Fussy 4 Month Old

A 4.5 month old should really not even be eating rice cereal. They shouldn't start until they are 6 months. The only need breast milk or formula for the first 6 months. I really wouldn't push her to eat it. I have an almost 3 year old who hardly eats anything, and if we try to push her to eat more, she eats less. Don't worry about her eating cereal yet, she is just too young. I also have a 4 month old and won't even try cereal until she is almost 6 months. There really is no rush.

Try putting a little applesauce in the cereal. When my 7 month old started on cereal, she would not eat just plain rice. I had to buy it with the applesauce or the bananas already in it.. I would try that.

Could she be constipated? I heard that starting on cereal can be constipating. Has she been pooping? Is it rock hard like rabbit terds? Try a little pear juice mixed in if you think that's what it is. Hope I was of some help. -K.

Hi A.,

I wouldn't take it too seriously at this point. It's not until 9 or 10 months when the majority of their calories and nutrients are from solids. Right now, eating with solids is kinda like reading at this age. Good for practice and for fun but not a huge deal if there's no interest...

I think it's perfectly normal for her to not be ready for solids at this point. We started our boys on solids at 6 months, and even then it took a good 6 weeks I'd guess, before they were really into it.

Also, it turned out they preferred oatmeal and/or barley over rice cereal...totally strange, but they took that way better.

I would NOT suggest that you put the cereal in her bottle, this poses a choking hazard among some other risks. There is no reason that she needs to be eating cereal until she is 6 months or older, she should be getting all of her necessary nutrients from formula or breast milk, so I wouldn't stress about her not eating it. I would wait a few days and try again, or do what some other moms suggested like mixing it with baby food, 100% apple juice, or formula/breast milk. Make sure that it is the right consistency for her eating level.
Here are some facts from the WIC website on why NOT to add it to the bottle (for the moms that suggested that you do it)

Why shouldn't cereal be put in your baby's bottle?
It is an old wives' tale that putting cereal in the bottle will help your baby sleep better at night. Babies should not go more than 4-6 hours without being fed because their stomachs are so small.

Around 4-6 months, your baby will be ready to eat cereal from a spoon. This is a very important learning step for your baby. Putting cereal in a bottle may prevent your baby from learning this new skill.

Cereal in the bottle can increase the risk of choking because you have to increase the size of the hole in the nipple to allow the cereal through. If too much comes through the nipple, your baby could choke.

Putting cereal in the bottle may cause you to overfeed your baby.

http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fh/wic/wicfoods/cereal...

I think 4 months is really early to start your baby on cereal. I didn't do it til my son was close to a year old. I don't think it's anything to worry about. Just give her more time, and try again in a couple months.

This is completely normal for a four month old baby. Don't worry too much. Each child is different in the way that they do things. It is not at all odd that you try to have her do something, she does it and then stops. For example... my nephew started on baby cereal at five months and ate them for about a week and a half. Then he refused to eat them for about 2 months and only wanted his bottle. Babies sometimes have a hard time transitioning from a bottle to solid foods. You can keep trying cereals and other baby foods in combination to her bottle. She may end up liking other foods that you try. Just please keep then to the gentler foods for a while such as banana's or pears. I wouldn't suggest anything with apple yet and there is too much acid in it for her tummy. Good luck my dear.

My only advice is make sure your not waiting til you child is really hungry when you start feeding the cereal. When they start cereal, they don't understand right away that the cereal fills their tummies. It's normal for them to refuse until they realize it makes them not hungry anymore. It's a learning experience for them too. Keep trying and don't give up. Also, some people put fruit in the cereal to get them to eat it better, you should not do that until you have introduced all the veggies first. I have been an infant teacher for 22 years and if seen too many times that once they taste the sweetness of fruit, they won't eat their veggies when introduced. Good Luck

hi!
try mixing it with baby apple sauce. since she is alittle young. only put in a tiny bit. or try a different cereal. rice isnt very good but most kids like the oatmeal. otherwise talk to your peds nurse.

Is there any reason you can't wait a little bit? Give it a rest for for a week and try it again later. Mix with her milk and keep it very watered down. Maybe her belly isn't ready for it. You could also try putting in her bottle so she get very little to start with. She'll come around when she is ready.
Good Luck,
N.

A.~ I would suggest mixing the cereal with something different. If you are using just tap water, try mixing it with breast milk (if you nurse) or formula. My daughter did the same thing and we switched it up a bit and now she is a great eater! If that doesn't work try mixing in something with a sweet taste, maybe a little bit of applesauce.

A.- she may be full. My one daughter barely drank her bottle at night at that age. I don't rember her needing cereal until she was closer to 10 months old. Maybe just try cereal 1 time a day. What I have always been told is no earlier than 6 months with cereal but I know from experience that doesn't mean every baby doesn't need a little extra. Good Luck!

Hi A.
You can try a little fruit in the cereal if you would like.
But maybe she is not ready for food . I had one baby that did not eat any thing till 7 months.
I have five children my oldest is 24 and my baby is 16. they are all very health eater now.

K.

My doctor told me that an infant needs nothing but milk for the 1st year. I did start cereal at age 6 months. They say that the baby's intestines are not ready for food at this young age. This is how allergies occur, when a child has things other than milk for the first year. If you are breastfeeding, then the wonderful nutrition in the breastmilk can protect the lining of the intestines and 6 months should be easy for the infant to digest the food. Also, breastmilk is a natural laxative, so they never have problems with digestion. If you aren't breastfeeding, you can start even if you milk supply is gone. A lot of times if you put your infant to your breast several times a day instead of a pacificer, your milk supply can start up again and make your life easier in many, many ways. If you have chosen formula, then I would still try to wait until past 6 months for the cereal. Good luck!

I am not sure if it might work with your child, but a few of my babies had to have the cereal at a differant texture after I started them. Basically if it was to runny they would refuse it. Once they started on cereal they wanted something they could manipulate a bit more then slurp if that makes sense. I found that mashing up a banana and adding a little water or formula or even applesauce worked well. It seemed to be a texture thing maybe they preferred their food to be the texture of a thick applesauce or something they could mouth instead of slurp and swallow.

The other thing I have noticed is timing seems to be everything. If I try to give my son (6Mo) cereal when he is tired or to hungry he has a fit. I try to feed him some milk for a little bit to take the edge off or see if he just wants to feed to sleep not interested in the cereal. I then try the cereal after he has a little milk or after a nap and it make a big differance in his interest and response to the foods.

Don't worry though each baby is their own little person and will get to stages when they are ready and even choose to eat when they want... she will get into the swing of things as she is ready having a 21 month old I am sure that you know how quick they do grow... Before you know it she will be sitting in a highchair eating fingerfoods and you will think back to these early days and how far along she has come and miss the cuddle bottle/nursing time...LoL.

Sometimes they go through stages like that. Sometimes they like the texture and sometimes they don't. You can keep trying or do what Nikki G said, try again later.

My son did this, would eat the ceral well and then decided he only wanted to nurse with no cereal for a few days. I think it's prefectly normal. At 4 1/2 months most of the nutrition should be coming from breast milk or formula. Good luck, these little ones keep you guessing everyday!

Follow your daughter's instincts and let her not eat cereal. She may be getting constipated from it. Everyone is different, what works for one child may not work for another. Your daughter obviously isn't responding well to it at this time, so let her have a break.

She may never like cereal - my kids didn't, both girls. Give her fruit instead or cooked carrots, sweet potato or bananas. Find out who she is by what she likes to eat and let go of your ideas of what is "right".

Babies are changeable and a couple of days does not make a pattern. Try putting cereal in the formula bottle. That always worked for my kids. The trick with feeding anything is repetition. We keep trying and eventually they accept. Every child is different, so don't be dismayed if your second doesn't do everything your first did.

SAHM of seven - all different!

I just spoke with my doctor reguarding cereal and when to start my son who is 5 months old. He said to only start him out on 1 tbls rice cereal 2x a day making it with his formula and than finish feeding him with the formula. Your daughter might not be ready for just cereal. Try just giving small amounts plus her bottle. Be sure to mix the cereal with the formula so it's a flavor they know.

L.

My 6 month old just did the same thing. I don't have a much different to add, but waiting and trying the different consistancies or times that you give the cereal is what did the trick for me. They get it eventually. Good luck!

4.5 months is early to start solid food. It is completely normal if he doesn't want it. I would wait until 6 months.

4 and 1/2 months might be a little young to be starting cereal. We waited until 6 months to start our son on solids, including cereal. He never really liked the rice cereal plain, but he liked the oatmeal one and liked it once we started adding other foods to the cereals.

If you really want to keep going with the cereal just keep offering the cereal to her first. But don't push the issue or it will become a power struggle. if she doesn't want the cereal when you offer it, give her the bottle. It sounds like you tried to quit the bottle cold turkey and go to all cereal? If so, she is probably just reacting to missing the bottle. Have you considered gradually switching her to a sippy cup? Also, you could try offering the cereal, and if she doesn't want it, leave it on her high chair tray and hand her the bottle at the same time, to let her know the bottle is here, but so is the cereal if she changes her mind.

I've found that all our food issues so far have been solved by being very low-key and relaxed and not making it an issue if our son refuses a food or drink even repeatedly.

The only exception was he refused soy milk for two and a half weeks, and I solved that by mixing pudding flavors into it. If your daughter consistently refuses the cereal, either she is just not ready for it, or try mixing something fun in there- make it turn a different color by adding some pureed baby food or something. Or put it in a special fun bowl and let her hold a baby spoon while you hold another. Sometimes when my son was reluctant to try a bite of a new food, he would refuse it from me but loved it when his dad would do the "airplane" routine with him.

Best of luck to you- don't let yourself get too wound up about it, since babies/toddlers definitely sense your emotions when it comes to food and mealtime!

A.,

This is normal. Wait a week and try it again.

L. :)

A.,
As a mother of 3 from experience, I can safely say relax!
It is great that your daughter enjoyed a few days of cereal. Now she is stepping back and enjoying the comfort and nurturing of the bottle feeding...the cuddling and warmth of your arms.
Children, no matter how small, are just like us. Some days I eat pizza...some days I prefer soup.
Babies and adults thrive on instinct and will get what they need, when they want it.
The fact that this concerns you shows what a caring, receptive mother you are!
Much luck with your newest blessing.
Maybe next week, she'll want cereal again! :-)

4.5 moths old is way too young to start cereal. It is now advised that you wait until 6 months. This has been the rule for a few years now. he is probably not ready for cereal. Just stick to breast milk until 6 moths old.

You could try and add a little bit of mashed bananas, apple sauce,or some other type of fruit baby food to the cereal for her. Another thing you can do is mix her cereal with more milk and feed it to her in a bottle with a nipple with a little larger opening. Some times they'll go through little spurts like this, but I don't think it's anything to worry about unless she refuses to take her bottle as well. If she refuses to eat all together I would contact her pediatrition.