When Is It Ok to Give Baby Cereal and Other Baby Foods

Hi M., I recall my doctor telling me (with my first child) to wait to give solid food until 4 months of age and to wait until 6 months of age if either of the parents have allergies (which my husband does... i.e., wheat, peanuts, almonds, strawberries, tomatoes, dairy). I hope this helps. :) G.

Hi I have a 4 month little girl. My sister has two children and told me it is ok to give a 3 month old Gerber rice cereal. But for orther foods you have to wait until 6 months. I would check with the pediatrician to make sure what foods to give at 6 months because of food allergies.

Im going to try the rice cereal this week and see if she likes it. Im also planning on making my own baby food at 6 months and they books for that.

good luck

S.
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The rule of thumb is usually once they can hold their heads up on their own and are able to turn away from food once they are full. You mention that you have baby oatmeal. I would steer clear of that until he's a little older. I would start with rice cereal. The reason I recommend this is because giving babies food with gluten in them could trigger coeliac disease...a disease that causes damage to the small intestine and interferes with the absorption of foods. I don't want to freak anyone out...it's just a risk. My daughter is 5 1/2 months old and I introduced rice cereal at 4 months. At 5 months I introduced the veggies. Our pediatrician said introduce one food at a time and wait 5 days before introducing each new food. The reason for the 5 day waiting period to make sure that if your baby has any allergies to the food, you are able to easily pinpoint the allergy and remove the food. Good luck!

I always had to start my kids on cereal early but the recommended time is 4-6 months depending on their appetite and whether they can sit up and hold their head up. My doctors always told me to start with rice cereal mixed with formula or breast milk. And to only start with one solid food at a time for at least 7-10 days to ensure there was no reaction before introducing another solid.

I never start before 6 months. I waited till almost 8 with my daughter but just started my son who is 6 months becasue he was so hungry and his ped. said to go ahead. Mothers always get in a rush just becasue it says 4 months doesn't mean to start. Let their little tummies develop as much as they can. If they are needing more than just a bottle then talk to your ped. but I recommend waiting as long as possible. A baby technically doesnt need food till at least a year they are getting everything the need from breat or formula feeding. So let the digestion system develop and be at low risk for starting food allergies unless your little guy is screaming of hunger becasue the bottle isnt giving him enough.

I was told by my pediatrician not to give the baby cereal until she was 5 months old, at the youngest - he says that it is not healthy to start it before then, because the younger you start them on the cereal, the more often those children have problems with severe constipation, more frequent spitting up, and creates an environment perfect for developing food allergies.

I started her at 5 1/2 months with the cereal, and shortly thereafter I was able to add fruits and veggies too. But you dont want to start the solids until THEIR bodies and digestive system are ready, not when you want to. Call your ped: he/she will know exactly when he/she reccommends starting cereal.

I'd be most concerned with allergies. From my own experience, starting any solids before 6 months really puts your little one at increased risk for food allergies.

The best thing to do is to talk to your pediatrician. Each has there own view on when to start. I have a 6mth old who just started cereals. We started with rice, then barley and last oatmeal. The order is specific to look for allergies. I began very diluted but by the second day we began mixing 3 tbs of cereal with water so it is the consistancy of mush. She eats more when she has something to actually feel on her tongue. Each cereal we gave her for 4 days, twice a day, and when were are done we will choose the one she like most & keep that up. Then we will start fruits & veggies, adding one at a time looking for any allergic reactions. Hope that helped. Good luck!

I started my kids off with cereal at 4 months then around 6 months moved on to veggis then fruits then meats at around 9 months. Start with the veggis first so they get use to that taste before giving them the sweet fruits.

almost 11 to 12 years ago with my 1st child I started food too early and too close to gether, she ended up having a ton of food allergies. With my 2nd child, 4 years ago, the standard had changed to not to start solids until 6 months. So I waited and turned out he started to develop constipation from foods like oatmeal and wheat. My advise would be to hold off on starting food as long as you can. Often babies are not developmentally ready under 6 months old, they often suck on the spoon.

If you don't want to wait start off with the least allergic of the grains rice cereal.

Hi M.,
My Daughter is 6 months old and at her 4 month checkup my Dr. said it was ok to start solids. I give her cereal on the morning with fruit, a veggie and fruit for lunch, and veggie and fruit for dinner.

Start with veggies (no fruit yet), cereal in the morning ( 2 tablespoons mixed w/either formula or breastmilk, thin first and then once hes used to it thicker) for breakfast. 1 veggie for 5 days (lunch and dinner) so you can determine if he has food allergies. then introduce another veggie for 5 days and so on, I would give him all the veggies first because, your right once he tastes the fruit he wont eat the veggies.

Hope this helps!!
B.

Hey M.,
I think it's okay if you think your baby is not being filled with the Formula....I think I staretd my kids at the same age... because they seem not to be full with the Formula...So it's really up to you and your Pediatrician says...So good luck and God Bless....

You do not have to start with rice cereal. My daughter never had one bite of jarred or boxed baby food. As to when you start, it depends on the baby. Lookf or readiness signs such as baby taking active interest in what you are eating, reaching for your food, cessation of tongue thrust reflex and stuff like that. first few feedings should just be to taste things, not to replace significant calories currently supplied by milk or formula. then over time, the balance will sift.

My daughter started at 4.5 months and she was more than ready. other babies are different. our first solids were fresh raw fruits -- avocado first, then banana, each mashed carefully and mixed with a little milk / formula to make a thin paste. just a couple of teaspoons at first. when she was good with those we added mashed sweet potato, and then moved on to other low-allergen fruits and veggies. she tolerated and enjoyed everythign so we swiftly moved into solid foods... other babies again are different so uyse your instincts and your poewrs of observation as well as advice from your pedi (who is NOT A NUTRITION EXPERT!!! so take him with a grain of salt!). take cues from the baby. if you try solids at 4 months and he isn't ready, no real harm done. wait 2-4 weeks and try again if readiness signs are increasing.

My daughter goes to Dr. Sears and he recomends 6 months before starting any solids.

I'll keep it simple: You can start solids when his doctor says it's okay. If you think it's time, call his doc, make an appointment and talk about it. My son started rice, apples and bananas at 3 months, but only because he had really bad diareah (sp?) and was nursing around 180 MINUTES a day, PLUS one 8oz. bottle each day.

NO MATTER WHAT THE OTHER MOMS MAY OR MAYNOT SAY, NEVER START HIM ON SOMETHING THE DR. DOESN'T AGREE WITH. We do not know your child, so we can only tell you what *OUR* doctor told us for *OUR* kid! *YOUR* doctor knows *YOUR* kid, and his medical history.

Sorry if I sound rude, or if I'm bursting your bubble. It's just better to be safe than sorry! Take care~ J

Hi M.,
It has been my experience to try some rice cereal (make it watery) and see what baby does. If they spit it out, try it again in a few days. If baby swallows it, then keep giving it to him. It took me a month of trying before my daughter actually swallowed cereal, but once she did, she started trying all the stage 1 foods and a month after that was on stage 2. By 9 months, she was on stage 3 and table food. I found with me it was a slow start to get them to swallow anything other than a bottle, but once they started the rest was easy. I think sometimes us moms worry too much, and we make it harder than it needs to be!!! I know I am one of them sometimes! Good luck and I hope this is helpful.

According to food guidelines:

4 mos you can start feeding cereal. However, I have found that it really depends on the baby if Breastmilk or Formula isn't getting him full, then try cereal and other baby foods.

Hope that helps.
tammy
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Wait till he is 6 months old. Dr. say that 6 months is the ealiest because the yonger they are, the more food allergies they could get if you start too young. :) Good luck

I have a 4 month old also.. I started my daughter on rice cereal on May 3rd.. She turned 4 months old on May 12th... And she has not had any problems with it.. Now u dont want to give him oatmeal cereal... U need to start off with rice cereal.. cuz they dont quite understand how to chew the oatmeal... U dont start 1st foods till 6 months old.. So the amount of rice cereal.. well u put a few teaspoons of the cereal in a bowl.. I just eye ball it.. and mix it with a bit of formula to make it somewhat runny.. At first i just started her on cereal at dinner (before bed).. and then bout a week or week and half it was like she wanted more so than i started her on Breakfast cereal also.. SO now she is getting cereal at breakfast and dinner.. and then she drinks her formula through out the day. and to determine when u need to bring in lunch cereal just listen to ur baby's cues.. he will tell u if the bottle or what not didnt fill him up.