4 Month Old -- Rice Cereal

It is true, my peditrician said it was a wives tale that babies will sleep better on a full tummy...at 18m it's not the case. :) A couple of studies have been published that 4m may be too young to introduce solids b/c they are developing wheat/gluten allergies later in life. Babies are ready to eat when, they can hold their own neck up, sit up on their own and begin watching you eat, ie following your spoon or fork to your mouth, licking their lips are some good tell tale signs. www.wholesomebabyfood.com is a great website. If she is gassy, she has not developed the digestive enzymes to process the rice cereal. So it may be too early for her, try again when she is closer to 6m. I gave my daughter an avocado as a first food, it has good fat for their brain an it is super easy to digest as bananas and sweet potatoes, easier than rice cereal. Happy Baby Bellies is an excellent rice cereal as it is fortified with probiotics to help ease with digestion too.

Good luck!
J. W. MPH
Wellness Educator/Lifestyle and Wellness Coach

There is a lot of research suggesting problems with starting solids so young (increased risk of allergies to name one). There is no rush and at least wait until 6 months when their development has reached the point of working well with trying some solids. They even suggest waiting longer than that. Check out this link:
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/3/T030500.asp

Good luck.

When I was working at the daycare who was on the "food program", they started cereal and a small ammount of veggies at 4 months of age. They didn't introduce fruit until closer to 8 months.

I'm thinking because it's better to start early getting into good veggie eating habits. Although I know parents who give 5-6 month old babies fruit with no side effects.

Another thing to think about is if she's waking up because she 'needs' to eat, or is she waking up for a "ritual" feeding?

Good Luck!!

what's the hurry feeding your baby so early? She'll do much better with the food if you wait until closer to 6 months. Good first foods include sweet potatoes, banana and avocado. I would hold off for several weeks before doing any more than this. Remember: food at this age is for practice eating with a spoon, NOT for nutrition. Feeding "real" food will NOT make your baby sleep better - that is a myth.

Although it may seem as if there is a correlation between a full belly and longer periods of sleep, it is actually a neurological maturity. Pumping her full of empty rice cereal calories will not guarantee a few more hours in the sack.

As long as you have your pediatrician's blessing, 4 months is not too early for the rice cereal (according to a division of the AAP). However, if she seems a little gassy from the rice cereal her digestive system may not be ready to handle it. Take it slowly and let her body mature and develop so it can handle what you give her. Definitely hold off on fruits or veggies if she is having problems with the most basic of foods and when you do get ready to introduce them, do so slowly.