Rice cereal at 4 months

Rukia - posted on 10/21/2010

Hi Vicki,
With all do respect, for you to say that my ped is wrong sounds absolutely silly. my son is growing right within the norm for a healthy child his age. He is very active, alert, happy, and playful. Maybe you should do more research. I think every child has there own different milestones that they will conquer, some at the right time , some at a later time, but it is up to us parents to take the advice of our childrens ped to make sure that we raise happy, healthy babies!

Vicki - posted on 10/20/2010

I would say that your ped is wrong and your baby isn't ready. WHO recommend 6 months anyway so I'd go with that.

Rukia - posted on 10/20/2010

Let's start by making food time fun! Do the choo choo sounds and airplane noises! Also, but the cereal in his bottle first then try at a later time giving him the spoon, that way he knows what it smells like! My son is 4 months old in two days, and his doctor told us the same thing. He does iopen his mouth to recieve the food, and yes it gets messy, but oh well, what can we do, right! Good luck

Brittany - posted on 10/19/2010

Sometimes they arent ready for it. If he wasnt showing signs like opening and closing his mouth around the sppon typically they are not ready.. But keep trying and dont give up. Try making it really watery or liquidy at first to help him get used to it.

Cristina - posted on 04/14/2009

I started spooning in the cereal at 4 months as well and he just didn't get it.  It practically poured out of his mouth.  I stopped and tried one week later, and he was fine!  Had been eating cereal ever since!  I kept the cereal on the thick side so it didn't run out of his mouth and he seemed to do better with that.

Natalie - posted on 04/13/2009

Hiya,

I'm surprised you've been told to start him on rice so early, I have been advised that the reason we are told to start babies on solids at 6 months is because up untill then they get everything vitamin wise etc they need from breastmilk or formula, and if you give them cereal or rice etc they will ...yes get full up from it but won't then take so much breastmilk or formula and therefore will not receive the much needed goodness they need to grow.

I would personally get a second opinion on that, even more so because it doesn't sound like your son is ready.

hope all goes well

Emily - posted on 04/13/2009

It sounds like he isn't readty. I'd just try again later. At a about six months he might be able to use his own spoon and will probably rather self-feed.

Margie - posted on 04/12/2009

I had the same problem with my daughter. I am not sure what your doctor told you but my doctor said to give my daughter rice cereal for a week, then add bananas for a week. After I added the bananas, she gobbled it up. But for the first week, I made my daughter's cereal really runny until she got used to the texture of the cereal. It seemed to help. It will get better and actually becomes really fun especially to see their expressions when they taste new foods. Good luck!

Tara - posted on 04/12/2009

Quoting Emily:

Starting an infant on cereal at one week old is actually HORRIBLE advice. Really girls? A one week old's body is in no way ready to process and digest solids. Their kidneys are not mature enough, it can lead to childhood obesity, and increased chance of allergies. A one week old should be on breastmilk or formula ONLY.

Hi Emily, Not sure where you got the one week old from???? I never said a week old lol. I said it took him a week to a week and a half to get used to the spoon! I would NEVER give him that so early, seriously. Her baby is 4 months as well. Mine is over 6 months lol. And yes OBVIOUSLY a one week old should not have that.
Read what I wrote lol

Tara - posted on 04/12/2009

Quoting Emily:

Starting an infant on cereal at one week old is actually HORRIBLE advice. Really girls? A one week old's body is in no way ready to process and digest solids. Their kidneys are not mature enough, it can lead to childhood obesity, and increased chance of allergies. A one week old should be on breastmilk or formula ONLY.

Hi Emily, Not sure where you got the one week old from???? I never said a week old lol. I said it took him a week to a week and a half to get used to the spoon! I would NEVER give him that so early, seriously. Her baby is 4 months as well. Mine is over 6 months lol. And yes OBVIOUSLY a one week old should not have that.
Read what I wrote lol

Melissa - posted on 04/12/2009

Her baby is months and she is following the advice of her ped.

Emily - posted on 04/12/2009

Starting an infant on cereal at one week old is actually HORRIBLE advice. Really girls? A one week old's body is in no way ready to process and digest solids. Their kidneys are not mature enough, it can lead to childhood obesity, and increased chance of allergies. A one week old should be on breastmilk or formula ONLY.

Melissa - posted on 04/11/2009

Quoting Tara:

It took my boy about a week - week and a half to get used to the spoon and he would spit it out and had no idea what was going on! They just have to get used to it since it's so different then the bottle. If he still is really not wanting it after a couple days - week I would just try again in another week. Also my son didn't like it really runny so I thickened it a bit and he took to it better!

Good luck!

Great advice exactly what  is right I had to start my little guy on cereal as well i was always feeding him 16 ounces at a time, breast milk that is, doctors said quality is great in my milk but he just had a bottomless pit. I started mine on cereal same situation playing around with thickness and spoons helped.

Erin - posted on 04/10/2009

my son started at 4 months....he was the same way, not sure what to do with spoon.  I made it a little thicker than the directions and used formula vs water.  Be patient, he learning:)

Emily - posted on 04/10/2009

He might just not be ready for it. It's really not a big deal if he doesnt eat cereal at this age. Personally I think he's too young anyways. Just hold off another month and try again.

Tara - posted on 04/09/2009

It took my boy about a week - week and a half to get used to the spoon and he would spit it out and had no idea what was going on! They just have to get used to it since it's so different then the bottle. If he still is really not wanting it after a couple days - week I would just try again in another week. Also my son didn't like it really runny so I thickened it a bit and he took to it better!

Good luck!

Lauren - posted on 04/09/2009

He will get it right now he is just used to the bottle..DON'T WORRY eventually he will get it just be patient and keep trying!!