starting baby on rice cereal?

Question

My son is about 3 1/2 months now, and when we eat he's always mocking us, and it seems like he doesn't get as full as he use to off of the formula.. He's a big boy by the way.. So we're starting him on rice cereal.. I followed the directions on his first feeding, and he loved it.. Now my question is, how do we feed him after that, and about how much should we give him daily??

I know some will say go ask your Dr. but I just want another mother or father's opinion.. Thanks lots!!

Answer 1

It's too early.
He is too young to digest it.
Starting this early will increase his chances of diabetes, allergies and obesity.
Please don't feed him solids until closer to 6 mos of age, per the AAP recommendations.
Mocking you isn't a sign he is physically ready, just that he is interested in the ritual that you participate in at meal time.

NEVER put cereal in a bottle except under a doctor's advice for a child with reflux problems.

Answer 2

Just make the amount that a baby food jar would hold, those porportions usually work pretty well. I give my son formula as well. He will eat his cereal and drink an ounce or two of formula until hes completly full. Keep in mind at that age more food ends up on the baby then in the baby! Dont add more than a teaspoon of cereal in his formula bottle if you choose to take that route. This way its not a choking hazard but he gets a little more substance with his formula

Answer 3

Sassy brand makes a bottle that is a cereal feeder its probably best to use that now since there is the chance for choking if you use a spoon, you could also dip his pacifier in the cereal although he wont get much at a time this way. As you said its best to ask a doctor and they will tell you to wait till he is four months old but you are the parent and you should be able to tell if he is doing ok with the cereal within the first few days. My son is 2 1/2 months and we give him baby food on his pacifier. The doctor told us that this was ok to do but all doctors are different.

Answer 4

My son's Dr had me start him on rice ceral from a SPOON not the bottle just before he turned 3 months old. At that time he was having his "solids" once a day and only about 3 tablespoons worth. He turned 5 months today and has soilds 3 times a day {cereal, veggies, and fruits}and loves it. And is healthy, and happy

Answer 5

Please do not feed your baby until at least 6 months old!! Their digestive system that is mature enough to handle solids. American and Canadian Pediatric Society recommend that you only feed them breastmilk and/or formula until then. You are putting them at higher risk of allergies when you start them on food too early.

And you don’t need to give them water or juice or anything else until they are one years old. And they recommend giving WATER before Juice and juice should be watered down.

Remember you have to feed this kid for the rest of your life…..so what’s the rush?

If you decide to feed your child:
Here’s a helpful link on when and how and what to feed:
http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/baby/babyfeeding/1400680.html

Age: Birth to 4 months------------

Feeding behavior
• Rooting reflex helps your baby turn toward a nipple to find nourishment

What to feed
• Breast milk or formula ONLY •
Your baby's digestive tract is still developing, which is why solid food is off limits for now.

From 4-6 months------------

Signs of readiness for solid food
Your baby probably won't do all these things — they're just clues to watch for.
• Can hold head up
• Sits well in highchair
• Makes chewing motions
• Shows significant weight gain (birth weight has doubled)
• Shows interest in food
• Can close mouth around a spoon
• Can move food from front to back of mouth
• Can move tongue back and forth, but is losing tendency to push food out with tongue
• Seems hungry after 8 to 10 feedings of breast milk or 40 oz. of formula in a day
• Is teething

What to feed
• Breast milk or formula, PLUS
• Semi-liquid iron-fortified rice cereal, THEN
• Other grain cereals like oats or barley

And foods to avoid for your baby
http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/baby/babyfeeding/9195.html

Answer 6

I would a) feed him formula first! That will be his main source of food till he is over a year old. Second, if he had no probs taking it the first time, just continue that way. Maybe do it twice a day, right before the "big" day nap and night time to keep him from being hungry too quickly! Good luck.

Answer 7

who's your wide-unfold practitioner? Your toddler could be breasfed or formulation till one 3 hundred and sixty 5 days previous. you are able to initiate putting rice cereal interior the toddler bottle with the milk slightly at a time. Your toddler desires the formulation! change decrease back. He does not want milk till one 3 hundred and sixty 5 days previous. positioned some cereal interior the bottle and after some weeks of that then feed him some rice cereal. yet he nonetheless desires formulation. possibly you are able to see a diverse wide-unfold practitioner if the rfile says its as much as you and you husband. that may no longer appropriate. you are going to be doing whats appropriate on your toddler

Answer 8

In my opinion, never add to the bottle, always spoon feed. This sets the path to good eating habits. I always made it a bit runny at first. my sons did great with rice cereal. one bowl in the am about 3 oz worth and one at night a little more to insure a good nights sleep for everyone involved lol. good luck

Answer 9

Well first of all you should ( optional) put the rice in his bottles. Not all babies like rice cereal outside of the bottle. You should put a TABLEspoon in his bottles and he should be full. It also depends on how many times u feed him a day and between hours. I feed my baby every three 1/2 hours and he is HUGE and only 9 months old 26 pounds

Answer 10

I fed my son the rice cereal once a day at first. At night, cuz it made him sleep better, longer. Later I gave him a fruit or vegetable during the day, and cereal at night. Now he's 9 mos. and he eats cereal in the morning, a fruit or veggie for lunch, and sometimes cereal again at night... did I mention hes in the 97th percentile? He loves to eat!

Answer 11

Good for you for not asking the doctor...The "trend" is to advise you to do this later and later now which is just plain silly. Offer him cereal 3 or 4 times a day and give him as much as he will eat eagerly. When he starts to lose interest or spit it out, meal is over even if he only took a bite or two. Introduce single-ingredient foods one at a time (use one for a few days before you start another), so that you will be able to tell if he is allergic to something. Foods you should be introducing 1st are the other single-ingredient cereals (like oats, barley, wheat), and the baby foods that are conveniently labelled "stage 1" or "1st foods" or something similar depending on the brand. Of course you can mix the foods he is already familiar with to make them more interesting, like mixing his cereal with a fruit and some formula.