When Is It OK to Start Baby on Rice Cereal?

My pediatrician started my daughter out on rice cereal around 4 mos. However, he did allowe me to put a little bit of rice cereal in her bottle when she was close to 3 mos.

With a 7 week old, you've got some time to wait. :)

The AAP recommends introducing solids such as rice cereal between 4 to 6 months. This is because the baby's digestive system, etc is really not ready before that time. So you want to wait until your baby is at least 4 months. Pediatritions will recommend delaying solids until the baby is 6 months or older if there is any history of excema, hay fever, food allergies or severe allergies in the family. Your baby will give you signs when he or she is ready to eat too. The links I have at the bottom also go over this.

During the first year, breast milk or formula should be where your baby gets the bulk his or her nutrition. Solids are just for fun during this time. Solids just aren't that nutritious and contrary to what some will tell you, do not help your baby sleep through the night. I know our parents started feeding much sooner; however, a lot more research has been done hence the current AAP recommendations.

There's really no rush to introduce solids. We delayed until 6 months and even then, my big boy (90th percentile for size) still wasn't interested yet. You want to introduce solids slowly and one at a time to make sure there are no food allergies. He now eats just about anything and everything!

Here's a few links where you can read up a little more on introducing solids:

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/3/T032000.asp
http://www.kellymom.com/newman/16starting_solid_foods.html

The first time cereal was discussed was at my daughters four month check-up. And, even then it was said that we could wait until 6 months if we chose to. And, I have read that it actually does not help them sleep through the night - that it is just an old wives tale.

I agree, don't be in a big hurry. I have 16 month old twins and was told to wait until 6 months because they got almost all of their nutrition from the formula, plus being multiples they were a little small so they really needed those extra vitamins that jar food and cereal would never have provided them. A jar of green beans has only about 20 calories in it, your little one will get well more than than from his liquid diet. He has the next 80-100 years to eat all the solids he wants so don't worry about waiting a few more months to start him. Have a blessed day!

Do not get in a rush. When you start consider using the Healthy Times Brown Rice Cereal. It is sold at Whole Foods only and it is the best on the market.

Start at 4 months once a day, mixed with formula from the bottle. I tried my daughter at 6 weeks with a tiny bit of rice cereal in her bottle, and boy did I pay for it. She was up all night screaming, her little body could not handle it that early. Good luck.

My pediatrician was adamant that it has always been 4-6 months for cereal only and baby food starting at month 6, but I have had a lot of pressure to wait until 6 months to start the cereal. It's your call.

i second all the advice you have
simple and straight

6 months minimum

Great advice given, but don't feel like you can't start closer to the 4 month mark. Especially if your infant is showing an interest in food and watching others eat.

I started my son and daughter between 4 & 5 MO. Your pedi needs to give you the go ahead. The baby needs to have doubled their birth weight first and be at least 4 MO. Any earlier can lead to them developing allergies to foods. Every baby is different, so I would only listen to what your pedi says on when to start him on the cereal.

With my son my pedi wanted us to start it as soon as he had doubled his birth weight and had good head control. Even though that was practically at 2 months, I waited till 3 or 3 1/2.

I am a strong believer that baby's don't wake up in the middle of the night (this doesn't apply to newborns) because they are hungry, I believe they do it because it is habit. With that said, I don't believe that babies sleep through the night better because of cereal.

I agree though I don't see your 7 week old sleeping through the night any time soon ... at least not for another month.