Ready or Not?

[Lilasmom]

Hi, DD is 5 months old and has been showing signs of being ready for solids for about a month.  She's mesmerized by us eating, makes chewing motions, can sit up mostly unassisted.  She has also doubled her birth weight (weighs around 18-19lbs) and it has been increasingly hard to get her to go the full 4 hours between feeds (she is exclusively BF).  She started sleeping through the night at 7 weeks.  That only lasted until she was about 13 weeks, since then she wakes up 1-2times a night to feed.  We tried DD with rice cereal mixed with breastmilk for 4 days in a row.  She would spit it out, push my hand away, turn her head, make sour faces.  I don't know if she's just not ready or just doesn't like the taste???  What do you guys think??  TIA

[shelliz]

Lila's Mom,

   I starte my dd on rice ceral at 5 months as well (at the recommendation of my pedi).  I tried the cereal mixed with breast milk and then I mixed it w/ water. My dd didn't like it at all w/ bm, but she loved it mixed with water! It may take a week or two of trying it once or twice a day for your dd to get a taste for it. You can also try different consistancies to see what she likes. It isn't sweet like breast milk so it isn't suprising for a lo to push it away at first. There is a chahce, though, that she isn't ready. However, the other signs that you said she is doing sounds like she is ready.

Good luck!

[*Natasha*]

Could you try a little fruit or vege with the rice cereal to see if she would like this better. I know alot of babies don't like rice cereal on its own.