How do I introduce cereal and baby food?

Kristen - posted on 12/13/2009

I did rice cereal at 4 months (my dr. said it was ok) and I did thin at first but now I do more like a cream of wheat thickness. I do spoon and bowl. I hear that if you do bottle they may refuse a regular bottle (my dr.) and it took about a week for my daughter to get use to "eating". She does great now, she eats her cereal twice a day.

Summer - posted on 12/11/2009

I introduced rice cereal to my son when he was 3mos. I would mix 4oz of formula and water and put inbetween 2-4tbsp of cereal in his bottle. Now at 4mos have started introducing him to fruits (pears, pruns, bananas) I use the bottle as well; I mix formula, cereal and the fruit all together (4oz of formula, 2-4tbsp of cereal and 2-3tsp of fruit. At first he didnt want it but I tried again and he ate that bottle like it was something else. You want to introduce to them slowly also so they do not get constipated. If you notice the color of their bowels change from a lighter color to a darker color slow down on the cereal that means that she is starting to get constipated. If that does happen you can mix a lil bit of karo syrup in a formula only bottle. as for the bottles go, i use the baby food feeders as well as a regular bottle which i cut a slightly bigger slit in the top of the nipple and they do not choke on them. its best though when you are feeding them to prop them up a little higher though. i hope all this helps you.

Janine - posted on 12/11/2009

I wouldn't recommend putting it in the bottle. This may increase her chances of ear infections and other things. A lot of people do but my doctor advised me not to. I started making my sons cereal just thick enough to stay on the spoon well, then i mixed in fruit. You might want to start thin and gradually thicken over time. Try plain cereal first for a week, then add in a fruit and stay with the same fruit for a week or so and then change it. That way you know if she has any allergies and you can pin point what food she is allergic to.

Cathy - posted on 12/11/2009

I indrouced rice cereal at 2 mnths wit a spoon i made it more liquidy at first and slowly make it thicker untill its a oatmeal constancy. I have a home nurse who comes to my home every week and she told me that if you start the cereal wit a spoon then give them a bottle to wash it down with they slowly take themselves off there bottle. But i wouldnt plan on indroucing the cereal till the baby lets you no she/he is ready. my son sits supported in my arms when i spoon feed him n he does pretty well. but my friend put her sons in a bottle and had some difficults. it really depends on the child. If your child uses a pacifer watch n see if they start tonguen on it verses sucking. if you want at 6mnth to introduce it and they still suck on the pacifer i would say use a bottle for a few weeks then use a spoon once n see how they do. its a quessing game really but your child will always let you know wen they are ready for the next step. my son is 10wks now and eats cereal in the morning and bedtime and bottle feeds the rest of the day and night. he has started using his pacifer less with out me even having to try and take him off of it.