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Advice On Introducing Rice Cereal

Jesse - posted on 05/09/2011 ( 2 moms have responded )

Does anyone have any advice on when is a good time to introduce rice cereal? My son is 15 weeks old and weighs about 16 pounds. The doctor says he is about the size of a 6 month old. My reasons for wanting to introduce rice cereal is NOT to get him to sleep thru the night. He already does quite well with sleeping. Though he does not go to sleep until about 2:30am every night, once asleep he will stay asleep for about 10 hours straight thru. The doctor says there is no problem with his sleeping habits.

Since he was born, he has been on the larger size. Birth weight was 8 lbs 7 oz, and by his one week check up, he was already pushing 11 pounds. Yesterday, he ate 18 ounces of formula within a 5 hour span. And he does this quite often. I feel like I'm over feeding him. I fed him 5 ounces to start, and about an hour later he was fussy again. I tried changing him and playing with him and he just continued to get upset and chew hard on his little fists telling me he was hungry. Finally gave him another 4 ounces and he drank the bottle so fast it was like he hadn't eaten all day. Then within another hour, he was hungry again. Formula just doesn't seem to be filling him up at all.

I'm very worried about introducing solids too soon, but how will I know when he's ready? I've done some research and most advise to start between 4 and 6 months, he is almost 4 months now, but just a little early.

He is able to sit up with help, if I hold him on my lap he can stay in the sitted position for quite a while. He also stares at us when we are eating and seems very interested in the food. Every thing his little hands touch, goes right to the mouth.

Is he ready? Has anyone else started this early? He is my thrid child, but my two little ladies were not like this, but they were not as big as he is either.

Any advice moms?

Thanks so much,
Jesse

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Jen - posted on 05/20/2011

With my first I waited for the whole 6 months.. with my 2nd she was 3 or 4 months. it all depends on the baby and what you want to do. Try putting him in a little chair (we had either a bumbo, or one of those little musical chairs with the fish on it) and see what he thinks. If he likes it, great.. if not, you can always wait a few more months

KALLI - posted on 05/20/2011

I started my daughter at about a month. She got the same way, she was eating way to often. But I soon there after switched from rice to oatmeal, she seems to like it better. It is like my doctor told me with my son 3 years ago, yes they do recommend when to start but it is YOUR child and you know what is best for them. If you feel it is time then start. You can chose to start in bottles with a higher nipple stage or see if they will eat it off of a spoon. Either way it is your child and you know better than anyone else what he wants. All I can say is try it, if it helps awesome, if not, then maybe ask your doctor if there is anything else you can do! I hope this helps!

Anastasia - posted on 05/20/2011

My baby girl is 3 months old, and I have already introduced her to cereal. At first only make one ounce formula with 3 tsp rice cereal. Don't be surprised if he spits it out, he won't be used to eating that way. I wouldn't fill up the whole bowl of the spoon, because he might choke. I was told to put a little bit on the tip of the spoon, and wait for the baby to "suck" it off. Like I said before though, he will spit it out. He will still need plenty of formula since for about the first month, it's all just for practice. Good luck mama!