how do you start cereal?

MrsWestrick2B

DD is 5 1/2 months and her pedi has delayed cereal and solids because of reflux and milk protein allergy.  we were going to start cereal in about 2 wks but i think i want to start now (what's 10 days...?)

i know they say to start it in the morning, but do you only give cereal once a day or twice?  the paperwork that we got from the pedi just tells you how much to give her each time (progressively giving her more at each feeding) but it doesn't really say how many feedings of cereal she should get in a day.

your advice would be helpful, thanks in advance 

Jen0414

We have been doing cereal for a month but only once a day. I don't measure how much...I eyeball how much to give her. Just mix the breastmilk or formula with it to the consistency you want. I did it really runny at first and now it is thicker since she is getting the hang of it. My pedi said about a tablespoon or two to start out.

rylee1

same as above... good luck!

Soter1

I used to eyeball but I had to send directions to different sitters. Here is what I came up with:

2 tablespoons oatmeal
.5 scoop formula (hate to waste BM on it if it doesn't get eaten)
3 or so tablespoons of hot water
1 teaspoon of either applesauce or pear (makes him like it better)

I don't heat it up, I just use hot water.  We have been doing this for about a week, sometimes he eats it all, this morning however only a few bites.  He eats better in the evening.  We are trying to feed him 2x a day though.  Good luck.

abrtpk1

We started by adding cereal to her bottles using a Y cut nipple. She loved it! I did that for a few days...then using the same consistency (runny) we started with a spoon. It only took 2 times for her to catch on and she loves it! Just as PP have said...I just eyeball it until it's at the right consistency. Now it's pretty thick and although you can add fruit and/or veggies to it, we just use the rice cereal for now.

My pedi said we can give her cereal 3 times a day but i've just given it to her once per day...for 2 weeks or so. I think i'll start upping it to two times this week. We also give her a bit of apple juice and water when she has cereal. In a day she drinks approx 3-4 oz total of 1 part apple juice to 3 parts water!  

Good luck:)

NewBlue

We just started.  We take one tbls of rice cereal to 3 tbls of breast milk (called for 4 at first).  We do this twice a day.  The instructions the pedi gave us said to up it 1 tbls each day but DS doesn't finish what the 1 now.  Will up it when he is better.  It is really runny and we pretty much just dump the spoon into his mouth but he is getting a little better.