starting cereal and baby food

Jennifer - posted on 11/27/2009

With my kids I introduced cereal into their bottles when it seemed to me that formula wasn't enough. When it seemed like that wasn't doing the trick I started rice cereal. My daughter is 3 months old now and I'm starting her on food. She doesn't eat much of stage 1 foods yet. When it seems she gets frustrated I stop the food and give her a bottle...with maybe 1-2 ounces less than normal because she ate food and that's heavier than formula. Just try little steps and eventually they'll learn. As for the bottle thing, continue giving it. They still need something to drink just like you do.

Amy - posted on 11/27/2009

Megan,
I introduced my middle son to cereal when he was two months old. But then again, that was nearly 30 years ago and things have changed a bit. I would suggest you start with rice cereal and make it a bit watery/ You should give him small spoonfuls, allowing him time to test the texture with his tongue. As far as how often, I would say once a day for about a week and then increase the frequency as you see how he's respponding to it. I'm not sure about your question about bottles... are you wanting to bottle feed. I thout it was lovely to have a break from nursing, so I introduced bottles to all my kids. If you're nursing, you can simply pump you own milk and freeze it. It keeps for about 2 weeks in the freezer. When my kids were little, we always gave them atleast some water, especially if they were on formula. but I know things have changed over the years. I encourage you to call your doctor and discuss these questions with them.

Brooke - posted on 11/27/2009

Really there is no best way to introduce it you just have to let him try it out and sometimes you might have to change the cereal because my babies did not eat the normal cereal I had to try different ones until I found the one that he actually liked and eat it. They have to grow on the cereal and you have to keep giving it to him everyday. You basically give it to him 3 times a day like for breakfest,luch and dinner and in between that give him bottles or juice. The way to keep him from getting constipated is making sure that he drinks at least one bottle of water a day. When starting babies off on cereal you don't want to take the bottles away like that. You have to ease it away from him.

Barbara - posted on 11/27/2009

Quoting Meagan :

starting cereal and baby food

I am starting cayden on cereal now.. but my question is .. what is the best way to introduce it? how often should i give it to him? and what about bottles? how do i keep him from getting constipated?

Add a little baby applesauce to the cereal, when my daughter was a baby she was very sick and I have to give her  medicine all the time,( off a spoon) so when it came to spoon feeding she wasn't having any of it. So I tried cereal and apple sauce from a bottle . I made the hole bigger and also tried to spoon feed her. She related the spoon feeding to yucky medicine but took the same thing from the bottle

Karen - posted on 11/27/2009

I started Nathaniel on rice cereal at 6months and I mixed it with breast milk so the flavor was familar to him even if the texture was new.. he is 15 months and I still breast feed him for nap-time and at bed time..he is on table foods for all his meals and we never gave him a bottle so I cant help you with that part of the question. as for costipation, I suggest feed him small amounts at first..say the first month and keep an eye out on how much he drinks, just remember everyone get irregular once in a while and since your adding something new to his diet its a possiblility.

relax enjoy your time with your son!

Marnyka - posted on 11/27/2009

HI Megan, my son's name is Cayden too!!! Trust that your baby knows how it likes cereal the best. Try a little in a bowl with some juice instead of water. And put about 1 teaspoon in 4 oz. of milk There is no rush to the amount. You will tell by reactions from Cayden how he likes his cereal and baby food.

Kimberely - posted on 11/27/2009

i started chloe on cereal at jut over 4 month and i spoon feed her. i think its better that she gets used to eating off a spoon instead of just relating food to the bottle. and that way her reflex to push the food out with her tongue went away and now she has no trouble eating it off a spoon. i feed her 1-2 times a day. and i think if their constipated they might not be ready for it yet

Jalana - posted on 11/27/2009

I am not too sure on all this but I started my son on cereal at four to five months and baby food around six months. And I did it gradually. The cereal was mixed in the bottle and sometimes with the baby food.

Andrea - posted on 11/27/2009

Some peopl will tell you to do it in a bottle.. I did it with my son and He got big FAST.. So I never did it with my daughter.. I started her on Cereal at 5 1/2 months and made it runnier then you would think... Kind of like soup... I started by give it to her once at night for 2 weeks then went up to twice aday for 2 weeks.. Once in the morning then once at night.. then after month i went to 3 time a day.. Then i started to introduce vegs the fruits.. i found that starting with vegs then fruits went over better.. but i did from time to time give her prunes in her cereal just to keep thing moving on and somtimes would give a little fruit in her cereal to give it a little taste... Hope this is helpful... Take care and Best wishes...