When did you start cereal?

Our DD and DS are five months today (yea!) and we haven't started them on cereal yet. Our ped says to wait until 6 months, per the new Pediatric Assoc. recommendations but to look for cues that they are ready (ie: becoming more curious as we eat since they sit at the table with us for dinner, decrease in tongue-thrusting, sensing that they are getting less full after BF).

In talking with most people, however, it seems that most start their kiddos sooner than 6 months. A woman at work said one of hers started at 1 month!! Ours are exclusively BF and seem to be satisfied after eating. They are still waking up 2 times at night to eat and I'm really hoping this will get better. The ped said adding cereal won't necessarily make them sleep longer at night, but I'm getting desperate here.

Any advise for this sleep-deprived Mom? When did you start cereal? Would you do it differently?

TIA for all your wisdom.

PetiteFleur

 

I have started cereal off of a spoon with all my kids at 4 months. The twins have had cereal in their bottles for reflux since 2 weeks. I think you should do what you feel comfortable with. You could try it, and see how it goes, if it doesn't help, you think they aren't ready, wait a bit. Hope you get some sleep soon!

 

Nope cereal wont help them sleep longer at night...my girls are 10 months, eating 2-3 solids a day and still wake up at least once a night.

We didnt start cereal until around 7-8 months (they were preemie so we waited til adjusted age) and weve gone slowly from there

 

With my oldest DD we started cereal at 4 months, off the spoon.

With the twins we started putting cereal in their bottles at 4 months because of reflux and started it off a spoon at 5 instead of 4 because they were preemies.

I have seen pedi. say 4 months and some say 6.

 

We sort of started at 4 months as per the pedi. I'm not very consistent so we did cereal every day for two weeks, then every other day. Pedi said as long as the babies are showing an interest we could start but not before 4 months and its only for practice not for nourishment.

 

Our pedi starts solids at 4 months. We did the cereal then added fruits and veggies.

 

We started at 4 months also. We've done cereal, apples, bananas and avacados.
Our pedi told us to go ahead with solids because our babies were polishing off over a quart of formula each per day.

 

We started at 4.5 months. Tiny little bits until 6 months because my ladies have little appetites!

 

Our doctor said the same as yours, 6 months but watch for signs that they could be ready sooner. Ours definitely were ready sooner & we started just after 5 months. Now they get cereal twice a day plus a bit of fruit or vegetable, and they love it. It may not be necessary but they really enjoy it and they do seem more satisfied & happier. You just have to do what works best for you & your babies.

 

We started at 5 months and have just gone up to three 'meals' a day this week. I don't remember moving along this quickly with my older daughter, but she didn't have any solids before 6 months.

Cat