Beginning cereal and have beginner's questions!

[becky1969]

My LO will be 21 weeks on Wednesday, and I'd like to start cereal this week. I talked to my pediatrician, and we both agreed to wait until 5 months if possible, which is around now.  I think this is the right time because he's now draining 3 of the 5  8 oz bottles he's getting, and the other 2 he's almost draining. So he's really close to topping out on the liquid feeds I'm giving him. He's nearly 18 lbs, so he's a very big boy! He seems to have lost his tongue thrust reflex, and I've tested him with a spoon, and he seems to do OK with it! He's got great sitting muscles right now too.

OK, so here's my questions on starting cereals:

1) Do I give them to him AFTER his bottle? I'm guessing yes since I want him to get most of his nutrition from the bottle.

2) I read the intro and know I start with just 1 tsp at first. How gradually do you increase to 2 Tbs? And then once you reach 2 Tbs, is that when you add in a 2nd meal, and then a 3rd?

3) Once you've added in 3 meals of cereal, is that when you start adding in other solids like veggies and fruits?

4) I belong to a message board on another website, and a woman who had a baby the same month as me said her son is taking 1/2 cup of cereal right now. Our babies weigh the same. I'm just wondering, will there be a point where I will feed him that much cereal, or do you move on to other solids instead? I've just only ever heard 2 Tbs mentioned as a measurement.

Sorry if these questions seem dumb, but solids flummox me! I've been putting them off as long as possible (obviously, since I've got an 18 lb baby and he's just now starting cereal at 21 weeks!), but he's about hitting the ceiling on formula and I don't want him to go hungry. Not that he doesn't have enough fat in those cute little cheeks to last him through a few winters! 

[Mom2katiebug]

Just want to lurk and add another question...when everyone says 2Tablespoons of cereal is that dry or wet?  And any tips for feeding solids on the go/while traveling?

[becky1969]

Anyone?

[Kimberly®]

No such thing as a dumb question

1) yes after the bottles. Do it in the AM to start to make sure there is no ill effects, and also at first they tend to cause gas that can keep your LO up at night. Giving it to your LO at night will NOT make them sleep longer, in fact you may find he'll wake more to start.

2) Start with 1tbls for about a week then gradually add more a week at a time at his age, he probably wont finish it all to start, so as he starts to finish it you add more. Make sure for the first few weeks its a thin as soup. Wait at least a week before adding a second meal so you know he's ok with it.

3) Wait on the veggies and fruits untill 6 months. Just to be safe. Stick with 2 meals untill he shows you signs he needs a third. Many don't have a third untill about 7 months. Best to wait untill he's tried all the basic foods. When you have 3 meals you can have fruit and cereal (mixed) in the am, veggies for lunch, and veggies and cereal at dinner. (veggies and meats when he's ready.)

4) Eventually he'll take that and more, at his age though thats a lot of cereal. Follow his lead and you'll know when he's had enough. 2 tbls per meal will be plenty at this time.

Mom2katiebug thats 2 tbls wet

[becky1969]

Thank you so much for answering!!!

I think I already messed up though quite a bit!  The only thing right I did was feeding after the bottle! 

*But I gave him cereal at 4 pm, so I'm worried that the gas thing might be keeping him up tonight. Sigh. He already is a gassy baby, so I'm sure we're going to be paying for that one tonight!

*Also, I didn't realize it was 1 Tbs wet. Since the directions on the pkg said 1 Tbs of dry mixed with 4-5 Tbs of formula, I figured that was the "serving" of 1 Tbs of cereal! So I fed him about half of that bowlful!!! I have no idea how much that is, but I bet it's a lot - probably 2-3 Tbs? That's probably a lot for a first timer! But he was doing so well. He actually was takiing it in and swallowing it! So are you saying that 1 Tbs is really just 1 Tbs of the wet stuff? That doesn't seem like very much. How can a baby not finish that?

I'm happy to wait on the veggies and fruits. That's a relief.

Thank you for all your help! These solids are confusing! I'm so excited though that he actually swallowed them! He made funny faces, but the food went down his throat and he smiled afterwards! What a cutie pie! But at 18 lbs, this little dude obviously hasn't met a substance that goes down his gullet that he hasn't liked! 

[Kimberly®]

I wouldn't worry to much on the serving size its a recomendation. Most firstimers wont take that much. If he did then there's nothing to worry about. If he eats to much he'll throw it back up.

I hope he doesn't get cramping on you *figers crossed* I didn't know that untill I did the same thing. Then I talked to my neighbore. She has a 3 year old and a 11 month old. She basically walked me through solids when I started.

They are very confusing. I still get confused and my DD's 9 months next week, though my questions are different, I still have many

[becky1969]

Well, it's 3 hours later and he seems OK! It's hard to know though because he's teething hard right now, so not too happy with his mouth. But his tummy seems fine! He definitely didn't spit-up or throw up! I'll cross my fingers we don't get bad gas or cramping tonight. Tomorrow I'll definitely take it easy and give only 1 Tbs WET! That seems like very little, but I don't want to over do it!


One more question: When do you start to thicken it?

[Kimberly®]

we thinkend it gradually over a month. When your confident he's ok with the thickness and with swallowing start thickening it. He'll let you know if its to thick

If you found he was ok with the amount you gave him tonight, go ahead with 2 tbls. He sounds like he liked it he'll stop when he's had enough.

Trust yourself and him and you'll find your way

[becky1969]

Thank you so much!!! We tried again this morning, but he didn't take much at all, definitely not even a Tbs. Now I see how a baby wouldn't finish a Tbs! I think it's because his morning bottle is about the only one he doesn't drain. Both mom and dad are not breakfast eaters, so I think he inherited a slow morning digestion from the 2 of us!  So, tomorrow I think I'll offer cereal with his 2nd bottle when he seems hungrier, and that way it will give him plenty of time to digest before bedtime.

By the way, he slept great last night! No night wakings, no gas, nothing! So I'm really happy with how he's taking to cereal so far!

[*Natasha*]

Thanks for helping out here Karita you have given some great advice 

[Kimberly®]

No Problem glade I could help.