When did your pedi say to start rice cereal?

mom2binKC · April 2010

Our pedi told me at DS's last appt that the new recommendation is to start rice cereal at 4 months, rather than wait until 6, which is what we were told with DD a couple of years ago. At that time, the rec was to wait until 6 to decrease incidence of food allergies. Now, the pedi says we should start at 4 for the same reason. It seems so soon to me! He is completely happy with EBF right now. He won't be 4 months for a few more weeks, but I don't think he's going to be showing signs of readiness by then.

What were you told?

*MrsGraphine* · April 2010

Our pediatrician recommend starting at 6 months and skipping cereal altogether for breastfed babies.

amesinholland · April 2010

At our 4 month appt the dr said they leave it up to the parents but they ok it at 4 months. She suggested that it would be a good idea for DD since she was eating way too much formula. She said she could start veggies/fruits at 5 or 5 1/2 months.

jrlandrigan · April 2010

DS was 4 months 1 week at his 4 month appt and the dr said we should try rice cereal in 2-3 weeks.. so about 5 months. Since LO gets rice in his bottles of BM during the day for reflux (pedi recommended), DH asked me why we needed to wait. So we waited a week and started trying the rice. DS wasn't very interested, but I tasted it myself and it was gross! So we started solids the next week.

mistywhite400 · April 2010

Emerson was consuming too much formula, so we started at 3 1/2 month, but she is no longer wanting to take in that much formula....so now I'm just not giving her any b/c I really don't think she's ready for it! She still has that tongue reflex thing.

If your LO is fine & not wanting more, I would wait...why rock the boat?

DDearinger · April 2010

4 months for rice cereal (she actually said we HAD to do it ASAP b/c of DD's weight issues and we were EBF) and 6 months for other solids.

bim38106 · April 2010

Anywhere between 4-6 months, up to me.

I told him we had waited until 6 months for DD1 and was planning on doing the same for DD2 and he was happy about that. Actually, the pedi was pretty nonchalant about the whole thing.. That said, we ended up starting at 4.5 months because she really seemed (and was) ready. We're just doing cereal once a day and are planning on starting fruit/veggies pretty soon here, right around 6 months for those.

heather_09_15_07 · April 2010

We were told at 4 months that we could try but if she wasn't interested, to not push it with her. We just started a few days ago (she's 5 months today).

rissainthesky* · April 2010

mine said 4 months.

we tried it a few times, but she's not interested, so we stopped. We BF.

Ivana_Stolichnaya · April 2010

We got the green light at her 4 month appointment.

smilelari · April 2010

My pediatrician hasn't even mentioned solids yet

Jocelyn0415 · April 2010

4 months.

We started a couple weeks after she turned 4 months, and she loves it!

ZAngel · April 2010

We started DD on rice cereal at 3.5 months because she was eating so much. It was almost to the point where I couldn't keep up. Starting out, we would give her 2tbsp of cereal to 2oz of BM (so it was really runny). At her 4 month appointment, the pedi said we could move up to 4tbsp of cereal to 2oz of BM. Once she could take that (with good bowel movements), we could introduce a fruit. I think I waited about 2 weeks. At 5 months I moved her up to 2 solids per day. So far, she has had sweet potatoes, pears, prunes, and peas. Her poops started getting a little hard after the potato so we give her 2oz of water a day to keep things moving.

JulieandBen · April 2010

I was told the same thing as you. I also thought it was too soon given I waited until one week shy of six months with my son. My pedi told me it was up to me but not to wait past six months. I will start at six months.

I will be skipping rice cereal. I gave my first son rice cereal for three days and then ended up having a full box sitting in my pantry because I had moved on to oatmeal. I plan on starting with regular steel cut oatmeal like my three year old and I eat.

I did let him taste my mango (just held the chunk while he sucked on it for a minute and zucchini yesterday). This was just for fun and for him to taste a couple new flavors. Food is going to be fun this time. I plan on feeding much less baby food than I did with my first son. I'll do a lot of real smashed up fruits and veggies and other foods.

piper09 · April 2010

Ours said once DS is eating about 35 oz. of formula a day is a good time to start.

doggylovr · April 2010

we are starting this weekend. ds looks ready, he holds his head for a long time and is big, 17lbs approx. he also eats 40 plus oz a day of bm and formula mixed

catycombs · April 2010

He said it was up to us after 4mos. I am skipping the cereal all together. It's not necessary in breastfed babies. They get enough carbs in BM. We will introduce some fruits after 6mos.

Mrs.Kass-Bass · April 2010

Our pedi said 4 months and not to go later than 6 months because then it's harder to get the baby to learn to take the spoon. We started at 4 months and he loved it pretty much from day 1. Now we are on to some pureed fruits and veggies.

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