Feeding My Eight Month Old.......

If you give him water, skip the bottle, he is old enough for a sippy cup(2 handles might work better)if he drinks it fine, if not don't sweat it. You could offer him baby food, but best to do AFTER you have breast fed him. Don't try to force feed a certain amount of babyfood. He will eat what he wants and stop when he is full. Breastmilk is the most perfect food for your baby. Rest easy, Mom, you are doing a great job by breastfeeding as long as possible!

K. Voigtsberger
Certified Birth Doula (DONA)
Certified Bradley® Method of Childbirth Educator
Breastfeeding Trainer
www.wholeheartbirth.com
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I was unclear on this also, but my pediatrician was quiet clear on this when I asked. Breastmilk offers adequate water until you start solids (baby food). Then you offer water with the meals. They need the extra water to process the new food sources. At this age three "meals" a day is adequate and simply allow baby to eat as much as he/she wants in a sitting....making sure to offer plenty of variety. Sounds like your doing a great job!

You're so right to be confused though -- there's just so much conflicting information out there. I tended to stick with the recommendations from the APA and LLL. Food the first year is an experiment really. It's not for nutrition really -- he should be getting that from you. Breast milk is by far more nutritious than anything you are feeding him. Three times a day should be ok. Give it to him after you nurse so he gets your milk first. After that, it's food fun time. If he can pick things up, go ahead and try a finger food if he's interested (like those puffs, etc.)
He should be ok with water, but he's old enough now where you can start giving it to him in a sippy cup (good way to introduce it). His kidneys should be mature enough now. I know our Ped had us delay it, but at this point he was drinking it so you should be ok.

Sorry this is so late, but I wanted to add my two cents! Don't over think it!! You are a great Mom so go with your instincts. Try to put down the books and listen to the cues from your son. I introduced the sippy cup with water at about 6.5 months. I also started Cheerios at the same time. They dissolve quickly and taste great to little taste buds. I skipped cereal all together because my son didn't like it and would not have anything to do with it. Bananas and avocado are great starter foods. Homemade is great if you have time. Store bought is fine also. My son really likes Earths Best also. I homemade all his starter foods but when it came to meats he didn't care for my cooking!! Actually it was really hard to get it ground into a consistency he was happy with. He just turned 1 and is still breastfed, but has about three jars of food (one at lunch and two at dinner) and two or three snacks a day. At eight months he was eating 1.5 or two jars a day. With Cheerios for breakfast and not much snacking. Hope this helps!

My daughter also breastfed for about 18 months and it was difficult figuring out when to do meal time- we generally stuck with teh 3 times per day at that age and as she got older it turend into 3 times a day with 2 snacks in between. Although breastfeeding is the very best thing for him at this point, simple meal times start healthy habbits! The water isnt necessary but it also wont hurt him, if you wanted to try once a day with water - that is how we started...and i think we waited until my duaghter was 1 to start the puffs...

hope this helps a little bit, always ask your doctor at the next visit

Send me your e-mail and when I get back from vacation will be able to help you. I have a chart but since my pc died I can not scan it into the one I am using. Soon will have a pc that I can print from and scan. But I can mail you what the chart says. They do not recommend feeding until about 7 mos and it is only about 1-2 T cereal I think at every meal add veggies first and water if baby will drink it. Mine never did but keep trying. ____@____.com breastmilk until about 1 yr. By then he should be able to feed himself. By 8 mos he should be starting to eat more foods and I always made my own food. Table food soon. My daughter did not have teeth until she was 15 mos old and still ate all foods.I have had babies that ate everything my older kids ate before one yr, G. W

Your breast milk has everything he needs for the first year, even the water. A sippy cup can be encouraged later and dilute all juice 1:2 or 1:3 because of sugar, etc. Finger foods such a cherrios when they sit in high chair at about 11-12 months. Avacado is one of the best starter foods, banana, pears, yeoow squash and then green pesa, green beans and brown rice, etc. Good luck!