A.G. asks from Lincoln, NE on April 23, 2007
Starting on Solids
I just started my 4 month old daughter on rice cereal and her last few feedings she just screams and screams until she literally starts turning purple. I give her back her bottle and she is just fine. I was wondering two things. Is it this hard for everyone? Is there maybe another way I could gradually introduce her to the cereal where she will not cry so much. I have to tickle her cheek just to get her to breathe. She won't even burp half the time all she does is scream as soon as you take the bottle out of her mouth. Any advice would help a great deal.
So What Happened?™
Ok, I gave my daughter cereal in between her morning feeding and her afternoon feeding and she still screamed then I remembered that she loves bananas so I mixed her cereal and some banana slices and pureed them together till it was all smooth and tried feeding her again and she loved it! She just couldn't stand the taste of the rice cereal. Thank you for all your help! I appreciate all the responses. It is so nice to have mom's that I can turn to for help and advice when I need it! Thank you again all of you!
Featured Answers
J.F. answers from Grand Forks on April 23, 2007
I have a 1 yr. old that I tried giving cereal at about 4 months because I was hoping it would help him sleep thru the night. Well, it didn't...and he wasn't doing real well with it so I held off until he was about 6 months (maybe it was about 5 1/2) then he was fine with it. I'd maybe try and wait a little while longer and reintroduce it in a couple weeks.
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C.M. answers from Sioux City on April 23, 2007
Have you tried putting it in the bottle with the formula? that is what I have had to do, because i have hungry large babies. Well plus the last two have had that accid reflex and it helps keep it down. She seems to be very hungry and doesn't want to wait, another option is to try and feed her the bottle and then some cereal after she is finished with the bottle. that way she will be more patient. good luck, and if you decide to put it in the bottle remember your bottle is going to need a nipple that has a bigger hole, cause the cereal with thicken the formula. good luck once again.
J.F. answers from Grand Forks on April 23, 2007
I have a 1 yr. old that I tried giving cereal at about 4 months because I was hoping it would help him sleep thru the night. Well, it didn't...and he wasn't doing real well with it so I held off until he was about 6 months (maybe it was about 5 1/2) then he was fine with it. I'd maybe try and wait a little while longer and reintroduce it in a couple weeks.
A.R. answers from Omaha on April 25, 2007
All my children started on cereal shortly after coming home from the hospital. These poor kids know days are so hungry for real food by the time they turn the "right" age. It's crazy! My youngest HATES cereal. So I went straight to fruits. Then worked in veggies. When he turned eight months he started pieces of veggies and fruits. LOVES THEM!
My two others would take half a bottle of formula to stop the hunger pains and then eat cereal. This helps them have full tummys so they sleep through the night. I just don't buy all this talk off starting one veggie or one "color" of veggies and then going to the next. Then introducing fruits. And you have to wait until they are six months? Sorry but my first wasalmost 10 lbs when he was born. He wanted more than the bottle and just seemed to drink all the time. Once I started cereal he was way more happy! Good for you for starting early!
A.B. answers from Lincoln on April 23, 2007
Make sure that you are not giving her the cereal then a bottle. She can't be starving r ready for a feeding when you give her cereal. I always gave it to my daughter about 1 1/2 hours after her first bottle in the morning and then about 2 hours before bed at night. I would make sure that there is no bottle in sight if she is not happy.
A.G. answers from Lincoln on April 23, 2007
She may not be ready for solids yet. All 3 of my sons started at different months, according to when they were ready. 2 of them didn't even like the cereal, so I waited until 6 months and started them the orange-colored veggies and bananas.
You will just have to introduce solids when she is not already hungry, like right after her bottle or between bottles. Sometimes if you let them play in it (while sitting in a high chair) they seem to like it more. :-)
You may just want to wait a little bit longer, like when she 5 or 6 months. At this point she is getting nutrition from the formula, so waiting will not hurt her nutritionally.
E.C. answers from Boise on August 19, 2008
My boy is 5 months and I just started him on solids since he seems obsessed with watching people eat...very curious! Everything I have read says to wait until baby seems curious about it...not to force it. Some sites recommend waiting til at least 6 months anyways so its probably not a big deal that your baby isn't interested yet. Mine just recently showed signs of wanting it so I waited until now to start. Maybe she is just not quite ready yet.
T.P. answers from Omaha on April 24, 2007
i would wait till she is older.
atleast 6 months.
J.B. answers from Des Moines on April 24, 2007
First I would try letting her finish her bottle before you try to feed her solids, she might just be mad. My son didn't like cereal though. He never screamed like that, but I don't think he liked the taste. I ended up giving him bananas instead of cereal and he was happy with that. I think that was around 4 months when we started the bananas. Also check with your doctor about oatmeal, I guess some babies like that better.
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