Solids every day... and other newbie questions

[p3nickel6]

We're new to solid foods, just started rice cereal last week. DD is 5 months old, and we started at this age because she showed the signs of readiness and also because she will no longer take a bottle while I'm at work, so this is a way to get some food in her while I'm gone. We don't plan on offering anything besides rice cereal until she is 6 months. So a few quick questions:

1. Do I have to give her solids every day? It's most important that she get cereal the two days that I work, but do I have to give it to her all of the other days, or can I just give it on some?

2. Does time of day matter? Do I have to feed her at the same time every day?

3. While this gets her to eat while I'm out, she still won't take any liquids. She LOVES the cereal. If I add some cereal to a bottle of EBM, keeping it really thin, is this a bad thing if I still offer it with a spoon at other feedings? This would just be while I'm out so she would DRINK something. Anything. I don't know that it would work, but I don't want to offer it if it's a bad idea.

4. And my last question is about constipation. It's my understanding that EBF (or I guess now mostly BF) babies can't get constipated, but many people say that rice cereal constipates their DC. How can I tell if she's constipated?

TIA for any help!

[thaisa47]

Have you tried offering her something to drink from a cup instead of a bottle? My DS refused a bottle, but willingly took a cup.

I really can't help with the cereal question, as we never used it. We started right in with finger foods - soft, cubed fruits and veggies, etc.

[etsdtm99]

rice in a bottle is bad .. so, don't do it (choking hazard)

you can make the cereal with BM and that will get milk in ehr. you can spoon feed her BM too ( i did that with my DS when he wanted solids and i felt it was too early, he was 100% happy with it) you can partially freeze BM in a slushy for texture (though its COLD! lol) .. my DS loved that too by spoon ..

i, personally, if you HAVE to give solids would do avocado instead of rice because it has fat and calories.. espically since you are giving solids mainly because she won't eat otherwise - these also won't cause constipation
http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/avo...odrecipes.html

if you do have issues with constipation youw ill know because baby will probably be fussy and strain to poop - and the poop will be hard or firm.. it should be mushy enough to squish in a diaper ..

you don't need to give solids ever, so you don't need to give her anything on your off days if you don't want to ..

[runningmomma]

We started C at 5 months, too, because she was SO READY. She wanted to eat and drink everything that we did and now she is an amazing eater. She Loves Loves Loves solids.

We started her with sweet potatoes mixed with lots of breast milk. Then moved to avocado. We didn't do any rice cereal at all because I was worried about constipation, too. I also avoided bananas because I didn't want her to get used to the sweet stuff immediately.

I started feeding her twice a day from the get-go and she was just fine with that. I fed her bm in the morning, then her next two feedings would be breastmilk and solids, and her last feeding was just breastmilk again.

I'd look into making all your food organic, too. We have been making it and freezing it and it is really cheap and fun to make, too. Look into Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron--full of great tips and recipes.

Good luck!