How young is "too young"?

Casey - posted on 12/06/2009

Hi, you need to follow your gut, maybe try another formula that has more fibre and fat in it. I added formula to both my kids bottles because I was getting tired of being woken at night and wanted them to sleep through. I was frowned on by some parents and applauded by others but I did what worked for me after looking at options. Trust yourself.

Nicole - posted on 12/06/2009

I could go on about my own opinion, but really, you should talk to your doctor. Most doctors would tell you cereal in a bottle is not ok. But you never know. Maybe your doctor will say it's ok.

Jennifer - posted on 12/06/2009

I had the same problem with my daughter when she was that old. My parents told me to put cereal in her bottle to fill her up, but I talked to her doctor about it. Her doctor told me that it could cause her to choke, because the hole has to be bigger than her normal feeding bottles to pass the cereal through. The doctor told me to go ahead and add two ounce of her formula, and see how it goes from there. My little girl is almost 3' tall now and she is only 11 months old, and 100% healthy.

Angie - posted on 12/06/2009

Do not go there! The addition of cereals to bottles is typical of some European cultures ( married to one ) but not nutritionally sound advice. The introduction of grains in general in the first few YEARS let alone at a couple of months can have long term effects if not approached with caution. Your doctor, nurse,dietitian will not tell you this so visit to a naturopath/nutritionist may be more enlightening. A child's pancreas cannot fully metabolize all sugars including those in carbohydrates such as grains.So if nothing else go easy on the treats during the early years! Good luck and go with your intuition too! ( too many experts eh!)

C. - posted on 12/06/2009

Quoting Christina:

Quoting Linda:

I know the doctors say nofood until later. They don't have to get up with children in the middle of the night. I started giving cereal to them by now. Not alot but a little before bed. I would definately start. My children are now both grown and I take care of my granddaughter age 5. ( I also did daycare for 17 years) I say go for it, it will make both his life and yours easier because he won't be hungry.

Didn't mean to hit the helpful button, by the way.. The mouse slipped when I went to click reply.

I'm sorry, but does it inconvenience you to get up with an infant in the middle of the night for them to feed?? Shouldn't every mother be willing to do that for their baby, especially if giving them cereal before 3 months can damage their intestines??? It's not about you as a mother and whether or not you get all of your precious sleep, it's about whether you are doing what is best for your baby. I took care of my son by myself while my husband was at his first Duty Station until my son was almost 5 months old. Trust me, getting up all hours to feed your baby CAN be done!

Let me clarify that I know it is recommended to wait at least until 6 months, but I have heard from several Pediatricians not to feed babies cereal if they are younger than 3 months. If it can damage a baby's intestines at 5 months, think about what it could do to a 2 month old!

C. - posted on 12/06/2009

Quoting Linda:

I know the doctors say nofood until later. They don't have to get up with children in the middle of the night. I started giving cereal to them by now. Not alot but a little before bed. I would definately start. My children are now both grown and I take care of my granddaughter age 5. ( I also did daycare for 17 years) I say go for it, it will make both his life and yours easier because he won't be hungry.

Didn't mean to hit the helpful button, by the way.. The mouse slipped when I went to click reply.

I'm sorry, but does it inconvenience you to get up with an infant in the middle of the night for them to feed?? Shouldn't every mother be willing to do that for their baby, especially if giving them cereal before 3 months can damage their intestines??? It's not about you as a mother and whether or not you get all of your precious sleep, it's about whether you are doing what is best for your baby. I took care of my son by myself while my husband was at his first Duty Station until my son was almost 5 months old. Trust me, getting up all hours to feed your baby CAN be done!

Jeanette - posted on 12/06/2009

I think this is a question for your pediatrician...

Jennifer - posted on 12/06/2009

Our baby was breastfeed, but I can offer the advice from my sister, mother of three, and her pediatrican. When my niece was around 4 months old my sister started to feed her cereal. When she told the pediatrican he was upset. His response was "As a doctor I have to tell you it is too early. At this time her digestive system is not ready for it nor does she need anymore than she is getting from the formula. Plus she could develop food allergies. Now as a father talking to a mother of 3, if you think she is ready for the cereal go ahead and give her a small amount (1t.) at bedtime. Make sure you never put it in her bottle. Adding cereal to a bottle is a choking hazard. Also be sure the cereal is very thin." I may first try to add another ounce to his bottles. Hopefully this will satisfy your son's hunger and give his body more time to develop.

Katie - posted on 12/06/2009

Scotch on there gums numb it. And You Dont Put A Whole Bunch Just A Touch. There Are A Bunch Of DownHome Tricks That Works And Dont Hurt Kids. AND GRANDMA'S KNOW BEST. They Have Been There & Done That. All These New Moms That Are Uptight & Worry To Much About Smaal Stuff & When Its Time To worry There Going To Be Worried Out. go With Your Gut. It Will Never Let You Down.

Neiceydaboss - posted on 12/06/2009

I dont think so I did the same thing because if help a teaspoon of cereal will help a lot but let the doctor tell you not to do it but it is up to you I did it and it did not hurt my kids and I have 4 and 3 grandkids but as people would say every child is different do it for one day and see how he reacts good luck. If not try WebMd

Katie - posted on 12/06/2009

I Started @ 3mo's but A Friend Of Mine Had Her Kids On It @ Birth. A tbs In Every Bottle. But Thats Cause They Would Spit Up If She Didnt. But I Also Had My Daughter On Babyfood @ 4mo's. & Some Solid Food @ 4mo's. Talk To Ur Dr About Babyfood @ 3Mo's If The Cereal Don't Work.

Krista - posted on 12/06/2009

There are claims by some medical professionals that adding cereal to bottles later leads to obesity in children. The reason for this is that it stops the stomach from triggering when it's too full, thus making the stomach expand. If your child is still hungry after 6 ounces......go to 8 and shift the feedings by an hour.

Melissa - posted on 12/06/2009

The earlier you start a child on any solid food the more you set them up for food allergies. The babies digestive system is has not grown enough to properly break down complex food particles. If your child should have an allergic reaction it could be severe! I am an early childhood interventionist and it is the recommendation that you speak to your doctor before you give any infant solid foods. I am not trying to scare you, I just want to alert you of potential problems. Good Luck with your sweet baby!

Katie - posted on 12/06/2009

Sounds very young to me, normally you hear 4 month as the absolute earliest...I would check with your Doctor first. It may be that you need to up his feeds but space them out a bit more...you may also want to check that there is no allergies in family before introducing too early. btw..he looks very content in the photo :-D

Becky - posted on 12/06/2009

Hi Nicole;

Wow I just finished reading all of ur responces and holy cow! My situation was a little different.....my oldest was breastfed and when my son was born five years later I tried but was'nt able to breastfeed my(way too much suction that kid had) and I felt so horrible to haveing give him a bottle. any way as far as food allergies go...my girl has them ( celiac desease) and my son doesnt....if the baby isn't satisfied with milk/formula then by all means give him a little (about a tsp.) in his milk. many say no along with dietians( yes I know I spelled that wrong ...but for the life of me can't spell it right...lol..) and dr.'s but every child is different and respondes differenly to different things as well as food and eating habits. To the surprise of many my son never drank formula for it made him sick no matter which kind so he had regular milk(I can already hear the responses to that one). I too am in nursing school as well as haveing a mother that was a nurse and yes my dr ok'd it as well.Just remember that ur the mom and you know ur baby better than any of us....so good luck!

Charlene - posted on 12/06/2009

Linda, Doctors may not have to get up n the middle of the night with little ones, but they more than likely have seen many babies come in with constipation, colic, maybe even bowel infectons due to added food too early. There is a reason for these guidelines and no, not every baby fits these guidelines, but a doctor may very well know if a baby's system will actually be fine with it.

And I don't really agree that grandmothers know best. When my best friend's son was teething, her grandmother told her to rub scotch on her son's gums! So while I think they may have their hearts in the right place, I don't think they always know best.

Krissy - posted on 12/06/2009

grandmothers know best. My oldest son was the same way but he was drinking 8 oz every two hours the second week he was home from the hospital. his doctor told me start him then. so trust grandma she know ehat she is talking about

Jacinta - posted on 12/06/2009

Quoting jacinta:

Quoting Jana:

Pediatricians now say not to ad rice cereal to bottles. It is best not to introduce any solids into your babies diet until they can sit on their own. They also should have their swallow reflex better under control to where they are not just spitting the food out when it is placed in their mouth. The recommended age for starting rice cereal and other soft mild foods is around 6 months of age. They say not to introduce them through the bottle as you do not want your baby to rely solely on the bottle for nutrition. It will make weening to spoon feeding and tippy/sippy cups much more challenging.

I would consult your pediatrician. A simple phone call should be all it takes. I know us moms have a huge worry that our child is not getting enough to eat. But have you considered that maybe it is something else? Is he being breast fed or formula fed? Adding rice cereal to soon can cause constipation and other digestion problems. If you are breast feeding you may not be producing enough milk. If you are formula feeding then perhaps he has gas or needs a different kind.
Also you may have a self soother baby that finds eating comforting. Does he use a pacifier?

I am just a mother with three little ones of my own. I do work in health care. My advice is only from a mothers point of view and experience though and does not replace that of your family pediatrician.

 Well said jana!  

Jacinta - posted on 12/06/2009

Quoting Jana:

Pediatricians now say not to ad rice cereal to bottles. It is best not to introduce any solids into your babies diet until they can sit on their own. They also should have their swallow reflex better under control to where they are not just spitting the food out when it is placed in their mouth. The recommended age for starting rice cereal and other soft mild foods is around 6 months of age. They say not to introduce them through the bottle as you do not want your baby to rely solely on the bottle for nutrition. It will make weening to spoon feeding and tippy/sippy cups much more challenging.

I would consult your pediatrician. A simple phone call should be all it takes. I know us moms have a huge worry that our child is not getting enough to eat. But have you considered that maybe it is something else? Is he being breast fed or formula fed? Adding rice cereal to soon can cause constipation and other digestion problems. If you are breast feeding you may not be producing enough milk. If you are formula feeding then perhaps he has gas or needs a different kind.
Also you may have a self soother baby that finds eating comforting. Does he use a pacifier?

I am just a mother with three little ones of my own. I do work in health care. My advice is only from a mothers point of view and experience though and does not replace that of your family pediatrician.

Karen - posted on 12/06/2009

you really should speak to your doctor on this, I did feed solids to my oldest boy before the recommended age and he is fine, but age and experience have made me realise that these recommendations are there for a reason and the only people truly qualified to answer your question are true health professionals

Marxiel - posted on 12/06/2009

you need to ask the babies doctor that question i kno that at 2 months so my daughter could hold her milk better i was told to put some

Linda - posted on 12/06/2009

I know the doctors say nofood until later. They don't have to get up with children in the middle of the night. I started giving cereal to them by now. Not alot but a little before bed. I would definately start. My children are now both grown and I take care of my granddaughter age 5. ( I also did daycare for 17 years) I say go for it, it will make both his life and yours easier because he won't be hungry.

Sheryn - posted on 12/06/2009

Hi,alot of people will say put rice cereal in theyre bottle however it is dangerous.Is your son having breast milk or formula?The reason I ask is breast milk is easy to digest so they want more more often.I ended up putting my lil one on formula cause he was just wanting more and more.I started with S26(whey based) and introduced a lil serving of farex for brecky and other baby food throughout the day.However in saying this,I changed his formula to SMA(curd based,which you may find fills bub up more and for longer) and he stopped wanting the solids, the different formula filled him up.I reintroduced solids about a mth later and hes been on them ever since(he'll be one next mth). Also ask your GP/health nurse and they can give you advise as well.

Alison - posted on 12/06/2009

You can increase the milk to 8oz. If he is going 3 hours there is no need to start solid food. You could be doing him serious damage by starting solid food before 17 weeks. Do not put any solid food in a babys bottle because it can cause chocking. The recomended age to start weaning is 6 months. I have four children non of whom I started to wean before 5 months. It does not make them sleep and could even cause collic reactions which could keep you awake.3 hours is a long time to go between feeds at this age. You could also try moving onto a hungrier baby formula if you really felt the need.

Tracy - posted on 12/06/2009

I like my answer better! I do however respect eveyones answer just do what you think is right. Well Im going back to bed as my baby has finished her bottle and has drifted off to sleep. I dont mind losing sleep for her.

Bron - posted on 12/06/2009

my son was a hungry baby try your grandmothers advice start off small that way his bowels can handle it i did it and it worked and he slept better cause he wasnt hungry

Tracy - posted on 12/06/2009

I agree with everyone who says no to cereal 2 months is to young for a baby to get the nutrients from it. My daughter is 2 months and eats 4oz up to 6 every two to three hrs. I would never want to deprive her of the nutrients she gets from the formula just so she sleeps longer. I am a single mom and work a full time job and have two other children 10 and 4 and I know its tireing just be patient. Your baby will benifit more and just because grandma did it didnt make it right.

Korina - posted on 12/06/2009

Without a pead saying to do it don't do it as it can lead to problems with allergy's etc.

Get an apointment with a pead ASAP.

Good luck.

:-)

Liz - posted on 12/05/2009

I'd say its rather unusual. Does he get any breast milk? Have you talked to the doctor?

Whitney - posted on 12/05/2009

Yes. Babies this young don't have intestines designed to handle/digest anything but milk. Are you breastfeeding? If you are breastfeeding, he doesn't need anything else. Babies can drink as much breastmilk as they want without overfeeding. If you are formula feeding, try to wait until at least four months. Try giving him three or four ounces every two hours.



It could just be that he is uncomfortable. Maybe he needs to burp more. Sometimes tiny babies think if they eat and eat the discomfort will go away, when really all he needs is a nice burp!

Courtney - posted on 12/05/2009

my daughter was a really hungry baby she had cereal in her bottle because the doctor actually told us too she said 1 tbsp per once but we did like a half per once otherwise it is too thick you can actually judge the thickness you want or that you child is comfortable with drinking but i recommend switching to a size 3 nipple for cereal bottles or cut a cross in the nipple but we only did this at bed time to start so she would sleep longer through the night and she actually started sleeping through the night at 6 months except when she was teething. the only con i have heard about is that the sooner you start cereal bottles the more likely the are to have allergies to food so just be sure to make sure that there is no allergic reaction to the cereal. our daughter could not handle oatmeal at all and still at 18 months cant. congrats and remember you know your baby better than anyone else.

Ronda - posted on 12/05/2009

Give him a little bit of rice cereal. See how he takes that.

Emily - posted on 12/05/2009

i would just talk to the dr... i debated over the whole cereal issue around the same time because i was giving the max amount of formula the dr recommended but my son still cried like he was still hungry. when i went to the next doc visit he said that was eating plenty but enjoyed the sucking sensation. so i would give him his pacifier right after the bottle and it seemed to work. i ended up not giving cereal until he was 4 months (dr said for me to start then) and introduced it with a spoon.

i would definitely check with the dr and see what they say and go from there

Danene - posted on 12/05/2009

Well after one son, then five years later a set of twins (boy/girl) and my last daughter (blessed with four) we went against all odds and opinions. After ONE yes ONE week of Tiffini being home we started putting rice cereal in her bottle! She slept through the night, her feedings weren't as often and we introduced baby finger foods at one year old. She is perfectly healthy! Sometimes Grannys do know best- I was a lil skeptical at first and watched her closely, then wished I'd done it with the other three!! Good luck and hope this helps!!

Jennifer - posted on 12/05/2009

why not make the bottles 8 oz? I would be afraid to add ceral until at least 4months.

Leslie - posted on 12/05/2009

I don't think he is too young for rice cereal in his milk. He might even be ready for rice cereal mixed with milk in a bowl with a spoon if he's really hungry. My little girl is tiny and her appetite is terrible; we give her V8 because we KNOW she doesn't eat enough. She's quite a bit older than your boy, but at this age...they know their appetite. They're not going to eat just to taste or because they're bored or something like adults do. He knows when he is hungry. When my girl is hungry, I let her eat until she's done. Whether it's half of a serving or two servings. I'm just thankful that she's eating. Be happy he has a healthy appetite.

Ginny - posted on 12/05/2009

usually they wait until about four months. you can put very little making soupy.

Charitey - posted on 12/05/2009

start feeding him cereal off a spoon. adding cereal to his bottle can cause childhood obesity. He won't be the best at grasping the concept yet but after a few days will be better at it. for the first few times do 1 tbls. of cereal to 3 tbls it will be runnie but it work! my daughter is 8 months and shes been on cereal since she was 6 weeks old. JUST DON'T ADD IT TO HIS BOTTLE

Charitey - posted on 12/05/2009

start feeding him cereal off a spoon. adding cereal to his bottle can cause childhood obesity. He won't be the best at grasping the concept yet but after a few days will be better at it. for the first few times do 1 tbls. of cereal to 3 tbls it will be runnie but it work! my daughter is 8 months and shes been on cereal since she was 6 weeks old. JUST DON'T ADD IT TO HIS BOTTLE

Christy - posted on 12/05/2009

My 1st son was the same way. He was 10 lb and 9 oz when he was born. My DR told me to start cereal at 3 months

Aloaha - posted on 12/05/2009

I gave my 1 week old son cereal in the evening. He slept better also. Guess what it didn't hurt him. He is 36 years old and is 6' 1". He was a big baby and he was hungry! I've not heard of many baby's allergic to cereal.

Annie - posted on 12/05/2009

Follow the advice of your child's Dr. We appreciate our parents and grandparents advice but it might not be the right advice for the moment.

Brittany - posted on 12/05/2009

Consult with your doctor first, but at 3 mos I per advice of my doctor started adding rice cereal for the same reasons...

Sahara - posted on 12/05/2009

Go with your instincts! although i was "advised" by my dr to not put cereal into my sons bottle and just to give rice cereal to him via spoon as they will then be able to learn the difference between Breakfast, lunch or dinner and bottle time.. but one small amount for breakfast or dinner maybe? your babies mum and your the only one who can decide.if it doesn't work out up babies bottle:)

C. - posted on 12/05/2009

Quoting Jennifer:

I started putting a little bit of cereal in my daughter's bottle at 2 months because of the same reasons. It just makes them a little fuller. Doctors won't reccomend it but it doesn't hurt them.

It CAN hurt them. Their digestive tract isn't ready for foods until at least 4 months, but it's best to wait until 6 months if you can. It's not wise to say "it won't hurt them" when it very well can. Just b/c it has worked for your child and hasn't given her digestive problems (or has it?) doesn't mean that it will be the same way for someone else.

WHY DO PEOPLE THINK YOU CAN FEED BABIES LIKE ADULTS????? THEY ARE BABIES! THEY NEED TO EAT LIKE BABIES!!!!!!!!

Staycee - posted on 12/05/2009

I dont think so but I would just start feeding him cereal in the morning and at just before bedtime. That is what I did with both of my boys and they were very happy also maybe go up to 8oz bottles. He might be go longer.

Charlene - posted on 12/05/2009

Jennifer, please do not say it doesn't hurt them, because it very well can hurt them.

Not only can it hurt their digestive system, but it's not as nutritious as more formula or breastmilk would be.

It may not have hurt your baby, but it could hurt another baby.

And I know some people like to think that doctors don't understand if they don't have their own children but they are doctors for a reason. They went to university for close to a decade, some of them even more so it's not like they are talking out of their butts.

Jennifer - posted on 12/05/2009

I started putting a little bit of cereal in my daughter's bottle at 2 months because of the same reasons. It just makes them a little fuller. Doctors won't reccomend it but it doesn't hurt them.

Crystal - posted on 12/05/2009

The issue with feeding a baby food too early is that their digestive system is immature and they do not have the proper enzymes and bacteria necessary to break down foods. Also the perferations in the small intestines are larger until about 6 months which allows larger particles of food to pass directly into the body which could eventually lead to eczema and other digestive issues. If you were breastfeeding, you could start to introduce some solids around 4 months because breast milk contains the enzymes necessary to break down foods. It really does sound like a growth spurt and as challengeing as it is, it doesn't last long.

C. - posted on 12/05/2009

Ok, I'm sorry.. My son was 9 lbs 2 oz when he was born.. I understand babies being big eaters. That's why you feed them MORE FORMULA OR BREASTMILK. If 6-8 oz isn't enough, go bigger! One of my sister's babies was over 11 pounds and ate a TON. She eventually had to go up to 10-12 oz bottles b/c anything smaller usually was nowhere near enough. All babies need until at least 4 months old is formula AND/OR breastmilk!!!!! If you're breastfeeding and not making enough, doctors usually advise you to supplement with formula before trying anything else. If you are using formula.. Try MORE formula!!!! There are some instances where cereal IS needed, say the baby is a preemie, then the doctor will probably advise you to add cereal no matter what age they are if they're not gaining enough weight. But unless your doctor ADVISES you to start cereal, just up the formula intake!



Honestly people! Why do you think that so many middle- older aged people have things like IBS??? Hmm.. Probably b/c their parents fed them foods before their little digestive systems were in proper working order when they were babies! Ask anyone with IBS and they'll most likely tell you that they have had that problem since early childhood at LEAST.. Hmmm.. Wonder why..