When can I give my 3mnth old cereal and water...??

Amanda - posted on 05/14/2010

I tried cereal & breastmilk at 3 months but he wasn't ready. I could tell because he wasn't swallowing any of it and it didn't help him sleep any better so I waited. In 2 more weeks my pediatrician recommended I start him on baby food and skip the cereal. Of course I have a big boy. He was 9.11 lbs at birth.

Ycel - posted on 05/13/2010

cereals at 2-months? i thought cereals and other baby foods should only be given by 6th month. re:water, i started giving her water when she started taking her vitamins and feeding her formula (1month) but not too much, like 1oz-2oz for the whole day.

Rosalind - posted on 05/13/2010

Hey girl...My baby is 7mths now and I started adding a little cereal to her milk when she was bout 2-3mths. She was hungry all the time. Just dont make it thick and she/he will be fine :)

And as for water....you can give the child at any age. Just make sure you boil it first. Hope this info helps a little.

Marisa - posted on 05/13/2010

i didnt say give the baby bottles of water i said maybe 3oz or so. as for food id wait till 4 mo when the baby can hold her head and sit with support.

Jenee - posted on 05/13/2010

Water intoxication is most commonly seen in infants under six months of age and sometimes in athletes. A baby can get water intoxication as a result of drinking several bottles of water a day or from drinking infant formula that has been diluted too much.

Symptoms of water intoxication in an infant include:

changes in mental status, i.e., unusual irritability or drowsiness
low body temperature, usually 97 degrees or less
facial swelling or puffiness
seizures

Jenee - posted on 05/13/2010

Emily I agree with you. The problem with giving water to babies is that it can fill their stomachs up.causing them to not get the amount of breast milk or formula that they need.

Too much water can stop your young baby's body from absorbing the nutrients it needs from milk. It can also lead to an imbalance of electrolytes.

The American Academy of Pediatrics actually states that "until your baby starts eating solid foods,they get all the water he/she needs from breastmilk or formula."

Sarah - posted on 05/13/2010

i was advised you don't start feeding you baby solids until they can hold there heads up....I also have been giving my baby water on occasion and he loves it but i live in a hot climate .Do you have a health care nurse you can ask advice from

Marisa - posted on 05/13/2010

im not sayin give a whole bottle. just a little hhere and there. i had a friend who was BFing and her doc said the baby was not getting enough water so to give 3more oz of water to the baby every 4hrs. i know everybaby is diff but really water wont kill the baby if you want to give them a little go for it just dont give to much.

Marci - posted on 05/12/2010

just start giving him cereal and water and add a lil baby food of fruit.
i started my son on that when he was 3 months old

Emily - posted on 05/12/2010

Marisa, you're not a baby though.. your body is different.

Marisa - posted on 05/12/2010

peopel have been giving babies water and juice for years. its not gioing to kill them. My daughters pedi even told me to. when i get thirsty i sure as heck dont want milk.... i need COLD water

Emily - posted on 05/12/2010

When babies get thirsty, they should drink breastmilk or formula. Water can actually upset their electrolyte balance and sodium levels. It's not recommended to give any water until they start solids around 6 months. I wouldn't even give juice... just empty calories.

Marisa - posted on 05/12/2010

if ypu think the baby needs an oz or ttwo of water of juice go for it!! babies get thirsty just like you do. i give my daughter maybe 4 oz of juice or water a day ,sometimes not even everyday. :)

Jenee - posted on 05/12/2010

Most doctors tell you to wait till your baby is 6 months since introducing solids too early can cause food allergies. As for water. Babies don't need water. They get all the water that they need from the formula / breast milk that they drink. Giving baby too much water can cause water intoxication which can throw off their electrolytes.

Lauren - posted on 05/12/2010

Most say to wait until 6 months, but we gave our daughter her first rice cereal meal at the end of her 4th month, because she was so ready. She would watch her daddy and I eat with great fascination, and follow our spoons with her mouth open. Whenver you think your baby is ready is the right time.

Amanda - posted on 05/12/2010

My sons 8 weeks today and I have been giving him pablum once a day as a supplement because formula just isn't filling him enough. You can start giving your child pablum now, it won't hurt him at all. My son was never regular with having a bowel movement and now he goes everyday, there are upsides to the pablum but there's also downsides. You don't want him to want the pablum all the time because he still needs formula. Just try giving it to him in the morning at first and then gradually increase how many times a day you give it to him.

Vicki - posted on 05/05/2010

6 months. Have a look at www.baby-led.com for a different approach.

Jj - posted on 05/05/2010

my boy started some smooth solids about 4 1/2 months. they recommended 6 months but every baby is different and Riley was showing lots of interest in our food, so we thought we would try him out on some puree fruits and farex. with the farex i think it says to mix it up quite runny to start with and make it thicker over time. i just used water in the cereal to begin with as my boy was breastfed it was easier than expressing. and have also heard it is not good to put the cereal in their milk. and with offering water in a bottle or cup, i think we started about 6 months as it was going into summer and getting quite hot...i dont think it would do any harm giving them a little bit earlier than this age, but their is a lot of conflicting advice on what age to start...

Melissa - posted on 05/05/2010

My dr. said they need to learn to eat their food, not drink it. Many people start cereal between 4 and 6 months. They don't need anything other than bmilk or formula until 6 months. We started at 4 1/2 months, I was eager to feed him off a spoon, but for my next I will be waiting until 6 months. I now know they don't need it before then and it will also save some hassles and allow him to be a baby. We started offering water after 7 or 8 months, but only when he had already drank his milk.

Morgan - posted on 05/05/2010

you should not put cereal in a bottle ever, its a choking hazard, unless recomended by your doctor for reflux or somthing, as for water I also wouldent give such a small baby water as they dont really need it. my doctor had advised me to start cereal at 4 months, off a spoon than other solids at 6 months. I would be careful with the water thing :)

Maybe ask your doctor

good luck