What does your 11 month old eat?

[amyandelle]

NAK

So I think my 11 month old is not getting enough nutrition. I am still nursing her as well as feeding her fruits and veggies 3 times a day. She goes on an all night nursing marathon in addition to nursing at least 8 times during the day. She is very petite. I have not weighed her lately but I am guessing she is around 15 pounds.

Thanks,
Amy

[lilabet]

She's 11 months and she's still only on fruits and veggies? Is there a particular reason she's not eating anything else, like protein or carbs?

My nine month old eats more than that, way way more.

I would say yes, your instincts are right, she should be eating more, the all night nursing is a clue!!

I'd just start giving her small portions of whatever you're eating, well, I'm presuming you eat more than just fruit and veg anyway!

[vanessab23]

I would have to disagree with PP-- there are many reasons babies nurse all night. Or start nursing all night (growth spurt, teething, new insecurities, trying to increase your supply, etc...)

Every baby is different! Is this a new pattern for your DD? Or has she always nursed all night? Does she sleep with you? Are you a petite person? What about your partner? Has she been gaining well all along? Perhaps she is gaining in length right now instead of lbs?

My kids have both slept with me and I think that's part of why they were both all night nursers-- I mean it's right there! But right now DS2 (12 mos) is also too busy/distracted during the day to get all the calories he needs-- sometimes he only nurses 5 or 6 times/day. (I nurse from one side at each feed, thus he gets all the hindmilk which is high in fat--maybe try that?)

I am also a firm believer that babies eat what they need to and that they can get by on BM for much longer than the mainstream world thinks they can. My guy has ZERO interest in solids....I have snuck a few things in and every single time he gags, whines and wants nothing to do with it. Sometimes I just wipe his lips with some watermelon (for ex.) just to show him what it tastes like-- same reaction. DS1 was the same up until he started sampling what I was eating-- when he was 10mos. DS2 is now 12.5 mos and has only just this week allowed water into his mouth AND swallowed it without any gagging drama

Again every baby is different. And having said all that-- my guy is around 20 lbs so doing just fine in the weight gain department. I might be more persistent if I thought he wasn't gaining well.

But I agree with PP about just offering more variety-- like what you're eating.

I hope that helps a little-- and wasn't too convoluted

[YayJennie]

My 11 month old eats a ton! A typical day looks like this:

1-2 eggs, some puffed wheat cereal (dry), and 1/2 a banana for breakfast
nurses before morning nap
some veggies/fruit (corn, peas, cooked carrots, canned peaches/pears or berries) for an afternoon snack right when he wakes from his nap
whatever I'm eating for lunch (usually a homemade casserole, lentil soup, rice and beans or something similar)
nurses again before afternoon nap
quick snack when he wakes up (like a piece of fruit leather or some puffed wheat/corn cereal, dry)
whatever I'm eating for dinner (again usually casserole, chicken, stew or something similar)
nurses before bed
nurses 3-4 times over night (every 3-4 hours)

I like to offer food a lot during the day, mainly because I eat a lot during the day. I eat smaller portions more frequently because I think it's healthier, so I want my son to do the same. But he eats pretty large (for a baby) portions every time we eat! I would just try offering your babe food more frequently, and see if she's interested. That is A LOT of nursing, which isn't a bad thing, although it would drive me insane! Also, make sure you're offering water. Maybe she's nursing so much because she's thirsty

And I just want to clarify that I agree with what was just said above...nursing that much doesn't mean something is wrong! Every baby is different and so long as you're paying attention to her cues, I wouldn't worry

[claras_mom]

As long as she's gaining, I wouldn't worry much. You could see if she'll eat meats.

Dd2 eats/nurses well during the day, but still nurses through the night. The night nursing is partially a result of me more or less deliberately encouraging her to reverse cycle (she's in daycare during the week) in order to cut down on the amount I need to pump.

[Summersquash]

I think at 11 mos DD was eating breakfast and lunch with me, plus a snack. Her meals would vary in size but usually would eat 1/4 cup cooked oatmeal plus some bites of fruit for breakfast. Lunch would be a few small bites of meat plus some fruits and veggies (usualy simplified versoion of what I was eating). A snack of some dry cereal in the afternoon. She nursed a lot too, every 2 to 3 hrs around the clock.

Maybe just keep offering different foods and hopefully your little one will find some stuff to like!

[~Sarah~]

My 10.5 m-o DD just started eating bread and cheese last week (in addition to pureed fruits and veggies, and oatmeal). Went from gagging on thick oatmeal to shoveling bread into her mouth 4 pieces at a time within a day. You might try that----I think all the whole grains and carbs really fill her up (and make her poop more solid, which is a plus!) and she loves some organic american cheese in little nickel-sized pieces. They're both soft and easily dissolved and easy to self-feed (which I think is a big part of her gagging thing).

We tried scrambled eggs tonight, in little pieces----and she threw everything up! So it's hit or miss.

[blumooned]

My DS is 10.5 mos, around 20#, and eats a lot. As far as what types of food, we offer pretty much anything that is not a choking hazard or honey.
For breakfast he eats dry cereal (o-shaped or puffed grains) and blueberries.
For lunch, usually fruit, yogurt, bread w/nut butter, cheese, leftovers, or something similar.
He usually has a snack in the afternoon - dried fruit or cereal or sometimes part of a cookie or similar treat.
For dinner, usually 1-2 different veggies, a starch like pasta, rice, or potato, and often meat - beef, chicken, turkey, or fish.
He nurses 5-6 times during the day & 4-5 times during the night. Some of these are pretty short, others are full feedings.
For the solid food, I offer a small handful of each thing and refill as needed. He feeds himself, so stops when he is full.
I offer water in a cup with his meals.
Hope this helps!

[Bokonon]

My LO is just over 10 months and 99.9% of her diet is still breastmilk. She has absolutely no interest in solids, and will occasionally eat a few Cheerios or puffs. She is growing beautifully and the ped. is not concerned. She'll get there. I can't force-feed her just so she gets fruits, veggies, protein and carbs!

Nursing all night doesn't mean a baby is malnourished!

[lilabet]

Just to clarify, I took the amount of nursing to mean she's not getting enough calories elsewhere, i.e. she's still hungry.

Babies gagging do not mean they are rejecting food, it means they are learning how to swallow. Stopping feeding when your baby gags is totally counterproductive in teaching them how to eat.

[bezark]

Originally Posted by lilabet

Just to clarify, I took the amount of nursing to mean she's not getting enough calories elsewhere, i.e. she's still hungry.

Babies gagging do not mean they are rejecting food, it means they are learning how to swallow. Stopping feeding when your baby gags is totally counterproductive in teaching them how to eat.

At 11 months, most of a baby's calories should be coming from BM. At this point, she doesn't need solids if she's doing well with BM.

Frequent nursing isn't necessarily cause for alarm. She could just really like to nurse, and a lot of it could be comfort-nursing, especially if she doesn't use a pacifier.


Anyhow, to answer the original question:
DS is 11 months and some change and about 25lb. He nurses 3-5 times during the day and 2-3 at night.
He's still not crazy about solids and just picks at most things.
In the morning, he'll have about half a (my) handful of dry cereal, and he'll occasionally have a few bites of my oatmeal, then nurses to sleep for his morning nap.
We're not usually home for lunch, but when we are, he doesn't usually eat much of anything anyway. Occasionally he'll gnaw on some string cheese or a banana, then nurses to sleep for his afternoon nap.
At dinner he picks at whatever we're eating, except meat. He wants nothing to do with meat. Ever.

[nukuspot]

Babies seem so different when it comes to food and eating solids. I wouldn't worry about it as long as she seems happy. If she was hungry she'd tell you, right?

DD is about your LO's age. If I give her solids that she likes she will go to town on them. She's eaten 1/2 an avocado at once and I swear she'd eat a pound of blueberries if I let her. But other things like grains she just picks at. She does love meat, though. If you are a meat eater, why don't you try some soft shredded chicken or beef? You'd maybe be suprised how much she likes it. Otherwise if you are veggie or even if you are not, what about lentils or beans or egg yolks? DD likes when I make her hummus too.

[BetsyS]

I have 2 babies so far, and they have been very different.

My #1 was a bird-like eater (and still is, at 3.5). At 11 months, a "meal" for him might be 3 tablespoons of salsa, 4 black beans, a teaspoon of rice, and a tortilla chip. Seriously. That would be a huge meal. He did eat often, but not very much. He nursed a lot, too. He didn't eat meat until he was 18 months old, and even then, he didn't like it very much (still doesn't).

My #2 likes to eat a lot more. By 11 months old, he could eat an entire egg for breakfast, plus a piece of toast or some sort of meat. He'd eat a (small, children's size) bowl of something for lunch or supper. But, at 11 months old, he was still nursing at least 6 times a day as well.

#1 is off the charts huge. #2 is average. Go figure.

I really think they eat what they need, when they need it. I wouldn't worry about it.

[amyandelle]

WOW thanks so much for all the replies!

I did forget to say that she does eat rice cereal for breakfast

So I am a little weird about feeding solids. Our first dd developed severe food allergies/intolerances when we started feeding her her solids at 6 1/2 months. We had to completly stop solids and I had to go on a complete elimination diet. So with her we didn't start solids again until she was about 13 months and we had to go very very slow. With our second dd she also displayed signs of food allergy but this time we knew what to look for and I went on an elimination diet again when she was 3 weeks. We started solids with her around 10 months and again we went very very slow. Now with Azaliah she has never shown any signs of food allergy and just absolutly LOVES her food. Basically though I am scared to try the foods that my other girls had trouble with (dairy, soy, gluten, and eggs). This is pretty much why I have not ventured into other foods. I did try to give her chicken once but she did not like the texture. I am going to try again with the chicken this week but I am going to prepare it differently and puree it better.

I know I need to get over my fear and just try to introduce other foods. I did give her a little water before bed (about 1 1/2 ounces for the past 2 nights and she did sleep better. Maybe this is just a coincidence but she seems to enjoy drinking the water so we are going to continue with it.

Amy

[hibiscus mum]

DS (11 months old) eats a ridiculous amount of food. He still nurses 5 times a day, and sometimes once or twice at night (he's been sleeping through the night more and more lately, though). We feed him pretty much whatever we're eating. So tonight, we're having chili, so I'll give him kidney beans and ground beef, plus probably some fruit. We never spoon feed him anything because he prefers to feed himself.

Breakfast is usually buttered toast and sliced banana, sometimes a handful of Cheerios. Lunch is leftover pasta, or cut up cheese, ham. He loves pears, apple slices, bananas, blueberries, raisins, grapes (quartered), peas, chicken, beef (meatballs are popular), etc. I love baking so he's had mini muffins at times. He'll basically eat anything!

I was much pickier when i had DD and i don't think i even gave her bread until she was over a year old, no strawberries, etc. I haven't really avoided anything with DS but there's no history of allergies in our family so I figure I can relax a bit. The only thing it seems he won't eat so far is eggs.

[hibiscus mum]

Oh, I just read your reply above. With the chicken, for example, why not try just cutting it up into little pieces instead of pureeing? She might prefer it that way.

[Cherry Alive]

My DD (12 months) eats the same she when she was 11 months... Pretty much everything we do unless it's a choking hazard (which I try to render it safe). Her faves is a slice (1/4) of a "home-made" pizza (personal-sized bobelli shells with tomato sauce and goat's cheese and cut up chicken breast). She also likes baked chicken tenders and home-made soft tacos. Of course we provide lots of fresh veggies and fruit, and unlimited access to BFing.

[newbiemama09]

interesting, i've been wondering, too, if we're feeding DD enough. right now, she eats a lot of gerber stage 2 and 3 foods a lot, so she does get the meat and protein and carbs though that. we were giving her whole peas for a while, but didn't seem to care too much for them. she eats yougert, banana, crackers, avacados, veggies, and some other fruits. but mostly what we give her is still pureed. i;m in no rush to make her eat "real" solids. daycare follows a pretty strict feeding scheduled so they let us know when she's about to move up in stages and what foods we should start giving her at home to get her used to them, but is looks like they've been sticking with rice cereal/oatmeal and fruits.

[madmimi]

My daughter only feeds her eleven month old table food ( including instant oatmeal)  . he gets one bottle of formula( at night before bed).  no milk.  he gets sippy cups of crystal light...have things changed that much since my kids were this age?

[rainface]

Dd will be 11 months old for 2 more days And she eats...not much. I would say in the last week she's actually started putting some food in her mouth. We've done baby led solids since 4 months old, I've never spoon fed her, and I've never done purees or baby food. I'll just give her bits of what I'm having. So tonight she had roasted potatoes with marscapone cheese and BBQ pork. She ate a few bites before she tossed the rest on the floor. She nurses on demand, and nurses a lot at night, and has since she began reverse cycling when I went back to work at 3 months. Once she started crawling at about 7 months, she was just too busy to eat during the day. Also, she's not a fan of bottles of breast milk and can only be coaxed into a sippy when I'm at work. She also walked at 10 months and wears 18 month size clothes. I'm pretty sure she's getting enough.