cereal in bottle?

[abb1701]

Since my mom has been watching DS lately, she's had to deal with some "he's screaming but I can't believe he's still hungry" moments. So she suggested I start sprinkling cereal into a bedtime bottle. DS is 9 weeks. I know this was a thing when I was a baby but is it still a thing now? I'm going to talk to the pedi about it on monday, I'm curious everyones opinions.

[angeldcf]

Unless your pedi specifically instructs this (due to severe reflux, etc), do NOT do this! Their GI system isn't mature enough to digest it yet.

[osumegs]

I was just reading the baby books my mom filled out for my sister and me as babies. My sister was started in cereal at 4 weeks. I'm pretty sure most docs say either 4 or 6 months now, but definitely see what your pedi says

[dacora]

My mom said she put cereal in my bottle before I was 2 months (I don't remember the exact week). I was also eating 8 oz very early, and wanted more. She swears that putting cereal in my formula is what got me to sleep longer and stay full longer. My MIL has also mentioned cereal so I know she did the same thing with her sons as well. It seems like a very generational thing, because I know that most of what I read advises against cereal.

I'm not completely against the idea, but it seems like our mothers immediately jump to the suggestion of cereal, even though I haven't even mentioned anything off about DD's sleeping or eating habits. Like, she isn't even consistently eating more than 4-5oz and has 6-7 hour stretches at night, I have no reason to think she needs any changes...

[cloe111479]

It's a thing they did when we were all younger. A friend did it and her son had MAJOR stomach and reflux problems. Don't do it.

[abb1701]

I'm definitely talking to the pedi about it. Its crazy how much has changed since we were little. My mom keeps putting DS to sleep on his back but I think my paranoia is rubbing off on her so she won't do it as much.

[greenpony33]

My mom also keeps saying "he needs cereal to sleep longer" and "BM can't possibly be enough". I keep telling her DS us too young and his stomach isn't developed totally and that cereal is just empty calories but she just side eyes me and says She swears we all had cereal by 2 weeks and since we all survived then there must not be anything wrong with it. I know she wouldn't give it to him against my wishes but it's crazy to think about how young that is! Also, if I hear my MIL say 1 more time "well once you change and start giving formula he'll sleep and do better" I am going to scream, 1st we're EBF and not planning on changing (thankfully we haven't had any issues) and 2nd so far his wake ups aren't horrible so thanks for the lack of support.

[mommadozer]

That's how DH and I were fed. My mom cut bigger holes in the nipples so the cereal would flow through. We all turned out fine!

[jensoprano82]

So I've been (under doctors instructions...!) giving my little guy rice cereal for severe reflux since about week three (we're at ten now). I can tell you it is not without its own problems! His poops are harder and more difficult for his teeny digestive system so he has to struggle and strain, sometimes for over an hour, to relieve himself. The only reason we're doing it is because he has clinically diagnosed reflux and needs to retain as many calories as possible. (The theory is that the rice cereal will make the formula heavier and more will stay in him. I must say it is not a cure all)

Yes it's a thing. My MIL too swears by it. I would never do it without a dr's permission. And even with, both me and the pediatrician are dubious about its effectiveness.

And for the record I noticed no real marked difference in how long he sleeps.

[dreemkin]

Yes, I feel like grandparents feel attacked or something when things aren't done the way they did them anymore. I hear my mom say "I raised three children" all the time but it's so different 3 decades later.

@abv1701 I would follow what your pedi says. Usually they have you wait with the cereal for a while and I don't think I ever added it to the bottles either.

[jensoprano82]

Apr 5, 2015 8:22:44 GMT -5 dreemkin said:

Yes, I feel like grandparents feel attacked or something when things aren't done the way they did them anymore. I hear my mom say "I raised three children" all the time but it's so different 3 decades later.

It's so funny to even be hurt by that! People are strange. I often wonder thirty years from now what methodologies will be ancient and outdated.

[toadandbuggie]

Apr 5, 2015 8:22:44 GMT -5 dreemkin said:

Yes, I feel like grandparents feel attacked or something when things aren't done the way they did them anymore. I hear my mom say "I raised three children" all the time but it's so different 3 decades later.

@abv1701 I would follow what your pedi says. Usually they have you wait with the cereal for a while and I don't think I ever added it to the bottles either.

My mom also whips out the "I raised three kids and you're all alive" too. I bet when our little ones have babies everything will be different too. It sort of makes me feel better in that even if you're not doing everything perfectly per standards today, babies have ended up okay for centuries.

[michelle142]

Apr 5, 2015 8:07:43 GMT -5 @nolagal said:

Apr 5, 2015 1:17:32 GMT -5 @holachica said:

Yeah my MIL always mentions the cereal and my mom talks about formula and sleeping on the stomach. It's like that us doing things differently is a personal attack on their parenting. I got so annoyed with my mom that I said "OK so do you have my car seat from 1986? Let's use that for DS" and she finally stopped. I'm obviously not an expert on parenting as a FTM but I'm just following recommended guidelines. Things change!

My mom held me in her lap on the way home from the hospital. Things definitely change!

I rode home in a laundry basket, on the front seat :/

Definitely no cereal unless pedi recommends it. A friend gave her son cereal starting at 10 weeks And now at 2 years he has major digestive issues because his system wasn't ready for the cereal.

[Deleted]

Apr 5, 2015 8:07:43 GMT -5 @nolagal said:

Apr 5, 2015 1:17:32 GMT -5 @holachica said:

Yeah my MIL always mentions the cereal and my mom talks about formula and sleeping on the stomach. It's like that us doing things differently is a personal attack on their parenting. I got so annoyed with my mom that I said "OK so do you have my car seat from 1986? Let's use that for DS" and she finally stopped. I'm obviously not an expert on parenting as a FTM but I'm just following recommended guidelines. Things change!

My mom held me in her lap on the way home from the hospital. Things definitely change!

My grandma told me that when she had her first child the recommendation was that babies should be fed every 4 hours, no matter what. That is just so strange to me - like the assumption is that every baby is exactly the same, no personality differences or anything. Imagine if adults had to live by that rule! SMH

Anyway, no advice on the cereal, dodn't even know it was a thing. It will be interesting to hear what your pedi says about it.

[flyster]

My grandma was going off this weekend about all the safty regulations and how they are unnecessary. This was for cribs especially regarding the current lack of cribs where the side.comes down. She raised 3 kids and never had probalems, so of course statistics mean nothing

[PikoPiko]

My mum didn't mention the cereal, she was talking about rice. Don't do it unless the doc tells you to. A close friend of our is a pediatrician, she said for some babies it could be OK to introduce solids at 4 mos, but she is firmly against anything other than milk before then.

My mum also constantly talks about how DS needs to be fed water every other bottle. I wonder if she's secretly fed him water. I've explained to her til I'm blue in the face that he doesn't need water per pedi and all the liquid he needs is milk. Why feed him water to fill up his belly non nutritiously when you can give him milk?

My husband jokingly refers to my mum as a walking SIDs case. Apart from wanting to feed DS solids, she's placed blankets over DS in his crib and placed him belly down for his naps.

[lilyelayne]

PikoPiko my grandmother keeps asking why we're not giving DS water too! I don't understand.

[alygohome]

We were just looking at baby pics of Dh and he's sitting in a high chair eating cereal at 8 weeks and flopped over in a jolly jumper at 9.. Wtf
I was told water, cereal, water with sugar, pear or prune juice ect all as solutions from ppl my parents generation. I don't believe it would severely hurt her but I do believe that my digestive issues are cause by my mom giving me cereal in my bottle at 5 weeks (and I was 5 weeks early)

[aggiebug]

Apr 7, 2015 23:49:16 GMT -5 alygohome said:

We were just looking at baby pics of Dh and he's sitting in a high chair eating cereal at 8 weeks and flopped over in a jolly jumper at 9.. Wtf
I was told water, cereal, water with sugar, pear or prune juice ect all as solutions from ppl my parents generation. I don't believe it would severely hurt her but I do believe that my digestive issues are cause by my mom giving me cereal in my bottle at 5 weeks (and I was 5 weeks early)

::Waves:: hi friend! How are you? Come play more.

[modernfairytale8709]

Add my mom to the list of serial cereal pushers. She's never breastfed either, and is convinced baby can't be getting enough milk because I "can't tell."
DD has gained 3 pounds in less than two months. If her pediatrician is happy, I'm happy.
It's completely normal for babies to wake up to feed every 2 to 4 hours. But telling my mom that is less than helpful.

[hollydfromtn]

My MIL is the one that keeps talking about the cereal. She keeps telling me that waking up every 2-3 hours is too much and he should really be sleeping longer. I get a "bless you heart" every time we talk about his sleeping.

[mands1125]

My Mom is pushing water on us! I'm like no no no!

[alygohome]

Apr 8, 2015 2:15:50 GMT -5 aggiebug said:

Apr 7, 2015 23:49:16 GMT -5 alygohome said:

We were just looking at baby pics of Dh and he's sitting in a high chair eating cereal at 8 weeks and flopped over in a jolly jumper at 9.. Wtf
I was told water, cereal, water with sugar, pear or prune juice ect all as solutions from ppl my parents generation. I don't believe it would severely hurt her but I do believe that my digestive issues are cause by my mom giving me cereal in my bottle at 5 weeks (and I was 5 weeks early)

::Waves:: hi friend! How are you? Come play more.

I'm good how are you? Yes I am trying but I really dislike mobile !

[aggiebug]

Apr 8, 2015 9:49:08 GMT -5 alygohome said:

Apr 8, 2015 2:15:50 GMT -5 aggiebug said:

::Waves:: hi friend! How are you? Come play more.

I'm good how are you? Yes I am trying but I really dislike mobile !

I am good, are you on tapatalk? Because I hear that a lot. I have never used the tapatalk app I just use the browser and it isn't too bad.

[ChickenOnSunday]

My 60ish year old neighbor has brought this up twice in the past few days. She also mentioned it when my first child was young. I tried to explain why thoughts on rice cereal had changed when she brought it up with Willa. My breath was wasted. Now when she brings it up when talking about Addie I just smile and nod.

[misshart00]

This is so odd. No one has ever brought up cereal in bottles to me until DD was about 5 months old.

[dramacat]

Add me to the list of those who were recommended to add rice cereal to LO as soon as he turns 2 months. What worries me is that this mom is young and has a 2 yr old, and that she's family, so I'm going have to have a conversation with DH to explain why we won't be doing that.

[abb1701]

My mom asked me when she should give DS water. When I told her not to, that breast milk was enough, she looked at me like I had 2 heads.

Also she's obsessed with "nursery water" she bought it special in case she has to use formula. what the hell is nursery water?

[2mrsks (mrs&mrsk)]

Our dr said to use water if we wanted to -- if he was fussy but shouldn't be hungry or in a growth spurt, etc. We don't feel comfortable either

[misshart00]

Apr 8, 2015 19:46:03 GMT -5 abb1701 said:

My mom asked me when she should give DS water. When I told her not to, that breast milk was enough, she looked at me like I had 2 heads.

Also she's obsessed with "nursery water" she bought it special in case she has to use formula. what the hell is nursery water?

It's just expensive purified water for mixing formula. We had to use it once when we went on vacation and the water there was causing DD to break out with diapwr rash.