4 month old baby and......?

Question

i have been trying to feed her cereal but i dont think she likes it real well!!!is there any flavor cereal like banna or strawberry or something??also would oats be okay to give her?

Answer 1

Your baby may not be quite ready to begin spoon feeding. If you think she doesn't like the cereal because she pushes her tongue against the spoon, that is not because she doesn't like the taste, but it is because her natural tongue-thrust reflex is still strong and she is not ready for spoon feeding yet. Until the tongue-thrust reflex begins to subside you will not have good success at getting your daughter to eat. A baby's taste buds are not developed at this point in her development to like or dislike the taste of something. Babies should not be given food with added flavorings or seasonings until they are older and the risk of food sensitivity has lessened. Breast milk and/or formula provide all the necessary nutrients for a baby until he/she is about 6 months old. Beginning solids at this time of your baby's life is recommended. First introduction of solids are to be supplemental to your baby's breast milk/formula and not used as a substitutions for them. I suggest you put the cereal away for another month and try again.

Answer 2

If she is new to the cocept of solid foods it might not be that she does not like the taste so much as she does not like the texture. If she is spitting it or pushing it back out with her tounge that is just the motion her tounge has been making when feeing on a bottle or on a breast. If she is still doing this I would hold off a little while longer on the solid foods. She is a little young and could stand to wait a month or two. They have to get over that texture issue (this will continue with alot of other foods you will introduce later on down the road) and learn how to take the food on their tounge and move it down the throat. It might take a few weeks to master this new skill. In reality these little babies are probably only taking in a few tablespoons of food in one sitting before feeling full. They have super tiny stomachs and while you might not think she is getting much, she might be getting what she needs and not accepting anymore.

Take your time, it's a learned process and will come with practice and more time.
I would skip the oats for now, you should stick with one grain for a while to be sure she is digesting it well and it is not upsetting her tummy. They do have flavored cereal, but most of it is oats or another grain and again I would wait on that. This is to prevent allergies.

Answer 3

Wait longer before you introduce it to her. They now recommend not feeding them solids until 6 months of age... so don't feel like you're starving you baby.

If you still insist on feeding her...

Wait a week or two and try again. They have to develop an interest and the skills to eat.
Avoid giving her any flavoured cereals until 6 months. Once she had learned how to eat, feed her the rice cereal for a week and then introduce other single grain cereals (oats, barley, wheat). And, introduce each of those one week at a time, to see if she has any reaction to them.
If you feel she doesn't really like it because she's not eating that much, it's OK. My baby never eats the recommended amount of food. They're main source of nutrition at this age is still breastmilk/formula.

Answer 4

Unfortunately, you can't add anything to the rice cereal until she's been eating it plain for 4 days or so. You have to give it time to look for allergic reactions to the cereal. Then, you can start adding mild fruits--bananas, pears, etc. NO STRAWBERRIES. NO BERRIES AT ALL YET. They are highly allergic foods and are recommended for older babies. I believe that oats aren't recommended until 6 months because they are very scratchy and hard to swallow. They also make baby very gassy and there is a possibility of allergic reaction if given too early as well.

Answer 5

At 4 months old they really are not ready for cereal, cereal is more for like 6 months old. My daughter though liked the Banana. No oats is not good right now I would wait till at least 9 months old for oats. Good luck!

Answer 6

It may take a few weeks before she gets used to eating and you get used to feeding her. It's best to start with a single grain cereal like rice or barley. For a four month old, it should be diluted with breast milk or formula and so thin it is almost the consistency of milk. Be excited if she even takes a few spoonfuls and don't pressure her. Increase the amount and thicken the consistency as she gets used to it. Some pediatricians don't recommend starting solids until 5 or six months...she should be able to support her own head well and have lost the tongue thrust reflex (basically, she should not still try to push the spoon out with her tongue).

Answer 7

She is very little yet.....just keep her on the cereal and she will soon like it. She is just tiny and she is developing her taste buds. You dont want to give her things like bananas or strawberries until she is ready otherwise you will make her tummy upset. Only give her a little cereal at a time mixed with some formula...she will eventually like it and then move up to baby foods......

Answer 8

Is your baby breast or bottle fed? It's perfectly normal for exclusively breastfed babies to go a few days without a bowel movement. It's not uncommon for a breastfed baby to go up to a week between bowel movements. Formula fed babies also slow down on the bowel movements after about one month old. Every 2-3 days is fine, as long as the poop is soft, about the consistency of peanut butter. If your baby is showing signs of constipation (hard balls of poop or pain while pooping), see your doctor to figure out what is causing constipation. Common causes include: soy formula, rice cereal added to bottles, solids, high iron intake from formula/cereal/vitamins. Read the source included - more about baby poop than you'll ever want to know!

Answer 9

i was having that problem then the pediatrician told me to try the baby oatmeal and she loved it. they also have the cereal in the jars that has apples or bananas in it. no strawberries, she will be so constipated and gassy! you will both be miserable. i didn't not start foods until 5 months with all my kids, but if you want to start, go with veggies first or they will not eat them as well. the docs usually tell you to feed them the same food twice a day for three days to see if they have food allergies. it also helps if they do not like a food to keep giving it to them at the end of three days she will love it. our daughter is 5 months and 3 weeks and she is up to green beans, carrots, prunes(which keep them regular so if you can get her to eat them it is great. i give our baby prunes for breakfast mixed in with her oatmeal every morning) sweet potatoes, squash, bananas, peaches, and pears! definately mix the foods with the cereal though, more filling. she is pushing ti out because she is not sure what to do with it. it is not that she is not ready, she has to learn how to eat. i always left the tip of the spoon in their mouth for a second until they swallowed. it sounds dumb, but it works. then just slowly stop doing that. eventually she will be eating liek a pro. you are her mommy and you knwo what is best. if you feel she is ready, then she is probably ready. good luck!

Answer 10

4 months old is just beginning to figure out solid food so just give her a little taste once or twice a day and keep it very thinned with milk or formula...also I would only use rice ceral and be careful of many fruits since some can cause allergic reactions... rice is fairly safe as are bananas or applesauce to flavor the cereal..