Rice Cereal.....how much to give at first?

[KM604]

**Posted this in Preg 18-34 also**

So daughter is now 4 months and weighs 16 1/2 lbs (crazy!), so the doctor said we can start her on rice cereal.  We gave it to her for the first time last night.  It was really runny (as we were instrcuted to do at first).  We bought the gerber soft tip spoons for beginners (in feeding), so they are small.  Well she ate about 10-15 spoonfuls of it (I was having fun with it, LOL, because she was eating it!) which I made a lot more.  I don't really know what is too much or too little.  The doctor said she'll stop eating when she doesn't want anymore.  We also gave her about 4oz of formula after (she usually eats 6oz) because she was obviosuly hungry.  Soooooo, I guess my questions are:  Do I start out replacing an entire meal or start replacing it when she is used to eating the cereal?  Is what I gave her enough or too much or too little (becaues I don't want to constipate her)?  The doctor also said I can start her on veggies and fruits in a few weeks and said to give her a little water after to help her stools...so do I give her a little veggies and cereal??  

[Super_sally888]

World health organisation guidelines is for no solid foods until at least 6 months.

Many doctors don't seem to follow that.  Including my pediatrician who told me I could probably start to offer solids by 5 months.

When starting solids the formula or breast milk is still the main food (up to 1 year) and then add in the others in small amounts.   Usually offering only one new food at a time until sure no reaction.  

What I read is give formula or breastmilk first and then offer the solid food after.

Due to our family history of major allergies I will not be offering Michaela on any solids until 7 - 8 months.... then we will be guided by how interested she is (will be using finger foods) and whether or not she has reactions.  My lactation consultant said there's actually no problem for the baby even to be exclusively breastfed up to 9 or so months if it works for both.... but to be guided by baby's interest in food...  


She is doing great on just breastmilk for now and gaining about 150 g a week (that is a pretty good gain) and is in 50 -75 percentile for her age.

[Tarobinc]

When we did give Sophia cereal* we gave her about a teaspoon to start out with and then increased it to a tablespoon.  I mixed it with her formula, after I made her normal size bottle.  The cereal is to add in some calories but it shouldn't replace the amount of milk she gets.  Your baby still needs all of the nutrients that come from either breastmilk or formula at this stage.  I make her 7oz bottle and use some of that bottle to make her cereal.  For us, giving her the cereal first works ok and then we follow it up with her bottle.  But some of our friends give the bottle first to insure their babies get all of it and then give the cereal.  Eventually, I think the food can replace a meal but on average your baby would still need around 24-28oz of milk a day.  There are some really great resources out there about feeding your baby.  I like babycenter.com and the book "What to expect the first year".  

When you do introduce food, I would advise giving it to your baby for 3-5 days to make sure there is no reaction and if there was, you would know which food is the culprit.  

All in all, just go by the what works best for you and your baby.

*We have stopped giving her cereal for now since she might have a milk protein allergy so we are strictly giving her a non milk based formula under the direction of her doctor.

[Momofthreecrazykids]

Usually just a tablespoon at first until they get a feel for it.  They're bellies aren't big at all...same size as they're fists.  But try that much first, if she likes it, give her more.  I mix fruit in with the cereal. Or the Gerber juice, formula, breast milk...either one would work.  

Myra is 16 pounds 10 ounces and she just turned 4 month yesterday!  Its nuts!  I haven't started her on food yet because she still just wants to suck.  She spits out what goes into her mouth.  LOL  I'll try it again today just to see if she did change or not.  

Good luck and hope this helps!!  

[angelbabies]

lilly been having veggies for a week now and her poo has been fine! she has veg because i dont want her to be a fussy eater and have a sweet tooth! i always feed her then offer her food at lunch! if u try  to imagen all that food in a bag and then think bout how big bher tummy is it help, i woulnd give her2 much as she might b hurting if u over fed her!