Breastfed Baby Wanting to Start Cereal

I would wait at least another month before starting cereal. Especially since you breastfeed. When you do, mix it with breastmilk and make only 2 tablespoons at a time. He is only going to eat a couple of bites per feeding.

Well i have been told that breastfed babies should wait till 6 months to start solids but i think its a personal prefrence.

another vote for waiting closer to six months, or even skip the cereal and wait until he's able to pick up table foods and feed himself :)

hi, i was just at the pediatrician's yesterday, and the information that they gave me, was that plain rice cereal, can be started at 4 to 6 months, 2 -3 tablespoons per feeding, and only 2 feedings a day, and you can mix it with breast milk or formula or apple juice, but i would say that the first 2 would be better than the juice, hope that helps!!

You should talk to your pediatrician. They can better evaluate what is best for your baby.

I started @ 3 months and mixed it with formula --you have to be careful with the consistency.

Some people say to wait until six months.
I started at 4.
He wasn't satisfied with just breast milk.
I started with it very watery and did 1 tablespoon.
Only feed with a spoon.
Do not put it in a bottle.
You can mix it with water, formula or breast milk.
I just used formula for cereal becuase it was easier than pumping every time.
Start off with rice cereal until he is over 6 months.
Once your baby gets used to eating off a spoon slowly increase the cereal [to make it thicker].
The box has directions on it when you but it

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you wait until about 6 months to start solids. Babies don't have the enzymes to digest other foods until that time. When you do start, it is often best to start mixing it with breastmilk...adds nutrients, plus they are used to the taste.

You can start by tring rice cereal once daily. Mix it with breastmilk since that is what he is used to. Start with it pretty runny but with a little texture and you should be fine. Good luck.

I highly recommend the book SUPER BABY FOOD by Ruth Yaron.
If you don't find it at your local bookstore you can order it online at amazon.com.

If you choose to use cereal, breast milk is the best for mixing. Make sure it's very runny to prevent constipation.
Also, I agree with waiting until 6 months, if you can.

start with 1 tbsp of cereal and mix with 1 tbsp of BM, then move up a tbsp each day until to 4 tbsp. Then once there you can make it as thick or as runny as your baby will tolerate or likes. Rice cereal is the one you should start with as your LO's stomach isn't ready for multi grain cereals.... HTH

I agree with Tara.. My pedi told me to start him when he was 4 1/2 months old. We started with one feeding in the evening a day then a week later we moved to 2x a day when he turns 5 months old we begin veggies at lunch and we work through them one by one then to fruits one by one. That way he is used to eating 3 meals a day. I agree he needs to get the BM first, as it is his main nutrition and he is really learning to eat regular food. But you can start now, and test it out. There is no wrong answer here, you need to do what you and your LO are comfortable with. If he likes it, and handles it, then good, keep going as he is ready!

Hi C.,

I started my little boy on rice cereal when he was 5 months. I knew that the doctor said anywhere between 4 and 6 months, but I wanted to make sure that his little tummy could handle it so I waited until 5 months. He did good with it and didn't push his tongue out at all when I offered it to him. He did get constipated though once I started him on the cereal. After he got used to that I offered him pears, apples, and prunes. Sweet potatoes work really good for him (to get things going). Good luck!

Hi--I think you should talk to your own pediatrician. Ours strongly recommended waiting until 6 months--studies show that cuts the risks of allergies significantly (not just food allergies--all allergies). Start with rice cereal--1 tablespoon mixed with breast milk. Only move up to larger amounts when your baby begins to finish the 1 tablespoon easily and seems to want more. Watch your child's signs--the amount is really up to them. Start a little runnier and move up as your baby is ready. My son is 8 months old and still doesn't eat 4 tablespoons...it's up to each child.

i started my now 6 month old daughter on cereal about 3 and a half months i mixed it with breast milk till it was a little thicker than milk to get her used to and sh would play with it but now she loves it. I also gave her some of the gerber 1st foods at about 3 and a half months and she liked it alot better than the cereals and she is still a perfect healthy girl even though the doctor and her WIC lady tried to make me sound like a bad parent for letting her try new things that early! Breast milk should still be his main meals of the day but i liked to let my daughter play/eat foods at night before her last milk meal and bedtime!

I would suggest waiting until closer to 6 months. In the mean time your baby might need to nurse more often.

When you are ready for solids, here is a great Free website with wonderful information about what foods to start when and how to make your own baby food.

www.wholesomebabyfood.com

You don't need to start with cereal, I didn't with my first two and don't plan to with number three who is also 4 1/2 months old.

Even though it's "popular" to give babies food along with formula or breast milk, they are enough to give your baby proper nutrition. Many people don't even add food except in very small amounts to get the baby used to table food when they are ready to start eating when they are toddlers.

I would never give a baby any extra until they are at least 6 months old. Been there, done that and didn't sleep for about 36 hours due to walking the floors with a constipated screaming baby that had gas trapped. If your baby is not getting enough to eat from nursing something may be wrong where they are not getting enough food. Talk to your Pediatrician soon.

Good Lord People! Pediatricians recommend between 4-6 months for a reason. Some babies are READY at 4 months and some aren't! There is a "magic window" during which it is best to start solids and you CAN wait too long if you go much past 6 months. The worst thing that should happen if you start too early is that your baby will have a tough night and you'll know to wait a little longer to try again. By the way, if you do have problems with constipation, pear juice is a natural laxative and babies like it better than prune. You can mix a little in the cereal to help, but only if it's really needed.

If your baby is hungry now, it doesn't mean something is wrong. Particularly infants who are heavier at birth often get hungry earlier. I also have a 4.5 month-old who I am nursing and I'm trying to hold her off to her 4 month pediatrician check-up next week, but I can tell she is getting hungry now, so I'm pretty sure he's going to tell me to start solids. That being said, you usually start with a teaspoon of cereal and mix it with 2-3 teaspoons of breastmilk or formula. It should be pretty runny at first and then you can make it thicker as he gets used to it. When I FIRST start solids, I will try to feed the cereal before nursing so that the baby is hungry and won't refust it. Once they get the hang of it, it's best to nurse first so that they get most of their nutrition from breastmilk rather than the cereal.

"Baby 411" by Denise Fields is a great resource for all things baby. While you can start with cereal as early as 4 months, it's best to wait until 6 months because the baby's digestive tract needs to develop fully. When you nurse, your body produces enough to meet the baby's needs; if he's acting hungrier, then nurse him more often. Cereal at night will not help a baby sleep through the night. It provides less energy per ounce than breast milk or formula. A four-month-old is more likely to wake up at night because he has become socially aware and would rather play with Mommy than sleep; it has nothing to do with hunger.

There's no need to rush a baby's development. They're so small for such a short time and grown-ups for so long....

I'm just curious...why do you want to start him on cereal?