Help for a new mom?

[AliKat11]

And by new mom, I mean me!

My son, is 4 months now and I've just started him on cereal this past weekend. I found all kinds of information about how to start him, but nothing on how to continue feeding him cereal.

We started him on Saturday afternoon, when he wasn't too terribly hungry, and let him just try it out. Fed him cereal the next night as well. This week, I've fed him cereal as his second breakfast (for lack of a better term) and before bedtime, and he's really getting into it.

Are we at the point now where I should be offering cereal at each feeding? And if we feed cereal until he indicates he's done, do I continue to offer a bottle after each feeding? So far he's taking it without issue, but he's taking less overall ounces each day (makes sense) and I worry he's going to get enough liquids.

And, how long do I keep him on cereals before starting to add veggies to the mix?

Apologies in advance if these are really stupid questions. :o

[potato_moose]

Hi there! I'll try to help. My kids are now age 3 & 18 months, so it has been a while since I've been where you are. I don't think I ever gave my kids cereal more than once a day, and in fact if I had they would have been horribly constipated. I checked my bible, Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron, and she says just do once a day with cereal for 4 days to a week, and then try a new food like sweet potatoes or avocado, pureed very thin. This is a book I really recommend, although I must warn you that she is enthusiastically vegetarian (I'm not, I just wanted her information) and she spends most of the very, very short chapter on feeding babies meats explaining why you shouldn't ever give your kids meat.

HTH!

[AliKat11]

Once a day?! Oops. This is what I mean--lots of information on when to start, how to start on cereal, etc. but not what you're supposed to do once they're liking it!

Anyone else?

[fancyn]

Hello! It's been a while but I will try to share what I remember. Our ped. didn't have us start on any solids until 6 months. But, I know babies, esp. as early as 4 months, should get all their nutrition from BM or formula. If he's cutting back on ounces, I would give him his bottle first with an adequate amount and then follow with the cereal. Here (http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/solids.htm) is a great website and I've linked the chart for starting solids. I found it to be a wonderful reference. HTH!!!

[mst]

Alikat- I agree with what has been said before. For most of the first year, food is really for experimentation (taste, texture), not for nutrition. One thing that I spoke to my pediatrician about was that my friends fed their kids cereal all the time. I asked if cereal was "the" food, or "a" food. He said it was "a" food.

Just go slow with trying different types of food. I had a kid with tons of food allergies, so I would suggest going very slow!

I also loved the "Super Baby Food" book- but she is a little hard-core. Just take from her what you want, and realize she is a bit over the top.

[AliKat11]

That's a great website, fancyn. Thanks!

Believe me, I didn't start him on cereal just because he turned 4 months. For the past month, he's been eating between 35 & 40 ounces a day and it still didn't seem to really satisfy him! He's also taken to watching us eat dinner this past few weeks, fussing the whole time and staring at our food. I have no doubts he was ready for his next step.

I'll also check out the book references--thanks, everyone!

[veschke]

You may want to consult your pediatrician; there are a wide range of practices out there! S/he can also give guidelines for things to watch for as far as liquid in take etc.

We recently started our son (6 1/2 months now) on cereal. Our pediatrician suggested twice a day, starting with a Tbsp of cereal mix. We did just that for a few weeks. Since then, I've increased the cereal a bit now that he's getting more used to it, and have been giving a couple tsp of veggies to go along with it (at breakfast, when he tends to be more receptive). I've been giving him a few days between new foods, just in case, though we have no food allergies in our family so far.

[MomofMooch]

Hi AliKat, fellow mom-of-a-4-monther! We haven't started our little guy on cereal just yet, but I do remember one other thing from my older son, that hasn't been mentioned here yet. Our pediatrician recommended going very slowly, too, of course, but I also remember trying all the different grains before moving on to fruits and veggies. So, after rice cereal has been mastered, try oatmeal, then barley, then whatever else (multi-grain, is it? can't remember), waiting several days in between each to make sure there are no allergies or sensitivities to any of them. Then add one veggie, wait several days, another one, and so on, all very gradual. As other posters have said, it's not about nutrition, it's about experimentation. Definitely still feed the regular-sized bottle first, then cereal until he indicates he's full. Twice a day now is probably fine if he is enjoying it, as long as his primary nutrition is still the breastmilk or formula. For example, I remember (not sure exactly when) nursing my little guy first thing and then feeding him a "breakfast" of oatmeal and fruit, regular feedings/bottles during the day while I was at work, and then dinner might be rice or multi-grain cereal with a veggie and/or a fruit, then a long nursing session before bed. Eventually, you'll offer him the meal and the drink together like a big kid, but that's a long way off yet. ;)

This is bringing back fun memories from my first--I am excited to start my 4-month-old soon!

[magdon]

two other great books are Child of Mine by Ellyn Satter and Feeding Your Child for Lifelong Health by Roberts & Heyman. They are both pretty much the same philosophy but COM is much much more detailed. Depends how into the whole feeding thing you are (like i love lots of details and theory but it's not for everyone). But both give lots of advice about feeding your kid from birth through age 6-ish. How to start, how to continue, what to expect at different ages, etc. Oh, and First Meals by Annabel Karmel is a fun cookbook. Lots of purees and then meals for bigger kids that are easy to add in to the family meal.

[testkitchen45]

Apologies in advance if these are really stupid questions. :o

There's no such thing. :)

My only piece of advice, since I'm way past the cereal-feeding years, is to keep your camera handy. We started our DD on cereal at about 6 months of age. One day, as a cereal newbie, she sneezed--into the fully loaded cereal spoon. Some of the cereal ricocheted onto her face, hair, clothes, & highchair. Guess where the rest went? Onto my face, hair, & clothes. Nice! I cleaned everything up AFTER taking a few priceless photos. Be ready! :D

[lbd]

My only piece of advice, since I'm way past the cereal-feeding years, is to keep your camera handy.

I second this!!! I so regret not having pictures of DS's first helping of blueberry-applesauce. He loved it and had it absolutely everywhere - I can almost still picture it in my head but could kick myself for not having recorded it for posterity.