Cereal - Tampa,FL

In all honesty I wouldn't start any baby food yet. There really is no rush and babies at this age don't need anything more than just breast milk or formula. My doc. told me that baby cereal and foods are really just to teach babies how to eat and that it really doesn't have the same good vitamins and calories that formula or breast milk has. Now most doc are saying to hold off on all baby foods until at least 6 months of age. My kids never liked any of the baby food so they just went from breastmilk straight to table food once they were around 10 or 11 months.

It is best to avoid cereal in a bottle. Once you start "solids" you want the baby to know it is eaten with a spoon rather than drinking it. It can also be a choking hazard because they usually drink the bottle reclined. If he is not ready for spoon yet (he should have good head control and be able to sit up fairly well in a high chair), wait until he is to start cereal. Most babies are ready by 5-6 months.

If he is ready to take it by spoon, then try. He may not be ready. If he isn't, there is no issue with mixing it with the last bottle of the evening. I had to start that when my son was 6 weeks old and my gastroentorologist (sp) is the one that told me to do it (also confirmed with my Pediatrician).

WIth my first child I was in SUCH a rush to feed her solids. I started a week before the 6th month with rice cereal in a spoon mixed with breast milk. It took a good few weeks for her to begin eating cereal and eventually mashed banana. WIth my second, I realized that there is absolutely no rush. I didn't begin solids until the 7th month because she was experiencing many adverse reactions to foods I ate and waiting meant lowering her risk of food allergies. The bottom line is that giving cereal will not help them sleep longer. My first, exclusively breast feed slept 12 hours at 6 months every night. My second is a terrible sleeper, even after solids. My advice...wait. There is no rush. Good luck!

Never put food, cereal or otherwise, in a bottle. You teach a baby how to eat by using a spoon. Please don't take your family's advice.

He sleeps really well so is obvouisly satisfied food wise , so why do you want to start him on cereal? 4 months is just a guideline , but it is still very young , you are better off waiting until he's around 6 months. Also when you do start cereal don't put it in the bottle , it's not supposed to go in the bottle , it should be a littl thicker than the milk and fed from a spoon , it is designed for them to learn how to take food from a spoon and move it around in the mouth and swallow. I know when you are a first time mom you want to hurry up and get to the next stage , but his tummy is not ready for solids just yet so it is best to wait a little longer.

I was told by the Dr never put cereal in bottle. Though my son did start on rice cereal at 4 months , didnt really seem to care for it at first but like it after a bit matter of fact I think its a favorite. If you think he needs more food I would up the bottle a bit til I saw the Dr to ask about the food.

Use a spoon!

You'll get lots of opinions....this is my two cents.

M.

Did the doctor tell you to start him on cereal? I wouldn't start him until the doctor tells you to. All babies are different and his stomach may not be ready for cereal. Wait for your doctor appt. Also, do not mix it in a bottle. Only lazy people do that because they don't want to mess with spoon feeding. If your are going to give him food then feed him with a spoon. Would you want your mashed potatoes in a glass to drink? Sit him in a high chair and if he can't sit up on his own put towels around him to hold him up when you start to feed him. Good Luck!

Spoon. If your baby can't eat it off the end of a spoon, he/she isn't ready for it yet.

Hi!

I see that you already have 24 answers but I can't believe no one gave you this advice. Call your pediatrician if you want to get his/her input now. I would definately seek advice from your pediatrician rather than make this decision based upon the advice of people who don't know you, your son or your family medical history. If your pediatrician won't answer phone calls then you need a new pediatrician. Ours is alwasy willing to answer these types of calls.

There is no rush and you really should wait to discuss it with baby's doctor.

Here's some food for thought on why it's best to wait at least till 6 months to add solids. We always hear that magic number but they don't tell us why:

http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/early-solid-food-feeding...

Read down about "open gut"

Also, do not add it to the bottle. That is outdated information and can promote over eating. You want to give cereal as a supplement and practice for eating. And that's all solids are in the first year-practice. Giving it in the bottle does not assist in baby learning about textures and the experience and practice of eating.

Wait and ask your ped. What is the rush? And he's too young to take cereal by spoon anyway.

My husband has such difficulty feeding our baby girl w/ the spoon that he puts the cereal in the bottle. He even put her sweet potatoes in her bottle!! LOL She is now 7 months and we've added cereal to her diet since she was around 5 months. She hated the rice cereal - despite mixing it w/ her formula. But, she loves whole wheat cereal and will also eat the baby oatmeal. Keep in mind cereals will cause constipation if you don't give them some water or fruits during the day so in addition to the cereal you may want to give him a little applesauce or apple juice cut w/ water.

I would wait until you talk to your pediatrician. The latest recommendation is no solids until 6 months; since your baby isn't even 4 months yet, you can wait a few more weeks until you see your doctor. I definitely wouldn't add it to the bottle.

Hi, my granddaughter is 2 years old now, but when she was your sons age, the pediatrician told us to give her cereal with a spoon, not in the bottle. Years ago, it was common to give it in the bottle, but not anymore. Good luck!

There is no reason to start him on foods so early. I would wait till about 7 months. Giving grains is about the worst thing to give him. You will be looking at allergies galore later on especially if you are vaccinating. Food allergies in children are rampant and the cause of many delays and disorders not to mention ear infections, asthma, eczema and tons of other behavioral issues. Always feed your child off the spoon. Putting food in the bottle makes a child fat and does not give them the opportunity to use their oral motor muscles. Good luck.

My son started his rice cereal in his bottle, but only on dr.'s order because of his horrible acid reflux. We added 1tsp every 5 oz of liquid. When we tried to give him the cereal from a spoon at 4 months, he wanted nothing to do with it. We tried again at 5 months and he hated it again. We went straight to regular baby food and added the cereal to that. In my opinion, I would use the spoon to start the cereal unless your son has reflux. Again, you could always call and ask your doctor his opinion.

Hi N.,
I have two girls and they are14 and 12. At the age of 2 months they couldn't get enough to eat and I talked to the doc about cereal and he said yes but ONLY a 1/2 tsp. in at least a 5 oz. bottle at the evening feeding. And they both did fine. IF your buddle of joy has any health issue PLEASE talk to the Dr. first and even if the baby doesn't, it is better to be safe then sorry. You don't want to jump the gun besides 5 hrs of sleep is great for a baby of that age.
Hope this helps u out a little bit and MOMMY HANGIN THERE it DOES get better,(UNTIL THEY ARE TEENS)ahhahahahah

I have raised four children and at their last feeding of the night, I gave them all a little bit of rice cereal and alternated applesauce and bananas. I gave it to them on a spoon and all four sleep through the night from the time they came home. Keep an eye on his bowel movements, that is the reason for alternating the fruit. Remember, every baby is different. Good luck.

Use the spoon. Adding it to the bottle was how our moms did it, and people still do it, but you're right, literature now says to use a spoon. That's probably what your ped. will recommend too. It's safer, I think, and although you'll have plenty of people say it's okay, i wouldn't do it. A four month old can sit in the high chair and eat...it may be tricky at first but totally doable.

If you put it in his bottle now he will not correctly learn the cus of being full that is why most ped. tell you not too. With both my boys we did cereal by spoon and they responded well. If for some reason your son doesnt understand how to swallow the cereal (tounge reflex) then hold off and try again a few weeks later. My son did this, you don't want to force cereal or any food on your baby. It will be a learning process for both of you. Good Luck.

You will get both responses on this and you do whats right for your baby. If you dont want to wait just call the pediatrician and see what they say. I did cereal in the bottle for my son at around 3 months maybe at night only and started with a spoon at 4 months with the cereal. Baby food i started at just over 5 months and he was on all table food at around 9 months or so. Now with my daughter i might try the cereal in the bottle in a couple weeks (she is 10 weeks now) but i may not. Undecided yet. I will be starting cereal by 4 months though. People either agree with it or they dont. There is not a lot of inbetween answers and there is no right or wrong answer. It is your decision and as long as your baby likes the cereal and does good with it then go for it. If he dont then try again later.

Hi. #1 I don't think you should ever put cereal in the bottle. that doesnt teach the baby anything. #2 if you don't want to wait until the appointment i would call the ped office. They should have nurses available to answer these kinds of questions. My ped actually says to try to wait to give cereal until 6months of age.

I started giving DS cereal on a spoon at 10 weeks. Go for it! (I also found he was much more interested in the 1st foods, than rice cereal. That stuff is BLAND!)
He won't know how to eat it it, and may push it back out with his tongue for awhile. You just have to keep trying and he'll get it.

I did both in the bottle as well as mixed with a spoon.
Good luck and have fun with the mess!

I started both of my girls on rice cereal at 4 months and they did great. I would definitely not put it in a bottle. I would just try a tablespoon of rice cereal in the morning and night mixed with a lot of formula or breastmilk. Your baby should be able to take it with a spoon just fine.