This post is sponsored by buybuy BABY. As always, all opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Sunflowers and Stilettos possible.

Also, I am not a doctor or medical professional. The information below is simply based on my own experience. Should you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s feeding or sleeping schedules, please reach out to his/her Pediatrician.

Motherhood

Motherhood is funny… just when you think you have things under control and you’re confident in everything you’re doing, life throws you a little curve ball. The truth is, no one has this motherhood thing mastered. We are all learning and trying our best every day. Some days are huge successes, and other days we may feel like total failures. Just know that we are in this thing together.

With Harley [my daughter, first child], I felt the need to google everything, and compare her schedule to other friends’ kids. But honestly, she and I had a really great routine together when she was an infant. She started sleeping through the night at 8 weeks and would take her naps almost to the minute on schedule. She has also been a great eater from the very beginning.

So now, with Elie [my son, second child], I had a little more confidence going in. I figured I’d repeat everything I did with Harley and we’d be good to go. NOPE. They’re completely different children. Also, my schedule is slightly different now compared to when Harley was a baby. Because of that, it makes sense that their infant feeding and sleeping schedules would be different.

Adjusting to Solids

At this point, Elie gets the bulk of his nutrition from formula. We started introducing food around 6 months. While he loves his pureed food [these pouches and bowls are so great and convenient], he hasn’t been the biggest fan of finger foods, feeding himself, or having different solid textures in his mouth. His Pediatrician said it’s completely normal at his age, and to keep trying. Below are some tips she gave us, along with other recommendations shared by friends:

Make mealtime a happy, positive experience

Feed Elie when the rest of the family is eating

Demonstrate chewing, and exaggerate when chewing so he can try to mimic

Try giving him finger foods and solids at every meal, even if he refuses

Gerber puffs are easier to chew versus other brands, so start with those

Let him play with food! Let him get messy!

Give him a large whole raw carrot or celery stalk to practice biting, chewing, and moving his tongue

We’ve been implementing these tips for the past three weeks, and Elie is starting to get the hang of it! He’s tolerating more chunky textures and started eating puffs. We still have a long way to go, but I’m way more hopeful that with time, he’ll be a great little eater!

Elie’s 9 Month Feeding and Sleeping Schedule

7:15 AM : WAKE UP, DIAPER CHANGE, 6 OZ BOTTLE

9:30AM: BREAKFAST [some type of fruit and oatmeal combo + 6 OZ BOTTLE]

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM: NAP

11:00 AM: 6 OZ BOTTLE

11:30 – 12:00 PM: LUNCH [a full pouch or bowl + we offer him different solid snacks and cut up food]

2:00 PM – 4:00 PM: NAP

4:00 PM: 6 OZ BOTTLE

6:00 PM: DINNER [I try to give him small pieces of whatever protein and roasted veggies we’re eating]

6:30 PM: BATH

6:50 PM: 6 OZ BOTTLE & BOOK

7:15 PM: BEDTIME

Other Info on Elie’s Feeding and Sleeping Routine

BOTTLES:

For bottles, the Philips Avent Anti-Colic bottles have always been what we prefer. No joke, when Harley was a newborn, we had to try over 15 different types! This was the only one she’d take initially. So with that being said, when Elie was born, it’s what we tried first. Thankfully he drank from it without a problem.

HIGHCHAIR:

Our highchair is the Graco® Blossom™ DLX 6-in-1 High Chair™. This thing is amazing! It has three different reclining positions along with six different height options. The leatherette seat back is wipeable and machine washable, while the tray is removable and dishwasher-safe. It grows with your child from infancy to the toddler stage [it comes with a booster], and offers six different seating options.

Honestly, prior to owning the Graco Blossom, I didn’t see the point in having a highchair that cost more than $30. I now understand how beneficial it is to have a comfortable and useful chair to seat my child in! Elie is in this thing all the time and loves it!

SOUND MACHINE:

On most days and nights, as soon as I put on Elie’s sound machine, it signals him to take a nap or go to sleep for the evening. He’ll yawn, rub his eyes, and go down pretty easily. I don’t think I could live without one!

SNUGGLE BUDDY:

It’s funny how kids pick and choose which blankie or lovie [or whatever you want to call it] to cling to and cuddle up with. Elie has a little snuggle buddy that he’s obsessed with. I swear, him having that in his hands, along with the white noise from the sound machine is the best combination for a successful sleep.

Have any tips from your little one’s feeding and/or sleeping schedule? Please feel free to share in the comments section below! Us moms need to stick together and share all the tips and tricks!