Homemade Healthy Baby Food Recipes and Cookbook - Where Should I Feed My Baby?

Where Should I Feed My Baby?

You’re going to want a sturdy but comfortable place that’s easy to clean up after every feeding at a height that’s comfortable to you. Believe me, a baby can make a lot of mess when they’re only starting to eat solid food (but I think that’s part of the fun for the little one). A high baby chair with an attached table that’s easy to wipe and sterilize is ideal for what you need.

Also, having a special chair for feeding can help your baby associate the chair to feeding. This will help with establishing a routine until finally your baby can start eating on his or her own in that same chair.

How Many Times a Day Should My Baby Eat Solid Food?

As a general guide for when and how often to feed your baby, you should keep in mind that they do better with small but frequent meals spaced out throughout the day. If at his age, he is encouraged to consume about ½ cup of mashed fruit or vegetables, it is ill-advised to feed that entire amount to your baby in one sitting. Instead, give him a spoonful or two at a time and pay attention to how he responds or reacts to the food – does he want more or does he turn his head away when you give him another mouthful?

A lot of parents feel like they’re not giving their baby enough to eat which often leads to overfeeding of both solid food and breast milk or formula. I find that it helps to know just how big your baby’s stomach is for each stage of development. On day one, your baby’s stomach is approximately the size of a marble which is why the small amounts of milk that mother’s produce during that period is more than enough. On day three, your baby’s stomach grows to the size of a ping pong ball; much larger than a marble but still pretty tiny. On day ten, your baby’s stomach will grow as large as a large-sized chicken egg. The growth of your baby’s stomach is fast but it can always only hold so much. The stomach will continue to grow until it is adult-sized or roughly the size of a softball or a grapefruit. That’s right; your stomach is only about the size of a grapefruit.

Also, always remember that your baby’s main source of nutrition and food intake should be breast milk. Solid food acts more as a supplementary source of vitamins and minerals and as an introduction to grown up food for when your baby is ready to be weaned away from milk.

When to Feed My Baby

There is some merit in having a predictable feeding schedule for your baby. It helps with giving your baby a little structure and with setting a biological clock. The best way to start a feeding schedule is to keep an eye out for when your baby is the hungriest and by feeding him during that approximate time daily. As a general rule, babies are fed the most during mornings with breast milk or formula while late afternoon is when babies are usually fed solid food since that’s the time when most mothers don’t produce as much milk.

Don’t forget; small amounts in frequent feedings are best for your baby. Be careful not to feed your baby too much because this may lead to diarrhea or constipation. Always keep an eye out for signs that he doesn’t want any more food like when he turns his head away or refuses the spoon. 

This is an excerpt from the book: Homemade Healthy Baby Food Recipes and Cookbook