When can you start giving babies baby food and cereal?

Lisa - posted on 03/31/2009

preferably from 6 months, but some people commence from 4 months which is ok

Dawn - posted on 03/31/2009

I have 5 kids and they were all introduced to baby cereal at 4 months old. Then gradually if that is tolerated move on to bananas, applesauce, etc.(like one of the previous moms said give each food 4-7 days to make sure there are no allergies). I was just always told to never put it in the bottle. Watered down(w/ formula or b.milk), so they can easily swallow it. Good luck!

Apryl - posted on 03/31/2009

at about 4 weeks you can add a tbsp of rice cereal to their bottle at night. Make sure to use a cross cut nipple on the bottle. This will help them stay full longer.

Margie - posted on 03/31/2009

My doctor put my daughter on cereal at 2 months.  I gave her cereal in the morning and evening.  I mixed it with formula.  The schedule he gave me to follow was rice cereal for a week, then start adding bananas for a week, then try oatmeal for a week, then add applesauce for a week.  He told me to introduce one food for a week to watch for allergic reactions.  He also told me to feed her with spoon and not to put it in the bottle.  At her 4 month checkup he added vegetables and fruits for lunch.  He started her on the first vegetables like squash, carrots, peas, etc...  We also did the one week at a time to watch for allergic reactions again.  Now of course he said if I were still breast feeding he would not have put her on cereals at 2 months.  My daughter is 5 months and we had no problems beside a little constipation with the rice and bananas.  In the case of constipation, I just put an ounce of prune juice in her formula and it took care of the problem.

Laura - posted on 03/31/2009

My babie's doc and allergist said absolutely nothing until 6 months. But my kids are prone to allergies. I know people who have started earlier. But I have to admit after what I went through with the first one...not until after 6 months.

Sabrina - posted on 03/31/2009

The doctors recommend that you don't feed them solids till they are 6 months old now due to some research linking digestive problems later in life to babies eating solid foods too soon.  But I think the best person to ask would be your doctor as I think all kids are different.

Nicole - posted on 03/31/2009

i started giving my kids a little cereal in the milk (formula) to thicken it up and then started food at about 4 months old!!! That way they felt a little fuller and then started the fruits and veggies.

Sarah - posted on 03/31/2009

hi

it really depends on the baby i have 3 and they were all different but at about 6 weeks i started giving them rusks and cereal and my middle one had her first full xmas dinner at 3 months liquidised of course but she loved

Noella - posted on 03/31/2009

The books and experts dont know everything a hungry baby will put you through hell but the trick is to start gentle my son was having a 1/4 teaspoon rice cerial in a few of his bottles aevery day at 2months and we gradually built it up as he demanded more food the change in him was amazing he was less fussy seemed satisfied and slept threw the nite by 3months by three and a half months he was eatingjars of apple and pears and on some occassions demanding 2 or 3 jars in a sitting i did leave the hard stuff like foods ith meat in them until he was 4months old because thats when their digestive system has fully developed enough to handle it. oh and yoghurt with out any chunks of fruit was a fav of his from around 3months. now jack is a healthy happy and in some areas very advanced 3 year old and we are expecting out 2nd in july nd i will do it all over again. i believe your bub will tell you if they are not settling or sleeping well and not sick then they are prob hungry so its not fair to hold out on them. and dont let health proffessionals make you feel bad just coz its in the books doesnt make it gospel

Karen - posted on 03/30/2009

usually after 4 months, and the best person to ask is the baby doctor.

Tamara - posted on 03/30/2009

Minimum of six months and if your baby meets the following signs of developmental readiness:

* Baby can sit up well without support.
* Baby has lost the tongue-thrust reflex and does not automatically push solids out of his mouth with his tongue.
* Baby is ready and willing to chew.
* Baby is developing a “pincer” grasp, where he picks up food or other objects between thumb and forefinger. Using the fingers and scraping the food into the palm of the hand (palmar grasp) does not substitute for pincer grasp development.
* Baby is eager to participate in mealtime and may try to grab food and put it in his mouth.

Leanne - posted on 03/30/2009

If your baby still seems hungry after she has her milk, you could try introducing her to baby cereals mixed with either your breast milk or baby formula. Four months of age is not too young to start trying this....Good luck:-)

Patricia - posted on 03/30/2009

doctors say 6 months, but i started giving mine cereal at 6 weeks, they went longer between feeding and started sleeping through the night, but make sure it is only rice cereal and milk for a couple of weeks, to make sure they dont have alergies

Ida - posted on 03/30/2009

I an hot certain at what month it is recommended at this time to start your children on solid foods. However I know many parents start with small amounts of rice cereal in the formula. I read not to long ago that you can actually start with meats sooner, and that cereal unless it is fortified, is not necessarily the best solid to start with. It would probably bee a good idea to talk with a doctor. Found good info on this site: babycenter.com

Lisa - posted on 03/30/2009

I started introducing my daughter Bianca baby food and cereal around five months.

Heather - posted on 03/30/2009

Quoting Heather:

I agree with Emily about the rice cereal, None of my kids could have it because it made them constipated. Also, some babies are very allergic to rice proteins. Mine did great with Oatmeal. All of my babies have been fairly big, the smallest being 7lbs 14 oz and the biggest 9 lbs 11 oz. They all had cereal in their night time bottles from about 3 or 4 weeks old, otherwise they didn't sleep longer then 2 hours at a time. I started them on stage one fruits and veggies around 2-3 months depending on who was ready for it and when. Pediatritions will tell you not before 4 months old, then again pediatritions these days tell you not to give them water either ...Good luck, when you do start your baby on "solid foods" stick ith the same thing for a few days straight. I say this for 2 reasons, (1) if they start any allergic reactions, you'll know right away what they've had to eat and you can stop putting that in their routine, (2) it takes babies/ kids 10-20 times tasting something before they actually know if they like the taste or not. Good Luck!

Also, My kids were all formula babies, My boys were on soy, my daughter as fine with regular formula. Soy is a thinner, lighter density/weight and the boys started sooner on all foods then my daughter did.

Heather - posted on 03/30/2009

I agree with Emily about the rice cereal, None of my kids could have it because it made them constipated. Also, some babies are very allergic to rice proteins. Mine did great with Oatmeal. All of my babies have been fairly big, the smallest being 7lbs 14 oz and the biggest 9 lbs 11 oz. They all had cereal in their night time bottles from about 3 or 4 weeks old, otherwise they didn't sleep longer then 2 hours at a time. I started them on stage one fruits and veggies around 2-3 months depending on who was ready for it and when. Pediatritions will tell you not before 4 months old, then again pediatritions these days tell you not to give them water either ...Good luck, when you do start your baby on "solid foods" stick ith the same thing for a few days straight. I say this for 2 reasons, (1) if they start any allergic reactions, you'll know right away what they've had to eat and you can stop putting that in their routine, (2) it takes babies/ kids 10-20 times tasting something before they actually know if they like the taste or not. Good Luck!

Sarah - posted on 03/30/2009

My baby was 9lb 5oz when he was born and he was ALLWAYS hungry. When he was barely 3 months old i started giving him babyfood like pears and sweet potato with a little rice cereal mixed in with it. He loved it and became a totally different baby...he became content and happy instead o fussy. My doctor was fine with my decision to do that. But every babys different.....so what u do is try giving him some pear babyfood(thats what i started mine with).....if she pushes it back out with her tongue then shes not ready. But if she opens her mouth or more like mine did then she is ready.

Rianne - posted on 03/30/2009

The experts will tell you one thing, but My kids started with solids,Rice cereal, at 2 to 4 months, they were both hungry, and they don't need much to satisfy their little tummies, but they definately need more, especially breast fed babies, I just don't think there is enough to settle their hunger.

Essie - posted on 03/30/2009

When my oldest was about 4-6 months is when we started, but I think I'm going to have to add cereal sooner for my 1 month old she is up to almost 6 oz every 2-3 hours.

Dora - posted on 03/30/2009

i started my oldest on ceral when he was 3 months old but my youngest i didn't give him ceral at all because i breastfeed him...my oldest,robert,i started w/ baby food at 6 months but my youngest,dawson,not until he was 8 months because he did not like baby food and only food off of the table.so it all depends what agrees with your baby and mama always knows best.

Charlene - posted on 03/30/2009

i started giving my son baby food at 3 month it all depends on the baby reley but doctors say to start at 6 month but if your babies hungry then they need feeding to start off with the baby need it to be very runny not matter what the age as they will try to swallow like milk.

Kristy - posted on 03/30/2009

When my kids were about 7 or 8 months,i put the ceareal in their bottle with the milk.

Melanie - posted on 03/30/2009

Nutritionists recomend you don't feed baby anything untill 4-6 months old and start with rice pablem and or grain cereal. Vegetablems come next then fruits but stay away from acidic fuits such as strawberries and citrus fruit. Pear are wonderful because they are so high in fibre and mix well with most pablum cereals.  you can find charts on baby nutrition and when to feed your baby what at www.kidshealth.org

Shielah - posted on 03/30/2009

Quoting Shielah:

I had a 10 lb. boy, and nursed him, every 2 hours for four weeks. By week 4, Mommy needed some sleep. I pumped a bottle full of breast milk, put in about 1/2 teaspoon of rice cereal, and he slept 6 hours straight. WOO-HOO!! I felt like a new woman!! Never thought I'd think 6 hours was A LOT of sleep, but man, that felt good. So 4 weeks. Yeah, the pediatrician bitched me out, but he doesn't have kids, and he isn't sleep deprived, and now my almost 3-year old has always been healthy, is wicked smart, and right on track developmentally, if not ahead in some areas. So, when to feed your kid? When your kid is hungry! :-)

PS:  I nursed my son for 6 months all together, would've gone longer but had to go back on meds, but started him also on home-made baby food (sweet potatoes, peas, green beans, apple sauce, 'nanners) at 4 months, in combination with breast milk.  Our Dr. bitched about that, too ("he's too young, you can't give a 4 mo. old baby sweet potatoes!").  Oh, well -- he was wrong again!  I know more than the child-less pediatrician, I guess!  :-)

Shielah - posted on 03/30/2009

I had a 10 lb. boy, and nursed him, every 2 hours for four weeks. By week 4, Mommy needed some sleep. I pumped a bottle full of breast milk, put in about 1/2 teaspoon of rice cereal, and he slept 6 hours straight. WOO-HOO!! I felt like a new woman!! Never thought I'd think 6 hours was A LOT of sleep, but man, that felt good. So 4 weeks. Yeah, the pediatrician bitched me out, but he doesn't have kids, and he isn't sleep deprived, and now my almost 3-year old has always been healthy, is wicked smart, and right on track developmentally, if not ahead in some areas. So, when to feed your kid? When your kid is hungry! :-)

Emily - posted on 03/30/2009

You have an adorable baby! I would suggest not doing the rice and starting with some avacado or sweet potato around 6 months. Rice cereal is pretty void of nutrition and constipating.

Stevie - posted on 03/30/2009

i started my son on cereal when he was 3 months and here next month when he turns 5 months were going to start giving him fruits and some stuff like that

Nicole - posted on 03/30/2009

I started Hailey at 4 months with rice cereal. I made it very thin at first then as she got used to it made it a little thicker. A few weeks after we started the cereal I began introducing her to stage 1 foods. I did the green veggies first, then the orange, and lastly the fruits. Have so much fun watching her eat and takes lots of pictures. I gets very messy :)

Elena - posted on 03/30/2009

My son weighed 8lb 10oz and formula just wouldn't fill him up.  So when he was about 3 weeks old, the doctor told me I could put some cereal in his formula but to still make it very liquid.  It worked!

Leah - posted on 03/30/2009

I started giving my 3 babies pablum and baby food at 4 - 6 months. Some mothers do it earlier, some later. you just have to make sure that if they are younger, and smaller, to make sure its not too thick for them to swallow.

Nai - posted on 03/30/2009

We've actually just started our son on baby rusks at 3month & 3 weeks as he is a very hungry baby no matter what milk we gave him, though our healthvisitor isn't happy with this. The actual recomended age is from around 4 months-6months. Hope this helps :)

Nai