Feeding Your Infant & Toddler

I was one of those people that was all for breastfeeding, but wasn’t sure I’d really want a baby sucking on my nipple… I mean I don’t want to feel like a cow!

The science background in me, however, knew that it was the healthiest option. It’s also a free option as opposed to purchasing formula. So I knew I had to give it a go.

Little did I know that it would be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

There were moments that I thought I wasn’t going to be able to continue…and it was devastating. I cried and the tears surprised me…

It was once 10 times a day, now it's only 4; I share a beautiful moment with my daughter. A moment that no one else in the world will ever experience with her. I nurse my daughter and she feels comforted, satisfied, and content. In return, she makes me feel comforted, satisfied, and content.

I rub my hand across her cheek, push her hair out of her eyes, hold her toes in my hand, and gently rub her back.  She's gotten so efficient at eating, that I have to be quick to take in the moment before it's over.

Growth spurts are a normal and necessary part of a baby’s life and development.  They may make a new mama a little crazy and wonder if her milk supply is too low or if something is wrong with her fussy baby, but really there’s no reason to worry!  All you need to do to recognize a growth spurt for what it is and then HANDLE IT like the mom boss you are.

Yesterday was the first day in your life that I have not breastfed you. You are 1 week away from being 1 year old. 1 week away from being a toddler instead of an infant! Time is flying by and it is bittersweet. With each new milestone I am so excited to see what life brings to us in your new phase, but I am also saddened to let go of some things. This is one of those moments.

What if pumping isn’t as ideal as we think? 

How careful do we need to be with it? 

Should a 6 month old baby, be given pumped milk from when he or she was 3 months old? 

For moms that are breastfeeding, and then pumping to gain freezer storage for those moments in need… is that really the best option? 

When is the ideal time to pump? Is after a feeding ok?

As far as I can tell, there really hasn’t been much research done in this area of exclusively pumping. I personally think there needs to be, however.

Since, as a society, we are pushing breast milk as the “best” option, many moms are feeling guilted into pumping and storing milk, when they otherwise may have just used formula.

Formula has been highly researched and we know it is a safe, good alternative. In fact, it has some advantages such as being enriched and fortified with iron.

Pumping, storing, and feeding is most likely also safe– but what if it isn’t as straightforward as we think?

I’ve often weighed the pros and cons of breastfeeding versus bottle feeding (both with formula and/or breast milk). With my first child, I came to a simple solution.

The solution was simply to try breastfeeding. If it worked, great. If it didn’t, I’d try pumping and bottle feeding. If that didn’t work, I’d move on to formula.

All was going great- so I thought. Little did I know, my 4 month old was falling off of the curve for weight. Our breastfed baby not gaining weight was a huge surprise.

Breastfeeding had been going wonderfully. He was happy after a feed, and he was sleeping well.

At 4 months, we were on a 4 hour schedule. This schedule was going great with 5 feedings, and 3 naps. He was even sleeping through the night after turning 4 months old. Things were going smoothly and I was pleased with his progress with everything.

At his 4 month appointment, however, I was told he hadn’t gained enough weight...

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I think almost every new mom has heard the statement, “Breast is best.” Those were my exact thoughts when I found out I was pregnant. Feeding your baby? That’s a no brainer! You should at least TRY to breastfeed. Why wouldn’t you want to do what’s BEST for your baby?

So that’s what I was going to do. I did all the research I could on breastfeeding. I had a Pinterest board dedicated to it, took breastfeeding classes, and asked anyone I knew who did it if they knew the secret- the secret to successful breastfeeding.

SO many people I knew had to switch to formula because breastfeeding did not work for them. I thought they just weren’t educated enough and hadn’t tried hard enough. Surely, if I learn as much as possible and don’t make their same mistakes it won’t happen to me...

Knowing that many breastfeeding moms think schedules are not an option (as I once did), I am on a mission to spread the word that breastfeeding on a schedule is not only possible, it works insanely well!

Here are the reasons I’d recommend breastfeeding on a schedule, versus  breastfeeding on demand:

Initially, I was leaning towards feeding on demand for the first few weeks.

I felt that, since I was breastfeeding, I would need to give food on demand in order to keep my supply up, and to make sure she was getting enough food (since I wasn’t going to be able to measure the ounces she was eating).

I also saved a few schedules, however, because I loved the idea and predictability of keeping her on a schedule throughout the day.

When it came down to it, we never ended up feeding on demand. Because she was born early (at 37 weeks), our doctor recommended feeding every 2 hours around the clock until her weight was up.

I am so glad we got this advice in the hospital, because we naturally fell into a schedule and a great rhythm.

Learn all about the eat, wake, sleep cycle and how to use it with feeding on a schedule.

4 Key things to look for when considering dropping a feeding.

4 things to look for when considering a schedule change of any kind.

8 step guide to making a schedule change!

It is important to learn how to recognize and deal with growth spurts in babies. Babies grow on average 1 inch per month in the first 6 months of life. In this post you’ll learn when these growth spurts happen, and how to deal with them.

Here you'll find even more resources on handling schedules with your baby:

- Learning your baby's ideal schedule

- Knowing how and when to make changes

- Understanding schedules vs routines

- Handling growth spurts

- And TONS more help!

Here I have EVERY schedule we've ever used recorded for you! 2 full years of infant schedules, plus toddler schedules as well!

My inspiration for using schedules came from the book series "Babywise"...

At this page you will find a plethora of information on this topic to help introduce you to this method as well!

Every Babywise question asked and answered!

Learn about our progression month by month on starting solid foods and transitioning to all solids!

Depending on what resources you look at, it is advised to begin solid foods with your baby anywhere from 4 to 6 months of age.

I also like to consider nutritional needs and keep that in mind as well. Starting at 6 months of age, your baby actually needs sources of nutrition other than breast milk and formula.

Iron, specifically, needs to be a part of your baby’s diet. Breast milk alone, cannot sustain the needs of your baby at 6 months. It was with that in mind, and the signs below, that we decided to start solid foods with our daughter, Caroline, at 4 months of age.

I really liked that she’d have time to adjust to solid foods, and we’d be able to get comfortable with it by the time we reached the 6 month mark and she actually needed it.

In this way, I knew it would be much less stressful.

In addition to the nutritional requirements, it is also important to consider the needs and readiness of each baby individually. And, if you are struggling on what age should you start feeding solid foods to your baby, this list is great to help you decide…

We have been introducing one food at a time, all have been purees, spoon fed etc. About a week ago Caroline started trying the puff. She gnawed on it very well and proved to have good chewing skills! As a result, my goal is to take some of her favorite foods and give them to her in small bite sizes, instead of pureeing them.

Water can actually be very dangerous for babies. Babies can survive on breast milk and/or formula alone for the first 6 months without needing any supplemental food or water.

Breast milk and formula both provide all of the hydration that a baby needs. Adding water to this can lead to serious side effects.

Here are some guidelines to keep in mind...

These are three must have products for feeding your little.

I'm a middle ground Mama. I'm not giving my kids McDonald's every day, but I'm also not worried about feeding them organic everything, or fresh instead of canned, etc. Relax and stay conscious of healthy choices, but don't overwhelm yourself!

Weaning from breastfeeding/formula is actually a gradual process from birth! As you take away feedings and graduate to the next phase, you might not be thinking about weaning yet, but you are well on your way. I’ll talk about the specifics of the later months below, but to start off, here is a look at how our transition took place month by month:

We try to not have to change rules for our kids. Making a mess at the table is something we know we aren't ok with, so we decided to start with purpose on this early early on...

Rules are so important when it comes to toddlers and eating. Just like with any other aspect of their life, they thrive on boundaries and consistency.

7 steps we take when our daughter throws things at the table..