What do you feed your 7 month old - worried about weight gain?

[Shell P]

Hi Ladies

At 6 months old my little man got gastro and lost some weight (approx 600g) but has now returned to his weight on the 50th percentile. I just had him weighed by the child health nurse and his weight has dropped again (about 80g in the last week). He weighs 8.33kg according to today's scale.
Now he eats what I think is a lot most days (but I have nothing to compare to). He is still breastfed and will go through a banana a day plus a serving of pureed fruit of veg equivalent to the jars @ woolies/coles etc, and a few bits of toast or milk arrowroot biscuits and sometimes some baby cereal although he is not crazy about that.
The nurse has been emphasizing that I should be packing more protein into his diet and feeding him meats...I guess I would have to puree with some veg but I am just not sure. He seems so young still!
I should also say he is a VERY active baby and is already crawling, climbing and beginning to walk along furniture, so I think he burns a lot of the food that he takes in.
What do you think? Am I feeding him enough? He doesn't seem hungry....

Any suggestions on what I can add to his diet would be appreciated.

Oh he also likes baby yoghurts....

Thank you

[sunshine81]

I think for a 7 month old what you are doing sounds perfect.

If you did want to add some protein I believe lamb is a nice easy one to digest. You could purée, or I think at that age DS would gum a lamb cutlet.

[Elijahs Mum]

If you are after more protein try eggs ( as long as no allergies!) make either scrambled eggs or an omelette/egg pancake and cut into strips for him to hold- quinoa has good natural protein too try that instead of rice cereals

[Kaybaby]

My 7.5mth old loves fish, lightly steamed and cut into strips as finger food, or finely chopped through his veg. Or tuna. We also give him other meats that have been cooked in our stew (or whatever) either fork mashed or very finely chopped.

Avocado - full of good fats, spread on toast, as fingers, mixed with fruit/veg.
Grate some cheese into his veg.

Of course b/milk or formula is still his main source of calories.


My fist born son was extremely active and started losing weight at 5.5mths (walked at 10mths)...we had to really make sure he had plenty of calories in his diet to make up for all the energy he was using.

[Melbell28]

I know how frustrating it can be when they start solids, because as much as I looked around I could -not- find any literature that said exactly how much they should be having for a meal, and how many meals a day. Lots of conflicting info out there. First of all yeah, breatmilk/bottle feeds are still the bulk of what they're having. Should still be three milk feeds a day, mine is on formula so for her it's 200ml per feed. Around seven months she was having three small meals and three formula feeds. Have put up a little schedule below lol just because I had to write one out for myself to make it easier and know that I was giving her enough.

Morning - small bowl of weetbix (whatever cereal you want) mixed with 100ml formula (or breastmilk)

Mid-morning - 100ml formula

Lunchtime - small bowl of mashed/pureed veg, toast fingers with cream cheese or avocado, small piece of banana or other soft fruit

Mid-afternoon - 200ml formula

Dinner (5.30-6ish) - small bowl mashed/pureed veg and meat, soft broccoli florets or toast fingers, small amount of yoghurt

Last milk feed 200ml at 7, usually asleep by 8. Of course you don't have to give yours the exact same foods, but mine has been bang on average where she needs to be every time she's weighed and she never puts up complaint like she's hungry so this schedule definitely worked for us. Hope that helps a little

[juzza mumma]

If your little one is active then you're probably ok. I really got put thru the ringer by a "concerned" health nurse. After months of being told he was too skinny and worry myself awake every night I went to the doctors for a health check. If your bubs is not gaining the weight they would like I would rely on a doctor rather than a community nurse. If you are still breast feeding you will be doing the best thing for rebuilding his gut flora.

I waited a fair while to introduce meat so here are some other ideas.

I made a stew where I simmered chick peas in stock until soft. Removed the chickpeas from the stock and add in diced veges like pumpkin, brocoli sweet potato (anything really but pumpkin makes it all taste nice) and a tin of coconut milk ( the Ayam brand has no additives) then simmer until the veg are tender. Meanwhile put the chickpeas in a food processor, you might need a bit of the liquid as well and process till smoothish. Then add beck into stew.

Serve with quinoa. White quinoa can be easily cooked in the microwave and a little goes a long way.

This recipe has lots of protein and good fats and is easier to digest than meat.

:-) just look out for the quinoa in the nappy lol

[Danigail]

My 7 month old is just around the 25th percentile. She has always been in that range. I know she's tiny that's because I'm tiny too.

I'm not worried (now that I'm a second timer mom) since I know she's active, not sick and becoming more mobile.