starting rice cereal with NO success

DS wil lbe six months old in a week and I was going towait until his six month appointment with ped before starting but at his last appointment she said wait but if starts not sleeping through the night, you can start. Well he started not sleeping throguh the night and waking up three times looking to be fed each time.
So I started in the morning to ensure he wouldn't have reaction. I don't think he swalloed any. Started earlier this week. Each morning he just seems to spit it right back out and this morning was keeping his mouth shut but then took his bottle. LAst ngiht I put some in his bottle and he did in fact sleep through the night. So I guess what I'm asking is how do you get them to start eating it from the spoon...wil lhe just start to? Also how much should I give him, jsut in the morning or morning and evenig from the spoon. I'm so confused and my friends keep telling me I should have him on fruit and vegetables by now

Re: starting rice cereal with NO success

Posted by bella

I'm so confused and my friends keep telling me I should have him on fruit and vegetables by now

Re: starting rice cereal with NO success

My DD prefers rice to oatmeal, but that aside, it took her several days to understand the purpose of a spoon. You should try the rice for 3 days (if you haven't already) and after that, maybe try oatmeal.

Don't listen to your friends re: the fruit and vegetables. You'll get there eventually - take one thing at a time. After he's tried the rice for 3 days and then the oatmeal for 3 days, you can move on to other stuff.

I've heard that you should offer your child something 20 times before determining whether or not he actually likes it. There are so many factors: taste, texture, getting over the whole spoon thing.. it's a lot for him to learn!

Re: starting rice cereal with NO success

Ya know, for all the talk about EBF or EFF for the first 6 months of life, all feeding "schedules" that you find are based on starting solids at 4 months. AND no two of them are alike. Every ped has his/her opinion/recommendation.

That said:

DD is EBF. I was determined to keep her that way for the first 6 mo of her life. To get her used to a spoon I "fed" her partially frozen breastmilk (like a slushie) a few times. The first time I tried rice cereal I followed the instructions . . . 1 tablespoon cereal + 4 tablespoons of liquid. I used BM b/c I heard rice is so bland it takes the taste of whatevr it is mixed with and I wanted the taste to be familiar.

Attempt # 1 was a disaster. I realized the cereal was sooo thin it was like pouring milk on the spoon. Next attempt I cut the liquid in half. DD gobbled it up. I gave her that for two weeks on & off before adding a veggie. She will be 7 months next week and we started the second veggie yesterday. I'm sure when I see her ped next week to discuss how it's going she will ask why I'm only on the second veggie and why DD is still only being fed solids 1x per day. Know what?? My kid, my decision. Your kid, your decision. Run a goggle search for starting solid foods and you'll find hundreds of methods. Do what works for you and your DC.

Good luck.

Message edited 6/26/2008 3:52:31 PM.

Re: starting rice cereal with NO success

I did not start cereals before DS was over 6 months.

We did not do rice cereals. We only did oatmeal. It was VERY soupy at first. Almost like milk with a bit of cereals.

Re: starting rice cereal with NO success