feeding.

jessicamc29

My baby just turned 5 months old and I'm still feeding her formula only. Friends have told me that I should start to give her a few spoon fulls of baby stage one formula not rice cereal because it clogs the bottles. I haven't started her with anything because I'm in between doctors right now for her. Her previous doctor wasn't very helpful. So, my question is what should I do from here and is anyone else in the same boat I'm in?

AziaNick

We started a little after she was 5 months. also you don't need to give her the rice cereal in a bottle, you can spoon feed her. I would start giving her some type of solid so she can learn the swallow mechanism. Where she can eat and push the food with her tongue to the back and swallow. It is a skill that they need to earn around 4-6 months. Whether it is rice cereal or another type of food. We didn't give our daughter anything besides rice cereal because of her eating and digestive system, she is having problems. She is now 6 months. But other people have tried solids and it worked out fine. Some have tried early, around 4 months, some are waiting. Some are doing rice cereal and some are skipping. You know your baby the best and I think it just depends on what you feel she is ready for.

AKOL0

You should only give cereal in a bottle if a doctor wants it. It is for babies that need to gain a little more weight. Like the PP stated, rice cereal with milk is given by a spoon for babies to learn how to eat like an adult. Also, some doctors don't recommend starting cereal until 6 months. We started at 4 months because our LO was showing interest.

krissyberb

Agree with PPs. At the 4 month appointment, our ped said that we could start solids if we want to, but there was no reason to do it before 6 months if we wanted to wait a bit. He also said rice cereal was optional. It seems like we're in a window where you can try if you and baby are ready or wait a month if you're not. Personally we decided to wait for 6 months because we're traveling for the holidays and didn't want to add a new thing right now.

mamaklemond

Agree with all PPs, every baby is different. With my DS1 we started him at 4 months on oatmeal cereal, did fine. Then went to veggies then fruits. With DS2, we didn't start until now and he will be 5 months in a few days. Tried oatmeal cereal but he vomited, tried rice cereal and he got very mucousy stools. Dr said we could skip cereal and go to veggies, he's had sweet potato for 2 days and has been fine. I've read cereals are just fillers anyway, but DS1 did fine with them. You know your baby best! Trial and error.

abbymessina

With my first son, we started rice cereal at 4 months because of drs advice and being a first time mom. With my second son we waited till 6 months to introduce anything after much research that they don't really need anything till 6 months. We plan on introducing rice cereal to our daughter at 6 months. Rice cereal has always worked fine as a first food for us.

rasmith23

At or 4 mo. appt the Dr said to start with cereal/fruit/veggies... In any order we wanted. My guy didn't care much for oatmeal so we haven't fed him much. He loves almost all fruits and veggies that are available to him.. Peas not so much. As someone else stated, bottling cereal will not teach then how to eat solids, so only do that if recommended by Dr. I would say try it out and see if your little one is interested. Mine can't get enough!! Good luck.

kyrenora

My doc insisted that waiting until 6 months is best unless baby is not getting full from formula/milk anymore.  Starting before then greatly increases the risk of allergies, plus it's just unnecessary. Wait until you can get in to a new doc and let them give their input before you try anything. 

audi681

I would wait until you see a dr. Every baby is different, and every dr is different. What our Drs say to us, or anyone for that matter, might not be right for your baby. My Dr. says no solids until 6 months, and only fruits and veggies. In her opinion, cereal products are void of any meaningful nutrition, so she doesn't want me giving it at all! All of our advice and personal stories will be so different that it's best to wait for face time with a dr.

Marinewife81

The AAP now recommends waiting until 6 months AT LEAST before introducing any kind of food. Our plan is to do blw so we won't even be doing many purees and no rice cereal at all.

shaley29

Our pediatrician said 4 months was ok. I've given her rice cereal, veggies and fruits. I'm not that serious about it though..like only if we have time and she seems interested at the moment. Otherwise she still just has bottles. Formula or breast milk should be their of nutrition still.

Melis222

shaley29 said:

Our pediatrician said 4 months was ok. I've given her rice cereal, veggies and fruits. I'm not that serious about it though..like only if we have time and she seems interested at the moment. Otherwise she still just has bottles. Formula or breast milk should be their of nutrition still.

That's where we are at too, we've tried a little but same as you...if there is time and she wants. Sometimes it's literally just been a few bites for practice. Today she turned 6 months so I guess we may have to be more serious very soon. Lol.