Started Cereal

I know that I shouldn't expect much from their first time, but it was pretty much a disaster! One of them just pushed it out of his mouth and the onther just sucked the spoon like it was a nipple (but he seemed to be taking some in I think). I'm concerned because AFTER I fed them, I read in a parenting book that you are not to start solids until they've lost the tongue thrust reflex. So did I start too soon? I wasn;t even going to start but I'm just so sick of everyone bugging me about solids and too many naps and the fact that they cry when other people hold them. I'm just sick of it. So I caved and gave it to them knowing it's not even necessary and now I don't even want to bother. It wasn't even exciting ! My DH and I were all geeked about it all day and when we finally did it it was like..."that's it?" Pretty lame.

 

ok.. this is tacky but i put a tiny in their bottles just to get them to like the taste.. then i added it to a bowl.. apple sauce and spoon.. but i think mine were older.. 5-6 mo.. i believe..

thats what they do.. goop it out scoop it up and push it back in.. lol.. this is a fun hard stage.. enjoy

 

maybe they just aren't ready?? Mine didn't have any sucess at all until 5 1/2 months or so. I say try again in a week or so!

Remember, YOU know what's best. People are going to be bugging you about stuff their whole lives..you need to stick to your guns!

 

Don't get discouraged -- 4 months is still really early. We didn't even try till 6 months and even then, they weren't into it and we had to wait 2 weeks and try again. I can understand how annoying it is when people keep asking you, though! It did take mine a few days to understand what on earth they were supposed to do with the food, so you might try one or two more times before you put the spoons away for awhile. But if it still doesn't work out, think of it this way -- one less thing to work into your routine right now.

 

I hear ya on the excitment and build up! DH and I were really excited to give it to the boys - set up the video camera and everything. They didn't like it much and we were sort of like, "that's it?!" They didn't like it much at first, but really liked it the second time around (the next day). We just introduced it slowly.

Anyway...you know what's best for them! Take your time...it gets waaay more fun when other solids are introduced! :winking0009:

 

My guys are barely 4 months and have had cereal in the bottle since 4 weeks. Both of them are doing great with eating off a spoon. My daughter doesn't spill a drop. My son on the other hand is a mess. It is so much fun to watch the messes he makes.

Every baby is ready at a different time. I think mine were ready because they had it in their bottles for so long and it was a familiar taste and texture!

 

I tried starting at around 4 months maybe a little after and it didn't go real well either. I ended up giving it up for another 2 months and tried again and now they LOVE it. They are eating all kinds of things and it isn't a fight. I would maybe try again in a couple weeks and see if the result is better.

 

Awww...we just started some cereal too. One of them does okay, but the other one really clenches her mouth tight. But my girls are 6 months old. If I remember right with Karis, it DOES take quite a while for them to get the hang of it. Even at 6 months they really don't NEED that much...it's more for practice. For all the people bothering you about starting solids, just tell them that it is now recommended that babies wait until about 6 months before introducing solids. I know it's hard, but try not to let other people's comments get to you.

It's funny how you mentioned how you and DH were all excited and then it didn't turn out like you thought it would. I think sometimes, myself included, we want our babies to do new things because it's fun for us (or we THINK it will be). But I've tried to stop and think of what's really right and best for them, no matter what other people may think.

 

I hear ya! My babies still don't give a hoot about solids. We keep offering, just to give them practice. Today DD ate 1 1/2 cheerios and teethed on an apple slice. DS might have had 3 cheerios.

And you know what? It's totally ok. They're getting all they need from my milk and growing like crazy. Even up to 9-12 months, solids are just for practice/experience, and they should be getting almost all or even all of their nutrition from breastmilk (or formula, for FF moms). I've even heard stories of breastfed babies who had no interest in solids until 14 months and were happy, healthy, and growing fine! A lot of medical organizations (AAP, WHO, etc) recommend not even offering solids until 6 months, partly so they don't displace all the good nutrition from BM/F (though lots of other reasons too).

 

QUOTE(Minette @ Nov 13 2007, 08:29 PM) [snapback]494131[/snapback]
Don't get discouraged -- 4 months is still really early. We didn't even try till 6 months and even then, they weren't into it and we had to wait 2 weeks and try again. I can understand how annoying it is when people keep asking you, though! It did take mine a few days to understand what on earth they were supposed to do with the food, so you might try one or two more times before you put the spoons away for awhile. But if it still doesn't work out, think of it this way -- one less thing to work into your routine right now.



Couldn't have said it better myself. Mine HATED it, so I put it away and tried again a week later. Same deal. At 6 months they finally agreed to be spoon fed!
Put it off as long as you can! It adds work for you! (But later, it is a nice thing to do when they are awake longer and you are wondering how to entertain them all day!!) They don't need it yet for nutrition. It is just for practice. Take a break for a week or even two and try again. All babies eventually learn how to eat!

 

QUOTE(mandyfish3 @ Nov 13 2007, 01:27 PM) [snapback]494128[/snapback]
maybe they just aren't ready?? Mine didn't have any sucess at all until 5 1/2 months or so. I say try again in a week or so!

Remember, YOU know what's best. People are going to be bugging you about stuff their whole lives..you need to stick to your guns!

Yes, exactly! I would hold off for a couple of weeks. I always had older relatives pushing me to feed them cereal. I pointed out that maybe the babies were fussy because they were tired of being passed around like a sack of potatoes and they needed to take a nap. "Nah, they're hungry."

I'm going to PM you.

 

I tried cereal in the mornings around 4 months and they hated it. Screaming and everything. I tried it every day for about a week and it just wasn't happening.

So I gave up on the cereal and tried real baby food (veggies) at night after giving them half of their last bottle at 6pm. So far it has worked great! I can take them right out of their chairs and right to the bathtub because they are just a mess. Then they get the rest of their bottle and it's off to bed about 7-7:30.

After they turn 6 months, I will go back to the cereal in the mornings and mix it with some fruit and I'm sure it will go better by then.

I've found that when I answer questions regarding my mommy skills with a smile of confidence (even if I'm not feeling it) and direct eye contact, people rarely continue to challenge me. YOU are the expert because you are the one with the two babies!