Starting Solids - Fort Worth, TX

the best baby book you can buy is called super baby food. try going to www.superbabyfood.com

I have a 5 month old also, named Lyla. I started her on the banana flavored rice cereal and I just mixed it with water. She loved it. However, a lot of homemade baby food websites suggest skipping rice cereal all together and just start solids. I have started introducing solids now and I just made some of her babyfood, which she loves already! There is a great website (so you don't even need a book) called wholesomebabyfood.com - it tells you what foods to start. I baked two sweet potatos and pureed them; I baked a butternut squash a pureed that, then I also mixed pureed avocado with pureed banana. My daughter didn't take well to the avocado, but there was a tip on there that babies like it mixed with banana and she loves it. I hope this helps!

At six months we started our daughter on mashed avocado mixed with breast milk and would just put it on the tip of one of our (clean) fingers and let her eat it off our fingers. We transitioned to a spoon pretty easily, but I think starting on our fingers helped. I got that idea from _Super Baby Food_ by Ruth Yaron, and I highly recommend that book. She's a staunch vegetarian and I'm not, but her ideas were so helpful and got me started on making my own baby food (and our entire family started eating much more healthfully due to all the helpful nutritional information). For several months I took her book with me to the grocery store as a reference and I still refer back to it occasionally (my daughter is now 19 months). Also, I have friends who never bought a cookbook but just used www.wholesomebabyfood.com That website is good and helpful, but I did prefer _Super Baby Food_.

http://www.babycenter.com/0_age-by-age-guide-to-feeding-y...

Hi, A.! What a fun stage in your daughter's life! It is possible your daughter is not ready for solids yet....you may want to try again in a couple of weeks.

Another thing to remember is that when you first start feeding your baby, it really is a sensory and motor experience. For the first time in her life, she is feeling the sensation of food in her mouth...not a sweet liquid like formula or mama's milk, not a firm solid like a pacifier or your finger or a toy. And, she is having to learn the motor skills necessary to keep and move the food in her mouth and back to her throat to swallow....which can be tricky! So, if you keep in mind that beginning solids is really about learning new skills and NOT supplication and nutrition, then you will be less stressed and your baby will be, too.

A couple of things I did were: 1. make the cereal very liquidy so the texture is very close to milk/formula....once she gets that, then slowly increase the texture. 2. place a small bowl of cereal at the texture you are using and a baby spoon on her tray and just let her play in it! Then she gets to learn to feel the texture on her hands, etc., explore the spoon and dishes, and have FUN at mealtime....which counts big for babies! and 3. only expect her to have a couple of bites/tries at having it in her mouth....that's it....then you gradually introduce the texture so it is not overwhelming....the expectations are much lower for both of you making you both more successful!!

When you do get into different types of food, remember that it is ALL NEW to them! So, it may take several (up to 10)introductions of a taste or texture before they like it. Lastly, I have the Super Baby Food book which is my "food bible". It talks about how to make your own baby food, when to introduce each type of food, allergies, recipes for toddlers, etc! Mine are 4 and 2, and I still use it! I love it and couldn't live without it! Look it up at www.superbabyfood.com

Good Luck and have fun!! Getting messy can be good!!

Doesn't sound like she's ready for solids. Here is an article I copied from a yahoo group I'm involved in that covers starting solids. I hope it helps! A

Introducing Solid Foods

When should I introduce solid foods? - Current studies indicate that there is an increased risk of food allergies and diabetes if solid foods are introduced too early. As your baby’s digestive system begins to mature the risk of sensitization to allergens is lessened. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months. Some pediatricians will say that it is “okay” to start solids at 4 months; this should not be confused with a recommendation to start solid foods.

What cues should I look for to indicate that my baby is ready for solids? - Some developmental cues to watch for are:

Sits with little or no support
Loss of tongue-thrust reflex
Shows great interest in foods others are eating

Every child develops at his own pace. Watch for your baby’s signs of readiness. Reaching for your spoon does not necessarily mean baby is ready for solids. At about 4 months, many babies reach for anything they can find to put in their mouths. If your young baby is reaching for your spoon at mealtimes, try offering just the spoon to play with and see if he is satisfied.

How do I start? Good first foods are single-grain baby cereals, such as rice or oatmeal or soft fruits such as avocado or banana. If you chose to start with cereal, whole-grain organic cereal is recommended. Be aware that rice cereal, bananas and some other foods can be constipating for some babies. Start by mixing 1 or 2 tablespoons of cereal with about 4 tablespoons of breastmilk, or mash a little banana or avocado and thin with a little breastmilk. The consistency for the first feeding will be fairly runny. Pick a time when baby is happy and alert, not tired or fussy. Nurse your baby first so that he is satisfied. At this point, solid foods are not to fill him up, they are for getting accustomed to new tastes and textures. Offer your baby the food on a spoon or from your finger. Don’t be distressed if your baby does not seem interested in solid foods. If your baby refuses, wait a week or two and try again. Your baby probably won’t eat more than a tablespoon at a time at first. Your baby's appetite will vary from one feeding to the next so watch for cues that he's full. A baby who refuses to open up for the next bite, turns away, or starts playing with his food is probably full. As he gets older he will begin to eat more.

When should I begin offering other foods? You can begin offering other single-ingredient foods after your baby has gotten used to eating from a spoon. If your baby is interested, you can add one new food every 3-5 days. Go slowly and give your baby time to adjust to the new tastes and textures. Watch for signs of allergic reactions such as diarrhea, stomach upset, sudden stuffy or runny nose, hives or other rashes. Always keep benadryl on hand in case of a severe allergic reaction. If your baby seems to express dislike with a food wait and offer it again a few days later. It takes some babies time to warm up to new tastes and textures, and especially to foods with stronger flavors. You may have to present a food several times (experts say up to 15 times) before a baby will become used to it and accept it. If your baby consistently rejects a certain food, try mixing it with one that he likes to temper the flavor and allow him to become used to it. Stronger flavored foods such as broccoli or asparagus can be combined with cereal or potatoes. Once you have introduced all of the single-ingredient foods you can begin multi-ingredient foods. Most pediatricians recommend waiting until 9 months to offer meats, yogurt and cheeses.

Do I replace nursing with solid ‘meals”? No. You should nurse first and then offer solids. Breastmilk should be 75-95% of your baby’s nutrition for the first 12 months. Baby will gradually move to more solids as he gets older. Breastmilk has all of the vitamins and minerals, proteins and fats that your baby needs. Replacing a food that contains just the right balance of fat, proteins, vitamins and minerals with a food that contains little to no protein and fat can result in slow weight gain. In addition, babies need fats and proteins for optimal brain growth and muscle growth. Solid foods will eventually replace some of your baby’s feedings, but they cannot replace the nutritional value of breastmilk.

How many times per day should I be giving solids? If you start at 6 months, your baby will probably be eating 3 small solid meals per day by about 8 months. Follow your babies hunger cues to determine when to give more solid foods. A typical days diet for an 8-month-old might consist of:

Breastmilk
¼ cup cereal
¼ - ½ cup vegetable
¼ cup fruit

Every baby will not follow this pattern. Many babies can thrive on a breastmilk alone and take in little or no solids for the first year.

When can I move on to finger foods? Many babies are ready for finger foods at about 8-9 months. Some parents chose to delay starting solids until baby is ready for these finger foods, skipping the pureed stage. Offer soft foods cut into tiny pieces. Some suggestions for early finger foods are: toasted oat cereal, crisp rice cereal, well-cooked, diced vegetables, such as avocado, green beans, carrots or sweet potato, fresh fruits such as banana (frozen is nice in the summer!), pear, mango, peach, cantaloupe, soft cheeses (after 9 months) and whole-grain pastas. There is no need to buy special “toddler” foods. Compare ingredients – most commercial toddler finger foods are the same ingredients as comparable regular foods. Some of the toddler foods are even higher in sugar and sodium than the regular versions and most are made with refined white flour which contains very little nutritional value. Be an educated consumer. Just because a baby food company markets something doesn’t mean it is best for your baby.

Some general guidelines:
Avoid highly allergenic foods such peanuts and peanut butter, egg whites, wheat, cow’s milk and shellfish until your baby is at least 12 months old. Avoid raw honey as well because it can contain botulism spores that can make a baby sick.

Avoid over-feeding. Watch your baby’s cues to determine when he is full.

Juice is not necessary for babies. Juice has little nutritional value and is high in sugars. If you do give juice dilute it by at least half with water and offer it in a cup, not a bottle. Too much juice can lead to obesity in children. The AAP recommends no more than 4oz of juice per day.

Watch the ingredients in jarred baby foods. Watch out for added sugars and starches (tapioca starch) in “desserts” and “dinners”. Young babies do not need “desserts”. Help them develop a taste for fresh fruits and vegetables before giving foods with added sugars. It is not necessary to buy commercial baby foods. Fresh vegetables and fruits can be steamed and mashed with a fork or pureed.

You can build healthy eating habits for life by offering your baby a wide variety of tastes and textures without added salt and sugar.

Instead of a spoon, use your finger. The hard spoon is usually too much of a change for them.

Almost all babies will suck a finger though. It will be a pain in the neck the first several times you do it, but it's a gentle transition for the baby.

Once you can practically scoop it into her mouth, get a spoon and try again.

You may also need to try several different kinds of spoons. Yes, they can be picky even about spoons.

Good luck,
K.

I made homemade baby food with all three of mine--it is cheaper and healthier. You process fruits and and cook and process veggies and spatula them into ice cube trays. freeze pop out and label in freezer bags. When you feed you take out one or two depending on age let them thaw at room temp(usually takes about 15-20 mins) or heat them in the micro for 15-25 seconds. I used the book SUPER BABY FOOD. It will even tell you how to make homemade cereals. And the best first baby foods. Would you actually believe that yogurt and avacado are the list? This book even tells you how to make yogurt--I started mine on the rice cereal, but mixed it with fruit juices or pear food to sweetned it. After a couple of weeks of that I mashed fresh bananas and fed them that. I loved the book and you can use it even in to toddler years! Good Luck

Hi A., why are you trying to give her solids already? If she doesn't want it in the spoon is too early. Babies do regulate themselves. Wait until after 6 months old and try again, if she doesn't want to it, no biggie, try the next month. For the first year of their life, they get everything they need from formula. Relax and just wait it out! Good luck!

Start her with finger foods, let her get used to those, then give her finger foods, and just set a spoon down on her tray with the food... let her work her own magic. Don't worry about HOW she holds the spoon until she gets older - probably about 3 to 3 and 1/2 or so is when my little girl learned how to hold a utensil properly.

With my son, we mixed the rice cereal with apple juice, to sweeten it up a bit. And as far as baby food, I was lazy and bought it from the store, but a friend of mine had a special baby food processor and just put in whatever food she cooked for dinner and blended it up and fed it to her baby.
Good luck!
A. C

hi A.,

I would not feed a baby on solids when they are super hungry. i would give a bit of breast or bottle and (half of what you normally give) and then try the cereal on the spoon. I do not recommend giving it in a bottle.
SUPER BABY FOOD, is the best book, I think its a super investment if you are wanting to cook your own baby food --- it is super easy and cheaper AND better for baby,

best,

She'll eat when she's ready. 5-months-old is still early to be worried about it. No need for a cookbook. Just cook her veggies (and meat if you decide to do meat) with a lot of added salt and grind them up.

about the starting foods taking it from a bottle is not really the way to go i have 3 boys 16, 5 and 2. each one were soo different one wanted to have the cereal and the other didnt i just tryed differnt things with all and really my last to didnt want the baby food i got i just got the blender out and made my own from what i was cooking for dinner and such. well good luck.

It can be a slow process, but start out with just a tablespoon full of cereal with formula, and make it very runny--pretty much liquid--and just try to spoon teeny tiny amounts. The object when you first start solids is to get them used to the concept and sensation, not really for nutrition, so don't stress over it.

There are feeding bottles that you can put a whole jar of food in and it allows them to eat solids from a bottle. With my son we were told to try it thin... he hated it so we made it thick and he loved it! As for making food, I just got veggies and a steamer and steamed everything and threw it in the blender, as for meats I cooked them with light seasoning and cut them small and blended them too. With fruits you can mash or blend them, if they are like peaches you can bake or microwave them and then mash or blend. My son never had a canned food in his life I tried it once and ended up with something labeled chicken, which I am sure was cat food all oved my face. Good luck it is not always easy but I think it was the best for my son.

You might try giving part of it in the bottle till her little tummy gets over the initial hunger pains, then spoon feed her some to get her used to it after she has eaten enough to fill her belly some. This way, she is not so hungry and does not get frustrated with the spoon feeding. When she is hungry, she is not getting enough, quickly enough, by spoon the first few times because she is not used to it that way. Then slowly thicken it so she can get used to the thicker textures. Don't try to spoon feed when she thinks she is starving, cause she will just get frustrated. Good luck!

Hi A.,

My daughter is now 3, but when she was born I wanted to make as much of her baby food as possible. I bought several books on making baby food and the best one I found was Super Baby Food.
http://www.superbabyfood.com/recipes.htm

I also bought a Magic Bullet blender and I would highly recommend getting one to anyone thinking about making baby food. You can quickly make a small serving with the smaller blender topper or a large quantity using the pitcher topper. I bought organic raw veggies when I could afford it, steamed them and pureed them...adding water when necessary. I poured the cooled liquid into ice cube trays and froze them. Once frozen, I place the cubes into freezer bags and labeled them with the date they were made and what the item was. Pop a cube or two in a smaller zipper baggies and either nuke it or heat in a pan of boiling water.

I hope this helps. If you want to chat about making baby food, please feel free to contact me.

Ronnie ____@____.com

Try mixing the cereal with a little fruit (cereal has no flavor). My daughter loved the cereal the first couple of times then hated it. The fruit did the trick. (Obviously I am talking about babyfood fruit)
We have a book called First Meals that tells you how to make babyfood as well as food they will eat all through the toddler years.

Hi, I am a mother of 2 1/2 year old triplet girls and when we started solid foods my pediatrician told me not to give them the rice cereal in the bottle, only to give it to them on the spoon, even if they just spit it out. She said they would eventually learn to keep it in their mouth and eat it. When we first started feeding with a spoon we had a huge mess to clean up after every feeding but within a couple of weeks the girls did much better. It is a normal reflex called the tongue thrust that makes a baby push the food out. The crying during the feeding will also get better as she learns how to eat. The main thing my pediatrician said was not to give up and to keep working at it. Hope this helped.

She's just never used a spoon before, so obviously its gonna make her a little nervous. The first time my twins used a spoon they were about 4 1/2 months, and it took me like 2 weeks of persistence to get them where they were comfortable with it. Not "comfortable", they weren't spitting it out, but used to the idea of the spoon. If I were you, I'd skip rice cereal by itself, and mix it with the baby food later, that's what I do to thicken it up a little, add baby food and apple juice or prune juice (depending) so its not too thick. Or if you want to make your own, that's great too. =)

Sounds like she's not ready. I would wait another month and then try. If she's still not ready, I would wait another month and then try (and continue this until she is ready). Some babies are a bit older before they are ready. We didn't do baby food with my son. We tried a few times, but he was never interested. We went right to table food. He was a little older (12 months) before he was eating large amounts of it, but he's a great little eater now and STILL refuses baby food or anything like it! It's kind of funny.

Hi A.,

I have an Addison as well. She's turning 7 months tomorrow and I had the same problem with her. Turns out she just wasn't quite ready yet. She finally started eating really well with a spoon around 5 1/2 to 6 months. One thing that I did notice was she didn't like the rice cereal by itself. Once I put a little fruit in with it, she gobbled it up. Even now, with as well as she is eating, if I try and give her just cereal she won't eat it. Maybe wait 2 or 3 weeks and then try again with a little applesauce mixed in with the cereal and formula.

Good Luck,
L.

Try to mix it with fruit. It would taste alot better. It could be taste buds, because the baby is receiving the food from the tip of the tounge rather than the back.

Every Dr. has different opinions, but I started out with rice babyfood cereal at night and my baby slept until 5:30 or 6 which was great, from having to get up with a middle of the night feeding. A little later maybe just try a spoon full or two , to get your baby used to a spoon, but don't worry about it . Keep on enjoying. Each child is different. I had four, and you can't always compare with your own, much less your friends etc.

my third boy never took cereal. His first food was yogart at 10 months. He also never really took "baby food." He prefered soft whole food.

I also used the "Super Baby Food" book with my first to children. I found it very helpful for ideas, but we primarly stuck with peas, carrots, squash (all kinds) sweet potatoes and avacados. Avacados are the best. I used to bring an avacado when we would eat out. It does not need a cold pack and it was easy to mash up while out.

Also my peditrician really encourages to wait until 6 months to start food. Sometimes their little bodies are not ready for all that starch.

I have twin girls and one of my daughters reacted exactly as your daughter. It was more of a personality issue - resistance to change. She is a creature of habit and even at age 5, does not like change. We didn't force the issue, but offered solid food at each feeding. (rice cereal mixed with breast milk) I can't remember exactly when , but she embraced solids pretty soon. (I think it was a couple of days.)

I actually made all of my daughters' food. It was important to us to ffed them fresh organiz food. I cooked, pureed and froze the food into ice trays. It was pretty easy to thaw the quantities we needed for each feeding, and it was pretty efficient to be able to make larger quantities.

Good luck!!

Hi A.. I made all of my own baby for for my first son, who is now 7 years, and plan on doing so again for my second son, who just turned 4 months. It is easy and fun. At first, you don't need a cookbook. You just steam veggies and put them in a blender with a little of the water from the cooking or a little formula or breastmilk. Don't add any salt, even though some "old school" moms and gramdmoms will tell you to. Carrots, peas, green beens, zuchini, and yellow squash are all good starts. Cauliflower and broccoli are good too but their tastes are so strong for baby you are better off mixing them with something like infant rice. You also have to watch for gas with those. White potatoes and sweet potatoes are good too, but you can't run them in the blender or food processor because they will get gummy and starchy. My baby also loved butternut squash which I baked and then pureed. Of course you can do fruits, too. I realized that making homemade apple souce wasn't really worth it--you can buy a large jars of organic, no sugar added apple sauce for less that you can make it yourself.

A really fantastic book is First Meals by Annabel Karmel. It takes you from the very first solid foods to fun meals for toddlers. It was well used and I have post-it notes throughout.

One tip I learned from another mom was to make baby food in batches, and then spoon the puree into ice cube trays. Once the cubes are frozen, remove them and store them in baggies. When it is time for a meal, just take out a cube and heat it up! It is the perfect size serving. I always had my little one eat a veggie first, then a fruit. My pediatrician said not to give fruits first as obviously they will like those better and then not want to eat the veggies.

Maybe more info than you wanted, but I had a lot of fun making the babyfood!

Both my kids started cereal at 3/12 months and loved it. I mixed it with a little bit of baby juice or fruit that you have tried. They were on fruits and veggies at 4 months and the meats at 6 months and done with baby food all together at 9 months. as far as it being to early it is not. they say you can start your baby on solids at 4 months. both mine were and they have NO allergies and they have been VERY healthy. it is "foriegn" to them something new different texture. just keep trying or like others have said try it with juice or food.

It is supposed to be mixed pretty thin in the beginning and gradually thicken as baby does better. Maybe your baby is not ready yet. If baby doesn't want it, it is not to be forced. Baby is still getting all he /she needs from formula. You may also try a different time of day. Just keep trying each day, it will work out eventually. Most peds will advise against putting it in a bottle as that does not teach them to eat. Good luck.

I made all my own baby food and it is so easy and soooo cheap! All you need is a great food processor. Any fruit or vegatable can be pureed by adding a little bit of water to smooth it out or low sodium chicken/beef broth for veggies or %100 juice for fruits. When your baby is ready for more meat products, i would blend well cooked meats with broth and whole grain rices and a vegatable of choice(my son loved sweet potatoes and turkey!) and it made a complete meal for my son. You can save the leftovers anywhere from 3-5 days in the refridgerator. I used organic foods, but that is up to you. I would just give your baby time to adjust to a solid food, but keep trying every day by giving a couple spoonfuls of rice cereal. If she doesn't take it, move onto the bottle, but don't give up!

I really like the Fresh Start Baby Cworkbook. http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/601-###-###-####-###...

It helps you make your own baby food, gives directions on how to prepare everything and the order/age it is best to introduce foods. My son is 4 and always eats his vegetables on his plate first, and I think it was because of this book! Good luck!

My daughetr will turn 7 months old tomorrow and FINALLY last week she allowed me to feed her baby food with a spoon. She has fought it since 4 months old. The doctor told me that all babies are different. Some babies don't eat with a spoon till almost 1!
Don't stress it. Just wait a week or 2 and just try again. Also, I found that both of my kids hated rice cereal so I went straight to baby jar food. It tastes SO much better!
P.S. The texture of the spoon freaks them out. Try putting it on your finger to see if it's the food or the spoon.

Hi,

I agree with other moms - 5 months is too early. Waiting until your baby is at least 6 months old is what is recommended by the American Pediatric Association. Before 6 months, they should be exclusively receiving breast milk and/or formula. It lessens their suceptibility to develop allergies, and they don't need anything else at that age. Also, it's not a good idea to add cereal to bottles - it doesn't stay mixed well and can cause gas and bloating.

We never started solids using cereal. We started with avocados and then moved on to fruits and vegetables then cereal etc. There's no physiological reason to start with cereal. We also didn't start solids until our boys were 8-9 months old, and they're great eaters.

So, I would wait a month or two, then try again, and maybe give her something with more flavor. Remember, you're just getting her accustomed to new tastes and trying new things! She'll do it when she's ready, so don't stress! I know, I know...easier said than done when you're a mommy...hang in there! :)

K.

Hi A.,
As someone who has cared for infants for over 20 years I have a couple suggestions for starting Addison on cereal. 1st of all you could try to be sure she is not very hungry the 1st couple times you attempt a new food (such as cereal) My suggestion would be to feed 1/2 of a bottle of formula then try to feed a spoonful or two of the cereal. Don't worry if she doesn't really eat it. Most babies will explore the texture with their tongue before actually trying to swallow it. It may take several attempts over many days before she gets the hang of it. After she has mastered the cereal most physicians recommend beginning baby food around 6 mo. of age. They usually recommend feeding just one type of food (peas for instance)at a time until you are sure she isn't allergic to anything. Once you have established that she doesn't have an allergy to a specific food you can add another to her diet. Usually babies, when beginning to eat, only eat a few bites to 1/2 jar of a food at a time. For Breakfast I usually feed a little cereal (w/formula) and maybe a little fruit, For Lunch I gradually work up to 1/2 jar of Vegt and 1/2 jar fruit at one sitting. Some babies can eat a whole jar of each by the time they are 8 months. It all depends on your child. Each child is different.
Hope this helps, Good Luck!

Sit her in her high chair and let her play with a spoon during your meal times so she gets used to the spoon. (The first place most things go is into their mouth...) That will help her get used to the spoon and then hopefully she'll be more ready to try eating from it.

Hi A.,

I would be careful about giving rice cereal too early...if she won't take it from a spoon, she's likely simply not ready for solids.

I would consider waiting a month or two, and offering her fresh, soft, ripe fruit such as ripe (freckled) banana, papaya, mango, persimmon or avocado as her first foods instead. Fruit is a very natural, easily digestible food to human beings, and baby will thrive on them. :)

Hope this helps a little.

Oh the fun of 1st solids! Make it really soupy and just keep trying, she'll figure it out eventually. As far as making your own baby food, invest in a food mill and some quality plastic containers. I would make dinner for my husband and I and cook extra without seasoning. Then I would just grind it up in the food mill and divide it into 2 ounce servings among separate little containers label and freeze. There is a baby food cookbook out there called Fist Meals by Annabel Karmel, it's not cheap so check out Half-Price Books for it or maybe your local library. Also, do you have the What to Expect the 1st Year book? There are some really good recipes in there.

I had the same problem with my son. He screamed his head off. The second time I tried he did the same thing. I added a little applesauce to it and I couldn't get it to him fast enough.

I have an eight month old and had the same questions! When I started feeding my daughter rice cereal, I made it REALLY soupy, so soupy that it probably could've been put in a bottle. So for the most part, she was still ingesting milk with a little cereal. Once she realized that there was milk on the spoon, she was more enthusiastic about being fed with it. I gradually thickened the cereal over the course of a week or 2. Also, there's no hurry - they don't REALLY need to start solids until 6 months. Sometimes their little tongues aren't ready to swallow the right way either.

I started out feeding just a tiny bit, like maybe 2 tablespoons of milk/cereal soup, just once a day. If she didn't finish, I didn't push; didn't want her to hate seeing the spoon. I increased the thickness to the consistency of grits, then increased the amount when she showed signs of wanting more. We fed her cereal once a day for a few weeks before moving on to other food. Hope that helps!

I was talking to one of my friends with this same problem and it is her first child. Her baby didn't even want the spoon in his mouth. But just think, would you want someone to jam a hammer in your mouth. A spoon is a totally foriegn object. I asked her if she had tried the bottle for cereal and she told me the books advised against it because the baby will not learn to eat from a spoon. I just have to laugh because how many people do you know who don't know how to use a spoon. What I am saying is that he will surely learn and like eating eventually so you don't need to sweat it. Trying food is a whole new experience--taste, texture, spoon and all! You can in the meantime give your baby a short plastic spoon to hold and play with while you give her tastes. you could also give her dropper or straw fulls to taste.

I'm having the same problem.. my first kiddo never had a problem with anything I gave her. First bottle, first formula, first foods, she was easy in that dept.
My 5 month old is breastfed exclusivly (my first had both nursing and formula) But my new baby isn't too keen on cereal either. but I feel like she's nursing ALLLL night long! So is she not getting enough calories during the day or is she SPOILED! ;)
But really, I can identify and got a lot from all the responses you've recieved. Maybe we should both wait until 6 months to start fussing over it.
Good luck!

A.,

Try mixing cereal with formula and bananas from the jar. It's something sweet and you get a fruit in too.

After 2 boys, my personal recommendation is to make it a little thicker and to keep trying. They just don't understand what it is at first, so the key is to keep introducing it. They don't "need" the food at this point, so you are simply getting them used to the idea of taking food that way. It might be another month before she seems to like it - but she'll soon realize how great it is! There's a great book - First Foods - published by DK that I love. I've made all of my baby food for both boys - it's worth the time and, in the end, really doesn't take that long to do!

Please don't worry about it. Solids before age 1 are only a means of INTRODUCING food to your baby (texture, taste, etc.). Formula/breast milk are the #1 source for nutrition at this stage. Signs that a baby is truly ready to eat solids: A baby should be able to sit up and seem genuinely interested in food. Relax and follow your baby's lead; she knows what she is ready for and when. Also, once she's on a regular amount of cereal, she might get constipated because of the high level of iron in it. I was never a big fan of the stuff myself. I prefer fresh food for baby: bake a sweet potato, then puree the soft inside, then spoon it into an ice tray, then freeze. You'll have little serving sizes of fresh, pureed sweet potato (which they love). Also, mashed bananas are a good first food. Later, mix smashed avocado with applesauce. Of course, only introduce one new food a week to keep tabs on what she might be allergic to, and like the other post said, give breast or bottle first, then it's solid food time. Just take it easy and slow. The La Leche League web site lists some great baby food cookbooks that are all about natural and healthy nutrition for baby. :-) Don't forget to take some pics of your little one with a messy face of food. ;-) M.

Hi A.. I have 3 children. My youngest is 2 now, so it's been a while, but it sounds to me like your baby still has a tongue reflex, which is what babies have to keep them from choking while still young. This is a sign that babies may not be ready for solids yet.
Hope this info helps.
K.

I made my daughterd baby food. All I did was cook fresh veggies and fruit and then blend it up in my blender. It worked great. I stored the food in ice cube trays until they were frozen then put it in a big baggie in my freezer. The ice cube trays are a perfect portion.
Hope this helps

My little one's never liked cereal mixed with formula. I used distilled water. Start out trying with a spoon once a day at one meal. Also try mixing it different consistencies. Gradually increase as she gets the hang of it. If she's not into it don't worry she will get it eventually. I think Onestep Ahead is where I bought my first home made baby cookbook. Good luck.

I wouldn't worry about it. Most peds are recommending waiting until 6 months to intro solids. The fact that she'll drink it really isn't a good indicator. She may not be ready yet. Mine wasn't until about 7 months and he HATED rice cereal. Turns out, they don't have to have it anyway.

Super Baby Foods is a great book for people interesting in making baby food. It's pretty good. She's a little over the top and, imo, off on a few things but otherwise it's a good resource.

i have always started with bananas. almost all kids love them, they are soft enough even with no teeth and super cheep. cut into fourths at first. good luck