So, Ped gave me a sheet about starting DS on cereal and such...have 101 questions!!

1-Says to pick one, Oatmeal, Rice or Barley. How do I chose?

2-Says 1tsp 2x a day for 3 days (trial period) for breakfast and dinner. THen increase each week by 1 tsp. Increase to HOW MUCH?

3-How much formula do I mix in?

4-Will he still have is whole bottle as well?

TIA!! I really appreciaite any help. He will not start until 3 mos, but I want to be prepared!

Message edited 7/11/2007 10:00:35 AM.

Re: So, Ped gave me a sheet about starting DS on cereal and such...have 101 questions!!

First off, remember that starting cereal is only to get them used to solids...don't reduce the ounces of bottle at this point, that will come later! A teaspoon here and there of cereal doesn't replace formula/breastmilk.


I would start with rice cereal...least likely to give an allergic reaction so they say..HOWEVER..it constipated DS so badly we went straight to oatmeal and he was great on that.

Just mix a small amount of rice cereal with formula until its a soupy, thin consistency. Try that out first...as weeks go on you will up the amount and make less watery.

Most of solids is a guessing/tria and error game. My son made a face and hated it at first when it was too thick, so i thinned it out and he ate it, but many babies push it out of their mouths...3 months is young, but your DS might do just fine, all depends on the baby.

We started Johnny on rice cereal, moved to oatmeal a few days later and started stage 1 fruits at the same time.

I was very experimental and tried a ton of fruits/veggies pretty early and he didn't have one reaction.

Good luck!!

Re: So, Ped gave me a sheet about starting DS on cereal and such...have 101 questions!!

1) Our Ped had us start on Rice - I think that it is the most easily digested. After there is no problem with that, then you can move onto the other ones.

2) We only give DD cereal once a day - we started on 1 tbsp and gradually increased to 4 tbsp - which is what she is still at. We just have added fruits/veggies/meats to other times of day.

3)This is a hard question - different babies like different consistencies. For DD we have found that we do 1 oz of formula to 4 tbsp of anything other than rice and 2 oz for rice. I would suggest making two oz. and mixing it until it becomes a consistency that DC likes. My DD gags if it is too watery.

4) DD has always taken the full bottle afterward, although some kids do change their eating habits. Our ped wanted her to get at least a total of 21 oz. of formula a day (inlcuding what is mixed in the cereal)

We didn't start cereal until 4 months - 3 months sounds a little early to me - do you think that DC will be ready to eat off of a spoon at that point?

Re: So, Ped gave me a sheet about starting DS on cereal and such...have 101 questions!!

Wow...he is starting you on cereal early like my little guy. TJ was drinking an 8 oz. bottle every 3 hours and the dr said that was too much. We reduced his formula to 5-6 oz. with 2 tsp. of rice cereal. We will be starting to feed him cereal next month after his 4 mo. check-up. I use the Gerber single grain rice and he has had no prolems.