Rice Cereal

Rice Cereal Like most of my sources suggested, we have started Megha with rice cereal. We bought iron fortified (make sure of his before you buy anything) Nestlé Gerber Rice Cereal.

The first thing we did was pray to God that now and through out her life she will have absolutely no trouble digesting food, no heart burns etc.

 Preparation: the first feed always need to be runny. This is what I was told. But how runny is runny? No idea. So I mixed half a tbsp of cereal with 50 ml formula. This gave me almost milk consistency; just couple of touches thicker but it was "runny". I was advised by mom in law that in the beginning it's better to start in the mornings and eventually graduate to twice a day. So, I started her at 12 noon, two hours before her afternoon nap time. I also have Tommy Tippie (actually this was a gift by appu Atta from Orlando on my baby shower) infant feeding spoons. So I mixed the cereal in one bowl and took water in another (later I started putting water in feeding bottle itself).

The first day it took me close to an hour to feed her half a tbsp and she was not even close to finishing it. Slowly she started figuring out how to swallow when she gets something in a spoon. I also did my part and bought her a high chair and a few DVDs to watch; baby Einstein series, sesame street and something else.  Today 18th May, is day 10 and she is now able to take 3/4 tbsp of cereal mixed in about 50-60 ml milk. I am still giving her only once a day. I will start feeding her in evenings as well from Monday.

Before I forget, initially I thought that half a tbsp can be fed in like 10 mins. I almost laugh at myself for thinking that! It used to take an hour for the first one week and she wouldn't have even finished it. Today infer her 3/4 tbsp and it took me 30'mins (day 10).