Rice Cereal

Well Ayla's turning 4 months on Sunday and I get to start her on rice.. But I dont get it! Do I give her less of her bottle and the give her rice after? I know you can put the rice in the bottles but I want to serve them seperatley. So she takes 6 oz. every 4 hours.. so I do I just give her 4 oz. and then rice?? And what about 1st foods,? Should I start them too or wait until she's five months? I know I might sound confusing I just need help!! Lol.. thank you ladies!

[AndiJ78]

I know I will get blasted by some, but there is no need to start her now. I know, I know, it is so fling-flanging exciting to rush them through all these baby stages, but you aren't doing her any favors.

If you do not heed my advice, at least heed this: full bottle first then offer a few bites of rice cereal. Never in a bottle, never decrease the amount of formula to make room for the solids.

[becca_3456]

I would wait until she is 6 months to start any food (just my personal opinion). And when you do I would also skip the cereal it is really not a great food for babies. I started DD on avacado first then moved to other veggies. If you do start cereal I would do the oatmeal cereal ( you can actually make you own) the stuff in the box is basically sawdust. It does not have any to little nutritional value. All she really needs right now is formula or breastmilk until 6 months. 6 months is when their digestive systems are fully developed and ready for food. If you do go ahead with the cereal give the bottle first then food. Good luck:)

[AndiJ78]

Well, I wouldn't quite go that far, their GI tracts are far from developed at 6 mos, certainly not "fully" developed and I would recommend a single ingredient cereal, I, too, preferred oatmeal. But by the time I had my 3rd I didn't even bother with solids, he nursed exclusively during the first year, barely had a spoonful of cereal and was my biggest one.

[cantwait4baby]

Not a good idea to give anything but formula and/or nurse until your baby is at least 6 months old.  My dd had a bad reaction to cereal at 6 months.  I then stopped and only gave forrmula until she turned 11 months old.  Then I started to try solids which she still does not like at 14 months.  Your doctor should tell you the same.  

[girl0319]

Thanks... but my doctor did tell me I can start her on cereal as well as 1st foods... but thanks for the advice I will ask at her Monday 4 month appointment.

[cantwait4baby]

Let her know that you read about how it should not be started until 6 months.  Any baby book you read will advise this.  She may just be more easy going then most doctors.  I had two pediatricians and they both were dead set against it.  

[mami1323]

Mine also wouldn't let me give solids until 6 months and frankly I'm glad I waited.  My first experience even at 6 months with the cereal was 3 days of my son not going poopie.  He was not a happy baby.  I backed out the cereal and my doctor then said I can mix in some green beans with the cereal and it will help him go.  Which it did.  Now he is very regular and even eats the cereal.  I also started with oatmeal, I figured rice constipates me so you could imagine what it does to a baby who isn't used to eating solids.  Even now at 7 1/2 months I give him solids maybe once or twice a day but mostly just give him the formula.  

[Tanker Chic]

My dr told me to start my son on solids.  She said to start him on cereal first and if he tolerates that well, after a couple of days to try some fruit.  She said try one thing at a time so if they have a reaction to it, you will know what it was.  She said not to give him any veggies or meats until 6 months.  I started him at 4m3wk (just this last weekend).  It is just for experimentation/coordination/practice so we only do it once a day.  She also said to start in the morning so if he has a reaction to it, it won't be at night.  I started on the weekend so I could feed him in the morning ans since it went well, during the week, I feed him around 5 pm when I get home from work. The first time, I fed him the cereal before the bottle.  I made two table spoons of the rice cereal but once I mixed the formula in it, it turned into a lot more than two table spoons, so I didn't feed him all of it.  It just seemed like too much.  So the first time, I fed him the cereal for a little while, I'm not sure how much actually went down but we had a good time with it.  I gave him the bottle directly afterward and he drank it up.  The second time, I fed him the cereal first again followed by the bottle.  The third time, he seemed really hungry, but after a few spoons he started to cry, so I stopped and gave him the bottle and then once his drinking slowed way down, I tried the cereal again and he ate it up. Afterward, I offered him the rest of the bottle.  I think he was just too hungry at first to mess with the cereal.  The forth try (today) I did pretty much the same thing. I started with the cereal but he seemed fussy, so I stopped, gave him the bottle, then finished up with the cereal, and then offered the remaining bottle.  He really seems to like the cereal and I've been shocked at how much of it he will eat.  Typically he hasn't been a huge eater.   I have a pic on my profile of our first meal.  We are going to try stage 1 fruits this weekend.  

My advice, don't worry about making a mess of it. Have a wet rag and a bottle ready before you start.  Try it one way, if it doesn't work, try it another way.  It is just for fun, so don't worry about being too technical.  Good luck and enjoy!!

[Tanker Chic]

Oh yeah, my dr did say if the rice constipates him to switch to the oatmeal.  

[mlb1234]

I started Isabelle on cereal between 4-5 months and our pediatrician also said it was fine.  She has done great with it!  Many people on here say to wait until 6 months but don't let that make you feel bad if you start earlier.  One of my nephews was started at about 2 months (he was a big hungry boy!) and he turned out fine with no problems whatsoever.  My other 5 nieces and nephews started at 4 months and all are fine as well!!  We now also give Isabelle one vegie/fruit a day to get her used to tastes other than breastmilk but we started that a couple weeks after the cereal.  She only takes about 1/4 of the container at a time.
When you first start the solids they don't eat it real good so you could just give it in addition to her regular amount of milk/formula.  I just nurse on demand the rest of the day.  Best of luck and have fun (take some pictures which I forgot to do the first time!)