When starting my baby on cereal, how much and how often should I feed him?

Question

He's four months and takes in between 32 - 40 ounces of formula a day.

Answer 1

I am a nutritionist
it is too early to start cereal,

The American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization, and many other health organizations recommend that babies be exclusively breastfed (no cereal, juice or other foods) for the first 6 months of life. Some doctors may recommend delaying solids for the first year if there is a family history of allergies. I'm not going into the many health benefits of delaying solids here

Solids readiness depends on both the maturity of baby’s digestive tract and baby’s developmental readiness for solids. Although the maturity of baby’s digestive system is not something that we can readily observe, research indicates that 6 months appears to be ideal for avoiding the allergies and other health risks of too-early solids. After this point, different babies are ready for solids at different times -- developmental readiness for solids cannot be determined using a calendar. Most babies are developmentally ready for solids somewhere between 6 and 8 months.

Signs that indicate baby is developmentally ready for solids include:

* Baby can sit up well without support.
* Baby has lost the tongue-thrust reflex and does not automatically push solids out of his mouth with his tongue.
* Baby is ready and willing to chew.
* Baby is developing a “pincer” grasp, where he picks up food or other objects between thumb and forefinger. Using the fingers and scraping the food into the palm of the hand (palmar grasp) does not substitute for pincer grasp development.
* Baby is eager to participate in mealtime and may try to grab food and put it in his mouth.

We often state that a sign of solids readiness is when baby exhibits a long-term increased demand to nurse (sometime around 6 months or later) that is unrelated to illness, teething pain, a change in routine or a growth spurt. However, it can be hard to judge whether baby’s increased nursing is related to readiness for solids. Many (if not most) 6-month-old babies are teething, growth spurting and experiencing many developmental changes that can lead to increased nursing – sometimes all at once! Make sure you look at all the signs of solids readiness as a whole, because increased nursing alone is not likely to be an accurate guide to baby’s readiness.

Four- to five-month-old babies are sometimes very eager to participate at mealtime, but it doesn't necessarily mean that they are ready to eat solids - more often it's just the normal developmental urge to do what everyone else is doing. Research studies tell us that there are many health advantages to delaying solids for about 6 months for all babies, not just the babies who are not yet interested in mealtime.

common myths:

weight:
The American Academy of Pediatrics/World Health Organization recommendations for starting solids at 6 months or later has no exceptions for babies who weigh more. The research that I've seen on the health benefits of starting solids at 6 months and later holds for all babies, no matter what their weight.

It's the maturity of the digestive tract and baby's developmental readiness that makes the difference, not baby's weight.

sleep:
The popular belief that feeding solids at night will help baby sleep through the night has no basis in fact.


for when your baby is digestively ready to start solids:
Stage 1

At 6 months solid foods can be introduced but the weaning process should not be hurried if baby is content with breast milk alone. Pay attention to the signals baby gives out e.g. baby will probably be ready for solid food if they cry after breast-feedings or chew on the nipple. Even then, breastfeeding should be continued (alongside the introduction of solids) for as long as is comfortable for mother and baby.

The best time to introduce solid foods to baby is just before breast or bottle-feeding. Starting solids is a very gradual process so be patient and go slowly. The classic 'first food' is mashed banana, which is very digestible, sweet and a good introduction to foods. Suitable first foods are baby rice or pureed vegetables. Fruits are usually introduced after vegetables in order to allow acceptance of vegetables before the sweet tastes of fruits is experienced. Other popular first foods are carrot, sweet potatoes, parsnip, apples, bananas and pears. When they have had enough babies will turn away their head, clamp their mouth shut or spit the food out! These are signs that they have had enough.

When introducing solids to baby offer one type of food only and then observe how well it is tolerated. Start with around 1-2 tsp of food and gradually increase up to 6 tsp. How is fed to baby depends entirely on how much they will eat. A rough guide might be a quarter of a very ripe mushy banana for a few days (or for a week) and the following week another soft fruit such as apple sauce. This gives the baby's digestive system time to get used to each new food before the introduction of additional ones. If two or more foods are introduced at the same time and baby has diarrhoea, colic or other digestive problems, it will be difficult to identify the culprit. The foods during this first stage should be bland with a smooth consistency.

If the baby is not interested the first few times solids are introduced it is advised to try again in another week. When baby is ready they will let you know. Baby might be hungry at any time of the day or night. Babies cannot tell the time but they know what they need.

Prepare cooked vegetables plainly, do not add salt, sugar or spices. Good introductory vegetables are parsnips, sweet potatoes, yams and carrots. Still start feeds with breast or bottle but now very gradually increase the amount of solid food given afterwards. Solids should only be given by spoon or hand and never added to a bottle of feed.

Typical feed for one day at stage 1 (6-9 months)


* 1st feed - breast or bottle
* 2nd feed - breast or bottle
* 3rd feed - 1-2 tsp baby rice mixed with 1 tbs milk from feed or 1-2 tsp unsweetened fruit puree
* 4th feed - breast or bottle
* 5th feed - breast or bottle

Answer 2

I started all mine around 3 months, with one tablespoon of rice cereal mixed with their formula. I gave this to them 3 times a day, increasing it just a bit each month. When they were 5 months old or so (my son was a HUNGRY tyke, he started younger than the 3 girls!), I introduced the baby fruits mixed in with the cereals. And I always fed them with a baby spoon! I was NEVER one to use those "bottles" with plungers that had nipples on them! And yes, they'll spit the food out, they have to LEARN how to swallow this way...and using a tiny spoon is the best way to teach them. Good luck...my "baby" is now 17 years old! My oldest will be 30 in Feb!

Gee....but I'm old! :)

Answer 3

You should ask your Dr, they know best. It varies among babies, I got the okay to start my son at 4 months. I followed the directions starting with 1 tablespoon cereal to 4 of breastmilk... I played around with it for WEEKS to get the right consitancy that my son liked and readily took, also we tried oat and barley cereals to make sure he wasn't allergic. He's now 5 months and eating 2-3 tablespoons once or twice a day.It all depends on the baby and if the Dr thinks he/she is ready.

Answer 4

At four mths i started my son on rice cereal and you can follow the instructions on the box (i think it says one tablespoon for first timers).
My suggestion is, make sure its not too thick for him, you dont want him to choke. The other suggestion given to me was to make sure you finish that feeding with a bottle to help him wash down anything left behind in his mouth.

With this being his first time having it, i wouldnt recommend giving it to him more than once a day for maybe a week, just to make sure it doesnt constipate him and he doesnt have any reactions. after that you should be good...also check with babies doctor for more advice.

Have fun...the first time we had cereal was soo funny, after the first few bites and he realized it was something good, he began to smack his mouth for more....how cute!

Answer 5

In between formula, I used to feed my son just a few baby spoonfuls, a couple of times a day to get him used to it. He loved it and took to it well.

Answer 6

The best person to ask would be your pediatrician. For me, I started both of mine on cereal at three months, giving one teaspoon mixed with either formula, or one teaspoon mixed with applejuice. At four months I had increased it to two tablespoons mixed with applesauce. FEED IT TO HIM IN THE MORNING!!! At least for mine, giving them cereal at night constipated them. If you do not have a pediatrician, try going to the local WIC (They are awesome, while you're there see if you qualify for their program) office or to your city health department

Answer 7

Right before bed time start off with a tablespoon of cereal Rice...... ixed with a bit of formula. and than gradually incresa frequency and amount

Answer 8

you could try putting it in his bottle (the lazy way), but it does introduce him to it. Feed him everytime he smackes for it after the first time you spoon feed it to him ...believe me, he will smack for it. you will notice the diff of him rooting for a bottle and smacking for cereal. that is what my daugter does (3 mos) she roots for her bottle and takes about 30 oz or more a day, but at least once a day so far she smacks he lips for food - which is visually completely diff from rooting for bottle. sp when she smacks, she indeed wants food, so there you have it. after you introduce it in bottle to see if he can take it, then you try to spoon feed it to him because he can take it. if he likes it, he will randomly smack for it on his own ...then you can go about putting him on a feeding schedule.

Good luck!

Answer 9

At his age, never and none. No baby--no matter how big, no matter how hungry, no matter how "mature"--should be getting *anything* (even a drop of water) before 6 months old.

Answer 10

Just a little maybe before bedtime or in the morning.