Hi,
When my son was a baby his pediatrician said 4 months for cereal. This was five years ago and I have heard it has moved more to six months. I am going to ask my pediatrician as I have a 3 month old. She stares at all of us eating. I am sure it just my imagination...ha! But, just wondering what the latest was on feeding babies solids??
6 or 7 months for us. But I actually prefer to give veggies and fruit as first foods.
My 3 month old also watches us eat, but it's just because we're doing something. She also watches me put on make-up but that doesn't mean she's ready for that yet! lol
I started all of mine at 3 months. They are 15, 14, 9 and 6 now. I am still confused as to why they changed the age. My babies had no ill effects. They have never been overweight either. She may actually be watching you eat... i thought mine were too :) I had some very hungry babies...lol!
4 months with my first (13 years ago)...6 with my 2nd (6 years ago) and 8 with my 3rd (we got a bit lazy lol). With my 2nd and 3rd, I skipped the store-bought stuff and used real oatmeal (I know I blended it...I think I powdered the rolled oats in the blender or food processor before cooking). There is no nutritional value in the rice stuff, so there's no need to introduce it at all, and the iron that they add can interfere with the absorption of natural iron in breast milk if you are breast feeding. Save yourself the mess and put if off as long as possible!
WIC recommends 6 months as do a lot of Pediatricians. It really depends on you but they really need the full nutrition of the formula or breast milk and not the sweet, salty, fatty foods off the table.
Gerber told me that baby food has very little nutritional value it is mostly for teaching babies to chew and swallow so they'll be ready for stage 3 baby foods as they turn 1.
I called them about some stage 3 baby food someone gave me that was about 2 weeks out of date. The person I was talking to told me that baby food is not meant to feed the baby instead of formula but to just be a teaching tool. That the stage 3 foods did have more nutrition in them because most people will let their kids eat them after they stop formula.
She told me that baby food that is even close to being expired really has zero nutrition in it and to not use it all but throw it away,. That is how little nutrition it has in it. That just being in the light and air of a store removes the nutrition from it.
My daughter never ate cereal. She was exclusively breastfed until 6-7 months, then she started tasting a variety of "real" foods--avocado, banana, sweet potato. Around 9-10 months her solids intake became significant and then she wanted pureed pot roast...lol. She wouldn't, and still won't, eat mush cereal of any sort. She didn't get her first tooth until a week or two before her first birthday, and she was thriving on breastmilk, so I saw no need to rush things.
Its really a matter of when you feel they are ready. My nephews ped. suggested 6 months but my SIL waited as he did not need it yet. I believe she started him at around 8 months. Remember their digestive tract is sensitive and there is no real need for cereal so young. Take your time.
The proper answer is between 4-6 months and your pediatrician's answer will most vary from mine. My daughter started around 3 months (we did it on our own...she's 4 now). My son had to start at just 2 weeks because he could not get enought to eat (this was per my doctor...he's 19 years now).
It has been awhile for me, seeing how my babies are now 7, 5 & 3 but I think right around 4 months IS when I started the very watered ( well formulated) down version of rice cereal.
My twins are two and the pediatrician gave the okay at four months.
I started giving my daughter rice cereal mixed with breastmilk when she was five months old. She was reaching/grabbing for food, opening her mouth for it (when she was on our lap and we were eating our own food) and was sitting up properly without assistance. That was when her Ped. gave the okay.
(Many folks I know waited until their baby was a year old or needed to start earlier. That wasn't right for our baby or family...but worked perfectly for them)
The current recommendation of the Association of Pediatrics is 6 months, unless there is some medical reason to recommend otherwise.
For example, for babies with GERD (reflux), they sometimes suggest feeding a spoonful or two of baby cereal earlier than 6 months, at the end of a nursing/bottle session to help keep the food (and acid) from being regurgitated.
Otherwise, though, the recommendation is 6 months, and to introduce 1 food at a time every 3 days.
5 weeks and 8 weeks on cereal only till 6 months
I have a 3 y.o. and a 9 month old. The typical answer I got for both was between 4-6 depending on if baby seems ready (watching, reaching, etc. at the table).
The pediatrician told me to wait until 6 months old with our first because she was a CHUBBY baby. "She didn't need any more calories."
With our youngest, we started at 4 months (also per ped's direction). She is on the tiny side and could use more calories and looked "table ready."
Good luck with your decision! :)
the answer in most of the books in anywhere from 4-6 months, you should give it a shot & see how it goes. If it goes well, keep going. if not, wait a couple of weeks or a month or so & try again. basically, as long as you don't force the issue (if the child objects) there is no wrong answer!
Babys have what is called an extrusion reflex which if food is put in the mouth its spit back up, which makes it seem that baby does not like :( BUT that is not the case. However, until this reflex diminishes, which is at the average age of 6months, then cereal cannot be given.
Now "average" is the big word here. Ped's say 4-6 because some children may develop faster than others. usually 6 months is the mark though.
I tried at 4 months and he pushed it out... tried at 5... and still the same response but not as strong.... by the middle of 5-6months... I tried again and PERFECTO!!!
So alot of it isn't necessarily allergies to cereal but more because they just can't get it down yet. ALSO if you are breastfeeding the 6 month mark is vital. If you start to introduce cereal earlier than that means less breastfeed times.
Hope this helps, good luck.
My Boys Ped. also said 4 months, but I started cereal at 3 1/2.
Never.... its fluff 'junk' and not necessary. My boys both started on homemade baby foods, avocado was first for both and applesauce, pureed veggies.
Solids started at 6mos, they were both exclusively breastfed until then.
I had planned to wait until closer to six months but by four months DS was actually grabbing what I was eating and putting it in his mouth! We stuck with rice cereal though until six months. He has just ALWAYS been an eater, though... was a huge nurser... by 3 months held his own bottle (of BM), by six months he used a sippy and could spoon feed himself (not very well, but boy did he try).
Anyway, check with the pediatrician and follow baby's cue.
