My 7 month old completely refuses whole grain rice cereal?

Question

I started my son out on organic sweet potato, bananas and squash, peas, pears, apples, etc... I didn't give him rice cereal because I didn't see a lot of nutritional value to it... I bought him Organic Earth's Best Whole Grain Rice Cereal and he gags on it, I've tried mixing in a little sweet potato or carrots and he still doesn't like it (I think it may be more of a texture thing). I really would like him to eat it before he goes to bed so that his tummy will stay full longer. If I give him a fruit or vegi it pretty much is gone within 20 mins and breast milk doesn't hold him over very long. Any suggestions on a good and healthy food that will stay with him through the night, or a way to get him to eat rice cereal? Thanks.

Answer 1

You need to make the cereal about the same consistency of thick milk.  Then slowly make it thicker and thicker.  The texture of the cereal might be to thick to eat.  There is no proof that adding cereal to your child's diet will help him or her sleep through the night any better than just giving him normal feedings before bed time. I have two children the first is 4 and still does not sleep through the night the second is 2 and has been sleeping through the night since she was 4 weeks old.  Every child is different.  If you are only trying to get you child to sleep through the night and you feel that adding cereal to his diet will work try expressing milk (8 oz) adding 1 tbs of cereal to the milk and bottle feeding or sippy cup if you choose no bottles. Some people feel this works with their children.  I found it did not with mine though.

Answer 2

Bananas are brilliant for providing good slow release energy and you can mash them to the consistency your son is happy with (I've yet to meet a baby that didn't like bananas!) Also yoghurt (soya, if he is lactose intolerant or you don't use animal products) for protein. If he's not that keen to eat the rice at the moment carry on with his usual diet and introduce it again when he's a bit older. Give him things he can hold and suck on but can't choke on (toast crusts etc) so he gets used to harder things and using his hands more.

Little babes often are a bit funny about texture. When he's got more teeth you probably find he'll start to get more interested in chewier food.

Answer 3

fromage frais is great for your problem i had same problem with my eldest boy now 2 and gave him 2 pots of fromage frais including his regular feed and he was totally satisfied