Feeding My 5 Mo. Old Son Cereal

Sounds like he's gassy. Is he pooping regularly or does he seems constipated? I've heard that rice cereal is easier for them to digest. Try that or just wait a little longer. There's too much importance placed on when a baby starts solids anyway. I didn't start my daugther on cereal until 6 months. And didn't start veggies until about 7 months. At first she had problems with constipation but it seems to have worked it's self out - pardon the pun : )
Good luck.

My daughter has always been a little prone to constipation. Our Dr told us to begin with the baby oatmeal, it has less iron. My niece was having the same problem so my sister-in-law just switched her too.
Best of luck!
C.
PS. Watch which veggies you start with, some of them "backs them up".

There are many different types of cereal out there for infants. There is rice, oatmeal, etc. It depends on the doctor, but looking at infant feeding at a glance solid foods aren't nutritionally needed under 6 months of age.

Then at six months the starter foods are bananas, pears, RICE CEREAL, and applesauce. Strained, purred, fingertipful or small spoonful.

7-9 months are avocados, peaches, carrots, BARLEY CEREAL, teething biscuits, mashed potatoes, squash, prunes, pear and apple juice diluted, sweet potatoes or yams. Pureed and mashed foods. May drink from cup.

9-12 lamb, veal, poultry, tofu, beans, peas, rice cakes, oatmeal, spinach, egg yolk, cheese, yogurt. Lumpier consistency. Finger foods mastered. Bite sized cooked veggies. Melt in mouth foods.

12-18 months whole milk, apricots, cottage chz, grapefruit, ice cream, grape halves, whole eggs, strawberries, beef, tomatoes, fish (salmon), pasta, broccoli, graham crackers, cauliflower, WHEAT CEREAL, melon, honey, mango, pancakes, kiwi, muffins, papaya, bagel. Participates in family meals. Eats chopped and mashed family meals.

With me I was breastfeeding so I did not give my child any cereal, because it was not nutritionally needed. Then when my child started showing signs that she needed more to eat (following my food while I was eating, smacking her lips while watching us eat, etc.) I introduced these foods in order. I prepared them at home organically and pureed them with a blender. Hope this is helpful.

I would also like to add that my daughter's pediatrician informed me that with breast milk other nutrition is not absolutely needed until they are 15 months old. So I would say that your baby is fine without eating the cereal at all if you are nursing.

Do you breastfeed? If so, mixing the cereal with breast milk is what helped my son. Also, you might try waiting a little while. Some kids just aren't ready. I tried at 4 months with my son because of the night waking and had the same trouble you're having. Worked at almost 6 months.

There a few different kinds of Cereal you can give your son, I'm not sure which kind you've tried. Doctors will usually tell you to try Rice Cereal first. If thats what you've tried did you make it with breast milk, formula, water or juice? You can make it with either of these and you can try switching it up to see if it helps. With my kids I usually did water or juice and sometimes I even mixed in a little baby food fruit. I hope you can try these things and one of them works for you- I know how frustrating it can be to try to find something your son will actually eat and digest well without the pain! Good Luck!!

Why don't you wait until he is at least six months. As long as he is still getting his breast milk or formula he is fine. And just stick with rice cereal when you do start back up. Let him get used to that for a month or two before you introduce fruits and veggies. Also, make sure you start with veggies first because fruits are sweeter and will ruin his taste buds for the veggies. Which in turn is more difficult for you!

What type are you feeding him?..there is rice...oatmeal...mixed. There is a lot of Iron in the rice cereal and that could be giving him the problem. Why not start Veggies....just do it one at a time....introduce a new one every 5 days or so. If he is strictly nursed then he definantly isn't used to the iron.....my daughter didn't do well with the mixed but the rice and oatmeal were fine with her belly....I think the longer you waot the harder it will be for him to get used to textures and that will be a bigger problem.

Ask your doctor, but I was advised to feed my baby barley or oatmeal cereal if my baby was constipated. Maybe it is worth a shot for your baby's tummy problems.

Hi N., I hope you tried giving him rice cereal as that is thec easist for them to digest. I gave both of my kids rice cereal at 4 months and they tolerated it very well. Mix it with breast milk, formula or a little applesauce. Good luck

It might make him gassy and uncomforable. My daughter is like that anyways, so the docter had us use the baby gas drops 2 times a day and boy what a difference!!! They don't hurt them they just help with gas and digesting food better. Its a thought, and you can find them anywhere we take them first thing in the the morning and at night. I hope it helps, Good Luck!!!!!

Hi N.,

I guess I'm wondering why your Dr thinks your son even needs cereal? Giving babies cereal too early has actually been linked to possible sensitivities or allergies to foods later on. I never gave my girls cereal or similar until they were almost 1 year! There is the old wive's tale they will sleep better. But that one isn't true -- my eldest, even when she was eating like crazy, cereal and more, still didn't sleep well (she didn't until she was almost 3 years).

There's a lot of info out there about this, it is worth researching so you can decide for *yourself and your son* what is best. Particularly things with wheat seem to possibly irritate small babies digestion.

Good luck!

Skip the ceral and try banana or sweetpotato. And make sure it's nice and thin (should poor off the spoon.)

My daughter became "backed up" immediately with only rice cereal so our Dr. had us also intro veggies to help with that. It did help her but she was a gassy kid. Not sure if that will solve it for you but give it a try!! He is old enough for it.
Good Luck!
N.

Hi N.,
My daughter was the same with rice cereal. I tried oatmeal cereal instead with better results.(No food allergies on either side of the family) A good veggie that doesn't constipate is carrots and they aren't TOO sweet. Have fun with solid food feeding and stock up on Spray N Wash!
L.