How soon..... rice cerial... bottle.....

Karma - posted on 05/15/2009

Despite what most doctors will tell you....it IS okay for you 1 month old to have a little bit of rice cereal in his bottle. All of my kids were on it at that age and nothing is wrong with them except for the fact that my oldest is asthmatic. But that has nothing to do with the cereal. Don't add to much at first. For a two ounce bottle add about a teaspoon of cereal to the bottle. The only downside tot he cereal is that it can cause a lot of gas. So you might want to pick up some Mylicon drops to put in the bottle as well. Just a couple of drops should work.

Amie - posted on 05/15/2009

I didn't read all the responses but in regards to the cereal in the bottle (or even at all at this age) no, not a good idea and I'm sure the other mom's have pointed that out. The only time an infant should be supplemented with anything else is on doctor's orders.
My baby is 6 weeks old. She is exclusively breastfed but has figured out her pattern and sleeps for 4-5 hours at night. The rest of the time she eats every 2-3 hours. To try and get him to figure this out stop letting him fall asleep while eating. Mine likes to try and fall asleep while eating but I brush her cheeks with my finger and rub her hair, etc. I did this with all 4 of my kids too. Once she's done she'll let go of her latch and cuddle in and go to sleep. Then I get my 4-5 hours of rest. It's ridiculous the things mom do for their kids but I've said it before.. if not for coffee I would not be awake most of the time. lol
oh and also because of his age expect this for a couple more months yet. During grow spurts its worse because they eat soooo much.

Cheryl - posted on 05/14/2009

You sleep when he sleeps. Its hard now but it will get better, eventually you will get more sleep, just not now. Babys cannot properly digest anything other than breastmilk or formula until they are 6 months old.

Nancy - posted on 05/14/2009

My daughter use to do the same thing. I use to run my finger along her cheek to get her drinking again when she'd fall asleep on the bottle. If that doesn't work, undress your baby, sounds mean but ít'll ensure that your baby will drink their full bottle. Giving a baby rice cereal does not make them sleep better, that's a wives tale and at your baby's age you may end up with a bloated/gassy baby instead and that's so much worse.

Samantha - posted on 05/14/2009

My baby did that too he was eating fine then he just went back to eating every two hours it gets better! Give it a couple weeks. My baby is almost three months and i just gave him his first cereal bottle yesterday. but dont think that it will make him sleep through the night because it doesnt work!!!

Melissa - posted on 05/14/2009

I would not recommend putting food in a bottle. You baby is a normal 1 month old and he may be falling asleep after 2 oz because he was too tired. If you try to feed him and he starts falling asleep try talking to him and maybe moving the bottle a bit. It takes a while for them to sleep longer than 2-3 hours, but eventually you will get rested. You should try sleeping when he sleeps during the day!

Hannah - posted on 05/14/2009

For a one month old this is totally normal sleeping patterns. Rice cereal in the babies bottle can be dangerous, you should wait until you can spoon feed it to him. This is just apart of motherhood for you right now. This is a phase. More sleep is coming, persevere.

Sheldean - posted on 05/14/2009

He is still very very young! and every 2- 3 hours is perfectly normal for his age. I know it can be hard and you get exhausted but it will get easier. No rice cereal and especailly not in the bottle. Your baby's tummy is still not fully developed I would try to wait till at least 3-4 months before any rice cereal and only spoon feed it. I waited till mine was 5 1/2 and he still doesn't sleep through the night =( . Remember to just try to nap when he naps.
Good luck and Stay Positive

Heather - posted on 05/14/2009

He's still young...it's like that the first few weeks...sometimes months. But it'll space itself out in time. He's only eating what he can take in as of right now. Don't worry though...he'll start making it a little easier, in time :) Plus, babies go through growth spurts...once you start getting in a good routine, they seem to grow...and either sleep more, or less...and eat more...or less. My son is 4 months now...and he was sleeping amazingly from 2 months until about 3 weeks ago, he started sleeping from 10pm-1am soundly...but getting up every half hour after that until 7 am!! Needless to say, I've been ver tired these past few weeks...lol

Jackie - posted on 05/13/2009

Hi! I agree with Keisha! Hang in there sweetie! I know it's difficult right now. The adjustment can really wipe you out but please trust me...it gets so much better. My little one would get fed every 3 hours then it turned into every four hours and before I knew it I was getting alittle more sleep, even if it was just an extra hour.

Good luck sweetie and remember to hang in there!

Melissa - posted on 05/13/2009

A scoop of cereal has little nutrition and not many calories the teaspoon you would use would probably not benefit you in any way as there is not proof it helps a child sleep and actually could upset there small tummy. Babies digest fod in about 3 hours give or take. that being said they eat more often. My suggestion would be when he does eat try to make the feeding more efficient tickle his cheek feed him in little or no clothes skin on skin is great. He then may eat longer and sleep a bit longer for you but not much he seems like he is doing good. Hes right on target for his feedings, I did notice you have a nother post about your baby sleeping through the night and that may dissapoint you if you are expecting that at this point as he needs to feed often this is important to keep his growing, brain development blood sugars level.

Also introducing cereals to early ay increase risk to obesity, diabeties, allergies, celiac disease which could actually effect your infants whole life.

I do hope you good luck and if you do need more sleep try napping during the day while your son naps as much as possible.

Caroline - posted on 05/12/2009

Talk to your doctor before you do anything like putting cereal in his bottle. It is not recommended, it is a choking hazard and it is probably too early for his little system to have a food like that. It can cause allergies and there has been some talk lately that it can be linked to obesity to give a child solids too early. Like I said, talk to your doc. But you know, it's not selfish to want your baby to sleep. It's tough with one so little, I understand your desperation! Hang in there!

Cassie - posted on 05/12/2009

Never put rice cereal in his bottle! It is so dangerous!!! He is waking and eating normally for a one month old.

Jen - posted on 05/12/2009

I hate to say it, but I waited til 4 months to give my son cereal, now he eats cereal twice a day & we just added veggies and he still doesn't sleep through the whole night... but you get used to it... (ie. now i wake up feeling good if i was able tostay in bed for 8 hrs - minus getting up two or three times), but at one month your body isnt adjusted yet... hang in there!!

Mel - posted on 05/12/2009

You are the mum so what you do is your choice. alot of mothers do , do it at 4 weeks, some do it as young as two weeks so yes it has been done by many mums before, however personally i would wait til around 6 weeks befre putting rice cereal in the bottle. not all babies at this age wake 3 hourly but alot do. I was lucky enough to have a great sleeper i set my alarm for all her feeds and she went straight back down (after the initial 0-3 weeks), but not everyone is this lucky and i think with my next it will probably be a terrible sleeper. anyway it is normal for baby to be awake this much at that age, but if you feel you are not coping you make the decision whether to put rice cereal in his bottle. only put a little bit in and see how he goes. He should sleep longer. But dont let any of us make YOUR decision.

Emily - posted on 05/12/2009

He is eating absolutely normally for a one month old. Having a baby is tiring but it isn't like that forever.

Tamara - posted on 05/11/2009

NO! You should NEVER EVER EVER EVER put rice cereal in an infant's bottle. It is not only a choking hazard but is also linked to obesity, diabetes, and other maladies.

I know its hard but try to sleep when your baby sleeps. Do you cosleep? That was a LIFESAVER for me when my daughter was that age. It allowed all of us to get more sleep and make for a much more rested mommy.

Amanda - posted on 05/11/2009

I agree with Keisha - he is way too young for rice cereal and DO NOT put it in his bottle EVER! There is a huge risk he could choke from lumps in the bottle. Also their little tummies are not yet ready for this type of 'solid' food. Unfortunately little bubbas have little tummies and he will wake up for feeds often and then go back to sleep. He might just be having a growth spurt so he is needing more regular feeds. My son fed every 2 hours for the first 4 mths of his life - it was exhausting but then he slowed down and started eating solids (rice cereal) becasue he could physically cope with it (ie he could hold his head up and opened his mouth for food).

It seems like the longest time when they are feeding so often and it is exhausting but have faith - you WILL get though it, I promise!! :-)

Amanda - posted on 05/11/2009

no, no rice cerereal in the bottle ever, it is a choking hazard no matter how thin you mix it. welcome to mother hood, an infant needs to eat every 3 hours if they are formula fed so your baby is doing what he is suposed to. every other mother gets up every 3 hours to feed baby so you are not alone. cutting down or out night time feedings will deprive his body and brain the nutrients they need to grow properly. Besides introducing your child to solids that early can cause allergies later on. it is best to wait to give solids between 4 and 6 months of age and only when they show signs of rediness. I cared fro a baby that did not show signs of readiness until 8 months so she was held off until then.

Nikki - posted on 05/11/2009

He is too little yet but that is normal for a 1 month old there tummy is pretty small yet but i did start to offer my daughter ceral at 3 months she seemned to want more then just the bottle i would offer the ceral to her at night made it soupy and some nights she took it and other nights she didn't i didn't force it but offered it. You will get there It's stressful not sleeping but hang in there

Keisha - posted on 05/11/2009

No do not put rice cereal in his bottle. He's to young for that now. To be quite honest, what you're saying is normal for a 1 month old infant....its gets easier though so hang in there! :) They wake up to eat and then they go back to sleep, frequently. Thats just about it really. As long as he's eating and gaining weight I wouldn't worry about how much he's eating just yet. He's still a little itty bitty sweetiepie so he's not going to eat a lot at this stage.