Feeding Cereal to a 4 month old

I just started feeding Shaylie rice cereal and its not an easy job. I understand that there will be more cereal on her face and bib than what she actually digests. It seems everytime I feed her, she starts throwing a hissy fit. Maybe its the cereal or that I have her sitting in the Bumbo while I'm feeding her. Yesterday, my mom was watching her a fed her the cereal and she said that she was so good and ate a good amount. I don't know what I'm doing wrong or not wrong. Also, after I get whatever spoonfuls of cereal in her, I'll give her a bottle. I was giving her 6 oz, but now that's not satisfying her. I had to bump her up to 8 oz. Has anyone else experience that?

Re: Feeding Cereal to a 4 month old

DD is giving me the same trouble. On mothers day my mom and grandma double teamed her and one was giving her cereal awhile the other stuck the bottle in right way. she ate it and finished the whole bowl. Stick with it, it was for her own good.

Re: Feeding Cereal to a 4 month old

She may not be ready for cereal yet. The old guidline was to start cereal at 4 months. the AAP just switched it to 6

Does she still have the tongue reflex?

I would wait a week or so and try again.

Re: Feeding Cereal to a 4 month old

Maybe she doesn't like it, or is not ready yet.
We just started too, but we mix the rice cereal with fruit. They love it and eat the whole thing. Maybe wait a week or so and try again - or try mixing with fruit so it tastes better.

She also may be really hungry and wants the bottle because she knows that is what will fill her up. I've noticed J & M cry when I try to feed them solids when its time for eating, so usually I nurse them, and then feed them solids about an hour later. This way they are not starving but are also not full.

Re: Feeding Cereal to a 4 month old

she may not be ready. DS was very into eating cereal (we started at 3mos) and now eats fruit and LOVES it!! But not all kids are the same.

I can tell you that DS is a much "cleaner" eater since we started feeding him in his highchair. In the bumbo and/or bouncer he made a mess. In the highchair, not so much. I think he likes being eye level with all of us as well.

Re: Feeding Cereal to a 4 month old

I would also try playing around with consistency and maybe mixing in half a fruit-you can try pears-they are pretty non reactive.

Re: Feeding Cereal to a 4 month old

Andrew hated rice cereal!! I quickly switched him to oatmeal.

With Alexa I started with rice but it hurt her stomach. I then switched to oatmeal and she has that with apples everyday for lunch.

Maybe you are making it too thick for her. Try making it thinner.

I started both kids at the age of 3 months because they were both taking over 32 oz of formula a day. They needed more.

Re: Feeding Cereal to a 4 month old

Re: Feeding Cereal to a 4 month old

First off, thank you all for the advice. Shaylie has been having some tummy problems for the past week. Her original ped left the practice and when I met the new one, I was not too thrilled with him. I found a new ped and she great. She met with us the day I called to set up an appointment. Shaylie has been having diarrhea for the past week. It hasn't been to the extreme that its so watery, that its coming right out of her diaper. We still don't know for sure if its teething or its viral. Since this has been going on, Shaylie never had a temp, her appetite has been excellent and always in a good mood. She definately shows the signs of teething, but nothing is coming up as of yet. Anyway, the doctor wanted to give her tummy a rest with the formula, so she's been drinking 8oz of Pedialyte and eating rice cereal 2 times a day. Anytime she had a bowel movement, it was yellow and mucousy and it was a small amount. She definately improved eating the cereal. Last night, she ate the entire bowl and wanted more!!!! I guess because she knew she wasn't getting her formula. Today, I gave her formula, but it was diluted with Pedialyte. On Sunday, I can give her regular formula. The rice is starting to bind her. I just hope that her tummy is starting to get better.

Re: Feeding Cereal to a 4 month old

i tried giving DS cereal at 4 months. he liked it the first day., hated it the next 2 days, so we decided to wait. we started again at 5 months and he took to it right away. she might not be ready yet and that is fine!