Feeding Bébé - Quantities and tips

The ground rules of feeding bébé

Tips:

• Use fresh ingredients and organic ones whenever possible
• Try to diversify the menus everyday to broaden your baby's palate
• Schedule the meals. Babies love schedules, if your baby's lunch interferes with your manicure, maybe it's time to re-prioritize (or get a nanny to take care of baby while you get your nails done)
• Take your time - if you're in a hurry and trying to get this done fast, chances are, baby will feel it
• Give a bit of love - feeding your baby is all about showing him/her you care. I marvel how well Margaux eats every time I feed her. It never gets old and it truly is worth every smile and excitement she gives back when being fed.

Keep baby on a schedule and feed your baby, starting at 6 months, 4 meals a day. If you give bébé a complete, full meal, he/she won't get hungry and will not need snacks.

Margaux's schedule is as follows and basically is the same of every French baby:

• 7am: Breakfast
• Noon: Lunch
• 4pm: Goûter (afternoon meal)
• 7pm: Dinner

In between these she has nothing and does not ever request anything else, as all meals provide her with sufficient nutrients until the next one.

6 to 8 months:
Breakfast: Breastfeed or 180-240 ml/6-8 oz formula
Lunch: Vegetable purée (60-120g/ 2-4 oz) followed by a bottle of milk (150-210ml/5-7 oz)
Goûter (afternoon meal): Fruit compote (60-120g/2-4 oz) and a bottle of milk (120-210 ml/4-7 oz) or breastfeed
Dinner: Breastfeed or bottle of formula (180-240ml/6-8 oz)

8 to 10 months:
Breakfast: Breastfeed or 210-240 ml /7-8 oz formula
Lunch: Vegetable purée with a tablespoon of meat or fish followed by a yogurt for babies. Add a fruit compote after the yogurt is baby is ready for it.
Goûter (afternoon meal): Fruit compote and a bottle of milk (150-180 ml/5-6 oz) or breastfeed
Dinner: Vegetable purée ( 120-150g/4-5 oz) and breastfeed or bottle of milk (150-180 ml/5-6 oz). Follow by a fruit compote if baby is still hungry.

Note: At 9 months you can substitute or mix one of the vegetable purée with rice, alphabet pasta, polenta, orzo or couscous. Obviously, if you give some starch at lunch, don't for dinner, and vice versa. 

10 to 12 months:
Breakfast: Breastfeed or 210-240 ml /7-8 oz formula. You can add 5 teaspoons max. of cereals (oatmeal or multigrain organic cereals)
Lunch: Vegetable purée with 3 teaspoons of meat or fish with  a bit of butter or oil (1 teaspoon) followed by a yogurt for babies or a fruit compote. If your baby is very active (crawling, standing up, walking) you can add some starch to the vegetables to hold him/her through the day.
Goûter (afternoon meal): Fruit compote and a bottle of milk (150-180 ml/5-6 oz) or breastfeed. If your baby is very active, oatmeal with a bit of fruit can also be a good idea.
Dinner: Vegetable purée with some starch (orzo, alphabet pasta, star shaped pasta, rice, couscous, polenta, potatoes - try to vary!) and breastfeed or bottle of milk or a yogurt. Follow by a fruit compote if baby is still hungry.

Disclaimer: I am using the guidance of my wonderful Parisian pediatrician and the classic French book of Laurence Pernoud on how to raise your child. I am not a pediatrician nor a nutritionist, just a French mother sharing recipes. Always check with your own pediatrician especially if your baby has any allergies or health issues.