Can you start a 4 month old infant on Rice Cereal?

Question

My daughter is 4 months old. I want to try and start her on rice cereal. Can she?

Answer 1

I think they (pediatricians) usually recommend that you wait until the baby is six months old.

For my son, I gave him rice cereal at five and a half months.

Some people said it would make him sleep better at night.

It didn't.

But, he liked eating it, so, that was fine with me.

Answer 2

it depends on each individuall babby like my first one didnt start untill 6 months but my second started at three so if you as his mom feel that he is ready then i say go for it

Answer 3

my son was about 4 months old when I started him on it. I started off by mixing it in with his bottle of formula so it was super runny. Every day or so, I would increase the rice cereal, and decrease the formula until he was able to eat the cereal at the right consistency. Worked wonders for us! 1 thing to try to avoid though, do not mix their fruit in with the cereal. They will get to a point where that is the only way they will eat the cereal is with the fruit mixed with it!

Answer 4

I don't think it would hurt.  Kids r Us sells feeder bottles that work very well.  You add cereal or baby food in them and they baby can suck it out just like a bottle.  Some babies just need more calories than they can get from their formula.  Every baby is different.

Answer 5

Try mixing it in her milk. Or, put it in a feeder. But, if you want to start feeding her, trying buying the baby foods and putting them in a feeder. The rice cereal never worked for my two daughters. It just didn't feel them up. The oatmeal was better for them. And, if she gets constipated put a little prun juice in her formula, or food.

Answer 6

Yes, you can start your 4 month old on rice cereal. You will hear lots of opinions on this but it's fine. I did per my daughter's doctor's instructions. I am now switching to oatmeal cereal (which you might want to start off with) because it is less binding (constipating). My daughter's doc recommendations to start would be 2 tbs of formula/breastmilk and mix in the cereal to the consistency you want. Do it once to twice a day. Like morning and evening. The doc also said she doesn't want her on 3 meals a day til she's 9 months old. Like I said, every doc is different.

Answer 7

they usually suggest 6 months. i would try to wait

dont rush; theyre digestive system hasnt developed

Answer 8

Depends, I tried mine on rice at 4 months and it totally blocked her up..then I went to barley  at 5 months and that worked well. I could of waited a bit longer as she was sleeping her nights at 6 weeks. If your daughter isn't sleeping well a bit of cereal can help just make sure its totally watered down.

Each baby is different I hope this helps  good luck

Answer 9

it wouldn't hurt, especially if she eats alot. mix it with whatever she is eating now (formula or breast milk) and if she won't eat it off a spoon, try a feeder bottle.

you can also use apple juice if she is constipated and it will help.

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Answer 10

My pediatrician told us to start with rice cereal at 3-4 months of age (and my baby was born almost a month early).  The pediatrician did a test to see if she could hold her head up in the correct position when pulled from a laying down position to a sitting up position.  Your pediatrician will let you know.  Do not put it in a bottle.  Make it pretty runny at first.  When she gets used to eating it, then you can make it a little thicker.

Answer 11

Rice cereal is empty calories.  Wait until six months and feed her baby oatmeal.

Answer 12

Yes.  I had to start my son at 3 months because he was just so darn hungry all of the time.  At his 4 month checkup his pediatrician said that I could start him on cereal and baby food.