Food??? Milk??? Confused

Question

FTM here. I see so many babies on this app eating what seems like a lot of food. I thought babies before 1 really only need milk. Food before 1 is just for fun?? Am I wrong? Should I be feeding my baby more food?

Answer

Food before one is just for fun is a little confusing. It means you shouldn’t stress about how much they are actually eating but they do need food. They cannot get enough iron and zinc from breastmilk/formula starting around the 6 month mark. They also need food in order to get used to different textures and tastes. Babies who aren’t on table food by 10 months are more likely to need feeding therapy. Just like all people, each baby is different and will eat different amounts. Some eat hardly anything while others eat a lot. Babies know how much food they need. We follow @ feedinglittles and their motto is “you provide, they decide.” My job as the parent is to provide healthy meals in a proper environment and my daughters job is to decide how much to eat. Breastmilk/formula is still their #1 source of nutrition at this age.

Answer

Food is definitely just for fun.  Our doctor just explained that the more textures they’re introduced to early the better.  It gives them less sensory issues with different textures in the mouth.  We still do 28 oz of formula a day, but we’re doing 2 regular meals a day also.  We only did purées from 6-7 months, she’s been doing little pieces of food for several weeks now.

Answer

Hmm, yes and no, as the other commenters have said.
Just for fun, in the sense that milk should be their main source of nutrition until 1.
However, food is important from six months. Firstly for developmental reasons of learning the skill, but we are all giving some food anyway so that's fine. 
Second, nutritionally there are some things that are important. Their iron levels will start to deplete at 6 months, so it's important to try and get iron in their diet.
So, a bit of both. I think the trouble with the phrase is that it has potential to be taken to the extreme, and the worry is that some won't give any food until one, when actually it's meant to be interpreted as milk is the main source of nourishment until one. Though that isn't as catchy.

Answer

I just watch to see when she isn’t interested in eating more. I feed her purées 30 minutes after milk for breakfast and dinner. Usually she only eats half a jar at a feeding. Sometimes she eats more. I never do more than one jar tho. 
Also I think it may seem like babies eat more when they are doing blw. I’m trying to just follow my baby’s cues to see what she’s interested in.

Answer

Some says my daughter eats more food than others. Yesterday she mostly played with it. Haha. Yes, it’s mostly for fins by 9 months you should see a decrease in milk intake (by like 8oz) due to the increase in food intake.

Food??? Milk??? Confused

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