Dinner: Rice porridge with meat (depends on the type of meat she had for lunch) & vegetables

I'm worried about the breakfast. She doesn't eat much for breakfast. And the Oatmeal I use is the "instant" type for babies where you just add water & mix. What else can I make for breakfast at this age or is this pretty much it? Or should I also be making porridge? I can't introduce finger foods yet as I notice she still gags alot when I give her something lumpier in texture. And I can't use "instant" things while my in-laws are here, otherwise they will see and think it's not healthy enough.

Another thing I'm worried about is, do you all add anything to cook with the porridge? What I mean is, do you add chicken bone to cook with the rice? Chinese say to add chicken bone, or dried scallops, or other things to cook with the rice. Or just leave it as plain porridge and then serve together with the vegetables? Currently, I steam the vegetables separately in a steamer and scoop up some porridge (cooked using slow cooker) to serve together with the vegetables when the baby's ready to eat.

I actually think dried scallops have too high a salt content to be added to cook with baby's porridge. What do you think??

By the way, all her food is pureed, with the exception of brown rice porridge. I don't puree the brown rice porridge because I read that by 8 months babies should be introduced to a more "lumpy" texture in their foods.. Is that correct??

 

[apollo]

when ds was 7.5mth old. he was having 2 meals solid food. 1 breakfast, 1 lunch.

breakfast will be cereal. lunch will be porridge. i didnt add dried scallop at all, even tillnw he is nearly 13mth old, i also dun intend to add any dried scallop. lik what u said, i also feel tt dried scallop is too salty. i usually add chk/pork or ikan bilis stock. i will cook the stock and pour into ice cubes and freeze them. aft freezing, will pop them into freezer bag and keep for 1 mth. 1 day 1-2 cubes into the porridge. but not every porridge meal i will put. sometimes have, sometimes dun hav. only recently ds is older then i add in stock frequently =)

 

[sufeit0115]

hi esta mummy, my baby is also 7mths+, he is having 2 solid meals (lunch & dinner) and 1 yoghurt as snack in between. Normally i will alternate cereals and porridge between lunch and dinner, if lunch is porridge then dinner will be cereal. For cereals, i am also using those 'instant' kind like Bellamy, HT or Earth Best mixed with puree veg or fruits. For porridge i am also using stock to cook (same like apollo mummy store and freeze), but i haven't introduce meat yet, only steam or thaw veg/fruit puree.

 

[meiteoh]

....I'm at wit's end, I'm trying to please my in-laws by doing the "right" thing in their eyes, they're arriving soon, and I'm about to go out of my mind thinking that I have to wake up early to make porridge in the mornings too. Please, do you all feed porridge in the mornings, lunch, & dinner as well? Currently, I've been taking care of baby myself, and she's having something like:

Breakfast: Oatmeal cereal with fruits
Lunch: Rice porridge with meat & vegetables
Dinner: Rice porridge with meat (depends on the type of meat she had for lunch) & vegetables

I'm worried about the breakfast. She doesn't eat much for breakfast. And the Oatmeal I use is the "instant" type for babies where you just add water & mix. What else can I make for breakfast at this age or is this pretty much it? Or should I also be making porridge? I can't introduce finger foods yet as I notice she still gags alot when I give her something lumpier in texture. And I can't use "instant" things while my in-laws are here, otherwise they will see and think it's not healthy enough.

Another thing I'm worried about is, do you all add anything to cook with the porridge? What I mean is, do you add chicken bone to cook with the rice? Chinese say to add chicken bone, or dried scallops, or other things to cook with the rice. Or just leave it as plain porridge and then serve together with the vegetables? Currently, I steam the vegetables separately in a steamer and scoop up some porridge (cooked using slow cooker) to serve together with the vegetables when the baby's ready to eat.

I actually think dried scallops have too high a salt content to be added to cook with baby's porridge. What do you think??

By the way, all her food is pureed, with the exception of brown rice porridge. I dont't puree the brown rice porridge because I read that by 8 months babies should be introduced to a more "lumpy" texture in their foods.. Is that correct??

I hardly feed my daughter porridge - then and now. At 7.5 mths, she was taking yogurts, cereals, fruit and veg puree as well as tofu plus finger foods like melt-in-your mouth puffs, and teething rusks. One day she'd have cereal with fruit for breakfast, one day it's yogurt with fruit, etc. I can't remember when exactly I started her on three meals but it seems that it would be around 7 mths that she went on three solid meals plus BM. Her solid food was also thicker in texture...like thick cream.

I do share with mummies here that ALL babies need to learn how to chew and swallow and it starts from you allowing them to try finger foods. If you don't, you'll keep getting the gag reflex. Finger foods also doesn't mean those small puffs. You can give her teething biscuits or toothie pegs which are big, easy to hold onto, great for developing motor skills and hard to break off.

 

[sufeit0115]

hi meiteoh mummy, what kind of tofu you are giving to Eva? I am thinking to introduce tofu but i am not sure which kind to get. Thanks!

 

[esta_837]

I am so damn worried that she's having too much solids and not enough milk, because she still can't sit unsupported for long (Hubby & in-laws think that's due to lack of calcium, and that I should feed her more high-calcium solids. Is that right??) I always try to feed her milk first (breastfeed) then solids, but sometimes I think she's having a full tummy (and trying to poo) from her last solid meal such that she's pushing the breast away. I still force her to go on though, and she will have a bit. And then I only give her her next solid meal. And so the cycle continues.

Yup, agree with meiteoh, am trying to make her solids more lumpy in texture. I'm just under pressure when under scruitiny from the ILs. Especiallly if still can't sit alone for long and stilll no teeth. I'm bloody worried myself, whether I've been doing the right thing all along.

I tried giving yoghurt before a few times, but she didn't like it one bit. Not sure why, she just wouldn't open her mouth to it. Did you all serve it cold?

I hate to keep serving rice porridge for all 3 meals, but if my in-laws are going to be here, I'm not sure what to do.... sigh.

 

[esta_837]

when dear son was 7.5mth old. he was having 2 meals solid food. 1 breakfast, 1 lunch.

breakfast will be cereal. lunch will be porridge. i didnt add dried scallop at all, even tillnw he is nearly 13mth old, i also dont intend to add any dried scallop. lik what you said, i also feel that dried scallop is too salty. i usually add chk/pork or ikan bilis stock. i will cook the stock and pour into ice cubes and freeze them. after freezing, will pop them into freezer bag and keep for 1 month. 1 day 1-2 cubes into the porridge. but not every porridge meal i will put. sometimes have, sometimes dont hav. only recently dear son is older then i add in stock frequently =)

How did you make your chicken stock? Or fish stock? What ingredients did you add? Just chicken & water?

....I think that's what my in-laws would love to know/hear that that's what i've been doing - making stock for the porridge.

I might have been living overseas for a bit long and more used to cereals like oatmeal & pasta.

 

[meiteoh]

I am so damn worried that she's having too much solids and not enough milk, because she still can't sit unsupported for long (Hubby & in-laws think that's due to lack of calcium, and that I should feed her more high-calcium solids. Is that right??) I always try to feed her milk first (breastfeed) then solids, but sometimes I think she's having a full tummy (and trying to poo) from her last solid meal such that she's pushing the breast away. I still force her to go on though, and she will have a bit. And then I only give her her next solid meal. And so the cycle continues.

Yup, agree with meiteoh, am trying to make her solids more lumpy in texture. I'm just under pressure when under scruitiny from the ILs. Especiallly if still can't sit alone for long and stilll no teeth. I'm bloody worried myself, whether I've been doing the right thing all along.

I tried giving yoghurt before a few times, but she didn't like it one bit. Not sure why, she just wouldn't open her mouth to it. Did you all serve it cold?

I hate to keep serving rice porridge for all 3 meals, but if my in-laws are going to be here, I'm not sure what to do.... sigh.

There is no study to show that lack of calcium affects when a baby teeths or sits up unsupported. It's just plain ignorance talking. I know of friends whose babies started teething at 3 months old and another baby who prefers NOT to sit (supported or otherwise) (and she's now cruising at around 9 mths old).

I'm not sure about how your baby is like but from what I observed, why I suggest variety is so that you don't have to face the future problem of your baby rejecting food because she's bored of being fed the same thing (that has happened to a lot of my friends because they keep giving the same thing over and over again).

What are your servings sizes like? At 7.5 mths, I remember, Eva was taking around 1-2 fruit/veg cubes (equivalent to two servings, I think) plus 2-3 tbsp of cereal per meal (equivalent to two or three servings, I think) - after nursing.

One way to tackle your hubby (who in turn can help you tackle your ILs) is to educate him. I always share with my hubby new things that I discovered from reading and from talking to friends. I also have a friend who loves to leave nutrition related comments on my Facebook - she's a nutritionist who specialises in paed nutrition.

As for yogurt, I also have observed that it's a common reaction with babies who are used to taking sweet stuff but not sour. For Eva, it's not a problem - she loves yogurt and other sour items because it was one of the first tastes she was intro-ed to (not very ripe peaches). And I serve it cold - straight from the fridge.

Btw, you can make chicken stock with just some chicken (fillet/breast/etc) and some veg for that extra bit of sweetness.

hi meiteoh mummy, what kind of tofu you are giving to Eva? I am thinking to introduce tofu but i am not sure which kind to get. Thanks!

I buy organic tofu but I read that if you're going for higher calcium figures with lower sodium content, firm tofu is better than silken tofu.

 

[sufeit0115]

hi esta mummy, my boy also don't like 'cold' yogurt, normally i bring out the yogurt for like 5-10 mins before i feed it to him. I mix my homemade yogurt with puree fruits like apple, pear, mango, honeydew, papaya etc, otherwise it's quite sour. His favourite is mango, always open mouth to ask for more even though he finish the whole bowl already!

 

[sufeit0115]

Does normal supermarket like NTUC/Cold storage sell organic tofu? Or only available in organic health store?

 

[meiteoh]

You can find organic tofu at the bigger NTUC (Tampines) and Cold Storage.

 

[esta_837]

There is no study to show that lack of calcium affects when a baby teeths or sits up unsupported. It's just plain ignorance talking. I know of friends whose babies started teething at 3 months old and another baby who prefers NOT to sit (supported or otherwise) (and she's now cruising at around 9 mths old).

I'm not sure about how your baby is like but from what I observed, why I suggest variety is so that you dont't have to face the future problem of your baby rejecting food because she's bored of being fed the same thing (that has happened to a lot of my friends because they keep giving the same thing over and over again).

What are your servings sizes like? At 7.5 mths, I remember, Eva was taking around 1-2 fruit/veg cubes (equivalent to two servings, I think) plus 2-3 tbsp of cereal per meal (equivalent to two or three servings, I think) - after nursing.

One way to tackle your hubby (who in turn can help you tackle your ILs) is to educate him. I always share with my hubby new things that I discovered from reading and from talking to friends. I also have a friend who loves to leave nutrition related comments on my Facebook - she's a nutritionist who specialises in paed nutrition.

As for yogurt, I also have observed that it's a common reaction with babies who are used to taking sweet stuff but not sour. For Eva, it's not a problem - she loves yogurt and other sour items because it was one of the first tastes she was intro-ed to (not very ripe peaches). And I serve it cold - straight from the fridge.

Btw, you can make chicken stock with just some chicken (fillet/breast/etc) and some veg for that extra bit of sweetness.


I buy organic tofu but I read that if you're going for higher calcium figures with lower sodium content, firm tofu is better than silken tofu.

hmm...her upper back does seem "soft", so that's why my hubby says she's not getting enough nutrition. Which makes me think it's MILK, not the solids. She is rather little too, prob on the 5-10th percentile, right at the bottom of the chart.

She's had a variety of foods, but I still find myself running out of ideas. She's had pumpkin, pear, apple, persimmon, zucchini, avocado, sweet potato, spinach, turnip (not good, aggravates reflux), broccoli (not gd either), parsnip, beans, carrot, chicken, beef, fish, sultanas, apricot, tofu, apart from white rice, brown rice, oatmeal, barley. Youghurt doesn't like. Will try again though. Will work on the red and yellow peppers tomorrow. And try pasta next week.

She's definitely eating a fair portion of solids, 2 food cubes of veg, some meat (around 1-1.5 cube size i think or even more), together with porridge. So, that's around just under half a small bowl.

Unfortunately, hubby doesn't believe me and is more inclined to believe whatever his mother says, because she's supposed to be more experienced, and on top of that, he would say why believe a book and not listen to first-hand experience.... -_-

 

[esta_837]

hi esta mummy, my boy also dont't like 'cold' yogurt, normally i bring out the yogurt for like 5-10 mins before i feed it to him. I mix my homemade yogurt with puree fruits like apple, pear, mango, honeydew, papaya etc, otherwise it's quite sour. His favourite is mango, always open mouth to ask for more even though he finish the whole bowl already!

I see...so it's the sourness. The ones they sell here have apple & another fruit (forgot what it was) added to it though. Will give yoghurt another try.

 

[meiteoh]

hmm...her upper back does seem "soft", so that's why my hubby says she's not getting enough nutrition. Which makes me think it's MILK, not the solids. She is rather little too, prob on the 5-10th percentile, right at the bottom of the chart.

She's had a variety of foods, but I still find myself running out of ideas. She's had pumpkin, pear, apple, persimmon, zucchini, avocado, sweet potato, spinach, turnip (not good, aggravates reflux), broccoli (not good either), parsnip, beans, carrot, chicken, beef, fish, sultanas, apricot, tofu, apart from white rice, brown rice, oatmeal, barley. Youghurt doesn't like. Will try again though. Will work on the red and yellow peppers tomorrow. And try pasta next week.

She's definitely eating a fair portion of solids, 2 food cubes of veg, some meat (around 1-1.5 cube size i think or even more), together with porridge. So, that's around just under half a small bowl.

Unfortunately, hubby doesn't believe me and is more inclined to believe whatever his mother says, because she's supposed to be more experienced, and on top of that, he would say why believe a book and not listen to first-hand experience.... -_-

*smacks forehead*

Not any Tom, Dick and Harry is allowed to published books and besides, people like the Sears (the parents) have a wealth of information due to their having 8 children plus their profession (RN and doc specialising in paed medicine).

As for your daughter's size, don't worry. Eva was very light and around the lower percentile group (she was under 8 kg at 7.5 mths), but still quite healthy and hitting her milestones.

Have you tried introducing egg yolks, cherry, cranberry (different family from the berries so safe for introduction now), celery, sweet peas, french beans as well as grains like spelt, semolina, wheat? You can also get her some brown rice pasta stars to introduce some form of texture/shape.

 

[apollo]

I am so damn worried that she's having too much solids and not enough milk, because she still can't sit unsupported for long (Hubby & in-laws think that's due to lack of calcium, and that I should feed her more high-calcium solids. Is that right??) I always try to feed her milk first (breastfeed) then solids, but sometimes I think she's having a full tummy (and trying to poo) from her last solid meal such that she's pushing the breast away. I still force her to go on though, and she will have a bit. And then I only give her her next solid meal. And so the cycle continues.

Yup, agree with meiteoh, am trying to make her solids more lumpy in texture. I'm just under pressure when under scruitiny from the ILs. Especiallly if still can't sit alone for long and stilll no teeth. I'm bloody worried myself, whether I've been doing the right thing all along.

I tried giving yoghurt before a few times, but she didn't like it one bit. Not sure why, she just wouldn't open her mouth to it. Did you all serve it cold?

I hate to keep serving rice porridge for all 3 meals, but if my in-laws are going to be here, I'm not sure what to do.... sigh.

mayb u wanna cut down her solid meal to 2 meals 1st instead of 3 meals? actu if she is taking 3 meals solid and drinks 210ml 3x daily i think the milk intake is not consider low. but i personally feel tt 2 meals solid food is enough for a 7mth old, the res shd be milk until they are older lik 10-12mth old =)

How did you make your chicken stock? Or fish stock? What ingredients did you add? Just chicken & water?

....I think that's what my in-laws would love to know/hear that that's what i've been doing - making stock for the porridge.

I might have been living overseas for a bit long and more used to cereals like oatmeal & pasta.

i will use chk bones to make chk stock. throw the chk bones (nth else) into a pot of water and let it boil. usually i boil them for an hr. let it cool abit den scoop into ice cube (those with lids) and put into freezer. next day pop out the cubes and thro them into freezer bag. i bought both ice cubes with lids and freezer bag from Daiso.

for fish one, i use Ikan Bilis to make the stock. same method.

 

[Feliz]

Mummies, sorry side track abit..

How u make yogurt ah?? n also edlycia 1 serving of porridge i only put 2oz of veg puree, issit enf?? den for e tofu, how to give her? steam and mash? can freeze?:001_302:



Btw esta_837, edlycia is also 7months plus now.. She's havin 2 meal a day..

Lunch and dinner.. No breakfast cos she wakes up at 11-12 pm only.. :tlaugh:

Lunch : Cereal with fruits

Dinner : Porridge with veg puree & meat ( fish or chix)

Milk : 150-180ML per serving

She's only 7kg now.. but she can sit unsupported & stand up with support plus also pull herself up sometimes.. So i don think it has anything to do with calcium.. diff baby diff "pattern".. So don worry too much..


I haven try making e stock for her yet cos im still unsure hw to do it and i think not really nessesary for now..

 

[sufeit0115]

hi felzdown mummy, i am using yogurt maker to make, just put milk and yogurt culture then on the power...it takes about 6-7 hours for the yogurt to set in. This will last for our whole family for 4-5 days, very economical in the long run.

But if you only feed to baby, maybe you can consider buy the Pauls original yogurt from supermarket, in my opinion is more convenient

 

[Porukadotzu]

hi, i think my eldest girl was almost the same as your girl when she was around 7mth old..

i was started her solid food around 5mth old and kept it very watery untill she's about 6mth plus, i'd tried to feed her lumpier food but she gag so i make the cereal smoother again...

i intro her various food including those heinz ready baby food but she never likes it, one spoon and she gag like wanna vomit. She also don't like those instant cereal when she's about 8mth coz the lumpier texture.

she's teething when she's 6-7mth old, but she just preffer smooth texture food. then we try make grind rice, cooked as a porridge add fish or meat or vegetables.

she never like yogurt or any other sour fruits when she's below 1yr old, she would surely vomit. and same as ur girl she's also around 10 percentile growth...

but nowadays (22mth), she likes sour fruits, even sour strawberry is her fave, and those yellow kiwi too.
she starting to like sourish taste after 1yr old.

my mother inlaw also preffer to feed baby with cooked food instead of instant one. they also dun like it if i feed too much fruits to them...they think its cooling.

and my girl taking 2 meals a day untill now hehe, well as a breakfast she drank milk and then small piece of bread or biscuits

then lunch around 11am.

then dinner around 7pm

my 2nd daughter (now 8mth) have 2 meals per day too, milk in the morning, lunch (grind brownrice), dinner same menu ....i think i need to come up w/ something...

 

[meiteoh]

How you make yogurt ?? n also edlycia 1 serving of porridge i only put 2oz of veg puree, issit enf?? then for e tofu, how to give her? steam and mash? can freeze?

I'm using Easiyo to make yogurt for Eva - I get the natural unsweetened sachets of cultures (they have sweetened ones which are fruit based but I avoid those coz it's VERY sweet) - and it lasts me at least a week to two weeks.

For tofu, you can give it fresh - for silken or organic - but freezing makes it very rubbery. Tofu can be kept in the fridge (in water) up to a week but make sure you change the water daily.

 

[esta_837]

*smacks forehead*

Not any Tom, Dick and Harry is allowed to published books and besides, people like the Sears (the parents) have a wealth of information due to their having 8 children plus their profession (RN and doc specialising in paed medicine).

As for your daughter's size, dont't worry. Eva was very light and around the lower percentile group (she was under 8 kg at 7.5 mths), but still quite healthy and hitting her milestones.

Have you tried introducing egg yolks, cherry, cranberry (different family from the berries so safe for introduction now), celery, sweet peas, french beans as well as grains like spelt, semolina, wheat? You can also get her some brown rice pasta stars to introduce some form of texture/shape.

herm....Isabella's not even 7kgs yet, but close. I suspect she'll only reach 7kgs at 8months. Which is still right at the bottom of the chart. She can go on all fours and lift her tummy & bum right off, and even push her bum right up in the air, and bend her legs up under her and push them out again, but otherwise her hands still remain fixed in position - i.e. can't move forward with her hands. When she sits, she tends to lean towards the front, and will fall forwards after sitting for some time. Both these show me that her upper back seems weak.

Hmm...will try egg yolk within these few days. Thanks for reminding, I totally forgot about it. How much egg yolk did you give? Cherries aren't in season till end of the yr over here. I don't think there are organic cranberries? I haven't checked the types they sell in the supermarket, not sure if it's ok for babies to eat? Not sure if should try celery also because it has some "joints" (can't express the correct term here?!) Sweet peas & french beans ok to buy frozen ones right? I've been avoiding Wheat because it seems to make her full for very long. Not sure again about the wheat, perhaps will intro after 8 months. I've got the pasta stars in my pantry and am planning to try it for dinner.. Also have alphabet pasta but it seems to contain wheat so will put it off for now. Just worried making her too full with the solids.