SAMPLE BABY FEEDING SCHEDULES: 10-12 Months

Oh, so much changes in just one short year. As my boys approached their first birthday, I grew weepy thinking back on all we had experienced with the joy of life during the exciting first year.

Here are notes from our schedule for 10-12 months.

MONTH 10
Cereal was consistent and we were adding more fruits and vegetables throughout the day. While following the 3-5 day wait rule, I added various fruits for breakfast, green veggies for lunch, and orange veggies for dinner. The boys were taking 2 full naps and a third catnap in the late afternoon. I got them up for the day at 7:00am and they had a bottle and ate breakfast. They had another bottle and ate lunch at 11:00. Then, they would have another bottle and eat their afternoon meal at 3:00pm. The last feeding of the day was just a bottle at 7:00pm right before being laid down for bedtime. This 4 hour schedule worked well for a while.

MONTH 11
This month, we were down to just 2 naps around 9:00am and 1:00pm. The eating schedule stayed about the same while adding more and more quantities as well as mixing flavors. Some favorites were mango, blueberries, pears, avocado, banana, sweet potato, zucchini, squash, and carrots.

MONTH 12
Our sleeping and eating schedules stayed generally the same with lunch and the afternoon meal each moving about 30 minutes later. We kept increasing food amounts, varieties, textures, and mixtures. At this point, the boys were generally eating about 26-32 oz formula, 6-8 oz fruit, 1/2 cup porridge, and 6-8 oz vegetables every day. This was split up as follows:

• 7:00am – bottle, porridge, fruit (sometimes yogurt with berries or banana)
• 11:30am – bottle, green vegetable, fruit, and protein
• 3:30pm – bottle, snack (cheese, graham crackers, cheerios, or fruit)
• 7:00pm – water, yellow vegetable, grain (porridge from rice or millet or whole grain pasta)

RESOURCES
I’ve mentioned these before, but my two favorite resources have been Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron and wholesomebabyfood.com. Please share any other interesting or helpful resources. You may also benefit from some of these TIPS.

Be sure to also see these previous posts.
SAMPLE BABY FEEDING SCHEDULES: 10-12 Months (you are here)
SAMPLE BABY FEEDING SCHEDULES: 7-9 Months
SAMPLE BABY FEEDING SCHEDULES: 4-6 Months
SAMPLE BABY FEEDING SCHEDULES: 0-3 Months
SAMPLE BABY FEEDING SCHEDULES: Introduction

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS
As always, be sure to discuss any feeding options, ideas, struggles, or issues along the way with your pediatrician.

Consistency is key. Decide what you want your daily routine to be and stick with it. Babies, children, and adults enjoy routine and knowing what to expect next. You will, of course, need to change with your children as they grow, but getting this established early is something that you will be thankful for in the future.

Keep taking notes and writing what your baby eats, how much, and how often. It will great in knowing where to go next and noting any allergy triggers or sleep issues. Full tummies like their sleep. My boys also definitely eat better when they are well rested.

NOTE: A month references the time from turning that age until the next older month. So, if your baby was born on January 1st, then those first weeks are considered MONTH 1 until he reaches February 1st. From then until March 2nd is considered MONTH 2. Remember that there are 52 weeks in a year, so it’s not an even 4 weeks per month.

Please share your thoughts and ideas.

Tags: cereal, formula, fruit, porridge, routine, schedule, schedules, vegetable

TIP OF THE DAY: Batch Grinding Grains

I save jars, clean thoroughly, and use for storing grain powders in the refrigerator.

Based on the information in Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron, here are some tips for grinding your grains, beans, peas, and legumes for making porridge.

• Use a blender or coffee grinder. Do not use a food processor.
• Start with small quantities and single grains.
• When you move to mixed grains, mix and store them together so they are ready to go when it’s time to cook.
• Mix 2 parts grain and 1 part legume (bean or pea) together for a complete protein.
• Store them in glass jars in the refrigerator.
• Prepare 1 serving with 1/4 cup powder in 1 cup boiling water. Turn water to lowest setting and whisk in powder, then cover for 10 minutes.
• Double or triple your recipe and refrigerate for 2-3 days for reheating.
• Remember that millet and smaller grains require more water, so only use 3 TBS per 1 cup of water.
• Get creative. Once your baby or toddler is old enough mix up the combination and add in spices.

You may also like these posts on grains and porridge.

Week 06: Healthy Grains
UPDATE: Porridge
WEEK 12: Bake Sweet Potato Fries (see porridge varieties section)

Tags: bean, grain, legume, porridge, whole grain

SAMPLE BABY FEEDING SCHEDULES: 7-9 Months

This was a very fun time. I felt like we really hit a groove and many things with our routine such as sleeping and eating really fell into place and stayed consistent for a while. Both boys also started crawling and pulling up to stand during this period which is so fun.

Here are notes from our schedule for 7-9 months.

MONTH 7
Cereal was consistent and we were adding more fruits and vegetables throughout the day. While following the 3-5 day wait rule, I added various fruits for breakfast, green veggies for lunch, and orange veggies for dinner. The boys were taking 2 full naps and a third catnap in the late afternoon. I got them up for the day at 7:00am and they had a bottle and ate breakfast. They had another bottle and ate lunch at 11:00. Then, they would have another bottle and eat their afternoon meal at 3:00pm. The last feeding of the day was just a bottle at 7:00pm right before being laid down for bedtime. This 4 hour schedule worked well for a while.

MONTH 8
This month, we were down to just 2 naps around 9:00am and 1:00pm. The eating schedule stayed about the same while adding more and more quantities as well as mixing flavors. Some favorites were mango, blueberries, pears, avocado, banana, sweet potato, zucchini, squash, and carrots.

MONTH 9
Our sleeping and eating schedules stayed generally the same with lunch and the afternoon meal each moving about 30 minutes later. We kept increasing food amounts, varieties, textures, and mixtures. At this point, the boys were generally eating about 26-32 oz formula, 6-8 oz fruit, 1/2 cup porridge, and 6-8 oz vegetables every day. This was split up as follows:

• 7:00am – bottle, porridge, fruit
• 11:00/11:30am – bottle, green vegetable, fruit
• 3:00/3:30pm – bottle, porridge, orange vegetable, fruit
• 7:00pm – bottle

RESOURCES
I’ve mentioned these before, but my two favorite resources have been Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron and wholesomebabyfood.com. Please share any other interesting or helpful resources. You may also benefit from some of these TIPS.

Be sure to also see these previous posts.
SAMPLE BABY FEEDING SCHEDULES: 10-12 Months
SAMPLE BABY FEEDING SCHEDULES: 7-9 Months (you are here)
SAMPLE BABY FEEDING SCHEDULES: 4-6 Months
SAMPLE BABY FEEDING SCHEDULES: 0-3 Months
SAMPLE BABY FEEDING SCHEDULES: Introduction

ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS
As always, be sure to discuss any feeding options, ideas, struggles, or issues along the way with your pediatrician.

Consistency is key. Decide what you want your daily routine to be and stick with it. Babies, children, and adults enjoy routine and knowing what to expect next. You will, of course, need to change with your children as they grow, but getting this established early is something that you will be thankful for in the future.

Keep taking notes and writing what your baby eats, how much, and how often. It will great in knowing where to go next and noting any allergy triggers or sleep issues. Full tummies like their sleep. My boys also definitely eat better when they are well rested.

NOTE: A month references the time from turning that age until the next older month. So, if your baby was born on January 1st, then those first weeks are considered MONTH 1 until he reaches February 1st. From then until March 2nd is considered MONTH 2. Remember that there are 52 weeks in a year, so it’s not an even 4 weeks per month.

Please share your thoughts and ideas.

::

Tags: cereal, formula, fruit, porridge, routine, schedules, vegetable

Your Baby or Toddler and Constipation

Tags: baby, porridge, toddler, water, yogurt

TIP OF THE DAY: Microwave Porridge

If you’re not against using a microwave, this can be a quick way to prepare porridge. Use the same proportions of ground powder mixture and water as usual. Microwave in three, 1 minute increments, stirring between each. It may seem to be a little gummier, but keep stirring well and it should be just fine. And, it’s much quicker.

Please share your thoughts and ideas.
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Tags: porridge

WEEK 15: Flax

Trial and error. Some things worked this week and some didn’t. I finally bought some flax seed and am trying to get it into to something every day. The boys are still eating well pretty much on their own. Some meals are messier than others.

FOOD DESCRIPTION
I added flax to porridge and dusted on top of tofu pieces. I also attempted to bake some cookies and we introduced cauliflower.

PROCESS

• I added a scoop of flax seed to porridge (either oatmeal or a whole grain version at dinner) this week.
• Cauliflower – I fed the boys frozen, organic cauliflower this week. It was part of a mix with broccoli and seemed to take a few days to catch on.
• Cinnamon Flax Seed Cookies
• 3/4 cup butter (softened, not melted)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup flax seed
• 2 Large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2-1/3 cups whole wheat flour
• 2/3 Tbsp baking soda
• 2 cups oatmeal

  Cream butter and sugars in a large bowl; add flax seed. In another bowl, beat eggs and vanilla together. Combine with flax mixture. Sift together the flour and baking soda. Mix in oatmeal and cinnamon and combine with other ingredients. Form dough into 1-1/2″ round logs. Wrap and put in freezer to chill. Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice into 1/4 inch medallions. Place on baking sheet and bake 13 to 15 minutes.  

WHAT I LEARNED
Flax is easy to mix in to existing foods, but I must work a little harder to learn how to bake with it effectively. Flax seed can also be used as a substitute:

• 3 Tbsp flax seed = 1 Tbsp margarine, butter or cooking oil
  To substitute for all of the fat, increase liquid by 75% as ground flax absorbs liquid. Note that baked goods will brown more quickly.
• 1 Tbsp flax seed plus 3 tablespoons water = 1 egg
  Allow to sit for several minutes together before adding to your recipe for pancakes, muffins and cookies

REACTION
The boys at their porridge with the flax added the same as usual. The cauliflower took a few days to catch on, but both began to eat it themselves. They will always eat anything that I feed to them on a spoon or fork, but for picking it up themselves, they definitely have favorites and preferences. I honestly haven’t fed the cookies to the boys. I thought them as a definite treat due to the added sugar and just haven’t seen the need for them yet. I made them to try myself and must say I was disappointed. I am definitely not used to that much whole wheat flour and I’m sure they would have been great with all-purpose flour. I did eat one and still have some dough in the freezer to try again.

SUMMARY
As mentioned in Brain Boosting Nutrients, you will see that flax seed is an Omega-3 Fatty Acid. When buying, choose cold milled because all the nutrients remain in-tact. Consider using it in smoothies, pancakes, and meatloaf; or as a topping on cereal or yogurt. Maybe I’ll get the chance to post something else made with flax in the future.

Please share your thoughts or ideas.
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Tags: cookie, flax, porridge, recipe

Tip of the Day: Grain Grinding

If you’re making or planning to make cereal or porridge for your little one just starting out, try using a coffee grinder for making your grain powder. I haven’t personally tried this, but I wish I new this tip starting out. Gettin my rice ground up fine enough was one of my struggles when I first attempted to make my own.

Please share your thoughts and ideas.
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Tags: baby, grains, porridge, pre-toddler, toddler

Brain Boosting Nutrients

During the first 36 months of life, the brain is growing at an amazing rate as he/she learns out how to think, react, and problem-solve. Of course, developmental activities are key, but what goes into the body is just as important. Foods that contain antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and complex carbohydrates are all particularly important in brain health.

Antioxidants are nutrients to protect your toddler’s brain from normal wear and tear.

• Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries
• Other fruits and vegetables — the more brightly colored, the more nutrient dense. 
• Nuts, seeds, and nut/seed butters

Make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with peanut butter enriched with omega-3s and use sliced blueberries or strawberries instead of jam or jelly. Or, try stirring fresh berries into plain yogurt; or make a smoothie with the same ingredients and some milk in the blender. Add some tahini or other seed butters to porridge or spreads for bread and toast. Remember to also use these opportunities to add some healthy extras.

Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids are healthy fats and the fillers in breast milk and fortified baby formulas. They are crucial to brain and eye development and help with mood-stabilization.

• Salmon, scallops, shrimp (Try this recipe.)
• Walnuts
• Flaxseed
• Omega-3 enriched eggs and yogurt

Make salmon fillets for dinner or put salmon salad (you can prepare it as you would prepare tuna salad) on whole-grain bread for lunch. Bake some flaxseed cookies (post coming soon) for a treat or add flax to your oatmeal or porridge. Scrambled eggs are super easy and a kid favorite.

Complex Carbohydrates are fiber-rich whole grains. They are crucial to the brain’s functioning as its main source of fuel. Remember that sugars are simple carbohydrates, lacking fiber, which are absorbed very quickly, causing fast energy highs and even faster lows. The fiber in complex carbohydrates slows the body’s absorption of energy, allowing the brain gets a nice steady fuel supply.

• Whole-grain breads, pastas, crackers, cereals
• Whole-grain pancakes, waffles
• Brown rice

Yummy whole-grain cereals and oatmeal are great for breakfast. Keep expanding on your porridge creations. Be sure to make sandwiches with whole-grain bread and use whole-wheat pastas for those yummy dishes.

Please share your thoughts and ideas.
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Tags: antioxidants, berries, brain, carbs, flax, nuts, omega-3, porridge, seeds, whole grain

WEEK 12: Baked Sweet Potato Fries

This week included lots of toddler-friendly, healthy finger foods. It is great to see my boys grow and so nice to be able to feed them many of the same things that I am eating, but I also like making things especially for them to have on-hand in the refrigerator and freezer. This just makes life much simpler.

FOOD DESCRIPTION
I made Baked Sweet Potato Fries this week and continued with some of our previous creations such as pancakes and spinach bites from the freezer. Mixing things with porridge is getting more and more as well.

PROCESS

• Baked Sweet Potato Fries These are another great way to get a mushy vegetable in tiny little fingers. Get creative with the seasoning…you can’t go wrong.

• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• Dash ground nutmeg

1. Heat oven to 425°F
2. Lightly coat baking sheet with olive oil and set aside. 
3. Scrub potatoes; cut lengthwise into quarters, then into wedges or the size pieces you desire.
4. Mix melted butter and spices in a bowl and toss potatoes to coat.
5. Arrange potatoes in a single layer in pan. 
6. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until brown and tender.

I stored these in the refrigerator and reheated for a few lunches and dinners this week.

• Super Porridge Varieties We’ve been mixing up different combinations for the past few weeks and some things seem to be working out really well. Here are just a few ideas to get started.

1. oats + apples + cinnamon (a breakfast staple)
2. brown rice + lentils
3. brown rice + garbonzo beans
4. oats + tahini
5. brown rice + lentils + yogurt + fruit

WHAT I LEARNED
Think about what size you make your pieces. I ended up cutting mine after reheating, which was fine, but I could have just done that better in the beginning.

REACTION
The boys loved these. They have always loved sweet potatoes. The pancakes continue to be a big hit with just a little butter spread on top and they still enjoy the spinach bites as well.

SUMMARY
The baked sweet potato fries are another great addition to our healthy foods. Both the pancakes and spinach bites seemed to freeze, thaw, and reheat well. The Super Porridge is a great, great thing. I’m on the edge of my seat for the boys to be able to use spoons and feed it to themselves!

Please share your thoughts or ideas.
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Tags: porridge, recipe, sweet potato

UPDATE: Porridge

I wanted to share an update on our porridge progress since I feel that whole grains are such an important part of the diet. So far, my boys have enjoyed rice cereal with black beans, rice cereal with lentils, and organic oatmeal. I have added tahini to some and am looking forward to adding more “healthy extras” as mentioned in Super Baby Food. Both boys seem to enjoy it.

I have served it both fresh and reheated from the refrigerator. Both have seemed to work fine, but I have had to make a few adjusmtents.

FRESH
I have ground the powder in my blender (not perfectly fine, but not too course yet either). I have cooked it on the stove top and it is piping hot. I have found that adding an ice cube or 2 will help thin it a little and cool it down. You might want to start with a little less water so it’s still ok being slightly thinned by the ice cube melting.

REFRIGERATED
I have cooked extra and refrigerated immediately in glass bowls. These bowls are perfect for reheating or for getting out a portion and saving the rest. I have found that I need to add a little water or milk once it has been refrigerated, but this has proven to be a super easy time-saver.

Most days, I’m serving oatmeal at breakfast and rice cereal at dinner. I’m planning to add more healthy grains soon like millet.

Please share your thoughts and ideas.
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Tags: cereal, grain, porridge