Dr. J's 4 month feeding sheet

Babies begin to show readiness for solids between 4-6 months.

Signs of readiness:

• waking up more during the night to feed
• hungry after usual bottle/nursing
• crying and hard to console when parents are eating

Start with rice cereal mixed with formula/breast milk, 1-2 TBSP initially and then increase as your baby shows interest up to 1/2 cup.

• breakfast- an hour or so after morning feeding
• dinner--halfway between late afternoon bottle/nursing and evening bottle/nursing

After a week, introduce a fruit at the meals.  Then continue to introduce a new fruit or vegetable every 4-5 days. Remember bananas can be constipating.  Let your baby be your guide.  If he/she wants to jump up to 1/2 cup of each item at each meal that is fine.  And, if she/he would rather just take 1-2 TBSP of each item that is fine too.

• breakfast is fruit and cereal
• dinner is fruit, cereal, and vegetable

These meals will be in addition to the bottles/nursings your baby has been taking.