What If He Doesn't like Rice Cereal?

You can try mixing it with some fruit and I bet that will help. Also, there are a few other types of cereal out there. There is one (can't think of who makes it) but they have a morning blend with apples and banana and an evening blend that is supposed to help them sleep (think it just has more fiber to fill them up). Brand starts with a B, they sell it at Schnucks. I always mixed my son's cereal with applesauce or mashed up banana and he loved it that way! :)

my daughter didn't like the rice cereal very well, so i just went ahead and tried the oatmeal, she loved it. Thats the only cereal i could get her to eat.

it takes time for them to get used to it. you could mix a lttle fruit with it. It makes it sweeter and more appealing to them, Try another ceral also...

My 3rd child who is 8 months old now didn't like cereal at all. I thought it was because he couldn't swallow but one day I tried the Yo Baby Yogurt with Cereal in it and he begged for it and ate it like he new exactly what to do. So I now feed him that with extra cereal mixed into it. I started him on cereal at 4 months & 5 months each for a little while and he wouldn't take it. So at 6 months after trying again I tried the yogurt with the cereal.

Good luck.
M.

(Oh and my other 2 just loved cereal when they were 4 months so I was completely stumped when he came along and wouldn't eat it)

Good Morning E., try using the jar cereals with applesause. They have mixed cereal with applesause & banana's Rice and Oatmeal etc. The dry cereal even though you mix it is still grainy. With the fruit in the jar cereal its a nicer texture and sweeter to little ones.

Best of everything to and your precious little one.
K.

Maybe you should wait awhile on the rice cereal. Now a days the pediatricians are saying to wait until the babies are
6 months before starting cereal. When my now 13 yr. old was
4 months I started him on rice cereal and did so with my 2 other children. Of course, each child is different and all are ready at different times, give it a few weeks and try again. The rice cereal is a very bland of course, maybe he just doesn't like the taste. By 6 months you might just try the oatmeal mixed with fruit.
Take care, V.

My son would eat the rice ceral occasionally, but it seemed to upset his stomach so we used the oatmeal

If he doesnt take it, then its not a big deal. At this age any solid food that you give him is just training for eating later. All a baby needs is milk. Their digestive systems arent even ready to breakdown and utilize the nutrients that is in a solid. I would recommend getting The Baby Book by Dr. Sears, or even In The Mouth of Babes book.
Everyone has their own opinion on this subject, but I have always read that the longer you can hold off an infant from solids between birth and a year...the better off they are nutritionally.

Try mixing some fruit with it - many babies will eat the cereal when it has a flavor to it. And once he starts veggies, you can mix the veggies in too. Mixing cereal with fruit or veggies also helps in thickening up the fruit/veggies baby food that can be runny and harder to feed. Good Luck!

he may just not be ready yet - 5 months isn't all that old. you might try to put some in his formula at first to get him used to a thicker consistency. take a sharp knife and slit the hole in the nipple just a bit to allow it to flow through. also the fruit idea is a good one too, he might like that better. although, when my son was little (he's 19 mos now) we started baby food with veggies only, for some reason i had heard they would take it better if you give them the "yucky" ones first...but just try a few different things, i'm sure he'll get it. don't stress about it, just keep trying. good luck!

Wait until he is six months and then mix the cereal with fruit. Also, try oatmeal it tastes better.

Maybe try mixing cereal with a little bit of babyfood fruit. I had to do this with my son, and he ate it right up!

I think once you are able to mix fruits in with the cereal that he will start liking it...at least that's what happened with my 2 older ones (4 mth. old not on cereal yet). By the way do you live in Olathe? The reason I ask is that I coordinate the food pantry at our church; we have some Neosure that was donated to us and is about to expire. I know of no one that uses it and I would hate for it to go to waste. I think there's probably 6-7 Ready To Feed jugs at the church. Let me know.

Little About Me...
10 yr old daugter, 5 yr old son and 4 month old son

Both my children hated rice cereal. They preferred baby oatmeal and barley, and really liked baby veggies and fruit more. And it took my son longer to warm up to the first few feedings in general. Your son isn't too young, just try different cereals (at least once each) and then move on. As long as you've tried one for 2 or 3 days (even just a bite or two), you've ruled out allergies to it and you can move on to veggies and fruit. And then keep trying cereals after that, for iron, etc. And I just read an article that said if you wait until after 6 months to introduce it, the baby's risk or type 1 diabetes doubles, so you've done the right thing timing-wise. Keep it up, don't worry and have fun with it- it's really just dessert/entertainment/allergy testing now anyway!

It is pretty normal, I think, for a baby to spit new foods out. It takes time for them to get used to new textures and flavors. You might try mixing it with a little deluted juice instead of formula. That worked well for all 3 of my kids.

my daughter did not take to food or any solids until she was almost 8 months old. he will let you know when he is ready to because if you push it to soon he is more likely to have food allergies or a set back later. i waited with her because she had no interest in food and she was born delayed. this is a child that is a foster to adopt. so go on his cues.

Try juice. I used juice when we started our girls. And don't push it too much, a few bites at a time and he'll get use to it. Rice cereal dosen't have much flavor so adding a juice to it may make it better. My girls really didn't like it and ate much better when we moved on to other things.

Good luck!

None of kids liked rice cereal. They did much better on oatmeal. My daughter would not eat any cereal without some fruit mixed in. I started with bananas and apples. Just keep trying he will learn to like something.
M.

It is all about texture. It is new and most babies don't take well to it at first. Try putting the spoon in the side of his mouth. That will prevent him from spitting it back out. It is an artform, but with practice you'll get it. Your little boy will most likely do that with all the new foods he tries. For now, mix some juice instead of water with the cereal to add a little flavor. It'll definately taste better. Good luck and God Bless.

If your son is on fruits now i'd mix it in I did this with both my kid's never had an issue with them not liking their cereal

None of my kids liked the cereal! I added frit to it- bananas was always the one my kids enjoyed most! But, I used apples, pears, peaches... Also, my kids would actually eat the oatmeal cereal as opposed to the rice cereal. Good luck!!

Hey E.! Well of course he makes a face and spits it out. I suppose I would too if something really foriegn was stuck in my mouth. And he doesn't even know he can gum things and use his tongue to swallow. Actually, my boy did this exact thing (now 7 mo.) and trying to feed him solids made me so frustrated I jsut wanted to scream. And even worse- I got to where I would dread the rice feedings because I knew how mad I would get because he wasn't taking to it. Well anyway, I stopped and waited almost a month, and then started back up when he was about 5 months. So I started earlier than you. You may want to wait 2 or 3 weeks, sometimes that makes all the difference. Also- my little one like fruit mixed in. You can also mix it up with juice once in a while, but not at every feeding, he can only have 4 oz. of juice per day to start. He'll get the hang of it. But if it's too frustrating- wait a little while. Don't fight him. You'll do fine! You're kind of at the same point I am, I'm also first time single mom! It's hard but worth it! Hang in there and if you need any advice let me know!
____@____.com

I watch my 11-month-old nephew and he was exactly the same way. I even tried getting the flavored rice cereal but he would always spit it out. His doc suggested actually putting it in the bottle (instead of just mixing the formula or breast milk with it). We tried that and though he wouldn't take the bottle then for a little while afterwards, he eventually got hungry and did take it, then we really didn't have much problem with him at least drinking an incredibly thinned out version. He, to this day, still won't eat any kind of baby food.

Haha, this is probably the way he will respond to all foods if he is like my children. Just stick with it.

Good luck,
D.

i always mix a little fruit in with the cereal. that helped my son eat it and he still likes it at 1 year old

Have you tried that stuff yourself? It's disgusting and not surprising he doesn't like it. My daughter and I didn't either - my daughter is 18 mos now. Uncle Ben's makes a cream of rice cereal (similar to cream of wheat) that's really very good tasting and great for infants (even says so on the box). Not only does it taste better (and I tried it - i try everything I feed to my daughter!!!) it also has only a few natural ingredients and its less expensive! Best of all worlds if you ask me! You'll find it in the cereal isle where the cream of wheat is - it's in a little orange box. I make 1/2 of the smallest serving for my daughter, even still, and she loves it - I add about a teaspoon of sugar and a dash of salt to it once it's made along with a couple tablespoons of water to thin it out and I even like it too! Better tasting, fewer chemicals (look at the ingredient list on that box of baby cereal - unbelievable!), and cheaper. It doesn't get any better!

Another recommendation - i've been feeding my daughter soft boiled eggs since she was about 4 mos old - she still eats one every morning with the cereal. She loves them (and so do i - but I put mine on toast). If you bring water to a boil and then slowly lower the egg in so it adjusts to the heat and doesn't crack, let it boil for 5 minutes and then take it out. Gently peel the shell off of it or crack the top off and spoon the egg out, and then chop it up with a dash of salt - it's real soft for baby's gums, it's warm and juicy and full of protein! I prefer the good natured family farms eggs which say the chickens are free range and grain fed. Just a thought it you're concerned about chemicals and health. Hope this helps!

My daughter was the same way. My Dr suggested that I try one of 2 things. You mix mix a little amount of sugar with it to help improve the taste but I found that my daughter did like the oatmeal, not the rice. Check with your Dr. first to see his/her feelings on mixing some fruit with the cereal as well. I don't think it benefits them nutritionally right now but it does improve the taste & helps them learn to eat.

Don't worry about it. He may just not be ready for solids yet. Many doctors say not to start solids until 6 mo. How early was he? If he was premature, go by his agjusted age for starting solids. If he was ever on a ventilator, that can cause some texture adversions.
I would hold off on the cerel for a while & try it again when his is a little older.
Otherwise, talk to his doctor about soilds!

God Bless!

I don't really have advice, but my son never ate the baby cereal, he just didn't like it. He actually still does not care for cereal of any kind. Talk to your doctor about maybe trying a baby fruit in the near future. Some kids just don't like cereal. I'm a single Mom of a 12yr old boy. Time goes soooo very fast, enjoy every minute with him. Good Luck!

Hello,
Well I had my daughter eating rice cereal at 4months old, I used really warm water and then I added bananas or applesauce to it and she ate it just fine. I also mixed it with just plain apple juice, I am not sure if you wanna try this but she really liked it the first bite she did make the ick face but then the second bite she was happy and loved it. I hope this is helpfull to you.
M.

Have you tried buying the kind with fruit in it? Or the mix grain? My son loved the mix grain one. Instead of mixing it just with his milk I would add a little fruit or veggies to it. he loved it that way! Good luck and keep trying!

My daughter didn't like plain rice cereal either but she would eat the rice banana cereal. She loved that. She also never liked baby food of any kind. She went straight to mashed potatoes and mushed up macaroni and other soft food.

My daughter did not like rice cereal either. I did oatmeal and she really liked it. It is a little sweeter, especially if they are used the taste of breastmilk. I believe that breastmilk is a little sweeter than formula. But that is only my opinion. Oatmeal will also not make your baby as constipated as rice either and actually I think that Gerber Foods really reccommends that oatmeal be the first food any way. N.

You might try mixing a little bit of the cereal to the formula in his bottle. The amount of cereal can be increased little by little, and you should be able to switch to a bowl after a few weeks. Since he was early, he might not be ready for solid food yet. If the bottle suggestion doesn't work, wait a month or two and try introducing solid food again.

It's a texture thing. He'll get used to it. You can try mixing it a little thinner. For some kids, you have to mix it a little thicker. You'll just have to experiment until you find what he likes.
For some babies, it's the spoon that is the problem, not the food. Use a coated one. If that doesn't work, try one without the coating. Each of my kids had a spoon preference, though after all these years, I can't remember which liked which ! LOL !
When my kids were babies, they used to have cereal bottles for babies like this. It gets mixed a little thinner and put in the bottle until baby gets used to the taste and texture (doesn't take very long). You might look and see if anyone still sells those.
Are you giving him any strained fruits yet ? Try putting a little fruit in it. My kids did great with a little banana or peach in theirs. At five months, he is old enough to be trying these things and getting used to them.
Remember to try only one new food at a time, and wait at least 3 days before trying a new one. This just makes it easier to pinpoint the culprit if he should develop a rash or other problem with a new food.

Congratulations on your little boy! Try mixing the cereal with water instead of formula, try different temperatures (my kids always prefered it very warm), and try making it thinner by using lots of water to mix. You could also try mixing it with water and a little apple juice to make it sweeter. I'm sure you have concerns about getting enough calories so just keep in mind that mixing with water will be less calories than formula, but if he eats it that will be more calories than if he doesn't when it's mixed with formula. Best of luck and just keep trying :)
a little about me: I'm a 36 yr old stay at home Mom of 5, ages 9, 8, 5, 3, and 10 months. I'm also a nurse, currently not working to be with my little people. :)
A. D.

Try mixing with sugar free applesauce. Adds a little bit of flavor without the sugar-rush!

E., Try mixing in a little apple juice to give the cereal some flavor. Taking just a couple bites each feeding really is progress. Sometimes they won't take anything at all.

Good Luck, M.

My son hated rice cereal. We mixed a little cinnamon in, and he ate it better, but still not very well.
Try baby oatmeal. The reason pediatricians say to start with rice cereal is because there are almost no allergies to rice. There are a few more to other grains. But try another grain, like oatmeal, and see if he likes it better. Or try mixing in spices (we mixed in only cinnamon, no sugar) and see if that helps. A bit of applesauce would be okay, too.

If your baby was a premie, he probably not ready for solids yet. I had premie twins and they were 8 months before they would take any solids. If your baby was 2 months early add that number to his age and start solids when he gets to that age.

It might be that he isnt ready for food, but more than likely it's just that it's something different. At 5 months, most babies still also have the tongue reflex where they push food back out of their mouths. He may not like the texture either. You could try varying how thick yo make it. You might try to mix it with juice instead of formula ...or mix with step 1 baby food for added flavor.
All in all, be patient and keep trying. They say it can take up to 10 times sometimes trying to get kids to eat foods and all of a sudden they just take to it.
I really wouldnt worry about it at 5 months though, unless he is getting rash or other allergic reactions, it's probably just some of the things listed above.
Good Luck...and enjoy the time while he's young :).

I would check to see that he is ready to start solids. Pediatrician Dr. Sears has a check list on his web-site: AskDrSears.com I think they are:
can sit up
has teeth
shows interest in food when others eat around him
There are some more, but that is what I remember. Good luck.
We started my oldest on sweet potato instead of a carb, since Americans are carb addicted. You might try something else first. Just mash the sweet potato and mix with formula until it is runny.

Try adding a little bit of baby applesauce in with the cereal. Maybe the cereal is tooo bland and having something with taste might work. This worked for my twins (who are not 5).

Josie

Try a different cereal. The rice cereal is really disgusting. My daughter would never eat it, she only ate the oatmeal. If you do try mixing with something, I wouldn't mix it with fruit. He will get to where he only likes the sweetness of the fruit and you will have a hard time getting him to eat vegetables. you can try mixing it with vegetables though. I would wait until he is six months old. Five months may not seem like that early but a month in infant time is huge, remember how much he changed in the first month?

Don't worry to much about him not eating rice cereal, he doesn't need the food at this stage anyway. It's only a way to get him used to the chewing and swallowing of eating real food.

Have you tasted it? Would you eat it? Maybe it just tastes bad to him. Try mixing in some fruit, juice, try barley or other cereals. If it's the texture, try cherrios.

He might be too young. I tried the same with my son at 5 1/2 months and he just wasn't interested. Stop trying and try again in a week. My son was finally ready at just over 6 months and now he is 10 months and starting to eat table food fine! Good luck!

He might not be ready yet. Depending on how early he was he might need another month. My son was not digging it at first either, so I mixed the rice cereal with prune juice/water and now that's one of his favorite foods

E.-
What you are experiencing is completely normal, just keep trying, maybe even skipping the cereal altogether and go straight for the fruits and veggies. They do say it's always best to start with the veggies and work your way back to the sweeter things!!
Tks T.

Try the other cereals...they have more that just rice. You might try feeding it to him with formula to see if he really doesn't like it or just use plain water. The other cereals work just as good. Good luck & God Bless!

Hi E.,

My kids were all the same way. They hated rice cereal plain and would spit it out. I usually added a little mashed fruit in and then they would take it although you might want to check with your doctor first just in case.

Good luck!
E. T.

I would recommend adding a fruit-type baby food (apples or pears). You can also sweeten it with apple juice.