HELP!! I think I started cereal too soon and now she has a rash . . . :(

[kaitlynsmommy]

(I've posted this in the feeding solid food section as well)
I feel like an idiot but I gave my baby Nestle rice cereal (add water and made it super runny) yesterday and today(she's 4 months 1 week).  I felt kind of pressured because my Dad's girlfriend started my brother on solids at 4 months (he's 5 yrs. old now) and my MIL said she fed my DH and his bro and sis cereal from birth("and they turned out fine!").  They said I should start Kaitlyn NOW.  So I did. 

Yesterday when I fed her she didn't do the tongue thrust thing and push the food out - she ate it.  I only fed her a tiny bit, maybe half a teaspoon over all (just to try), but after about 5 minutes when we were done, she got a rash under her chin and under her cheeks (but not her mouth and there was food all over).  At first I thought maybe it might be the bib (because it was new and she never used a plastic vinyl bib before) and she only had the rash underneath and NOT all over her mouth. Then, I tried again today, using an old cloth bib and trying not to let the food get all over her face and underneath.  I fed her about the same amount and sure enough 5 minutes later she got a rash under her chin and under her cheeks.

Is it an allergic reaction?  Did I start her too early? But she shows all the signs of wanting to eat solids . . .  Should I try a different cereal or wait at least a month or two before I even consider solids?  And when I do start her again do I avoid rice cereal?  Can she be allergic to rice?!  She half ASIAN, for heaven sakes!  It's our staple!

[First Time Mom]

Sounds like it is a reaction (intollerance), though not necessarily an allergy.

I would hold off on offering her more until 6 months as their guts are not quite ready to handle solids yet. I know what you mean by "pressure", it sure comes from everyone doesn't it?! My doctor even told me to start solids at 3 months but she's old school and obviously not updated! True, solids were offered much earlier in the past- my mom told me I was given solids at 8 weeks , this was the norm back then but they know so much more about the digestive system now.

When you do go back to starting solids I would try the rice cereal again. Only start with one spoon, start in the morning to watch for reation, if she has one then do not offer it again, try another cereal (perhaps barley) then go back to the rice a month later. Word of caution about cereals- my dd had a reaction to oatmeal cereal, I then read that some docs don't advice oatmeal until month 9.

[Mom to M&M]

Hi there - I responded to your post in the feeding solids section. I fully agree with what Marian says below and would only add that perhaps at 6 months to try an organic brown baby rice cereal instead of the Nestle = some babies do better with that.

If she still reacts to the rice after 6 months, you can either try another cereal or try a fruit like banana or pear first. Grains can be hard for some babies until their systems mature quite a bit - my own DD couldn't handle any cereals until almost 8 months.

[kaitlynsmommy]

Thanks so much for the advice, ladies!  I won't be pulling out the spoons for another 2 months!