Starting cereal and jar food question - Infant Care (up to 18 months old) Message Board

RainyNight · 09-15-2006, 04:58 PM

My 4 month old's doctor said it was time to start cereal and jar food. However she was just so quick to see him and get out of there without really answering my questions well. Am I supposed to start out on cereal for a week straight then move on to jar food? I don't even know where to begin someone please help. I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks

j baby · 09-15-2006, 05:11 PM

If you and your baby are not ready, you don't have to start solids at all yet. I'm waiting until DS is AT LEAST 6 months old, probably longer. At 4 months, there systems are not very well equipped to digest solids.

Jordyn · 09-15-2006, 05:29 PM

If you choose to start now, yes you would start with one kind of cereal for a week, then another for another week and keep going until you've tried a few. Then you move onto jarred food...veggies first for a few weeks, then fruit.
BUT I agree with Jbaby...waiting won't hurt you or your baby (and saves your pocketbook too). I tried ds#1 at 4.5 months but he wasn't ready and we waited till he was 5.5 months. Ds#2 is 3 months and won't see any food till he's atleast 5 months and even then it will only be cereal till he's well over 6 months.

courtluv · 09-16-2006, 02:54 PM

i started my daughter on cereal at 3 months. i did this because i heard something like if you do this, they will sleep better during the night. that's not the case though. i did oatmeal one week, barley the next and rice after that, but tended to shy away from rice because my daughter had bowl problems and didn't want her backed up anymore then she was. start out at about 1 tablespoon and mix it with juice or formula until nice and creamy. when they are that young don't make it thick, that comes later when they learn to chew. i eventually started mixing jarred fruit with it and juice, and still do that for breakfast till this day and my daughter is now 11 months.

as far as your doctor goes, if she was in and out like that i would change asap. if they don't have time for your child, you should take your buisness elsewhere. when i go to the dr with my daughter, hes in there with us for no less the 20 minutes.

RainyNight · 09-16-2006, 11:10 PM

I agree CourtLuv. That Doc was crap. The one that has been seeing him since he was born was wonderful, but left to start her own practice that of course doesen't accept my insurance.

I think my son is ready to start cereal and things, He's a pretty big boy for his age and the amount of formula I am having to go through is breaking my pocket book. I did try some cereal with some formula today, and tried to spoon feed however it was disaster. Every bite that went in, no matter how big no matter how small was spit right back out on to that bib quicker then it went in. He has this look on his face like it was the most horrible tasting stuff on the face of the earth and had no interest in any bit of it. poor thing even gagged once. I hope its just cause he is not acutally used to "tasting stuff" rather then it just going right passed his taste buds from only ever have had to suckle on a bottle. I guess I'll just try little by litte, everyday to see he can start to accept it and as soon as he does I think I'll introduce fruits and veggies. =) thank you all. I am still open to suggestions though. I am a new mama and I still have no clue to these sort of things.