Know When to Feed a Baby Rice Cereal - Watch for signs of increased hunger. Most babies double their birth weight around the age of 4 months, and this increased weight typically results in increased hunger. If your baby still seems hungry after 8 to 10 feedings of the breast or bottle, he likely requires more than an all-liquid diet.
Allow your baby to sit in a highchair to determine if he has the head, neck and back control to sit supported while eating. If your baby has good head control, and seems strong enough to sit semi-reclined in a highchair for 10 minutes, he should be able to handle eating and swallowing rice cereal.
Know When to Feed a Baby Rice Cereal
Determine the extent of your baby's tongue control. Babies who are ready to begin eating rice cereal should be losing the extrusion reflex, an instinctive tongue motion that causes them to push food or other substances out of their mouth. Until this reflex has lessened or disappeared, your baby will not be able to hold rice cereal in his mouth. Additionally, your baby will need to be able to perform simple chewing motions, and must have the tongue control necessary to move food from the front of the mouth to the back of the mouth.
Include your baby in family mealtimes. If he shows interest in what the other family members are eating, it is a sign that he is ready to be exposed to different tastes and textures. Your baby should also be able to tell you when he is full, either by turning away from the spoon or by spitting out the rice cereal placed into his mouth.
Consult with your baby's pediatrician. If your baby is at least 4 months of age and is showing signs of readiness, bring it up with your pediatrician at your next appointment. Different doctors have different ideas about when solids should be introduced, and yours may be able to offer nutritional advice and help confirm your suspicions that your baby is ready to begin exploring the world of solids.
If you are like most new parents, you are probably confused about when rice cereal should first be introduced into your baby's diet. Because of conflicting advice from family members, other parents and medical professionals, you might feel overwhelmed and worried about beginning solids too early or too late. The only person who can truly tell you when rice cereal should be introduced is your baby. Around 4 to 6 months of age, most babies will begin showing signs of readiness to indicate that they are ready to take the next step. - by eHow
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