By: Katie Wyllie
As mothers, we have extremely busy days, never-ending to-do lists, and sometimes, multiple kids who each have their own schedules. Making the transition from nursing or bottle-feeding babies to giving them their first foods can be difficult to fit into an already-hectic schedule. But with just a little bit of planning and a few simple tips to follow, you will be able to take on this new phase with ease.
As a mother of three, these are a few simple tricks that I use to make feeding baby on-the-go less stressful.
- Place measured amounts of formula and cereal in formula dispensers. You will always know your baby is getting exactly the right amount of formula and you won’t have to carry around large containers of formula or boxes of cereal.
- Always keep a bottle of water with you. There have been many times that running a few errands has taken longer than I expected. A handy container of clean fresh water is just what I needed.
- Have a serving of your baby’s favorite food with you. Sometimes babies turn away from new foods. One minute they like it and the next they decide it’s the worst thing they have ever tasted. Having a serving of a tried-and-true favorite will ensure baby doesn’t go hungry.
- Keep an extra set of feeding essentials in the car. I like to keep diapers, wipes, a baby bowl, an empty bottle, and a baby spoon in a container in my car. It’s a little baby emergency kit, because let’s face it, a hungry screaming baby is definitely an emergency.
- Have extra clothes for you! We always have extra outfits for baby but how many times do we forget about ourselves? My daughter tends to throw up more than either of my sons did. Now that she is trying some colorful food I like to keep an extra shirt with me. Last I checked, green peas and orange carrots weren’t trending in the fashion department.
Planning what your baby eats during the day is just as important as what you will be eating, especially when introducing foods for the first time. Your baby should only try a new food every few days to ensure he or she doesn’t react differently.
Introducing foods this way may help you pinpoint the cause of a suddenly fussy baby. The age of your baby will determine his or her infant feeding schedule.
I typically feed my daughter a serving of oatmeal and fruit or veggies in the morning and again in the evening before bed. She only eats twice a day as we have just introduced baby food. Those are the times that I know I will most likely be home each day. Sticking to a somewhat strict feeding schedule helps keep your day in order and gets it off to a less stressful start in the morning.
My 5-month-old daughter has been a great sleeper and is now consistently sleeping almost 10 hours each night. You may have a few more feedings in your schedule if your baby is still needing middle-of-the-night feedings. A typical day for my daughter and I looks a little something like this:
6:00 a.m. Baby wakes up and has first bottle.
7:30 a.m. Baby has a mixture of fruit and cereal
8:00 a.m. Naptime, baby usually sleeps for an hour or two
10:00 a.m. Bottle-feeding
12:00 p.m. Naptime, baby usually sleeps between 2-3 hours
3:00 p.m. Bottle-feeding
5:00 p.m. Naptime, baby usually sleeps for one hour
6:00 p.m. Baby has a mixture of oatmeal and veggies
7:30 p.m. Bottle-feeding, last feeding before morning.
On the flipside, don’t be afraid to change things up if needed. Click here to use this helpful Baby’s First Feeding Printable to keep track of when you fed baby, what you fed baby and if baby liked what he or she had. You can also add any comments in the space provided for any signs you may be watching for when baby is trying a new food.
Earth’s Bests offers all the convenience you need when planning baby’s meals. Vitamin-rich and nutrient-packed jars and pouches can be easily stowed in a diaper bag for hectic days. Even the busiest of days can start off smoothly when you have an action plan!
What are your best tips for baby meal planning at-home? What about when on-the-go?
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