Feeding FAQ: 6-9 months – Other

I would sometimes like to stay out until after teatime. How do I take the food needed for my twins of almost eight months, and how much should they be having?

Since my twins are almost 8 months now I’d like to be more flexible with going out in the afternoons, and able to stay outside a little bit more, rather than hurry back home for the teatime. They wake around 2.30pm, have their milk and get dressed so by the time we reach somewhere it’s already 3.30pm and we have to come back at 5 pm. That stresses me a little bit.
I could use ready made food when we’re out but I prefer to stick to the home made ones. Even if I want to use ready made ones, I don’t know if it’s safe to keep them in the room temperature?
Consider yourself; you’re out in the afternoon, you don’t want to rush back home for teatime but you want to give home made food and there is no place to warm the food?
What type of foods and methods would make that work?

One more question? I’ve read the weaning book, food bible and all the case studies, and I got the idea of when to give from which food groups but I’m not all clear about how much to give for each feed in terms of table spoons or grams? Is there a guideline for that? My twins are almost 8 months old, started solid food at 6 months of age (due to prematurity) and now more or less able to eat several fruits, vegetables, cereals, chicken, meat and fish. They have 3 formula feeds and sleep through the night.

With a little bit of thought and planning it is quite easy to take your babies’ tea out with you. Buy an insulated bag. These come in several sizes but the best for your needs would be of about a lunchbox size. When you buy this check it comes with the special gel filled inserts which can be placed in the freezer beforehand and then placed in the insulated bag when you are about to use it. These inserts will help keep the food cold. The great thing with an insulated bag is that it not only keeps cold food cold, but also warm food warm. [Although not at the same time.] This will enable you to prepare a variety of meals for the twins which can be stored in lidded containers ready to feed to them. If you did want to use the odd jar of ready made food, most babies will accept it at room temperature. If your girls will eat a whole jar at one sitting then you can feed them directly from it. If you feel some will be left, first spoon a portion of food out of the jar into a bowl and feed the babies from the food in the bowl. This way you are not placing the spoon in and out of the jar and introducing saliva into the food which will remain there.

Most of Gina’s recipes for this age group could be used. Especially useful would be the thick vegetable soups, pasta and vegetable bakes. All of these can be cooked and left to cool slightly before placing them into lidded containers and into your insulated bag. If you are using frozen portions then defrost them thoroughly, and heat them to the desired temperature. Again place them into the insulated bag where they should remain warm for an hour or so. Obviously, if you are placing jars or containers of warm food in the insulated bag you will not be needing to use the frozen gel inserts. If you think you will be out and about quite a bit you may like to invest in a wide necked thermos flask as well. This would be especially handy for soups.

If your girls are beginning to enjoy finger food pack them some mini sandwiches, bread sticks or rice cakes to eat along with their main course. You could wrap batons of cheese or cooked vegetables such as carrots in cling film ready to give them when it is tea time. If you add small pot of natural yoghurt mixed with fruit puree for each girl you will have a full tea ready to serve them wherever you are. Pack their water beakers and a set of cutlery, bibs and a pack of baby wipes for instant clean ups. Ziploc bags are very useful for placing used dishes, plastic containers, cutlery and bibs once you have finished feeding the girls.

It is quite difficult to be specific over the exact amounts of food in terms of grams or tablespoons. One baby of eight months may have a bigger appetite or be several pounds heavier than another. Be guided by your baby’s needs when offering food. The most important quantities to aim for on a daily basis are to offer 2oz of protein in the form of chicken, fish or meat and to keep their milk intake to 18-20ozs [ 500- 600mls] a day. This includes milk used to mix into cereals, and that used in cooking. Yoghurt and cheese can replace some of the milk if your babies are not taking their full amount. By the time they are a year old the minimum daily requirement for their milk intake is 12ozs [350mls].

Providing you are offering them a range of vegetables, fruit, carbohydrates such as cereals, pasta, rice and bread as well as chicken, meat and fish and some dairy produce such as cheese and yoghurt your babies will be eating a healthy diet. By this age, once you have addressed their daily milk and protein needs look at their intake of food over several days rather than what they eat on one day. This will give you a proper picture of how well they are eating. If they continue to gain weight steadily, although not so quickly as they did when younger, and sleep well you can be sure they are eating enough for their needs.