Every baby is different so the amount they eat will be different from your friend’s baby. It’s not helpful to compare (although I know we all do it).
We should be offering small amounts and letting them ask for more. When I say small, I really mean small. Think about the size of their hand, a portion of veg for example, is a handful (this is in established weaning not first tastes). It doesn’t fill a plate. It’s also important to follow their lead and watch out for their cues of fullness. If we override these on a regular basis, this can be unhelpful later down the line.
Cues the are full:
- turning their head away
- clamping their mouth shut
- crying
- throwing food on the floor
- playing with their food
What do you do if your baby doesn’t know when to stop eating?
- Keep an eye on their weight – make sure they are tracking a centile
- Ask yourself, is this a regular thing or could they be having a growth spurt or are they making up for not eating much the day before?
- Give them a variety of different foods and let them ask for more
- Use the portion size sheets I have given you to guide
- If you feel they have had enough, you can end the meal. If they complain and they have had quite a bit, the chances are they will have had enough until the next meal or snack.
- If you are worried about them jumping up the centiles, we can talk about the types of food you are giving and whether they need less energy dense foods.
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