Rice/oatmeal cereal

[mrsbaldwin2012]

When did you start your babies on cereal? My girls are 13 weeks old and are just insatiable! My mom and MIL have been telling me since they were a month old to put cereal in their bottles, but I wasn't comfortable doing that when they were so young. Everything I've found online says no cereal until at least 4 months so I'm hesitant to attempt it early. They are formula fed and drink 4-5 oz every 2.5-3 hours during the day. Bedtime at 730, usually wake around 2 to eat and then back to bed until about 6.

[jd]

My daughter had bad reflux, so as a last-ditch effort before Prevacid, the doctor recommended oatmeal cereal when she was around your babies' age. Bad idea. Although it did help the reflux, the poor baby got painfully constipated with just a teaspoon per feed. She loves it now, but her system just wasn't ready for it then. I think the previous generation viewed oatmeal as a way to get babies to sttn/stay full longer, but I don't think it's a great idea to introduce it so early. Maybe your babies are going through a growth spurt, or maybe they're just big eaters, but I think milk is probably all they need for now. Maybe others had better experiences than I did though!

[mrsbaldwin2012]

That's what I thought too, and I already have a baby with poop issues. They (mother and mil)just don't seem satisfied with my answer of waiting until our 4 month visit to talk to the doctor about it. I have no problem feeding them every two hours of they need it and their constant questioning is getting annoying!! Thank you for your response jd!

[piccyami]

We waited to start solids until 4 months adjusted and got ped approval. She said to go ahead because they were developmentally ready for food.

Honestly, your babies seem like they have a good routine and are sleeping really well! I wouldn't mess with it until they're ready for food.

[mc13]

We started solids at 6 months and skipped baby cereal/purées all together. It's so nice to just put food on their tray and we all eat together. I agree with piccyami that they are sleeping really well, so I wouldn't mess with anything. Putting cereal in bottles is definitely NOT recommended anymore unless you have a case for severe reflux. And definitely wait until your pediatrician says OK for solids.

[callmeKD]

May 10, 2017 8:46:15 GMT -5 piccyami said:

We waited to start solids until 4 months adjusted and got ped approval. She said to go ahead because they were developmentally ready for food.

Honestly, your babies seem like they have a good routine and are sleeping really well! I wouldn't mess with it until they're ready for food.

this! if they are sleeping that long (and doing 1 feeding during that sleep) they need to eat more frequently during the day. my baby girl sleeps 10 hours without waking up at night so she eats every 2-3 hours during the day in order to get enough food in. 

I didn't do cereal until I had the okay from my pedi for DD1.

[mrsbaldwin2012]

Thank you for all of your responses, I am definitely going to hold off and talk to the pedi about it at their 4 month visit. It took a lot of hard work getting them into a good sleep routine and I really don't want to do anything to mess that up lol!!

[piccyami]

May 10, 2017 9:15:00 GMT -5 callmeKD said:

May 10, 2017 8:46:15 GMT -5 piccyami said:

We waited to start solids until 4 months adjusted and got ped approval. She said to go ahead because they were developmentally ready for food.

Honestly, your babies seem like they have a good routine and are sleeping really well! I wouldn't mess with it until they're ready for food.

this! if they are sleeping that long (and doing 1 feeding during that sleep) they need to eat more frequently during the day. my baby girl sleeps 10 hours without waking up at night so she eats every 2-3 hours during the day in order to get enough food in. 

I didn't do cereal until I had the okay from my pedi for DD1.

Even eating solids, mine have a bottle every 2-3 hours during the day and maybe once in the night.  They just spend a lot more time eating when you include solids.

[mrsbaldwin2012]

May 10, 2017 12:26:06 GMT -5 @wineandcupcakes said:

I also believe early introduction of solids is linked with GI issues and allergies so I really wouldn't give them anything now.

Fwiw, my girls are 13 weeks this week as well and have *just* started sleeping 9/10pm-4/5am. I'm hoping within a couple of months they can eat at 7:15 and sleep until 5ish.

My girls were pounding 4oz 7-8 times a day/night. Now that they are only eating once overnight I realized they weren't eating as much as before and I recently increased them to 5oz at each feed. One baby is rocking it and the other found her thumb and since then has been a crappy eater.

Could you offer them 6oz at each feed? Or at least at the feed before bed?

I have tried 6 oz a couple of times, but either they drink it all and then throw up or just don't drink more than 5. They are great eaters, and like I said I don't mind feeding them as often as they need. I was just worried that they were constantly hungry! And by voicing my concerns to my mom and mil they both just won't let go of the idea of cereal in their bottles. Maybe that was what was done when they were taking care of us as babies, but things have changed!! I hate to wish mine would find their thumbs lol but it would eliminate playing the pacifier game at night!

[pbandj714]

May 10, 2017 14:14:09 GMT -5 @feegan said:

We waited until our ped gave us the ok. But the older generations definitely like to push their agendas because "that's how they did it back then." *Insert nope octopus here*

[schmella]

We started solids at 4m. I asked about cereal because my kids' reflux was so bad (and like you I had pressure from others) and our pediatrician was adamantly opposed to it- she was very concerned about a child aspirating thickened formula and choking.
I found with other people it helped to be very final in my statements- 'the doctor said that is old information and we will not be using cereal."

[bocaburger]

Babies that young really need to nutrients and calories from milk/formula. Rice cereal/oatmeal will make them feel full without adding that same nutritional value, so they will eat less of what they actually need. The first few months are crucial for growth and development. Tell your mom & MIL to back off!

[DVMmomma]

BLW for the win! And that's all I have to contribute