What is your experience starting your baby on rice cereal?

Question

How old was your baby when you started? Did he/she like it? Did you just start with the plain rice or did you use flavored (banana etc)? Our twins are 20 weeks old and we are gradually trying to start them with the cereal. So far they HATE it and cry the entire time. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

With my son we started at 4 months. But it was too early. He still had his thrust reflex so it didn't really work too well. Our daughter is just coming up on 4 months and I was thinking of trying to start her on plain rice cereal, but I actually think that I'll wait until at least 5 months because she still thrusts her tongue pretty strongly too. I was just discussing this issue yesterday with my sister who has twins that are one week older than my daughter and she said that her pediatrician told her to wait until 6 months especially because they are twins (less headached I guess).

Answer 2

My son started at 20 weekish too...i mixed it to a VERY thin breastmilk like consistency and spoon fed it to him so he knew it was something different. The next time he had a little mixed with a bottle of breastmilk. Every time he eats it, the rice cereal just gets thicker and he doesn't mind at all. But he only eats it once a day still. I didn't use flavored, figuring he would never eat the plain if he started with the sweeter version. If your twins hate it and cry, I would totally buy the banana. You probably have enough other things stressing you out and dinnertime shouldn't be one of them!

Answer 3

I started my son on rice cereal the day he turned four months. He loved it and wanted more and more. I suggest using just plain gerber rice cereal, no flavoring, and mixing it with whatever you're feeding them now(breast milk or formula). My son liked it warm and pretty thick but each baby is different. I started him on oatmeal cereal about a month later and stage one fruits and veggies about a month after that. He still LOVES infant cereals and he is almost one. I've talked to a few moms that say their child just doesn't like infant cereals and they didn't push it. I say don't give up, just keep trying. Even if they don't prefer it their little bodies do need it. Good luck! :)

Answer 4

Both my kids were 6 months old and I started with putting a teaspon of cereal on their bottles. Though I understand they say you should do that now a days. At first they were rather indifferent to it.

I would start with plain rice cereal mixed with either formula or breastmilk. That way the flavor is familiar. also it should be sort of runny. With my son I had to use a 2 fisted approach a first to get him used to the spoon. I would put his bottle in his mouth between bites.
Good Luck

Answer 5

Babies don't need solids until 6 months of age. If your twins were born early, their digestive systems are not yet at 5 months. It may be a little too early. But here is what I did. Start with a small amount, like 2 teaspoons and make it watery. At first they will spit it out, but if you keep at it for several days, they will get used to it. I would not add any flavoring since you don't know how it will affect them at first.

Answer 6

Give them some more time,all baby's start when they want to just do not keep trying if they get mad,that will cause them to think that feeding time is not fun.My babe did not start till just over 6 months even though I tried at 5 months,sometimes it just takes a while.I started with straight rice,then I tried avocado then banana.Once I saw no allergy's I mixed the fruit in with the rice.

Answer 7

I tried starting my baby at 5 months and she hated it. So I waited a couple more weeks...right before she turned 6 months, and that time she liked it. Now she is 7 months, and she has fruits, veggies, cereals, etc.

Answer 8

I started around 5 1/2 months my son really liked it. I started with the plain and then got flavored. Im sure your babies will come around and end up liking it. Good luck

Answer 9

she loved it and i started her on rice cereal at about 6 months. i just let her try a couple spoon fulls, and gradually more. try flavoring it for your twins, babies usually like bananas.

Answer 10

Have you tasted that nastiness? Only our first got any of that ick. The other two kids were started on mashed bananas, avocados and sweet potatoes - the first food recommended by La Leche League. The tastes and textures are much better and they are high in nutrients. They all started right around 6 mos of age, per the AAP recommendations and their own signs of readiness.