When can i start giving my son rice cereal?

Tracie - posted on 05/12/2010

Really it all depends upon you, and your child. I have two teenagers and a 5 month old. My philosophy has always been that if they are showing interest in food, i.e. grabbing for your food, mimic you eating, etc, then they are ready for food. With my 5 month old we started giving her solids about a month ago now and she is quite happy with them....both fruits and veggies. I fed my 13 year old son rice/breastmilk bottles at 8 weeks old (on advice from the dr), but my oldest daughter never liked cereal so I didn't feed it to her. My 5 month old daughter is not a huge fan either...so she only gets cereal about 1x-2x a week. Currently she is eating solids about 2-3 times a day. I still breastfeed at night and in the early morning....and about 2 other times a day...she also gets juice bottles (mixed 1/2 juice and 1/2 water). The rule of thumb with juice is 1 oz per month of age. I know for younger and/or first time moms it is always a worry about when, what, or how much...but again...it is really up to you and your baby. My children's pediatrician says that my little one is doing great. Also....didn't hurt the older two as they are both happy, healthy, and well adjusted teens! ;-D Relax! Enjoy this time....do what feels right!

Monica - posted on 05/12/2010

btw, she didn't like rice cereal so i tried oatmeal next

Monica - posted on 05/12/2010

honestly i stopped listening to the doctors. i gave my daughter oatmeal at 7 weeks old because i wanted her to sleep. now she sleeps 12 hours & shes 4 months

Mel - posted on 05/09/2010

I started my son on a teaspoon of farex at about 8 weeks, it all depends on the baby though, some dont need it until they are older but if your baby seems hungry after his formula all the time then I would try a little bit. I just mixed it with breastmilk but it does thin it out quite a lot, I would mix it in with his formula but I guess water would be fine as well

Sharon - posted on 05/05/2010

My doctor said at our 4 month check up that we could start cereal and stage 1 foods due to the size and development of my daughter. Right now I only give it to my daughter on occasion. She has tried cereal and she has tried squash. For the most part she is only breastfed. I guess it all depends on the child though. With my daughter kyleigh and trista they didnt start cereal till 6 months. With my daughter Breanna she started cereal at like 2 months due to reflux to help her keep her food down. ..Good luck

Mindy - posted on 05/05/2010

I took my daughter had her dr visit yesterday and she is 14 pound 13 ounces and 24 1/2 inches long. My daughter says her weight is appropriate for her height but she is big for her age...not fat but the size of a 5 1/2 month old. I could imagine how big she would be if I fed her cereal on top of it. I had gestational diabetes and they say that feeding your baby food before it is necessary can contribute childhood diabetes. The fact that I had it during pregnancy means she is already more at risk. And since my family already has rice allergies it just makes sense to wait. I am glad that everything is going well for you and your child. I can't wait til I can get some more sleep....lol Good luck = )

Charity - posted on 05/04/2010

my daughter is 4.5 months and i started her on rice cereal this morning only a teaspoon and she seems to be ok. She went for her 4month needles yesterday and the doctor gave me the ok to give her the rice cereal. I mix it with some of her formula and spoon feed it to her. Alyssa is doin very well for her being such a small baby. She only weigh 12lbs 7oz but is learning quick

Mindy - posted on 04/17/2010

Everyone keeps telling me to give my daughter cereal now. But the facts are this. If your child is growing properly, then there is no need to introduce it before before 6 months. Allergies run on both sides of the family and I understand how most parents have to work. I sleep about 20 to 25 hours a week. I am exhausted. But my daughter is growing just fine. Im not going to risk an allergic reaction just so I can get a couple more ZZZ's. My daughter doesn't eat more than 4-5 ounces at a time. So she will wake up hungry at night. My sister was having a similar issue with her son who was born a week earlier than my daughter. He would eat like godzilla and wake up hungry all the time. So she gave him some rice cereal at 21/2 months and he broke out in a head to toe rash within the hour. Although he loved the cereal sadly he cant have it. This is just my opinion, I am not a doctor, but if you can wait I would wait. But I completely understand if you can't. Sleep is a lost memory to me. Good luck!!

Cindy - posted on 04/14/2010

Diffrent doctors all say different things.You just have to do what is right for YOUR baby.My Dr. said that you can start rice cereal at 4 months(which is what i did) I started my son on the rice cereal with a spoon yesterday and he is loving it! I just mix one formula scooper full of rice cereal with 1 oz. of formula.That is enough for a time at 1st.They will spit it out some at 1st but its just because they have to learn to work their tounge properly... I was told to give the rice cereal 2x a day either in the morning or around lunch time and then again at dinner time.Hope this helps you! :o)

Michelle - posted on 04/14/2010

You aren't supposed to start them on rice cereal until they are 6 months or eating more than 40 oz of formula a day. My daughter is 4 months and I haven't started her on cereal yet I want to soon but she seems to be getting enough out of the formula.

Emily - posted on 04/13/2010

I just graduated from a dietetics program and this is what I've learned about baby nutrition. Your baby's gut is fully developed by about 4 months so don't worry about the allergy thing (as mentioned in an earlier comment). I would recommend just giving your son a little bit (one feeding a day for about 15-20 minutes) just to practice eating with a spoon. The practice is the main reason we feed our babies solids (not because they need the nutrients-- they can get all the nutrients they need from breast milk/formula). you can know if your baby is ready to start solids when he can sit up on his own and he doesn't spit the food out with his tongue. Feed him when he is interested in eating, but not super hungry. Hope that helps! Have fun!

Melissa - posted on 04/08/2010

well my son is 4 months on the 12th of april,he was a little baby only 5.5lbs, he was never breastfed and i started him on single grain oatmeal at 2month and by 3mths i had him on regular baby food. we started out with squash since it is a sweeter veggie but NO FRUIT and now he eats all his veggies. if you find one he really likes you can mix a spoonful in with anything.

Alea - posted on 04/08/2010

AAP (American Association of Pediatrics) says that you shouldn't start solids until at least 6 months on less medically advised otherwise. Starting solds too early can cause allergies.

Devin - posted on 04/08/2010

my daughter is 4 months and her doc started her on it last month and he told me to give her about 1 teaspoon of cereal for every once of milk. So i put half in the bottle and mix the other half up with some milk or juice and spoon feed it to her.

Katie - posted on 04/08/2010

My son, Henry, was born on December 2nd as well!!! We actually were just at his 4 month doctor appointment this morning. His pediatrician said we can start him on rice cereal now, at 5 months or even at 6 months. With my daughter and older son, we started them on rice cereal at 4 months so we will do the same with Henry and start him on it this weekend. Definitely mix it with their formula and start with a couple tablespoons twice a day. Try and make it kind of soupy to help your son swallow easier. Good luck and don't forget to take pictures!!!

Shalena - posted on 04/08/2010

our babies were born on the same day and I started giving my daughter rice cereal on her 4th month she likes it alot, i put juice in it instead of water or formula, she likes apple and pear juice so far and make it not to thick and she hasn't had a problem with it! also I put a little over a teaspoon of rice cereal. good luck!!

Jessica - posted on 04/07/2010

my son is 14 weeks and i tried rice ceral he seemed to enjoy it but he had a really hard time going to the bathroom after. so iam going to wait a bit..I also just mixed it with formula,.

Heather - posted on 04/07/2010

I give my daughter one teaspoon at night before bed. I mix it with water and a 1/2 of scoop of milk or a oz of breast milk if you are breastfeeding still. I have spoon fed her and she spits more out then she takes in i think but she seems to be happier and sleeps through the night.

Ashley - posted on 04/06/2010

when i took my son to his 2mnth checkup he was almost 13lbs and i was telling the doctor that he acted like he was never full when i fed him. Doctor said that i could start giving him cereal bc most babies start on cereal when they are 13lbs. I started started with a little cereal mixed with breastmilk bc he ate good with a spoon, but some moms just add a little to the bottle just enough to make it thicker not to much bc they wont be able to get it out of the nipple.. hope this helps.. btw my sons 3.5 mnths and hes eating baby food and cereal now..

Ashley - posted on 04/01/2010

My son just turned 4 months today April 1st. We have been trying cereal for a week since breastmilk is not filling him up. We have only been using a spoon and he is doing quite well. Still getting used to it and we only eat 2 teaspoon instead of the recommended tablespoon. Any little bit helps and he is now satisfied between feedings.

Jennifer - posted on 04/01/2010

We started giving it to my daughter when she was 6 weeks..Try about a teaspoon mixed with formula..It works wonders for us..Our daughter sleeps all night..I would recommend getting Dr. Brown bottles with a cereal nipple..After a while your baby will want it more...and its much easier with those kind of bottles..My babys almost 4 mths and she gets cereal in the morning and right before bed...

Michelle - posted on 04/01/2010

I started Samantha last week and she is 4 months today 4/1 ,but she did not take to the rice alone so I tried the rice and apples from gerber and she love it.I mix it with the breast milk,spoon feeding is going great just make sure you put it more to the top gums that way the tongue will pull it in instead of pushing it back out.

Sabrina - posted on 04/01/2010

I guess it all depends on the baby really. Though this is my first child as well I get alot of help and advice from my mother. She started me out on cereal at around a month. Just putting a tiny amount in the formula bottle. And when I had mine she was even bigger than I was and was cranky since she formula and breast milk wasn't filling her up. I waited until she was about a month an a half and now at 3 months it necessary for her to get ANY sleep at night. I had asked my doctor about it and he said as long as it was a small amount it was alright and before bed was even better. But this my 3 month old is around 15lbs. (Was born 9.8lbs). So, I guess it's all about preference and experimenting and what your doctor says is safe for your baby.

Neisha - posted on 03/31/2010

Baby's digestive systems are not fully developed until they are 6 months of age, giving them solids before then can result in your baby getting allergies & tummy upsets due to poor functioning of the digestive system. I would wait till then to try, if this is your first baby, it seems fun & abit of a novelty first trying them on solids, but in the long run it is the best thing for your baby to wait out the 6 months.

Charlene - posted on 03/30/2010

Hi Tonya
My daughter has been eating rice cereal since she was about 3 months old!! Her Doctor was not to happy about it but formula just wasnt filling her up anymore!! I would say trust your gut nobody knows your little man better then you!! As for how much to give him that is a hard one as each baby will be different in how much they take!! I mix Alyssa with water and a little bit of baby food so that there is is some taste to it!! Good Luck !!

Kari - posted on 03/30/2010

You can give him formula whenever he has control of his tongue and doesn't spit the food out, he's got good neck/head control, he's able to sit with assistance, etc. My baby has been wanting more than 9 ounces since she was 2 months old and the doctor gave us the green light to start her on cereal. However, he said that putting cereal in the bottle is a choking hazard since they're taking it more than a bite size and that your best bet is to try just plain cereal that's not mixed into a bottle.

Crystal - posted on 03/30/2010

you can give it to him now it is up to you and i would mix with his formular

Katie - posted on 03/29/2010

You don't have to wait for the exact day they turn 4 months :-) You are fine to start now. I have given some to my baby. I mix a little with her formula to start. Some people try spoon feeding right away - some babies like it right away and some don't.

Cherie - posted on 03/29/2010

My Dr. told me to wait until 4 months. As long as they have good head control you can give it to them is what I was told. As for how much I'm not sure, it will say it on the box I believe. I plan on starting it at 4 months and will mix it with her formula instead of water, but that's just me, you can do whatever works for you.

Dana - posted on 03/25/2010

i stared giving my child rice cereal at 3 months old in her bottal , then thro out the month i tryed with a spoon but she is not getting it yet, i only gave her a teas of it ... good luck