How soon should you give your baby cereal and baby food?

Answer 1

each babies needs are individual; check with your pediatrician but the standard is between 4-6 months with rice being first and single grains only to begin with. but be sure to introduce new foods VERY slowly; you want to watch for food allergies, and anything that upsets tummies.

Answer 2

Don't start cereal before 4 months of age, it's fine to start it later. You want to wait until the baby doesn't seem satisfied by the current feedings. Then, you want to begin one at at a time - waiting at least 4 or 5 days between new foods. (To watch for allergies.)

When the baby's at least 6 months old, you can start foods. Start with the green veggies first - reason being, if you start with fruits or sweet veggies like carrots or sweet potatoes, babies LOVE them. Then, if you introduce the green ones after, you're going to have one big fight on your hands!

Answer 3

Actually, the question should be more like "how long should you wait" because many people here seem to introduce solids far too early.

The following organizations ALL recommend that ALL babies be exclusively breastfed (no cereal, juice or any other foods) for the first 6 months of life (not the first 4-6 months):

World Health Organization
UNICEF
US Department of Health & Human Services
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Dietetic Association
Australian National Health and Medical Research Council
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
Health Canada
Most babies will become developmentally and physiologically ready to eat solids by 6-9 months of age.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends introducing solids around 6 months of age. Babies don't have the enzymes needed to digest anything other than breastmilk or formula until around the middle of the first year. Starting solids earlier can lead to an increased risk of allegies, diabetes and obesity.

Answer 4

All the current research says to wait until at least 6 months old. Many parents start their babies earlier for many reasons including hoping they sleep better, because the baby wants it, because the parent is anxious to try it, because they have a big baby,etc...Please remember that your baby wouldn't be big if he wasn't getting enough to eat through breeastmilk or formula. Obviously he doesn't need any more calories. Also, I have cared for many foster babies and all of them began sleeping through the night between 7 and 12 weeks old. I never gave any of them cereal or other solid food. I exclusively breastfed my biological daughter until she was 10 months old before introducing vegetables. She slept through the night when she was 9 weeks old. Sometimes people think their baby is hungry because he suddenly begins nursing for long periods of time or wants to nurse more frequently. This is usually a sign of an impeding growth spurt. Your baby is just trying to build up your milk supply. As soon as it is higher, he will go back to eating less frequently. There are many reasons to delay feeding your infant solids including an increased risk of obesity, allergies, and diabetes. It is very important to allow your child to learn to regulate the intake of food so that they learn to eat only when hungry and only until full. You should never put cereal into your baby's bottle. He will take in way too many calories because he won't feel full quickly and then overeats. Waiting to introduce solids is very important. When you decide to start solids, introduce new foods slowly. If you feed your baby vegetables before fruits, he won't learn to only like sweet foods. Also, I have learned that babies who are fed homemade food typically continue to enjoy fruits and vegetables when they get older because they learn to like the real flavor of the food.

Answer 5

You should really wait until they are about 6 months old or so. Their digestive systems are still quite tiny and not able to break down such solids...baby cereal and baby foods for example. I would stick to regular...not enhanced with baby cereal...formula until about 6 months and then start them on stage one baby cereal and stage one baby food like applesauce, bananas, pears, carrots, peas etc...good luck

Answer 6

After 9 Months is the Current Standard!

Answer 7

Usually 4-6 mos. before introducing baby cereal and baby food. I didn't start feeding my son any solids until the very day he was 6 mos. old. Some people try to rush their babies and feed them solids before this age.

Answer 8

It depends on if your baby is getting enough food from milk. If he/she is angry often then maybe it's time. Mix some rice w/ formula or breast milk (not much, just a little to start). May need to make bigger hole in the nipple to let rice out. Both of my kids started getting it when they were two - three months old. Both babies slept through the night. You'll have a feel for it, as a parent, trust your instincts. Do what you think is right.

Answer 9

if you look at the back of the cearl box it says 3 months for cearl and 4 months for baby food. But my son does not get full on just milk and he was eating a whole can of formual in a day and a half. So i started rice cearl when he was 7 weeks old. I give it to him once in the moring and once in the eveing, he does so good with it. I do not put it in his bottle, i fed it to him out of a bowl with a baby spoon. He is much happier now and sleeps alot better too.

Answer 10

i wouldn't give them food or cereal until at least 6 months

breast milk is best up until that time