When Did You Begin Rice Cereal?

Our pediatrician had us start rice cereal and level 1 jarred foods at 4 months for both kids. Ours weren't so natural at it, and most of the food was wasted, but they have to learn, and it sounds like your daughter is a natural.
I always made the rice cereal with pumped breast milk so he continued to get the nutrients. I had to stop nursing our daughter to start chemo when she was 11 weeks old, so I'd make it with formula. We'd also put some of the level 1 foods in there to introduce different flavors.
Your breast milk supply is probably fine. She's just developing the need for other foods. Your milk should and will continue to be a primary source of food, but she's giving you clues that she's ready to need other nutrients for sustenance.
Stick with the suggestions people have provided (cereal, veggies, pears, applesauce).

We started at 4 months, guided by our son's pediatrician. Sounds like your daughter is ready for solids of some sort since you say she ate it immediately - she was able to take it off the spoon (no issues with the tongue-thrust reflex) and she's able to sit up.

You may wish to consult your pediatrician, who knows best about your child's health history. Given the information you've provided though, it sounds like she's well on her way to trying and liking solids. Good luck!

We skipped rice with our son and went straight to Oatmeal because of constapation issues. He was just over 5 mos when we started. I think the important thing is that the child has to be able to push up on their tummy. Not necessarily crawling, but have some good muscle tone in their necks and chests to move the food I guess.

Our ped told us we could begin solids anytime between 4-6 months. We started by giving our kids rice cereal at breakfast, and in the evening. I'd go ahead and buy some of the veggies, like carrots, squash...and then something like pears, then apples. Just make sure that once you introduce a new food, you use that one food for 3-4 days before introducing any other new foods, so that you can tell if your baby has any allergic reaction to the new foods.

My son was licking his chomps at 3.5 months, so I knew he was really ready to start his solids at 4 months. He LOVES to eat solids and it makes him so much happier to be part of our meal time.

Have fun...I really enjoy feeding time once the babies get to the solids stage.

We fed our son and daughter rice cereal at 4 months. Between 4 months and 6 months we introduced them to Oatmeal and Multi-grain. At 6 months we went on to veges, fruits and meats. I don't remember how many times per day we were doing this in the beginning. I went off of what our ped told us we should do.

Hi R. My grandson started eating solids at 4 months old. but check with your daughter's peditrican to see what he/she says.

R.,

I am doing an infant nutrition seminar on Wed. Jan 6 at Giggles located at 2116 N. Halsted (near Armitage) at 7pm and will be going over infant nutrition from 4m-13m. We go over a ton of info such as:
The ABCs of DHA and the importance on brain and eye health
Probiotics for your baby
Signs your baby is ready for solids and other clues
How to check for food sensitivities and food allergies when introducing foods

I started at 5 1/2 months as I noticed she was watching us eat, opening her mouth when I opened my mouth to eat, having good head and neck control is also very important. I also nursed and noticed she was getting more hungry. :)

Start by feeding once per day to get her use to eating the meal, pick a time that works best for you. Around 6-7m you can add another meal such as dinner. Be sure to nurse first before feeding her, keeping in mind food is the supplement and their nutrients comes from your breastmilk.

Hope some of this helps!
Happy Holidays,
J. W. MPH
Maternal and Child Health Educator
Chicago Examiner Family Health Expert
http://www.examiner.com/x-7158-Chicago-Family-Health-Exam...

Every baby is different, therefore every mom has their stories and suggestions from experience. Keep in mind that your baby will tell you when it is time for anything. there isnt a magical thing that happens when they turn 6 months, or anything. Always go with your gut with any mommy decision. I know being a first time mom makes you doubt your instincts, and everyone goes through that. I started giving my very large 1st son rice at 4 months. I have been giving my 3 month old rice in his formula (dr. told me to due to reflux) since he was about 1 month old. Always introduce foods one at a time, and continue giving that food for 4 days in a row. Start with rice, too because there is less of chance of having allergy, then oatmeal, other cereals. once she's had no reaction to rice, then you can give her veggies and fruits. (you may of course give foods you know she isnt allergic to while introducing new one). Someone gave me a suggestion with my first that stuck with me...give the more bland foods before introducing the sweeter ones. Theyr'e more likely to like it. And keep in mind, the first time they taste new anything, they'll prolly make a face adn spit it back out. (you should have a camera handy, they're priceless)..give them a couple more spoons, she'll prolly be okay..if keeps spitting it out, keep trying for those 4 days anywyas, giving the rice in between. dont add another food, cause you wont know which one will cause the allergy. sorry, i wrote a novel.

Congratulations on your growing baby!

We started rice cereal mixed with breast milk around 5 mos, then started one veg at a time for about a week each-starting with the more yummy orange ones like carrots and sweet potatoes. Turns out we have an allergic kid, which we learned as soon as he tasted cow milk, egg, cinnamon, strawberry and others. Kiwi and mango are also high allergy foods- so you many want to postpone those "tropical fruit" baby food jars until closer to a year.

My kids nursed until 15-18 mos. each, but I also pumped twice daily in order to have milk to make cereal for them. And okay, I am going to admit to putting breast milk into an ice cream maker for my cow-milk allergic toddler son!! (It worked, he loved it, although was shocked and saddened at first by how cold it was!)

Happy feedings, happy nursing!

We began a little rice cereal around 4 months, up til then, she was almost exclusively breast fed. I don't like baby food, I don't think it's as valuable nutritionally as food you make for your child at home, if possible. I recommend getting a baby food cookbook like The Natural Baby Food Cookbook by Margaret Elizabeth Kenda and Phyllis S Williams or Nourishing Traditions (Which really applies to the whole family) by Sally Fallon or Superfoods by Annabel Karmel. The Superfoods is really easy and fun to read and makes preparation fun too. Good luck.

Well, at 5 months, she is certainly not terribly young to start, but remember, they don't recommend starting solids now until 6 months. Keep in mind that baby cereal has fewer calories per ounce than breast milk (and no fat), so while we perceive it as being "solid" and therefore more filling, it's actually not. She may seem to want to nurse more because she's growing, and this is her way of saying, "I want more milk, mommy!" If you make it through a few days of power nursing, your supply will up itself and you'll produce more milk at each feeding, and the balance will be restored. I am sure you will get lots of responses urging you to do the cereal, and I don't think you will harm the baby by doing so, but just be careful. I started my oldest on cereal at what I believe was too young an age (5 months) and she loved the food so much that the end result was my milk supply dropping and my daughter losing weight. I ended up weaning her at 10 months because my supply diminished so much (I had wanted to nurse until at least a year). I therefore didn't start my second child on cereal until a few days past 6 months. HTH!

At 5 and 1/2 months according to our son's pediatrician. He said to start with rice cereal at one meal (we chose dinner-time) and do that for 1-2 weeks until you are sure that your child is doing well with the cereal. Then add baby oatmeal at breakfast for 1-2 weeks. Then barley cereal at lunch for 1-2 weeks. Then when the baby is taking 3 meals a day with cereal, (nursing after the cereal and nursing only at bedtime), gradually add fruits and veggies to each meal. Add one fruit or veggie at a time, with 3 days in between adding a new fruit or veggie in case the baby has an allergy. We did this, and our son was eating 3 meals a day, with a 4th meal of nursing only at bedtime by the time he was 7 months. Our doctor recommended nursing at mealtimes only, and giving water in a sippy cup between meals if needed. Hope this helps!

remember it is just practice NOT for nutrition. Every time you give her food you are substituting a superior food for an inferior food. She doesnt need it it is just practice. I would stick to once a day and you will know when she needs more. Make sure you nurse her and then wait a tad and give her the cereal so it doesnt greatly impact your milk supply. Good luck and great job nursing this long!!!!

Hi R..
I also EBF my son. I started him on solids when he was almost 6 months. Our ped said we can skip the rice cereal, because it has no nutritional value, and go straight to single grain oatmeal. We buy the gerber. If she seems ready, she probably is. My son is now 8 months, and I still breast feed and he eats 3 meals a day. Good luck!