Is Four Months Too Early to Start Rice Cereal?

First, I'd recommend that you discuss this with your pediatrician as to when to start your son on solids. I have a 16-month old son and my Pedi didn't want him to start solids until he was 6 months old. As a breastfed child he gets everything he needs from the breast milk. Also, hate to dash your hopes about leaving him for a bit longer as rice cereal has very few calories and is introduced more to get him "ready" to eat regular food by the time he's a year old, which is when he'll be getting all his calories and nutrition from regular food. I breastfed my son for 11 months and can appreciate your situation. Personally, I'd really work on the bottle situation. You may need to try different brands and nipples. Also, have someone else give your son the bottle for a while until he is firmly re-established in taking it. (You may even have to leave the house during this time as he may not take the bottle if he can smell you.) I hope this helps and wish you the best in finding a solution that works for you and your son.

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My Pedi said between 4 and 6 months. Any earlier wasnt good on their tummies, She also said just a tablespoon or 2 at a time each feeding, feeding her breast milk/formula first.

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Hi A.,
My daughter became very constipated with rice cereal. I was scared when she didn't poop for 3 days then when she did, it was obvious she was straining and it turned out dry and pasty. Now I only give it to her once every couple of days. Apparently, rice cereal is not that nutricious, and just because it's been traditionally "baby's first food" doesn't necessarily make it the best food. So, I try to give her pureed or baby food jar vegies more than anything else. Fruits too. Good luck!

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I would definitly ask your son's peditrician, but I started my daughter at 4 months,once a day for a couple weeks, and she did great. She also did not need the extra weight (I want to say she was right about the same weight as your son at that age) but she seemed like she was generally interested in starting solid foods. Hope all goes well!

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They have changed things a lot from how they were in the past. People used to start their kids on rice cereal at 4 weeks but they say now wait until 6 months. Your baby really doesn't need anything but breast milk for the first year.

I really think that their digestive systems aren't ready for "food" until at least 6 months. Rice cereal will fill them up but make them more hungry more quickly.

Good luck.

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Hi There,

That is when I started my son.. He did have colic though, and the dr's said it would help his stomach. I fed it to him in his bottle first just once a day until about six months when he started eating more regularlu baby food and everything else. Good Luck

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If you ask a dr, most say wait till they are 6 months, but personally, start now. I gave mine(all at different ages) rice cereal, you can mix formula or breast milk. If formula is something you want him to start taking, then this is a good time to introduce a little bit at a time to him.I gave mine sippy cups, not the bottle. I breast fed, and at 3 months (1st child only) had to go back to work, gave her sippy/cup w/ the lid that are harder to spill not a real sippy w/that one) the rest all got the gerber or playtex sippy cups w/ formula/milk depending on the needs. There was never a bottle breaking issue, they do great if you try. Good Luck.

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Babies should breast feed (or have formula) exclusively until 6 months. Rice cereal should not be started till 7 or 8 months because babies cannot digest grains properly until that time. When your baby starts eating, it's a good idea to start with bananas or sweet potatoes.

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Hi, A.. I also started my son on cereal and other solids at 4 months. Our pedi told us to begin, so I would double check with the doc first.

A

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Hi A., I don't think it's to early, all 3 of mine were on rice cereal at 6 weeks, all did good with it, I've also had several daycare baby's who'som had them on rice cereal at 6 weeks as well. J. L.

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You should ask your doctor. Mine said exclusively breastfed babies should wait till six months.

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i would wait unless he's having reflux..and start w/ oatmeal instead of rice...rice constipates..the ideal time to wait is 6 months..but i started at almost 5 months b/c it's the only thing that helped my son's reflux

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wow he is a big boy :) but thats not a bad thing hes a healthy bf baby :). 4 months is ok. i started my daughter at 3 1/2 months because we were going on a 2 day drive out of state. she was showing the readiness signs so i went with her cues. follow your sons cues and you cant go wrong.

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I started cereal on my kids as soon as just formula or milk was not enough. With my 3rd son, I started cereal at 2 wks. I kust put it in with their formula/milk and they would drink it. Later, I would mix it in with their baby food.

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If he is interested I'd try it. Make it runny so he doesn't gag. My ped suggested starting solids btwn 4-6 mos. if allergies run in the family stat closer to the 6 mos side. I love it when they start eatting solids

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Hi A.,
I started my daughter on solids at 6 months. I just felt she wasn't ready. 20 pounds to me sounds like a lot for a 4 month old. Does he need to breast feed so often?
Also, I highly doubt that your son would gain weight from eating rice cerea, it doesn't have as many calories in it as breast milk of formula. Rice cereal is just an introductory to solids.
Many families start thier babies at 4 months old. If he just turned 4 months, then I would wait a few more weeks.

Good luck!

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I started my son on rice cereal and some other stage one food and it was fine. The biggest reasont to wait would be if you have a strong family history of allergies. We don't and the doctor said it was fine to start at 4 months. Good luck!

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HI A.,
I would say go for it but you could ask your Pediatrian.
All kids are different. M

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We started our daughter on rice cereal at 4 months. Our doctor said that it was ok but to start small (I think it was only like one feeding of 2 tablespoons a day to begin with).

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Hi A.,

I have a 6 month old boy and we started him on rice cereal at 4 months - pediatrician gave us the green light at his 4-month check up to start cereal and all of the first stages food. She also told us to give him oatmeal if he's constipated. He's been fine and doing great. Good luck!