I'm dumb, what ratio do you use to make baby cereal?

[jubilee]

I can't get it right! Either it's too runny or too thick and I end up adding cereal or breast milk and end up with double the amount baby will eat. When I mix it up it might seem right at first, but then after I heat it in the microwave it gets too runny. I hate wasting this cereal and breast milk. Please help! PS- Logan is 6 months old, if that matters to this equation.

[jbeamer]

I may be one of the few moms who do this, but I use warm water to mix DD's cereal. It was the easiest for me. This way the cereal is warm and I can see what consistency I want without wasting formula. Plus, DD gets a formula bottle after each meal so she gets all of those nutrients as well. My DD likes her cereal mildly thick. I just play with it until I get it the way I want it. If it is too runny she won't eat it. She started at 4months and loves it. Good luck.

[713abc]

I just started cerial this past weekend and was wondering the same thing. I have no idea what the consistency should be. Also, wondering if we can just mix it with water instead of BM or formula. And wondering how much he should be eating. He really doesn't like it very much, not sure if it's the taste or spoon or what. We can barely get him to open his mouth!

Mom to Max, 5/28/03

[jbeamer]

At first I made the cereal borderline runny. That way DD could swallow it easier. I only did a tablespoon to start off with. That was what was reccomended to me. As she started to enjoy it more I added more. Now she eats about 4TBsp. with fruit or veggie. If your child doesn't like it at first, keep trying but don't force it. My baby food book says that some babies take longer to adjust to solids than others and not to force it otherwise they may never enjoy eating. We have never had a problem with adding water to the cereal. I use warm water so her cereal is warm, works out just great.

[pinkd56]

Just FYI-the longer the ceral sits the "runnier" it gets I've noticed. I wonder if heating the breastmilk in the microwave is part of the problem because it breaks down when expose to hot temperatures. Everything I've read says not to microwave breastmilk.
Donna

[lizajane]

from my research on the topic, i have learned that you should start with one tablespoon of dry cereal and gradually build, as baby's appetite increases. i use bm sometimes, water sometimes. i make it the consistancy of applesauce and i will work up to mashed potato consistancy. hth.

[gisele]

I have a bowl that has two compartments. I put half a tbsp of cereal in each compartment. I warm the breastmilk in a warmer, and then slowly add to one of the compartments, stirring, until it is the right consistency. If it gets too runny, I add some of the dry cereal from the other compartment. If baby is full, I stop and don't waste breastmilk. If he is still hungry, I add milk to the dry side, or scoop it to the already mixed side.

I purchased the bowl with 2 spoons at Target for $5 in the baby department.

[MartiesMom2B]

My ratio has been 1 tbsp of cereal to about 2 tbsp of breast milk. If its too thick, you'll see me with my shirt up expressing milking into the cereal dish. It's kind of embarassing, but its faster to do it that way than to defrost the breast milk.

Sonia
Proud Mommy to Martie 4/6/03

[Momof3Labs]

I put the cereal in the bowl first and gradually add breastmilk until it is the right consistency. We don't warm it - Colin takes it just fine at room temp (or cold if we start with cold EBM). Have you tried not warming it?

[barbarhow]

OMG! That is so funny. I am totally cracking up. But you are so right. Oh the convenience of BFing.
Barbara-mom to Jack 3/27/03

[jubilee]

Thanks all for responding. I've been trying to make it to applesauce consistancy, but like I said it just takes me extra milk or cereal to get it to that stage. I think you might be right about the breastmilk breaking down and making the cereal runny because of the heating, but I'd rather use milk than water so I'll have to figure it out.

[egoldber]

I would also recommend not heating it. Sarah has always eaten her cereal room temp. And she will also eat it cold out of the refrigerator.

Personally, I would make it as thick as your baby will eat it.

HTH,