Starting Solid Food - Need Help

When I started giving my son solid foods I used to give him his cereal mixed with his favorite fruit of gerber. That is how his pediatrician told me to do it. I would mix it with apple fruit gerber that he loved and he would do much better like that. Now my son is 22 months he did well.

Sounds like she's not ready for it.
My little girl is 9months now, but I tried feeding her food at just over 5 then 6 but she wasn't ready to eat solid baby food (I pretty much skipped cereal altogether) until 7months. I'd say don't force it, she'll be eating solids soon enough. Let her tell you when she's ready. I would try once each week. Then at 8.5 she was ready for cheerios. now at 9 she can pick them up and successfully place them in her mouth. :D Enjoy the ride! It's great.

Hi K., it definitely takes time. It took almost 3 weeks before my little one started trying to eat the food. The thrusting reflex has to go away somewhat before they can get the food into their mouths and realize that it will fill them up! Once she gets the hang of it, she will start eating like crazy.

Just be patient - they've been sucking on stuff for their whole life, and then we try to put stuff in their mouth. They don't understand, so just give it time. When she wants it, she'll take it; just keep trying. The only thing I would recommend is that you try it like 3 times per day instead of 1. Good luck!

She will eat when she is ready. Just remember, every child is different. The best advice I've been given is that they will eat when they are hungry/ready. (My daughter has some issues with eating also).
Doctors aren't the "know all" about children. They just give you a general guideline to follow. Always go with your instincts. It is your child and you know her best. Her crying means she is trying to tell you something. Please listen. You don't want to to have a bad association with eating or you will have more problems later.

I recommend using just small amounts of the rice cereal to start. It could be, also, that your baby is not used to/afraid of the spoon - let her play with it and get used to it. The spoonfulls, to start, should be very very small...

I too do not think that your child is ready for solids. My youngest was the same way; even though she showed interest in what I was eating she did not want it herself. She did not really start to eat solids untill she wass 9 months old and even then was very little. I did introduce them to her on and off from the time she was 6 months old but she did not want it breast milk was enogh for her. As long as your baby is healthy and growing steady there is no real need for solids in your childs first year. Breast milk and formula provide all the nutrition that they need. Listen to your gut and your baby and you will always do what is right.

Have you tried giving her a little milk first? Sometimes they are so hungary that they want what they know. I also have a 5 month old, and that is what I have done with her. It seems to work. Along with putting some bananas in the cereal. It gets better. Hope this helps!

I read that it's best to start solids early in the day, after a bottle, when the baby is well rested and not hungry. Also, if the baby has an allergic reaction to the new food, it's better if it happens during the day than in the middle of the night. If you do solids at dinner, the baby is tired, hungry and going to bed soon. Also, it is my understanding that it's better to wait until the baby is at least 6 months old, but you can wait until she is 10 months old or even a year old if she's not ready. The signs of readiness for solids are ability to sit up independently, hunger above and beyond the bottles, teeth, and the ability to chew. That's all I can remember, but you can google the signs of readiness. I think your doctor failed to give you all of the info that you need, but that's because doctors study very little about feeding babies. Oh, my son did much better on oatmeal than rice cereal. Best of luck to you and your daughter.

I know you've gotten a lot of advice already, and I haven't read all that's been said, but here's my 2 cents worth. Take your time. My son HATED rice cereal - I tried every way in the world to make it taste good to him and I tried different brands. Then I tried avacado - just mashed with a fork - he loved it! As I tried different foods, I discovered he was very sensitive to texture. He only wanted very smooth food. I indulged him in this. By 18 months he was the best eater I've ever seen - he wasn't sensitive to texture and LOVED his veggies (and still does). He never did like rice cereal. Also, the book Super Baby Food was a life-saver for me.

Hi K.,
I am kind of surprised your doctor is pushing solids so soon. Many things I have read say that 6-8 months is best. I recommend forgetting solids until she shows extreme interest in you and your husband eating at the table together. We waited until 7 months, by then, my son was showing interest in solids for about 3-4 weeks (watching how we put the utensils into our food, got the food, brought it to our mouths, etc.). By the time we started him on solids, he couldn't have been more thrilled! The best book I've read on feeding (especially when I was transitioning to solids) was "Child of Mine" by Ellyn Satter. It was recommended to me by my lactation consultant, and I lived by it! Hang in there during this transition time and trust your gut!

I mixed in a small amount of fruit or a sweeter veggie, like carrot or sweet potato, to give it some flavor.

K. I'm sure you've gotten a lot of advice but I just started my 6 month old on solids a few weeks ago. I have started by giving him his bottle at his normal times - when he was hungry but only giving him half of it and then giving him whatever solids he was eating that day. Then when he was done eating the solids I gave him the bottle back to finish. That seemed to work well and its been a few weeks now and he has a whole bottle and then the solids. Hope this helps.

You've gotten lots of advice; you don't really need more, but let me back up the moms who are saying that there's no hurry in introducing solids. My son just wasn't interested in solids, though we started trying at 6 months. He basically was exclusively breastfed, by his choice, till he was 10 months old! And he never liked prepared baby foods or cereals--too bland for his taste. What he liked, starting at age 10 mos., was regular table food put through our handy little baby food grinder.

He is 6'6" tall, 25 years old now & a sweet, brilliant guy. So even if your daughter won't take solids yet, don't worry about her! :-)

Hi K., my doctor recommended that we feed my son his bottle (or in my case breastfeed) first and then try the cereal. That way they are pretty full, but will usually still try the solid-food. It took some time for my son to accept the cereal, but eventually, he loved it! You may only get a few bites at each meal, but atleast it starts to get them used ot the taste and texture. It seemed at 6 months he was more willing to try the cereal than when we first tried at 5 months.

Hi K.-I have 4 children and used to have an in home day care for 8 years. First children are on their own schedule and each child is different. This is not a forceable issue and it is just frustrating esp. for you and baby. Maybe she is not ready for the cereal yet. Take your clues from her. Just because a child is at a certain age and a baby this young to boot does not mean that the pediatrician says ok you must feed your baby solids. Try not giving it to her for 3 or 4 days and re-introduce it. You can also try to give her the bottle first. If you push the food it is only going to make it stressful for the both of you.

Just relax when she is ready she will be. You are doing a great job and take what the dr. says with a grain of salt. You spend the most time with her and you know her the best. Trust your instincts.

Make it a great day!!

T.

K.
You have to do what works for her my triplets are 19 mos. and they are very different then when my 13 yr old was little. Have you tried to give her the bottle first and then try a little food? or try the bottle and half way thru try the food and finish with the bottle, Those two always worked for me until they started to prefer the food then it switched around I had to let my girls change their routine vs me they were and are very good at letting me know when their ready. lol But the one thing that never worked was getting them to where they were crying then all worked up. Take your time she's still little it will come together. Good luck.

Wow! You have gotten a lot of advice! :) But I agree. She's not ready. I tried to start my daughter on solids around 6 months and had the same experience. In fact, this is crazy, but she WOULD NOT eat solid food until she was 14 months old!!!!! That was the first time she wanted more of anything I'd EVER given her. But she was completely fine. Breastmilk contains everything they need to grow healthy and strong.

Also, I know this is contrary to most medical doctors opinions, but grains/cereals are actually one of the most difficult foods for anyone to digest. Vegetables, fruits, eggs (yolks only - also brain boosters), yogurt (plain, whole fat, of course) are all much easier on babies' tummies. They don't have the enzymes for digesting cereals until about one year of age.

I had the same issues at first. Try giving a little milk and have a spoonful of cereal ready. Remove the bottle and feed her the one bite of cereal. Quickly put bottle back in for 10 more sec and get the next bite of cereal ready. Simply switch off between bite and drink of milk. Maybe this will get her a little more used to the cereal.

Hi K.,

I remember my son was the same way. I would give him one bite and he would start to scream. I knew he wasn't hungry because he had taken a bottle shortly before. So I would give him a bite then get up and walk and sing with him until he was calmed down and then give him another bite - walk and sing. I remember by two weeks (which was when my doctor said to start feeding him cereal twice a day) he was eating the cereal like a champ (No more walking and singing).
Just be patient. It's something new for her - she'll get it.
Good Luck!!!!!!

Hi K.,
It sounds like your baby's telling you that she's not ready for solids. Wait a few weeks then try it again. I'd suggest skipping the rice cereal altogether, it's just filler anyway. Try a mashed banana when she's ready.

My doctor who is VERY breastfeeding friendly and one of the most popular doctors in the alternative mom crowd in Chicago, would be very upset if he heard this advice (and in practice for over 30 years). Babies should not be started on solids until they show that they are ready. You can read about the signs in Dr. Sears Baby book, but they should be able to sit up by themselves, and show interest when you eat. Cereals don't add any nutrition--so why add them. I've done a lot of research on this myself and I found that there is a theory, though not proven, it is well-documented at least, that links early exposure of grains to later food sensitivities. The basic idea behind this theory is that the biggest carbohydrate enzymes (used to help digest grains) don't start to develop in a child's body until after he or she is a year old. Thus, why force it on her?

I would highly suggest getting a new doctor. Not that most doctors are all that well trained in nutrition, but yours seems pretty rigid if they want you to force food on your child for no reason and despite her showing zero interest. If they are worried about your daughter missing iron or certain vitamins, there are other ways to supplement those.

If you want more reading material on these subjects I am happy to gather some for you.

I will say that I waited until 6 months with my baby and she was grabbing food when I started and VERY excited to try eating it. We started with bananas (easy to digest). Then we did some pureed meats. Then we did yoghurt. I didn't feed her any grains until after a year. She was a big baby and always very healthy.

Also remember that all of the research show that it is NOT hunger that keeps babies from sleeping through the night. I've always read that when introducing a new food to a baby that you should do it in the morning so you can watch for signs of allergy or discomfort that might be caused by the food.

I hope that helps! Good luck K. and little baby.

warmly

M.

I am a old school Mom now grandma ..I have use this on just about all of them ..Put a small bit of apple sauce ,bannanas or whatever jar fruit that they may like and mix with the cereal ..once the get the taste of there favorite fruit it just might be smooth sailing .
Good Luck

Hi K.
Your beginning goal is to only get your baby used to having something different in her mouth. The nutrition will come later. Try giving her small amounts throughout the day (only one or two spoonfulls at a time). Try not to let her see her bottle while you're doing this. She'll catch on. In a week or so you'll see a great improvement.

Deb A

There is no hard and fast rule that you need to start with rice cereal. The problem can be when she tastes the formula in the cereal----it triggers her to want her bottle, not a spoon. Maybe a completely different taste would entice her. And yes, feeding her when she is NOT too hungry is also important. I have three kids myself, and only the first one started on rice cereal (which he did not like. when I made him a mashed yam, he ate it).

Hi K.,
I started my son on solids at about the same age.(He's now 7 months) First of all, make sure the food isn't too hot for her. I'm sure you've thought of this, but once I had forgotten to test the temp, and although it wasn't too hot that it would burn badly, it was hotter than my son was used to. So that's a thought. Also, I started giving my son food in between feedings, not right before the next one. So if you give her a bottle every 4 hours, try the cereal after 2 hours. This way, she's not starving and you can introduce the food to her and have a bit more time before she's really hungry. Good luck!

Hello K.

As stated recently, she may not like the rice, my son didn't like the rice. You might want to start with a couple of spoons of fruit or try the gerber stage 1 cereal mixes, my little man LOVED those. You do have to have patience and this is a time she is telling you what she likes and dislikes. Try something new each week, don't combine meals, one thing at a time, until you figure out what she likes, this is also good just in case she has any unknow allergies. You are definitely doing the right thing by giving her formula before hand, so she isn't starving. Keep up the Good Work. Rome wasn't built in a day.

I have heard from lots of parents that the transitions come much easier if you do them when the child is ready, not when you're ready. She may just not be ready. Granted, you can't let the baby have all the control; sometimes they need a little nudging. But it sounds like if it's this much of a fight, she's just not ready. Maybe take a break for a week or two, then try again.

Aside from that, I don't understand why I'm hearing several letters from members that mention doctors being opposed to cereal in the bottles. There is nothing wrong with doing that. My daughter was diagnosed with reflux at 5 months and her doctor not only told us to add cereal to her bottle, but to put as much cereal in as we were formula powder. If you try adding cereal, it might help with the transition to solid food.

Good luck!

Yes it is something new. Have you tried to thicken it up a little bit. I'm not really sure how thin your making it. Sometimes I would give them a bite, let them have a sip of the bottle, give them another bite. LOL That helped us. That way they aren't getting too frustrated either. Just be consistent. She'll get use to it!

Hi K.,
Well, you have a lot of advice on here. first thing I would say is go with your gut feeling. If she not ready, then wait a couple of days and try again. I know with both of mine (who are G-9 & B-2 now), that they were not excited about it at all, but when I add just a little bit of applesauce to it, they could not get enough! I actually started them off with the cereal in a bottle, but also let them play in their high chairs with an empty bowl and spoons. They loved that, plus it help their teething. My boy would just sit there and chew on the spoon all day if you would let him. Great way to get the dishes done. It might not be the best, but before bath time, you could put a little bit into a bowl and let her try it herself with her hands. They love the different textures too. Just keep trying a little bit at a time and don't get frustrated. She will start eating by spoon at her own time. One thing I know is don't rush it. they will only be this small this one time. I have a niece the same age and she just getting started too. My sister tried the rice cereal with her daughter and she did NOT like it. But as soon as she added a little bit of applesauce, my neice loved it. So keep trying and have a fun while doing it.

Put the cereal in the bottle mom. That's what baby wants. She will be happy so her tummy won't get upset from the crying. She's probably not ready for the spoon yet. After her bottle or after a couple of ounces, you can try a spoon or 2 of baby apricots or pears. That way baby will get use to the spoon a little at a time without giving up the sucking. Sometimes we have a glass of milk before we eat too. Good luck

It might be the consistency... try a little thicker? OR... try oatmeal. Our pediatrician recommended starting with oatmeal and skipping cereal. If your child is a pacifier child, I would recommend giving her a bite, then giving her the pacifier. For us, it helped our son with swallowing this "new" food.

Hello! I had the same exact problem with both my children. My oldest (now 3) ended up he didn't like rice cereal. I switched to oatmeal and he ate that a little bit more, then started sweetening it with applesauce (no sugar, of course) and he started eating a lot more. Then when he started getting other foods he liked - sweet potatoes, squash and carrots - he REALLY started to eat! Babies first food doesn't HAVE to be rice cereal!
My second son (6 months, so I close with this!) started taking a meal at night great, but in the mornings just refuses to eat. I would wake up and nurse him and then about 2 hours later try to feed him. I found that this was just a time he REALLY wanted to nurse so now when he wakes up I give him food instead of nursing him and save the nursing for the second feed of the day.

It really is a learning experience!

OH PS - Those moms that say don't start fruits first because it gets them too use to sweet...have you ever tried breastmilk!? It is one of the sweetest things made!!!! Just because your baby starts fruits first does mean that will make them like sweets better. MOST babies will like the sweet stuff better no matter if you introduce it first or last, it is just the way we are made!

This sounds pretty normal to me, but try feeding her in the morning at a time when she isn't too hungry. If she is too too hungry, she probably won't have the patients. It took my daughter (6 1/2 months old) about four days to get used to the new texture and taste, but she still fusses when a new food is introduced. I wait until her second morning feeding to give her solids because after going 10+ hours she is just too hungry. Plus, our pediactrician told us to introduce the new foods in the morning so that if there is an allergy or upset stomach from the food, we can deal with it during a time when the dr. office is still open and decrease the chance of the food interrupting her sleep.

Hi K.,
My son had a similar reaction when we started the rice cereal. He screamed so much you would have thought we were pulling out his fingernails... we started mashing up a small piece of a banana and mixing it in with the cereal. That made a big difference, but he still never really liked the rice cereal. We moved on to oatmeal pretty quickly, and he liked that much better. He's now about to turn one year old and eats just about anything... if that gives you any hope. Hang in there and keep trying... she'll figure it out... and try the banana.
-J.

Hi,
You are not doing anything wrong. Don't expect your baby will eat a lot for the first time, solid food is not only a different consistency to a baby, it's also a new taste. So it takes some time, and I think the patience is the best friend in this situation. I would make a break in solids and would come back with them later. Don't make the cereal too thick on the beginning. Also you can try with babies 1st food like carrots or apples, bananas, between the milk but I prefer veggies first. If she doesn't take them I would deffinitely make a break. You have still a lot of time to teach your baby solid food.

I don't know, maybe I'm the weird one here but it doesn't sound really normal/common for babies to cry after one spoonful of cereal. Spit it out or fuss, yes but not crying. Hmmm...
Don't feel like you have to give your daughter solids. Ideally, their main source of nutrition for the first year is breastmilk/formula - nothing else. Solids is really play for them to learn about food - not about nutrition. Wait a week or two. Try again. Try other mushy foods. Actually, there's not a lot of nutrition in rice cereal when you think about it. People just start with that because it's the least allergenic and a soupy texture. Mashing or pureeing up some yummy organic fruits is probably better for her. My son didn't like avocado even though it is supposed to be a perfect first food. He loved bananas though. Be careful with those though, some babies get really constipated with them! Be really casual about solids. I know you're itching to start, I was too, but it's best to go at your child's pace so that she has a positive food experience. She'll have enough of a complex over food when she gets older! :)

It might be that your daughter is just not ready herself to go to cereal. My child wasn't ready until about 7 months. No big deal to me each child is different. Don't worry unless she isn't taking it at 7-8 months or so. I think at least. Good luck to you and her.

It took me a month of trying before my 5 month old son would open his mouth for food. My pediatrician said that as long as he is holding his head up, we can start on solids. We started trying at 4 months. The Dr. also said that you don't have to start with rice cereals. At about 5 months, my son would eat only Gerber sweet potatoes. Since then we have branched out to other flavors, but he still does not like rice cereal. I'm sure that you have been and have heard this before, but just be patient and I'm sure you daughter will be interested. I would recommend trying something other that the cereal, maybe pureed bananas or sweet potatoes. Good luck

I guess I am lucky - both of mine had no problem. I can tell you (1) the cereal in the bottle is a mess & hard to suck through the hole.

Try warming the formula before mixing the cereal. If it is warm, she may take it easier. I started mine really thin, then gradually thickened it each night - now adding squash (we just finished 2 weeks of carrots) for color & flavor. She may want to be held while you feed her instead of in a highchair. I hold mine - wrap one of her arms behind you & hold the other hand as to keep it out of the cereal. Feed her with your other hand. We try to eat as a family - so she sees all of us eating too. (I've even gotten so good that i can give her a bite, stop & give myself a bit of my food). Be patient - it is something that they learn slowly. Just keep up with it each night (maybe an hour after a bottle so she's not too hungry). Babies also like to touch - so let her touch her food a bit to feel the consistency. You may even see her touch it & put her hands into her mouth to taste it!

Hi K.,
Try giving the bottle first and then a food-feeding. It is always better to start something new when they are not so crazy hungry.

It's okay to start with a veggie or fruit. Maybe she does not like the cereal! My little guy always makes a terrible face with his first bite but then mellows out after a few spoonfuls. He did not like the cereal, either, and our doctor said that it is just fine to eliminate that if we wish.

Good luck,
T.

Many children will find cereal offensive when you first try it. With both of mine I had to sweeten the cereal with applesauce or a really ripe banana. The formula or breastmilk is sweet...the cereal isn't.

Most won't just dig in at first. You will have to make a tiny bit for a week or two and get a bite or so in her before she will take two or three or four bites more. Maybe even give her half her bottle and then try the cereal. If that doesn't work just try after the bottle. Don't make a bunch...just a tiny bit until she decides she likes it.

By six months or earlier depending on your pediatrician, you can start to add veggies to the cereal and so on. When she gets some teeth and can sit up by herself, you can introduce her to more foods like cheerios, tiny cheese bites, steamed fruit or veggies, grits, oatmeal, and so on.

I have numerous pictures of the absolute hilarious faces my two girls made when we tried new foods like cereal. I would just laugh and laugh. It really is a joy to see them trying new things...even the things they don't like. Sit back and soak it up. Take lots of pictures and don't get frazzled...enjoy it.

Maybe she is not ready. My son did not really take to solid food until he was almost 9months. He is 11months now and still is very limited on what he will eat. I do know that I tried the rice cereal as well and he hated it. My pediatrician actually recommends waiting until they are 6 months old. She also recommends starting with 1cm size pieces of soft foods, like bananas, cooked sweet potatoes. At first its very much exploration for them. My advice would be not to force the rice cereal, try it again in a few weeks. Don't stress it will all come together.

Hi K.-
you have so much advice I hate to add more, but I will. I am a speech therapist and work almost exclusively with babies with feeding problems and I have 2 of my own who were completely the oppostite types of eaters :-) It sounds to me like your daughter's just not quite ready. It is suggested now that you wait until 6 months and they're showing signs of interest. I do not recommend cereal in the bottle. She does not need the calories yet. Her nutrition is coming from formula/breast milk and that's enough. If she's not gaining weight or meeting some other developmental milestones you can always call Early Intervention for an evaluation but your feeding concern seems perfectly normal! Try again every now and again with absolutely no pressure. You can put a bit of the food on her lip to taste but don't put the spoon in her mouth unless she opens her mouth for the spoon. It has to be her choice. I could write lots more but mostly, trust your instincts! Good luck and congratulations on your new daughter.

Despite what your own pediatrician said, many pediatricians don't recommend starting any solid food until the child is fully 6 months old, so maybe wait two or three more weeks and see if that helps? There are plenty of kids out there that get no solid food at all until they're a year because of their parents' views on breastfeeding, and those kids seem to adapt just fine once they get started with solids. So two more weeks shouldn't be a big deal. :)

Other ideas:
are you using rice cereal? This is the usual first food since it's super bland and very non-allergenic. So if you started with oatmeal or barley, maybe try switching to rice.

If you already started with rice, try switching brands. I found that Beech-Nut's consistency dissolved better than Gerber's flakes, which was helpful when my son was just starting. Once he got used to the texture of a slightly thicker food & got used to the spoon going into his mouth, the Gerber flakes were ok. We also tried Earth's Best, which was basically a powder -- it dissolved really well but tasted pretty different from the other two. Perhaps your child doesn't like the taste of whichever one you started with?

My son only took a couple of bites at a time for the first week or two. I think my "serving" that I mixed up was never more than about 8 tiny spoons' worth, and we always had some left over. Start very small. Once you get past this part and get to move on to veggies & fruit it goes much better, they taste better, especially the sweet potatoes and pears.

Have you tried giving her bottle first? My little girl did the same thing so I started giving her bottle first then her cereal & that did the trick. Good luck!

I fed both of my kids with the bottle. I know you doctor advised you not to so...have you tried to mix it with another food such as any fruit or Veggies? I did that with my son and he will eat anything! I'm sure it may take some time for her to get used to getting food from another source. I know it's hard just keep doing what your doing and she'll soon realize that this is how it is. Best of luck to you!!
~Jen

she's quite obviously not ready for solids. my son was like that. didn't cry, but could care less. just wanted to nurse. so i waited til my daughter seemed interested and was probably closer to 7 mos old. you prob don't want to wait til she's 9 mos, but before then. and i am only doing solid chunks, not spoon feeding. just soft chunks of tiny foods -- very cooked veggies, cheese, cottage cheese chunks that i've sucked the juice off, tiny pieces of ground meat that they can gum down and swallow. my 9.5 month old w/ only 3 teeth can eat tiny chunks of pork now and does a great job. She eats what she wants and when she's done, you know it (messing up the food on the tray, eating less, etc.). Drop the feeding for now. Try again in 2 weeks. And try giving her teeny bits of veggies or fruit like i mentioned above. If she's ready, she'll do it, If she's not, she won't, and just wait again til later!

Hey K.,

I've had babies at the daycare who prefered the bottle over the spoon. With them, we'd give them a bite of food and then when the baby started to cry we would put a pacifier or bottle in their mouth. This helped keep them calm enough to eat w/o choking because they were so upset. We would keep alternating the "nipple" and the spoon until the bowl was empty. Another thought is to try holding her while you spoon feed her, she might take it better if she's got the personal contact. As far as how long will it take before she wants to eat, every child is different. It might also help if you try feeding her cereal twice a day, since the more she experiences it, the more she'll get used to the concept.

Okay first of all, I'd find a new doctor because yours doesn't know what the hell they're talking about. A five month old doesn't NEED to start on solid foods. Here is what you do... Give her her bottles as normal, but at lunch time and before bed take about three teaspoons and mix it into her formula/breast milk. SHE WILL NOT STARVE! IF she wants to try other things try fruit... small things she can chew on her own... the reason her crying is that way is because she is probably teething. My son did the same thing and he had teeth coming in i didn't know about. Your children will move at their own pace... doctors don't know everything, although i wish they did. Start out with the cereal in the bottle first. Trust me... don't start solid solid foods until about seven months... try other things like mashed potatoes, but not a lot... babies tummies canno't digest food as well as ours can so just a few bites. You don't want to give her whole meals yet. Stick to her bottle and just nibble on little things that are really soft that wont' hurt her teeth. If you listen to that doctor you are in for some real trouble with your baby. Good luck!

It sounds like your daughter isn't ready. Wait for her to be reaching out for the food. Our daughter was reaching for a month or two before we started since we wanted to wait until she was at least 6 mths old. Just try again in a couple of weeks.

H.

The current advice is to start solids between 4 and 6 months. But every baby is different. My son seem interested at first, but really didn't start eating solids until he was at least 8 months. And even then, not much. He is now 15 months and eating table food (he never liked baby food). I know other babies who just weren't interested for a while. Don't force it. She will eat when she is ready. Secondly, have you tried the rice cereal with formula? It can't taste very good. Try other foods like mashed avocado (my daughter loved that) or banana. These foods are easy to prepare and a great first food. Don't worry, she won't be on a bottle the rest of her life, which is what it feels like. Just keep offering food from time to time, but don't make a big deal about it and eventually she'll eat it.

Oh Boy, I am glad I read this question. I was a nanny for 15 years and never experience what my daughter did with her first foods.
Because of family deaths and traveling last summer I didn't start her until she was 6 months old. I tried every day for three weeks. She hated baby food. so I called her doctor very frustrated!!! He told me to try sold foods. I said WHAT! She doesn't even eat cereal. Bottom line what I found out with my daughter was she didn't like the consistency of cereal. I still make it very pasty. She started with puffs and went to sold veggies like sweet potatoes and then believe it or not, chicken. She only had a few teeth. It was crazy never seen anything like it. Now she eats baby food but still needs it to be very pasty. Her yogurt I still have to mix some cereal with it. I hope this is helpful. Remember never to leave her side when feeding her sold foods.
I went straight to oatmeal with baby fruit. The rice cereal is gross, even for babies.
All children are different. I thought I saw it all, guess not.
Good Luck!

I would wait on introducing solid foods, it appears as if your daughter is not ready. Not all babies are ready to start solid food at the same time. I did not start solid foods until my baby showed that she was interested in food. Once she started looking at us eating, reaching for our food, fork, spoon, etc...She was about 6 months old at when that happened. If she is breastfed, she is getting all the nutrition that she needs. I would not force the feeding issue, you don't want it to become a negative experience for her... then she will only resist more. Wait a week or two and then try again. I would not put the cereal in a bottle. Good luck!

Have you told your ped? Does she still insist that she is ready? If so, try another ped! Seriously, some docs treat this solid food thing like a race. It's not necessary for a baby to be on solids that soon--of course I'm not absolutely sure what's normal for formula fed infants but you might want to get a second opinion!

I would start with the spoon when feeding my youngest. When she would start crying I used an infafeeder. My doctor didn't have a problem with it and she adjusted to eating with a spoon over the next couple of months.

I'd encourage you to wait until she is ready. I didn't start mine on baby food until about six months and they didn't have trouble. Another one of my friends only breastfeeding her babies until they are 1 year. If the dr. is concerned about her weighing too little, then keep trying a bite here and there. But if her weight is okay, don't push it. Give it another month and try again. Don't feel like you have to follow the drs. advice exactly. Use his advise and ask 'why', but you know your baby better than the dr. Hang in there, she'll be fine!

That's how my daughter started, she hated cereal! So I gave her some sweet potatoes, and she hasn't looked back! she is now 13 months old and eats everything I make, no making seperate meals!

I would speak to your doctor for sure but just remember. Not every child fits into the doctors little box of when to do things and how they develop. It might just be a little early for your little one to start solids. Try holding off a couple weeks or even a month (if the doctors says that is o.k.) and then try again.

I think we all forget to use or own common sense a little when we receive "Doctors orders". Doctors are not god and they do not know everything so just use your Mothers instincts! Good luck!

Hi K., I think this is one of those times that baby knows better than doctor. Perhaps she is not quite ready for solids yet (many babes aren't ready until 6 or 7 months), or maybe she just doesn't like cereal (my 2 year old never took to it). You could also try mashed up bananas or some other pureed fruit or veggie for first meals. Also, for learning this new skill, it's helpful to present solids in between regular feedings so that she is not urgently hungry. With her crying, something is upsetting her about mealtime and whatever it is, you don't want her to learn to associate distress with mealtime. If she's not readily accepting the food, I would give her a break of a few days or a week before presenting solids again. The best help you can give her is to be relaxed about the whole issue and trust her to eat when she's ready. She will know when she's ready, and you know your sweet babe better than anybody.

K.,

Don't stress yourself! I remember with my son (first child) how stressed I was to do everything right and on time. You will soon find that your baby does things at their own pace. My pediatrician recommended holding off on solid foods and cereal until 6 months. For my son that worked perfectly. We tried cereal at 6 months and he would do the same thing your daughter is doing. We just kept trying everynight and eventually he got the hang of it. On the other hand my daughter who is now 8 months old. Showed signs of being interested in food at 5 months. So, we started playing around with cereal. She was a natural at 5 months then all of the sudden at 7 months decided she no longer wanted solid foods. (I think the peas ended her interest in food.) So, we tried everynight to give her food. I would hold the spoon and her bottle by her mouth and when she opened her mouth for the bottle I would sneek the spoon in. Of course she was not crying so I did not have to worry about her choking. She just would not open her mouth. We went through that for about a month and I am happy to report that she is finally eating solids once again! I would say keep trying. Your daughter is getting everything she needs from her formula. I would just say keep practicing. Maybe try solids at a different time. Maybe she is too tired at dinner.. maybe lunch or breakfast will be better. You will find something that works for you and your daughter!

My daughter hated rice cereal the first time we started. In fact, she gagged so hard she vomitted. So I tried an avocado and she LOVED it and still loves avocado to this day (she is 8m now). Rice cereal does not have to be first food despite popular belief. Just mash the avocado really good and add your breastmilk or formula. Get the book Super Baby Food or go to their website www.superbabyfood.com or seriously go buy the Magic Bullet and you can easily puree the avocado, sweet potato or banana (which are all great first foods) in there, it takes just as long to make a PB and J sandwich as to puree the food. I would not sweetened it with juice though. Good luck.

Hi K.,

I have 3 kids, and my first one had a LOT of trouble starting solid foods - lots of tears from my little boy! In hindsight, I would have just waited a little longer to introduce solids. You might want to try solid foods for a few days, and if your little girl continues to cry and be very upset, take a week off and try again later. My little boy didn't really get the hang of solid foods until he was 6 or 7 months old. And he eats like a champ now! Every baby develops a bit differently - yours may just not be all that excited about trying solid food just yet! Good luck, and try not to worry - she won't be taking bottles forever! :-)

Warmly,
J.

My twin sons are turning 6 months on Sunday. I am strictly a breastfeeding mom. I started rice cereal at 5 months. It took about 3 weeks for one boy to get used to it & the other boy still hates it. He turns his head away when I try to feed him cereal even to this day. I just started vegetables on Saturday. Both the boys love them!!! I tried to mix the rice cereal with the vegetables, (for my son who hates rice cereal) & he still turns his head away from it. He dislikes the cereal even mixed! Simply put, some babies may like cereal & others don't. Don't be surprised if his taste buds never acquire the taste for the rice cereal. She's letting you know she's either not ready, or may not like the taste of the cereal. I've read other advice that others suggest to you & do not put the cereal in the bottle!!! It does not make baby sleep longer. The purpose of cereal is for the baby to learn how to eat from a spoon. My inlaws swear that the cereal fills their tummy when added to the bottle & my son who actually eats the rice cereal, does not sleep any better than his brother at night time. It's not too early to start your daughter on veggies. She is close to 6 months, if you feel more comfortable waiting 2 more weeks until she is 6 months that is fine too. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to parenting. It's when you, as the parent, feels the most comfortable to introduce her on vegetables. I'm sure you'll see the difference in her taste once you start her on vegetables. My one son was ready for solids at the same time as the other, he just did not like the taste of rice cereal (what U 1st start a baby on for solids). Both my sons love carrots & sweet peas so far & wow, do they open their mouths up wide for their veggies. Make sure you do a couple days in a row of the same vegetable, to check for any allergies. Don't start fruit right away either, your baby will love the sweetness & may not eat her vegetables. Good luck.

K.,
I have been there. I have 4 children 20, 17, 10, and 9.
When I had our first two, I breast fed, and until a feeding was not bringing contentment for at least an hour and a half, I did not start food. The doctors told me too, but I had my own ideas and all the time to wait.
Then we adopted, these children were bottle fed, and I was encouraged to start food about 5 months. They fought it, gagged, spit up, cried and seemed angry at feeding time.
So, I went back to my old ways, following the contentment time frame. Then when I started foods, I gave them 1/2 a bottle, then tried food (rice cereal and sweet potatoes)then finished with the other 1/2 of the bottle. It really worked. Just remember, no two are alike, follow your mommy sense, it is given by God to get you through it.

Don't stress too much - it takes a while for them to like it and each child is different. I waited until my son was 6 months because he had constipation issues but then my doc recommended adding a little applesauce (all natural, no sugar added) for a better flavor - he LOVED it. good luck!

K.

get a new dr, i would wait to start food it will make them sick and do not start at night will give for bad nights sleep if they are having trouble digesting it. you could just touch the food to her lips but you should wait till 7 months. there is a whole big things on why diabetes is so big now and they are starting to attribute it to cereal in the bottle at too early fo an age for infants and same with teh food and solids hence some reasoning to the whole food allergies increasing. wait she is only 5 and 1/2 months most babies are not to eat solids until 6 months sitting up by them selves perfetly!
good luck
J.

K.,
I am not an expert, but have had four babies of my own. I would say that your baby is maybe not ready yet for food, but I don't think its a bad idea to keep trying. It just may take several attempts. Often when getting started they don't even know how to eat by spoon, and everything gets often spit back out. They will eventually get it. I also recommend trying some good tasting fruit baby food. That might make it more agreeable. Just try one flavor at a time (just in case of allergies).

Hi, K.. When my son started solids, I gave him a few ounces of his bottle first. When it was time to burp him, I moved him into his high chair for cereal. At the beginning, he only had a few bites and seemed not to know what to do with it. But he eventually got it. After some cereal, we finished the bottle. This way, he was hungry enough to eat but not so hungry that he got frustrated with the cereal. Hope this helps.
A.

Maybe you could try mixing with a fruit or veggie. My daughter has been a great eater but when we were trying rice cereal she didn't really like it. I swtiched to oatmeal and she liked that better. Also, we found that she didn't really like the cereal when it was really thin. We had to put less formula in it and she liked it much better a little thicker.

Good luck!

K., You already know what she is going to do. So give her that first bite followed quickly by the bottle. Let her have some bottle, then try to give her another bite, then quickly giver her the bottle. That way she knows you're not taking the bottle away. My daughter started out that way, but when I was consistant with this alternate feeding soon she was eating more by the spoon before wanting her "comfort". Try it. I pray it works for you.

Hi K. -
I am not an experienced mom by any means. My daughter is two and a half and my son is seven months old. My daughter HATED solid foods at first. It took weeks to get her used to it. It is good that you are trying to give her the food before she gets really hungry. It is just going to take time and patience. I put cereal in her bottle at night to get her to sleep better so she didn't wake up so hungry. My son sort of likes it -he definitely likes the fruit more. But, what I do for my son is take any veggie or fruit that we eat at home and puree it for him. He seems to like it better than the baby food - have you tasted that stuff, it is awful. I don't salt his or add butter, just puree the veggies really well. Your baby girl will learn to like it, just have patience. You are right - it is a new skill and new textures and it takes time. Good luck!

Lately the trend is that rice cereal has to be the first baby food. There is absolutely no reason you can't start with something else. Barley cereal and oatmeal baby cereal are fine starters too. You can even go straight to fruit and vegetables. Commercial baby foods are fine, but it is easy to prepare your own, especially to put your mind at ease for first time eaters. Sweet potatoes are a perfect starter food. Just microwave until soft, then puree with water until the are the texture you desire. Don't feel boxed in by rice cereal. I have 4 children who are fabulous eaters (ages 6,4, 1 and 1). Squash and bananas will also quickly become favorites. Don't be afraid to experiment. Just follow the 3 day rule for allergies and you will be just fine. Enjoy this time.

My kids didn't like rice cereal, but they loved oatmeal. Plus, rice really constipated them all. I would try her on oatmeal and see what she thinks about that.

Hi K.,

I know other people have already mentioned this, but I would give her a bottle at a regular time in the middle of the day and then give her the solids. We did that with our son and it worked great. In fact, I still always give him a bottle or nurse him before all of his meals - the older he's gotten, the more solids he eats. If that doesn't work, try something other than the rice. Sometimes babies will not like what you give them at first, and then after a couple to a few weeks you can try it again and they'll eat it up. Their tastes are changing all the time. We started my son with cereals and veggies. Hope that works for you! Good luck!

I agree with those who say "what's the rush?" - I would wait a day or two and try again, and keep doing so until she is ready to try it. Personally, I wouldn't sweeten anything up, because once she starts eating solids regularly, you will want her to eat a variety of different foods, and many will not be sweet. If she's already acquired a taste for sweet foods, it may be difficult to get her to eat vegetables that aren't sweet.
Congratulations on your little one and good luck!

Hi K.,
I am a first time mom of a 6 1/2 month old, so I only have the experience of recently. But I let him nurse first and then offer him rice cereal after that. Nursing satisfies his immediate hunger and then he still will take a good bit of rice cereal (usually mixed with milk or water and a fruit puree). I tried doing it the way you described and he just got too frustrated which made the experience stressful to him and me. Try it in reverse order- you and she will enjoy it much more!

I know it is heartbreaking when your daughter is screaming but she will get used to it. I was to the point where one spoon of cereal, then put the bottle in her mouth, back and forth until the cereal was all gone. I don't know if your daughter sleeps through the night yet but her belly will be full and probably give you a good night sleep. I started the process when my daughter was 2 months, she caught on within 2 weeks. My doctor said the same thing don't put the cereal in the bottle. Good Luck!!!

Try the bottle first, then feed the cereal.

While I'm no pediatrician or expert, I'd rather have my child get the nutrition from formula than from 'practice food' (yes, I do realize that rice cereal is fortified and does have some value, but at this time it should be considered 'supplemental').

I tried using breastmilk and formula with the cereal and my baby hated it. I switched to water (and I'm thinking, ick - how nasty!), and we have had no problems. Also, my baby hated it runny so I made it thicker which worked out well.