During meal times, I sit with her the whole time while I feed her. Most of the time, I try to eat an apple or my meal while I'm sitting to feed her (to give her a sign that it's meal time for the both of us). Even with that, she can still take an hour to eat. I am not a very patient person either and sitting for an hour is quite long. DH suggested me to skip a meal and "let her get hungry" so that she will eat faster. Don't know if that's a good idea... to me, I feel guilty for skipping her a meal!

She is 8 months old but still no teeth yet which is why she is still on pureed food. Is it okay to give her soft cooked veggies at this time when she's got no teeth to bite the foods apart? She loves fruits mixed with cereal. Other than pureed/finely smashed food, I haven't started anything else. I know for one thing... when I eat an apple, she seems more interested in my food (table foods than her own). Sometimes, I would let her suck on an apple I am eating and she just loves it. But I assume, apple is a choking hazard at this age and especially that she's got no teeth?

In Canada, the recommended amount of formula for an 8 month old is 30-330z (equivalent to 900ml or 1000ml). I don't really follow what's said in the book because every baby is different. Also, ethnicity plays a big role. In North America, 70% of babies and children are considered overweight. TBH, I am not so concerned about her bottle intake. I used to make up a 7 oz bottle but there was always 1oz or sometimes 2 oz left so I figure I'll just make up 6oz. Most of the time, she's done with her bottle in 10 minutes. Her bottle habit is to drink when she wants a nap or sleep unless it's the 5am (hunger feed).

Maybe I should try giving her less cereal and see what happens. I'm not too keen on sitting for 1 hour/meal which means 3 hours/day just for meal time. If it goes on like that, I think she'll develop a bad habit of taking such a long time to eat. Should I cut back one meal or should I continue the 3 meals routine but cut back amount of cereal?

I know that many moms suggest to bottle feed first then solids, but with DD, it doesn't work out at all. When she's got a full belly of milk, she just wouldn't open her mouth to eat even a bite... and if she does she would gag and just throw up the bite of food and some milk which is why I am doing the spacing to feed her solids and bottle for at least 2 hours apart from each other.

I wish I could find a solution to DD's odd eating behavior because right now I feel her "when her meal time comes, torture comes!"