Trying to Feed Baby Cereal

He is TOO young, he is not swallowing any of it because he is not ready to be eating solids and does not have the muscle cordination to use his tonge for anything other than pushing the foreign substance out. Wait until he is 6 months old and try again.

He doesn't actually need to start eating food until 6 months old. My children's health care provider suggested only breast milk until 6 months and then start adding cereal. My kids did great with that plan. They won't starve if you don't start feeding them cereal right now. Maybe he just isn't ready yet so give him some more time and then try again in a couple weeks or a month. Good luck!

Wait a month or two, it's not a necessity at this age. Many pediatricians recommend waiting until 6 months. He probably doesn't have the tongue/muscle coordination yet for even taking it off of a spoon. Breast milk/formula comes first, the cereal is just for practice.

Your baby is too young for cereal. He can't swallow it, therefore he shouldn't *have* it. Wait another 2 months.

He is TOO young.
He cannot... eat yet.
For the 1st year of life.... breastmilk/Formula is a baby's PRIMARY source of nutrition... NOT solids and not other liquids. This is also per our Pediatrician.

Don't start food 'issues' already. He is only, 4 months old.

No, he doesn't need to eat cereal. In fact, you should wait 2 more months. He clearly can't eat this cereal, so why make him? You are increasing his risk of choking!! Wait until 6 months and he should be mature enough to eat cereal. Good luck!

If he isnt swallowing it then he isnt ready for cereal. Give it a rest for a week or so and then try again. You should always feed him his bottle before you give him solid food. Solid food at this age is just to teach him to eat, not for the nutrional value, he gets all that he needs from the formula.

He doesn't need the cereal. It's practice eating. Sure it makes them fuller for longer but so would increasing his formula feedings.

But if he can't do it stop for two weeks then try again. DO NOT put it in the childs bottle. Studies have shown time and time again much higher rates in obesity of those children. I wouldn't do that in a million years.

But alot of people anymore aren't feeding their children any food till they are a year old and those children are just fine. But I've yet to meet a baby yet that likes cereal right away and some just aren't ready at 4 months. It's like saying children walk at one. That just isn't so is it. Some might at 8 months. Some might at 18 months. So your baby just isn't ready. Put the cereal down and try again in 2 weeks.

But talk to your ped. They'll give you good advice. All us here are only just moms and I'm just going by my research and what I did with my recent 13 month old and the previous 2.

He probably is not ready for the cereal yet- my son is also 4 months old and our doctor said to wait until he is closer to 6 months old.
Also keep in mind that breastmilk and formula should continue to be his main source of food until close to one year old.
Good luck and be patient!

He really actually may be too young. 4 months is risky. I know some people recommend to start @ 4-6 months of age, but it really should be 6-8 months for cereal and then mushy foods at 8 months or older... The digestive system is very delicate. EVEN a baby that WILL take the cereal at 4 months may very well still be too young. It won't hurt the baby if you give them solids a little later, but it could potentially hurt their systems if you give it now... I would go for the safe bet.

I have four kids, and all started at different times, but never earlier than 6 months. I have friends (God Bless them) that went with the 4 month "rule" (and one friend who actually gave cereal at 2 months!!!!). One of them gives their kid enemas all the time because they are CONSTANTLY constipated. One of them only found out that it was bad when the child was around 3 years old and had an ongoing digestive problem and drs couldnt figure out why until they found out she was given cereal too early. All those friends have issues with digestive stuff, one a very severe problem.

I'm sure you can find kids that had cereal at 4 months and were fine, but why take the gamble? I also don't think its common knowledge about the fact that you should wait longer. i don't actually expect a lot of moms to know. but they SHOULD know. Just a warning. maybe your cutie is telling you something:)

Until 12 mos, babies get all the nutrition they need from breastmilk or formula. 4 months is on the early side for starting solids. Take a break, try again in a month. If his tongue thrust reflex is still there (spitting it all back out) then he's not ready. And when he is ready, take it slow. Remember that from 6-12 months solid foods are extra calories and "practice" for chewing and swallowing. Just be patient - with him and with yourself.

If he is still pushing it out, then the tongue thrust reflex is still there. I have a 20 week old who will eat a little cereal and/or mashed banana before her bottle. Look for the ready signs. With my girl, she started fussing at the table when we ate, would open her mouth when we took bites, stared us down while we were eating, would gnaw on her hands, drooled like mad at dinner time, etc. My pediatrician also said between 4 and 6 mos was when most babies were ready because the tongue thrust reflex subsides. Just wait a week or so and try again. Good luck!

It sounds like your baby is not ready for cereal. 4 months is kind of young. Some experts say to wait till 6 months to introduce foods. I didn't start foods on my baby till 8 months. They don't need cereal. Breastmilk or formula should be the main source of food at this age.

A couple of things going on here-he obviously doesn't have the muscle coordination at this time to handle solids. This means he's not ready and it's unsafe to give it to him. He doesn't "need" cereal at 4 months and it is recommended that parents wait until at least 6 months because baby has what is called an open gut, meaning that what goes in his tummy passes into his blood stream:

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

It's concerning that you say you "give in and give him a bottle". Just like SH said, breastmilk or formula is primary for the *entire* first year. Breastmilk or formula should always be given first and then solids in between. Solids are merely for practice and not meant to take the place of a nursing session or bottle feeding in any way at all.

Heck, my exclusively breastfed daughter wouldn't accept solids until she was 9 months old! And you know what I thought? So what!? Babies sometimes are very adept at knowing what they need and what they don't. She was perfect for her height and weight and nursed like a champ so no worries on my part.

Hi! I didn't read all of the answers, but here's my 2cents. I didn't start my kids on cereal until 5 mos. and 6 mos. They both were pretty good eaters.

It sounds like maybe you feel that baby isn't getting enough food (when you said you know he needs to eat it). If you're breastfeeding, I would just add an extra feeding; with formula I'd give him a little more if you feel he's hungry. Don't stress out about the cereal.

Also, some people start with other foods. Cereal caused constipation in my kids, so I mixed it with 1 part apple juice to 2-3 parts water. I don't know that I'd do that this early -- we started closer to 9 mos with that -- but it's something to bring up with your doctor (and made the cereal taste better so both my kids loved it!)

Good luck:)

A baby's GI tract is still open and immature at this age and will not mature enough to close until about 7-9 months. Feeding a baby solids too early can also cause severe inflammation, irritation of the GI tract and possible aspiration (solids food goes into the lungs).

He does NOT need to be eating cereal or any solids yet - he should be drinking only breastmilk. If you formula feed instead - then that should be his main nutrition until at least 6 months.

Don't rush it, dear mama! Just keep trying, here and there. 6 months is optimal for feeding solids more regularly!

Just keep BFing or giving formula to fill him up, cereal isn't a main source of nutrition yet!

He's not ready. Four months is the beginning of the window for a baby being ready to eat food. Relax and try again in a week or so. Even if you get him to eat, he's really too little to eat enough of ANYTHING to stay full for any length of time. Keep up the breastmilk or formula and try not to stress... he's not going to go to kindergarten with a bottle :)

No need to rush him in to cereal if he's not showing interest, in my opinion. My baby is 7 months old and we started him on cereal at 5-1/2 months once a day. Do what makes you and him happy.

It takes practice. Just keep trying, he doesnt know what to do with it yet, he will figure it out. Both my kids thought it was a foreign object for awhile.

Relax...he just isn't ready for it yet. Wait a couple weeks and then try again. Many babies are not ready at 4 months.

My first thought is it's too early for him. My first I tried at 4 months and she screamed like she was hurt then at 6 months she did fine. I didn't even try with my 2nd until she was 6 months. And it took her a little while to get the hang of it and really want to do it. If it was me, I would wait a couple weeks then try again!

I think it's fine that you are introducing your son to "solid" food, but don't worry about him not wanting it just yet. Some peds don't recommend even starting until they are 6 mo, and they actually don't need for nutritional reasons until they are closer to a year. You can just keep giving him the option and then following up with a bottle. Breast milk or formula will give him everything he needs for now. Solids are strictly suppplemental.

On another note, if he's actually spitting up (rather than spitting out) what you are giving him, perhaps his tummy isn't ready for it.

My baby is four months too! And we just recently started giving her cereal. She absolutely loved if from the very first time! We haven't had an issue of her spitting it out (besides her thinking it's funny!) But all babies are different. I'd say leave it alone and try it in another week. If he won't take it in a week, hold off another week. Just don't push it, he'll let you know when he's ready :) Good luck!! ***Oh and I know you're getting a lot of responses saying he's too young.. But my pediatrician said four months was fine if they're ready!! My pedi also told me after about two or three weeks of the cereal/rice, I can introduce baby foods (fruit/veggie purees). One at a time for three days to check for allergies.

Try keeping the spoon in his mouth for a few seconds after you give him a bite, that way he has to swallow it.

you are NOT supposed to mix it in the bottle. solids are for eating, not drinking.

ALSO: there is no rule that he HAS to have solids just because he turned 4 months old. the talk is now that we should lean more toward 6 months old before we even START solids, so aim for that. dont stress!! your baby is showing you that he is NOT ready for solids, forcing them on him is not going to get you anywhere. solids are not nutritionally needed until after a year, so making it an unenjoyable experience isnt going to turn out well for either of you.

so basically, stop feeding solids. wait another month. this is what my son did and by 5.5 months old he did just fine starting. many moms dont even feed ANY solids until their baby is a year old, and they are rather healthy, perfectly growing kids. :) so you dont have to do solids now. its really really ok to wait! :) :)

We gave both of our babies cereal mixed in with their formula. Whether or not it's what you're "supposed" to do, that's what worked for us! And our first baby gagged very easily on just about any kind of solid food. My advice is that if your baby will take the cereal in the bottle, go for it!

It takes a while for them to figure out the spoon/solid thing. This is perfectly normal. Just keep at it but don't expect much. Eventually they'll catch on and there will be no looking back.

I have 5 kids and have been doing daycare for 18 years....My suggestion is to give it sometime...just try small amounts at a time...Do not feed them when they are very hungry as this gets frustrating for them...Make sure you get the food on top of the tongue instead of under...this will cause them to spit it out more...They are always going to spit some out...Also try thickening it up....I know when I mix according to direction it is to watery or thin and seems run out more...My youngest son is 5 and 1/2 months old I started feeding him at 8 weeks...He eats great opens his mouth wanting more...While "they' say they don't need the extra nutrients until they are twelve months they do need to learn to eat...So it is important you don't wait to long! check out this site... http://www.whattoexpect.com/blogs/astudentatmamauniversit...