Hi All

My trio are a year old now (never thought I'd make it) and I have no idea what, when, how or where to feed them. The littlest still digs milk and stage one foods, the "oldest" is keen to be eating finger foods. If I search on the net for sample meal plans, it looks like between prepping, serving, and cleaning up after 6 minimeals, I will never leave the kichen. Right now we do meals when at home and everyone is awake, two or three a day, and milk at all other times. I feel like giving them finger foods in the car or as they are playing just opens up the world of bad eating habits.

Any working meal times for me to try? We wake up at six and go to bed at eight, and get out of the house every day for big or small outings. I make their meats and fish but buy veggies and fruit. And I'm anxious for my littlest to eat more then he does... his brother is four pounds heavier!

Eliza

Mom to Antonio, Amedeo and Marcello, born at 35.5 weeks and 4+ pounds, on June 23 2009, in Italy

Eliza

This is what we do:

6:15-6:30 AM wake: formula in a bottle then yogurt, apple sauce, chunks of banana, and Cheerios (they pick up from tray themselves) in their high chairs

10:30 AM: offer bottle of formula then meal in their high chairs. They eat steamed peas, refried beans with rice, baked sweet potatoes, quinoa, chunks of cheese, steamed & pureed green beans, lentils, noodles with veggie tomato sauce, etc. Sippy cup of water. Graham cracker or animal cookie.

2:30 PM: same as 10:30 AM

5:45 PM: food (no formula offered)

7:00 PM: bottle of formula then asleep by 7:15 PM

I try to keep the foods limited to these times, when they are in their high chairs. Consistency is key.

If someone seems to be getting hungry a few minutes early, I offer the formula early or a Graham cracker to hold and gnaw on for the last few minutes before the meal.

That said, there isn't much time for outings between all of these meals and naps (8 AM, 12 noon, 4 PM). We flex the schedule occasionally to get out and do things - eat at restaurants, go to friends' houses - but we usually try to keep the meal times the same even if they eat somewhere else.

Anyway, that's what we do! Good luck with whatever you choose!

*Christina*

PS - my smaller boy wasn't interested in food for about a month after his bigger brother started gobbling down food. I didn't push it and just let him go at his own pace. Since your boys are discordant in feeding ability and weight, you might try having finger foods available for everyone but also spoon feeding them so the littler guy keeps growing well.