Attempt at feeding for the first time-question

So my daughter tried feeding my granddaughter oatmeal for the first time. She didn't want any part of it!! She made it very thin and just gave her little bits on the spoon. I went there tonite and she wanted me to try. First she had her sitting upright in a bumbo but I didn't think that was good. Then we put her in her bouncy seat so she was leaning back a little. That seemed a little better but she kept putting her tongue up towards the roof of her mouth so it was hard getting the spoon in! What should she do? Should she try a little bit each day or is she not ready? She's 4 1/2 mos. old.

Message edited 3/20/2011 11:54:32 PM.

Re: Attempt at feeding for the first time

at 4 months, DS wasnt ready. i was bummed but the timing wasnt right. at 6 months, it was better but still not great. He didnt really "enjoy" cereal and purees until 7ish months.

not all babies have lost their tongue thrust reflex by 4 or even 6 months. i would probably wait a few weeks

also, we had DS in the highchair at 4 months! you could try that too!

Re: Attempt at feeding for the first time

4 months is too early, IMO. Maybe she can revisit the issue in 3-4 weeks and see how it goes.

Re: Attempt at feeding for the first time-question

Sounds like she isn't ready. I wouldn't push solids so early for no reason. I also wouldn't feed in an incline position. Sounds like a choking hazard.

Re: Attempt at feeding for the first time-question

My ds is 5 months on he first and he is eating a solid for breakfast and dinner. The best way to start the cereal for Trevor was to add a little applesauce or banana to it. Most babies don't really care for the cereal. We started at 4 months but he didn't really seem ready. So I would just really let him get use to the idea of the spoon and just give him like one tablespoon once a day. Last week I made a feeding schedule and really stuck to it and he is doing wonderful. I start the day off around 7 with a bottle and by 10 he's just hungry enough to savor his soli but not hungry enough to get frustrated with the feeding process. This seems to help a lot.

Re: Attempt at feeding for the first time-question

4 months is pretty early. I would wait and try again in another month- month and a half.

Re: Attempt at feeding for the first time-question

My DD took a few days to get the hang of it. The ped warned me abuot this and said that the first few times it will dribble out...but to just keep trying.

They don't understand the concept of pushing the food back and swallowing it right away.
It would just dribble out of her mouth.
I kept trying a little each day and within a few days she was eating like a pro!

She was 4.5 months when we started.

ETA- the bouncy chair worked better than the bumbo for us too- she needed to be reclined a little bit

Message edited 3/21/2011 8:25:32 AM.

Re: Attempt at feeding for the first time-question

Taylor is almost 4 months old and we started cereal at 3.5 months, so about 2 weeks worth now.

At first she didn't want to have anything to do with it, then not so much the next time, but every time after that it got better and better. She's still not eating it perfectly. She was doing the same thing pushing her tongue out, etc. She still does it somewhat, but now she actually eats it and likes it. You have to make sure you get the spoon on top of her tongue. And what I found is that after trying it a bunch of times with it being watery, I made it much thicker and she ate it so much better with less mess. Not too think but enough that it was running off the spoon. The only difference is that we give her Rice cereal.

With my boys I tried around this time too and the same exact thing happened with them and we also only gave them rice cereal as well. I can't say that 4.5 months old is too young, I just think you have to keep trying and she'll get the hang of it.

Good luck!

Re: Attempt at feeding for the first time-question

Thanks