I Should Know the Answer to This??

I started my daughter on cereal at 3 months mostly because she would eat so much that we would get low on formula way to soon. She mostly would eat cereal at lunch or dinner she really didn't care for it in the mornings. I would wait at least a week before trying anything else just incase of an allergic reaction. I also started vegtables around 4-5 months since she always tried to reach for everything I had. Honestly some kids are just faster at developing than others. One my daughter was on whole milk by 10 months along with no more bottle or pacifier. Less trouble to get rid of old habits sooner before they start getting super attached to it. by her first birthday she was eating everything we were and drinking out of a sippy.

I believe it's best to take your cues from him. When he wants it, he can have it. So offer him a bite or two at every meal. If he takes it eagerly, let him have it. He may wax and wain for awhile depending on if he is going through a growth spurt. My grandson ate everything we could shovel in at only 8 weeks. For a month it didn't seem as if we could get or keep him full. But all the sudden he started turning his head away from the spoon. He hasn't been as interested. Now he's 4 months old and seems to grab for our food or our spoons. We are just starting to introduce it all again.

There is no hard and fast rule no matter what anyone says. One doctor told us we are doing the right thing and that she would do the same. Then she went on maternity leave and left a replacement. The next woman is a basket case as far as I am concerned. She told my daughter not to feed him any food at all because he doesn't need it. But then she complained she isn't feeding him enough formula because he still has bottles at night. He's in the 75% for weight and height. And yet she guilted my daughter making her feel as if she was starving her son. He's 4 months old and growing out of all 6 month stuff and almost into the 12 month stuff. She said he should be eating well over 40 ounces per day. And yet he has acid reflux and needs food and cereal to keep from throwing up even worse.

There's no hardcore rules or regs here...you know your child better than anyone so I would assume that you would realize a food allergy if you saw one...I don't think you need to wait 3-4 days if he's ready and rolling but I would see how he does on one a day. I would MOST CERTAINLY suggest that you start him on fruits at this point. With my kiddos on cereal I had to add apple juice to their bottles of formula because the cereal bound them up. I'd also recommend keeping either Little Tummies Gas Drops or gripe water onhand just in case. It could be a lifesaver for you in the middle of the night! ;)

Oh, and mine wouldn't eat cereal plain...I put the cereal in empty formula cans and used the scoop that came with the formula. I filled a full 8 oz bottle; 6oz formula, 2 scoops of cereal and 2 oz of apple juice...use the bigger nipple or they won't be able to suck anything out and will be mortally frustrated! LOL... mine loved it and we swiftly progressed from there to the jar food and table food. I really never held anything back from my kids...they have always eaten at the table with us so if they were interested in something we always offered it.

There is certainly something to say for feeding him in the morning and watching the reactions...that would be my suggestion, but if you are a working mom, that hardly gives YOU the fair chance to see how he is doing...on the other hand...if you feed it to him in the evening and he gets gas from it, you could be in for a VERY miserable evening...maybe start this weekend? Then you could observe and not feel bad about sending him to daycare in the morning to be fed on Monday?

Carla, What we've done with most of my day care kiddos is: start with dinner only, I add lunch when they seem like they need more than just bottles, then breakfast is added last, usually about 10 months. Start with veggies whenever you like, just give it a couple days before adding anything new.

Take Care, M.

I started my kids on cereal at 4 months and usually fed it to them in the morning and evening. They slept through the night by 2 months but some feed their babies cereal in the evening so they will stay full longer through the night and sleep longer.

I didn't start them on other foods until 6 months.

Good Morning Carla, remember I am a Nana, but I do remember starting my eldest son on cereal at 6 wks. He wouldn't nurse so I put him on milk couldn't afford formula's back then. Dr. said rice cereal would be fine for a week then try another one. I did feed him the cereal to start in the morning. Then started giving it to him also at night time, before his warm bath ( didn't bathe him everyday, warm cloth did well) he slept so well.

This was 35 yrs ago and they don't do things now as they did back then. Like baby powder, Dr.s don't recommend powders on babies now, saying it can get into their lungs etc.. For really overly dry skin i greased our son's up in vaseline and put them in blanket sleeper's at night. They were as soft and smooth as newborns in the mornings. Now they don't like vaseline on babies as it cogs pores or something..

Hope you get the answers you need Carla
God Bless you and yours always
K. Nana of 5

Start with one meal a day, then go 2-3 meals a day. If you want to do have him eat his cereal in the evening, maybe start it on the weekend, if you have to be up at night if he gets a tummy ache. Mix cereal with formula that he's already used to. Or, if you find the cereal is causing constipation, mix it with juice.

We don't have much for food allergies in our family, so I didn't think that a 3 day wait between new foods was necessary. I'd give it 2 days to see if hives or other things showed up, then I'd do a new food. One bit of advice is to change from rice to oatmeal quickly if little baby boy gets constipated. My DD became constipated almost instantly when I introduced cereal. we have her on a Rx now for her constipation--it is safe but works to draw more water into the lower bowel. Our little eager beaver will eat anything we give her, but we did start her with veggies as the first jarred food, but within a week she was also eating fruit jarred food. Prunes continue to be a pantry staple.

Our first kid had a hard time with cereal, so we started baby #2 on cereal in the morning in case she also got a tummy ache we wouldn't be up all night.

Good luck!

Their immune systems are too immature at this stage for so much cereal. Continue the milk. Even though mommas did it generations ago the new studies are accurate. Ask your doc.

I gave mine cereal once per day in the evening just before bed time. Helps them sleep better.

You'll know when it is time to start other meals/foods because their regular 8 oz bottle won't seem to fill them up any more.

Yes, wait at least 3 days between each new food before introducing another new food.