Is 3 months too young for baby rice?

Katherine - posted on 06/29/2010

they say it helps them sleep longer but u also need to make sure your baby is digesting all of it because if not it can do just as much damage to their lil belly as giving them milk before they are one. ur best bet is to ask ur doc. my baby is six months and her doc. said that being that she has a reflux problem that he wouldn't recomend me giving her baby rice.

Andrea - posted on 06/27/2010

At 3 months is to young. Assuming at 3 months you would only be able to give that baby cereal in a bottle. Which is a big no no. I pretty sure your dr will tell you the same thing. That baby digestive system don't have what it need to break down that cereal the way it needs to be. The only time have ever heard of a Dr say it ok at that age would be some cases of acid reflux.
I agree with the statement putting cereal in a bottle so your baby sleeps longer is be selfish. It doesn't have any benifit to the baby to give them cereal to young.

Michelle - posted on 06/27/2010

I have seen this question asked again and again. I never respond. But I want to give the information I was given. My daughter was put on cereal at 2 months old. By her pediatrician the mixture was 1 part cereal to 1 part formula to be mixed and fed through her bottle.

She never gagged, choked or had digestive problems and she is almost 5. That being said my mom started all 8 of her children on cereal at 6 weeks and we are all healthy with no digestive problems or food allergies so my advice is to do what you want to do.

Enid - posted on 06/27/2010

I was told not to give my son solids until he was 6 months old. But I suppose these things change per generation. Anyway he did good on breast milk/formula until he was 6months when I started to give him small amounts of solids.

Marcy - posted on 06/27/2010

the general rules to feeding Rice cereal are:
your baby has double its birth weight.
he/she can hold their head steady on their own.
they are showing interest in what you are eating.
liquids are not fulfilling their need for food, you will notice them wanting more liquid but then spitting it out or over eating until they vomit.

My 4 month old was on rice cereal at 3 months (15lbs) just 1 tbsp at night and he is now eating 2tbsp twice daily. He is even on to Oat cereal.

The most important thing ti watch is the milk intake. If pablum is taking place of ozs of milk then the baby isnt ready. It should be in addition to the milk not instead of.

Hope that helps a bit :) Good luck :)

Charlene - posted on 06/27/2010

Three months, is generally too young. The tiny digestive system may not be ready for it and starting too early can cause serious damage now and later on in life, such as a food intolerance/allergies, IBS etc.

Cereal does not make a baby sleep longer and in some cases may cause baby to be fussier than normal due to gas or discomfort.

Before 6 months, all a baby needs is formula or breastmilk. In some cases, babies are given a tiny amount of cereal for acid reflux. Cereal should NEVER be put in a bottle. If baby can't eat the cereal off of a spoon then baby is not ready.
Cereal should only be given before 6 months if ok'd by baby's doctor.

My question to you is, why risk potential damage to your baby's digestive system? Would you feel tremendous guilt if your child ends up with IBS or another digestive disorder?

It's incredibly selfish, in my opinion, to put a baby on cereal before they are ready if the reasoning is so you can get them to sleep longer. If it's because you think they aren't getting enough, increase the milk/formula amounts you are giving them.
If they are gaining weight and your doctor thinks the weight gain is sufficient, then baby is getting enough and doesn't need cereal added.

Of course, you are going to see moms on here saying that they started their children on cereal at ridiculously early ages and they will tell you that their child is fine. BUT obviously not every child is the same and what is fine with one child may be dangerous with another.

Proceed at your own risk and make sure you discuss it with your doctor.

Angie - posted on 06/27/2010

no way, my dr put my baby on it at 2 1/2 wks.

Amy - posted on 06/27/2010

My first one we didn't start till 4 months, and I have not started my now 3 month old yet. I will be waiting for the Dr to give us the ok at the 4 month check up. Why is it you want to start now and not wait it out, there is no actual evidence that it makes them sleep longer at night and no one really knows the long term effects that it has by starting them earlier than recommended. So even though your little one may be fine, who knows what the long term effects could be and to me it's not worth the risk.

Julia - posted on 06/27/2010

I started my babies on rice cereal at 4 months for the first and 3 1/2 months for the second.

Iris - posted on 06/27/2010

When my son was 2and half months, we had to put our son on pablum mixed with his formula because he was not gettin enough. We had a bouncey chair and I use to gve him and tablespoon at breakfast lunch and dinner and then his bottle of formula. If u child is healthy and not gtting enough milk, it is alright to give ur baby a bit of pablum three times a day.. My dr told me not to put it in his bottle because it ruins their gums.. So, if u r going too give ur baby pablum or baby rice, spoon it to ur baby..

Samantha - posted on 06/27/2010

thats very true so when u start to feed start as little as a tea spoon 1st day than slowly inrease it :)

Rebecca - posted on 06/27/2010

Yes it is, if your not careful you could hurt their digestive system.

Samantha - posted on 06/27/2010

hi, i have a 3 yr old an a 18 mnths old i started my 3 yrs old on baby rice at 3 months :) just before bed is great helps them sleep all night, or morning is good too baby rice an a bottle helps them sleep i think :) hope this helps