Opps...another question

I meant to ask this too, but forgot. The girls have been on cereal since 4 months. Carlie usually loves to eat it, but Claire does not like it. She will not open her mouth for it...just the bottle. She eats her baby food just fine, but she just doesn't like the cereal. We have done both rice and oatmeal. We also put fruit in it too. Doesn't work.

I am thinking of trying the jarred cereal. I know that Gerber makes both oatmeal and rice with fruit in it. If that doesn't work, I don't what to give her. Right now they get it in the evening, but it is going to be switched to mornings because I am going to be starting the meats with them (jarred veg/beef, mac/cheese, ham/applesause, etc..).

What do I do though if she doesn't take any of the cereal? She is too young for table foods too.

April

 

QUOTE(mar66rus2 @ Mar 25 2008, 03:57 PM) [snapback]686823[/snapback]
I meant to ask this too, but forgot. The girls have been on cereal since 4 months. Carlie usually loves to eat it, but Claire does not like it. She will not open her mouth for it...just the bottle. She eats her baby food just fine, but she just doesn't like the cereal. We have done both rice and oatmeal. We also put fruit in it too. Doesn't work.

I am thinking of trying the jarred cereal. I know that Gerber makes both oatmeal and rice with fruit in it. If that doesn't work, I don't what to give her. Right now they get it in the evening, but it is going to be switched to mornings because I am going to be starting the meats with them (jarred veg/beef, mac/cheese, ham/applesause, etc..).

What do I do though if she doesn't take any of the cereal? She is too young for table foods too.

April


April,

Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but so what if she doesn't eat cereal? Solids are just for practice, so if you find a food that she doesn't like, just skip it. It's not like she'll need to eat mushy cereal every day as a 10 year and if she doesn't start now she'll have a developmental problem. My girls were never fans of rice cereal so we just don't give it. All their nutrition comes from milk or formula anyway. My second thought is why is she too young for table foods? Some people never give their babies baby food - they start directly with table food. I know in Germany they start table foods at about six months.

 

I was thinking like pp, just skip it. Find other things she likes and go with that. Just make sure she's still getting the same formula/bm for her nutrition.

 

She is still getting the same formula. The only time she gets juice is with lunch (baby food). I know she can have table food....I just don't feel she is ready for it yet. They have had mashed potatos already but that is like the oatmeal (she didn't like those either). Emily was eating some table food by now, but she also started solids at 2.5 months. I am just taking things a bit slower with the girls.

April

 

From my understanding cereal is more important for BF babies because its iron-fortified. But if you are already giving her iron-fortified formula, there is no need to give her cereal if she's not into it. I've never tried the jarred cereal/fruit combos, but its worth a shot. Do you think she doesn't like it because of the texture or the taste? GL!

 

Mine never cared for rice cereal and much preferred oatmeal but my understanding is that your little girl doesn't care for either or when it's mixed with fruit. I would say you can bypass the cereal and go with other things that she might like, especially since she's on formula. Just offer the fruit or veggie by itself. Another thing to try may be using juice to make the cereal...makes it a little sweeter and she may prefer that.

Another question...when does she get her bottle and how much? If she's getting it right before her meal, she may be full from that and not interested in the food...which isn't a big deal as solids are for practice right now anyway. So perhaps if you have a gap of about 30 min or so after the bottle to try the food...that might help. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

 

We just started solids last week, and my boys HATED cereal. They wouldn't open their mouths for it. I was thinking, how are we going to get any practice eating foods if they won't eat it. Yesterday we started with sweet potatoes and they seemed to like that, so I thought I just wouldn't give them cereal. Mine are formula fed though, so I guess they are getting the iron they need from that. I would just skip it. That is what I am planning to do.

 

QUOTE(snoopytwins @ Mar 26 2008, 01:01 PM) [snapback]687741[/snapback]
Mine never cared for rice cereal and much preferred oatmeal but my understanding is that your little girl doesn't care for either or when it's mixed with fruit. I would say you can bypass the cereal and go with other things that she might like, especially since she's on formula. Just offer the fruit or veggie by itself. Another thing to try may be using juice to make the cereal...makes it a little sweeter and she may prefer that.

Another question...when does she get her bottle and how much? If she's getting it right before her meal, she may be full from that and not interested in the food...which isn't a big deal as solids are for practice right now anyway. So perhaps if you have a gap of about 30 min or so after the bottle to try the food...that might help. Just thought I'd throw that out there.



She gets her bottle with the cereal. I don't give her a bottle, then try to feed her cereal an hour later. She isn't going to be hungry for it, so she definetly won't take it. I just may skip it all together if the jarred stuff doesn't work. Or just give her a fruit with her bottle.

Thanks everyone!

April

 

Once I started the jarred foods I quit the cereal all together.