BF Moms - Starting Baby on Rice Cereal

DD will be 5 months old next week. At her ped appt last week, the dr said to try and hold DD off from rice cereal until 6 months. She told us that if she seemed like she wasn't satisfied with BM alone anymore to introduce it.

DD has been miserable for the past couple of days. She is taking 6oz of BM every 2.5-3 hours (with shorter gaps between feedings than usual...she is hungry and crying earlier than ever). After an exhausting night, DH and I think we are going to try rice cereal.

How do we start? My ped never told us, since she thought we would wait. Should I start at night, or in the morning (or both)?

Thank you!

ETA - Also, how would I do this in corodination with BM feedings? Would I give her the cereal immediately before/after her bottle, or do I delay one?

Message edited 7/20/2009 7:54:44 PM.

Re: BF Moms - Starting Baby on Rice Cereal

We started at 4 months - rice cereal mixed with fruit once a day. For the first feeding, you can mix the cereal with breast milk. There are directions on the box. Usually I nurse them and then feed them solids a half an hour or so later. They are still nursing every three hours, but now if they go a little longer, they don't freak out.

Re: BF Moms - Starting Baby on Rice Cereal

Re: BF Moms - Starting Baby on Rice Cereal

Istarted w rice, but she got so constipated, I moved on to oatmeal, and she is fine with it. She is 4 1/2 months. I give it to her plain with breastmilk in the evening, about 1 hour after a feeding.

Re: BF Moms - Starting Baby on Rice Cereal

Re: BF Moms - Starting Baby on Rice Cereal

My DS is just about the same age. I remember we had the same due date. He is on day four of cereal. I started with rice in the morning. I BF him in when he gets up and an hour later give him cereal. I had to switch to Oatmeal today because DS was so constipated from the rice. I'm waiting to see if he does any better with the oatmeal.
Today I gave him cereal after he woke up from a nap.

Re: BF Moms - Starting Baby on Rice Cereal

We started at night. At that age DD was either w/ my mother or SIL, so I would BF before driving home, then give cereal at home (45 minute ride) I did NOT mix anything with the cereal except BM until after I knew DD could tolerate it without a reaction.

ETA: I didn't start until after she was 6 months.

Message edited 7/20/2009 9:32:00 PM.

Re: BF Moms - Starting Baby on Rice Cereal

I started in the AM, I would nurse DS and then give hm the rice cereal about an 1 hour later. I also had to switch him to oatmeal pretty quickly because the rice cereal constipated him.

Re: BF Moms - Starting Baby on Rice Cereal

Re: BF Moms - Starting Baby on Rice Cereal

I started rice cereal just before 6 months. I gave it at night b/c I wanted to be the one who gave DS the cereal instead of daycare. If you can, give it in the morning in case DC has a reaction.

I give cereal 30-60 minutes after BFing. The first time, I followed the directions on the box so I used 4 tablespoons of BM. It was very soupy and DS had maybe 1/2 of it. Don't be surprised if DC does't eat a lot at first. The next time, I made it thicker (1 oz of BM). DS liked it more and ate the whole thing.

Rice cereal can be very binding. I'd only give it once per day at the beginning especially since it can cause constipation.

Re: BF Moms - Starting Baby on Rice Cereal

Message edited 7/20/2009 11:02:59 PM.

Re: BF Moms - Starting Baby on Rice Cereal

Thank you everyone for your help. Looks like we are going to start this week, as DD looks ready.