When you started your baby on cereal...

how long did it take before they got the hang of it? Jesse seems to have no interest in solid food except for watching me eat. He doesn't want to open his mouth and basically doesn't actually ingest most of what I can get in there. If he opens his mouth to make sounds or laugh or smile, and I can get the spoon in there, he'll usually eat it but other than that he is just so distracted. Any ideas how to make it easier for him? Thanks!

Re: When you started your baby on cereal...

How old is he? He may just not be ready for cereal yet? I would try to give it to him at every feeding but not force it. You can put some in his bottle (if you are bottle feeding) so he gets a taste for it, maybe that will give him the nudge to go for it.

Good luck!

ETS: You can also try changing the consistency of the cereal. Either putting more BM or FM milk in it or less of it in it and try it. That may have something to do with it as well.

Message edited 10/11/2005 11:22:03 AM.

Re: When you started your baby on cereal...

I started Jared on cereal at 2 months. At first it was a little difficult because he used to push out the food with his tongue. I tried a little every day and finally he got used to it. When he still wants to be difficult and not open up, I sing songs to him (to get him to open his mouth) or have a bottle prepared to wash the cereal down with.

Re: When you started your baby on cereal...

I started at 4 months. I made it very thin. It took almost 2 weeks for my daughter to get the hang of it. I was just about to give up when she finally got it. Stick with it, your baby will catch on. I was happy if my DD got two spoonfuls at first. Good luck.

Re: When you started your baby on cereal...

I started Alex at 4 months and it took him a few days to get the hang of it.

Re: When you started your baby on cereal...

We started Nate on cereal last week (he's 4 months). We've only done 3 times, but he seemed to get the hang of it the last time. I think it was bc I made it a little thicker than the other 2 times.

Re: When you started your baby on cereal...

Thanks everyone.

Jesse was five months and one week when we started cereal last week - he seemed ready for it and I didn't think it was necessary before that. I've tried consistencies from very watery to pudding-like. His tongue reflex is almost gone but he still pushes some out. I'm definitely going to try singing to him to get him to open his mouth because if I can get him to open wide, the cereal usually goes in and he eats it pretty easily. I guess I just have to be patient.