Is putting rice cereal in a bottle ok?

Abby - posted on 08/15/2009

My daughters Dr. says that is not good because they suck harder to get the formula and cereal out of the bottle which can lead to an ear infection. We started giving my daugther Rice Cereal at about 2 1/2 months old, we mix it in a small container with some formula and feed it to her with a spoon. It also helps them get in to the habit of eating from a spoon. So when you start her on solids it will be easier for her and you. But thats just what we did and our Dr. said it was fine.... Im not sure how old your daugther is...

Kelli - posted on 08/14/2009

I was told to put rice cereal in my 2 month olds bottle to help with her spitting up problem. At 4 months my Dr. told me to stop putting it in the bottle since I had started feeding it to her as a solid. She went right back to spitting up all the time so I began putting it in her bottle again. I only put one teaspoon in for 5 oz of formula. She doesn't spit up anymore. She just turned 6 months.

Andrea - posted on 08/13/2009

Infant cereal is actually unnecessary. If you're really worried, talk to a dietitian, not a doctor. Most doctors aren't experts in nutrition, hence the conflicting recommendations in this thread.

http://www.sheknows.com/articles/803961....

Mel - posted on 08/11/2009

sometimes it can be considered a choking hazard howeve rit is very commonly used especially in america. how old is the baby? my doc put ours on solids early for weight gain. you can try adding calories to the solids, concentrating the formula or putting the baby on a high calorie formula

--- - posted on 08/10/2009

rice cereal will not help her gain weight. if anything it will slow weight gain down. there are very little calories in rice cereal. if you are worried about weight gain talk to her ped about switching to a high cal formula or even concentrating the formula she is currently on. all rice cereal will do is fill her up so she wont be hungry. not only that it is a choking hazard.

sometimes a doctor may recommend cereal in a bottle for GERD (reflux) but never for weight gain.

Michelle - posted on 08/10/2009

My son is 4 weeks old and I asked his doctor if i could put rice cereal ihis bottle before bed so he would sleep better , And the doctor said it was ok.

Kashia - posted on 12/28/2008

i started giving him rice because he was preme

Gina - posted on 12/28/2008

well i just started puttin rice cereal in his bottle on a nite he is almost 20 weeks how hold his your little girl

Heather - posted on 12/28/2008

I also wanted to mention that you could ask your doctor about increasing the formula calorie count to like 22 or 24 calorie. Most formula is 20 cal and you can increase that by adding more formula to less mix. But with this make sure you check with the doc as this can cause some constipation and you don't want that problem.

Heather - posted on 12/28/2008

I fed my 7mth old rice and oatmeal both thru his bottle when he wasn't gaining weight fast enough for the docs as he has a heart condition and he packed on the weight. It did help him sleep thru the night and with his acid reflux. I also introduced solid foods to him at 4 1/2 mths and he has done fine. He was not confused about the solid foods. Just make sure that the formula is still thin enough to come thru a nipple appropriate for her age. Also according to our state health standards it is ok to introduce solid foods at 4 mths. It is the very earliest they recommend but as I am sure you know by now EVERY baby is different and has their own plan. Just stick with you mothers instinct and it will not lead you wrong. Good Luck

Chelsea - posted on 12/27/2008

Rice cereal is empty calories. She is going to benefit less from the cereal than she will from the nutrition in the formula/breast milk, That and depending on her age, she may not be ready for those solids yet. Even if its mixed into a bottle, Baby's usually arent ready to start breaking down and digest until at the very least 3 months, Most doctors would recommend as close to six months as you can get before introducing solids. My son started at 3 months with the dr's ok, but he was a more than a healthy weight and he seemed to still be hungry all the time. As long as he was still getting all of the nutrition from the formula it was ok for us to "supplement" with the rice ceareal so he wasnt starving all the time. But our Doc made sure we fed him by spoon and not through the bottle because it thickens the formula and makes them suck alot more to get the milk through the nipple of the bottle which can also cause alot of other problems for your baby. Hope that helps a little. Best of luck to you and your sweetness!

Carrie - posted on 12/27/2008

I am probably going to sound like a terrible mother but we were using rice cereal in the bottle well before he even turned 1 month!! We were having major issues with reflux and he would not sleep at night....adding rice helped tremendously!! As long as you keep it thin enough and use the proper nipple I think you should be fine. Not everyone can go by the text book rules. I am a registered nurse and was very skeptical to put the cereal in the bottles but after hearing it from the doctor and several other people we knew I felt ok with and after I saw the end result I would have gone back and done it all over again!!

Debbie - posted on 12/27/2008

Hi

How old is your daughter, when my daughter was a baby i put her on farleys rusks mixed with her formula milk, i made it quite runny, as she was not gaining weight she was about 4 months old. she was fine and she is now just turned 15 it didnt harm her.



Debbie

Camille - posted on 12/27/2008

....my fiance and i used to feed our son rice cereal from the bottle...nothing has happened to him...it was easier for us especially when we were on the go...

Silvia - posted on 12/27/2008

I have been mixing cereal into my daughters formula since see was 5 months old. Her doctor was actually the one who suggested it. You should consult with her doctor first but, I don't think it will harm her in any way.. I still do it now that she's 7 months. All the bestof luck & Happy holidays

Michelle - posted on 12/27/2008

All four of my children had rice cereal early in their infancy. My 8 year old had it when she was a month old (due to reflux). My 5 year old son had it at 3 months just because I wanted to give it to him, and my 2 and 1 year old had it in their formula already mixed (Enfamil AR) due to severe reflux. I dont recommend giving it in the bottle, but rather on a spoon. I gave my 8 year old an ounce of formula, followed by some rice cereal and then the rest of the formula. Its up to you and or your doctor in regards to what is recommended. You will find that every child and doctor is different.

Chele - posted on 12/27/2008

I do not think it is a good idea for gaining weight! Rice has very little fat and babies need their fat and carbs from breast milk or formula - not solids. I did use a bit of rice in my daughters bottle around 3 months old to help her sleep. Some say that is a myth and doesn't really work - but it worked for us! Babies gain and loose throughout life - if you are really concerned about her weight gain/loss - talk with your pedi. Do not reduce her milk intake!!!

Stephanie - posted on 12/27/2008

I would say it's not ok. It's a solid food and you are confusing the child by doing this.

Denise - posted on 12/27/2008

Hi again! I just saw that you bottle feed expressed breast milk! First of all congrats on that. What a wonderful start and I know how time consuming that can be to first pump and then feed! But to your concern about weight gain. Breast feeding is different than formula because the calorie content changes within the feeding. At first if you were nursing to the breast your baby would get foremilk. Basically a less calorie almost like having watered down milk. That is what helps with thirst next would come the hind milk which is thicker and full of calories and the fats your baby needs. Basically the food, where foremilk is the drink if you know what I mean. If you are pumping just enough to fill a bottle it is possible you are not pumping long enough to get to the hind milk where the calories, fat and most nutrients are. I know I had trouble getting to the hind milk as well. It is tough to get that "let down" with pumping and a low milk supply. What you can do is take fenugreek it is an herb that helps with production as well it is in a tea called "Mother's Milk" Fred Meyer and several grocery chains sell it. Oatmeal and also beer have been found to help. When you pump make sure you pump til empty or until you can't anymore, go bottle feed your baby while holding her close and you could use a heating pad during this time as well and then go back and pump again to get all that hind milk out. Congrats again on using breast milk! You are doing the best for your baby! Good luck!

Denise - posted on 12/27/2008

It does NOT make sense to add cereal to a bottle to help gain weight! Why is that? Cereal has less calories and is more filling than breast or formula so what ends up happening is your daughter will feel fuller longer and thus consume less calories. Not what is need for gaining weight. Just continue offering your baby the breat or bottle and feed on demand and she will be fine.

Aneisha - posted on 12/26/2008

i would bring her in to the doctor to ask why she isnt gaining weight before you start trying different things.... however, i did put cereal in my daughter's bottle to help her sleep through the night but i waited until she was four months and it didnt have any affects and she didnt have a change in weight.... i hoped i helped!!! good luck

Jennifer - posted on 12/26/2008

just to help you feel better... my oldest daughter (who is now 5 and has voracious appetite) wouldn't breastfeed either. I quit at about 2 months old and then pumped and gave her bottles until she was a year. She gained weight very very slowly. From about 4 months on, she was at the 5th percentile in weight or not on the growth chart at all. She gained weight very very slowly. But she is/was healthy and is fine. My second child gained weight a little faster, but not much. My third baby who is now 4 months old is at the 50th percentile in weight... every child is different.... I wouldn't worry too much (easier said than done, I know... I did plenty of worrying with my first.) I would try feeding her rice cereal with a spoon. If in a few weeks at the checkup she still hasn't gained weight, then get some suggestions from the doctor.. Perhaps to supplement with some formula, add some veggies, increase the amount of rice cereal, etc. Good luck!!!! Being a parent can be hard, but it is so rewarding.

Letticia - posted on 12/26/2008

ita a matter of opinion.......my daughter was in the nicu...where they keep preemies and newborns with other medical problems.....they gave all the preemies rice cereal in there milk......my daughter is now 11mnths and she has been on rice cereal with her milk since she was born.......i've never had a problem......she sees a gastrointerolagist pediatrician who recommends it for baby of low weight .........

Carole - posted on 12/26/2008

How old is she?

First child, right?

I wouldn't worry about her not gaining weight...only if she loses, or doesn't start gaining again.

I never weighed my kids...the doctor did. I just fed them.

When they were going through growth spurts, they ate...a lot!

When they were in-between growth spurts, they didn't. But they never let themselves starve! I remember once, when my son was 2, he hadn't eaten anything all day and I was worried! I couldn't make him eat...even his favorites! I opened a can of tuna, put it in a bowl, and we got down on the floor and pretended to be kitty cats! It worked! He ate it all!

Or when my 4 month old daughter stopped nursing! 3 days I was freaking out! Every time I tried to nurse her, she refused! She would only take a bottle! Turns out, that's what she wanted...the bottle...not 'Mommy'! I was sad, but at least we figured it out.

Anyway...unless there is something wrong with her, she's just growing up.

If she needs more nourishment than formula can give her, feed her more solid foods...the way solid foods are supposed to be eaten. The bottle is only for the very beginning. She needs to learn to eat like the rest of us sooner or later...if she's ready to start now, by all means, start now! But bottles are for liquids. Spoons are for solids.

Enjoy your baby! She'll be grown soon! Just don't try to keep her a baby...then she won't be any fun when she's grown!

Hope this helps!

God Bless!

Amanda - posted on 12/26/2008

it isn't a bad idea...it depends on what the doctor says really....my daughter was premature and had an obstruction in her belly and her abdominal muscles weren't fully developed and she didn't gain weight for the first 2 months of her life...she actually lost weight...my peditrician told me to put 2 tablespoons of rice to every 8 ounces...i did this for a few months...well til she was 6 months old...and she started gaining a little weight and she was keeping her formula down...the baby rice flakes is what the doctor recommended for her....and at 6 months she said i could start trying oatmeal...but only if i wanted too....so i believe it depends on your peditrician and you as a mom....my daughter was 2 months early and we had a hard time getting her to eat and keeping food down til she was 10 months....the rice in her formula saved her life...by 2 months she was under 4 pounds and the doctor was concerned for her life if she didn't start gaining weight....it won't hurt your child....my daughter is now 19 months and is doing just fine...i finally got to take her off her acid reflux medicine at 10 months....she is now eating like a little piggy even though she only weighs 20 pounds...

Ashley - posted on 12/26/2008

At 4 months my son's dr told us we could give him cereal and some vegetables. The way I look at it you are her mom you know what is best. My son also started sleeping through the night when I gave him the cereal.

Stacey - posted on 12/26/2008

It is fine as long as she is 4 months or older. It actually helped my son with his acid reflux because it calmed the acid in his stomach. Our pediatrician suggested we do it. We put maybe a tablespoon and a half for every 6 oz. We use medium flow nipples. He now goes 3-4 hours between bottles. I noticed you are getting varying answers so if I were you I would call your pediatrician to ease your concern. Good luck!

Shannon - posted on 12/26/2008

After working with a birth to three program for a few years, I learned that unless you have a child with a muscular problem, down's etc.... cereal should NOT be added to bottles. It actually confuses the child once they are at an age that they are able to have solids.... plus, if they are not ready for it then it may upset their little tummies. Can I ask how old she is?? Maybe you should speak to your pediatrician about ways to help her... you may need one of the higher calorie formulas...

Karen - posted on 12/26/2008

I say yes...In fact I have 3 kids and wish I had done this with the first. When my second was 6 months (it took me that long to figure it out) I put protein in his bottle at night. Then what I used to do was take chewable vitamin C and chewable Calcium put them in the blender till they were like dust then I would put in the formula container. I would then take half the protein mix and mix it in the formula container. When my 3rd was born I did the same thing but started at one month. All my kids were born right on target, never had weight issues. I too was told not to add rice cereal to the formula and never understood why so I added protein. You can go to local GNC and pick up the most beneficial (not muscle milk or anything like that). I used Shaklee vitamins and protein powder. THEN once they started eating baby food, guess what - I would mix the baby food in the formula mixture in a blender to make a "shake" and this would be the night bottle OR when we would be out and about and we would miss a meal I had a "smoothie" ready to go. My kids are 12, 11 and 8 and are very healthy, very athletic, good students and made of muscle soooooooo try it and in small doses at night and see if she doesn't gain a little weight and if she doesn't sleep through the night this will work on that too......................Good luck

Jennifer - posted on 12/26/2008

I started my daughter with cereal in her bottle at about 2 months old. But if you decide to try it make sure you mix it up with different types of cereal. Rice will constipate, oatmeal loosens. My ped thought it was a great idea because she stopped waking up hungery in the middle of the night and she could sleep peacefully. She did say to stay away from wheat products until she was 6 months.

Wendy - posted on 12/26/2008

Hon just water down the cereal and spoon it to her. That's what we had to do with my son. It's really messy and time consuming but once you know she's ok with plain cereal sweeten it with something like apple sauce. If she doesn't start to gain weight see your doctor it could be something else.

Tandi - posted on 12/26/2008

thanks for all the responces, it is conforting to know that this is not unheard of and that some of your children also are/were petite. i will try not to worry too much about it then.



and to paulette: she woud not suck or lach on. i have flat/inverted nipples and while i was pregnant i asked would it interfere with breast feeding and my doctor said no, but when my baby was born the nurses and doctors all said it was a problem and my baby would not latch, but i kept trying her anyway. also i was extreemley enemic, to the point of fainting frequently because i had lost too much blood after my daughter was born, there was some hemoraging, and i have hypothyroidism, so my milk was late to come in and then it was very low supply when it did come in, so my daughter quickly became inpatient with breast feeding and hated it ever since. she does spit up alot but other than that she is a very content baby, and she loves sleeping against me but what baby doesnt love sleeping next to mom? lol but i am thinking she may have reflux that is something i am going to ask the doctor about, thanks for the heads up

Zoe - posted on 12/26/2008

Personally I didn't need too, but a friend of mine did this with both her kids and they are fine. Try it! You'll know if it works for you or not.

Kerri - posted on 12/26/2008

My son started on Rice cereal at 3 months and I was breast feeding. The doctor recomended but it depends on what works for your baby. My son was hungry all the time and my mom said there was no way to keep up with the feedings at this rate and she was right. If it's just to gain weight I don't know. Babies gain weight at different intervals and they usually plateau for a short while between 4 and 6 months old sometimes. My daughter did and she did not have any solid food early. It just depends on your child.

Paulette - posted on 12/26/2008

When you tried to breastfeed you daughter would she not latch on or not stay latched on? Did she squirm/fuss/cry/draw her legs inward? When you lay her down does she want picked up again after only a short period of time after feedings? Does she rest better in you arms or against you? Does she spit up often? Does not have to be a lot either. There was weight issues too. These were our cues and we knew to look for them after our first child. They were cues to acid reflux. Being that your daughter is 4 months you are looking at teething in the next few months too.

Lacey - posted on 12/26/2008

Well, Im pretty sure if your doctor was worried about it, she would have mentioned it, and would have talked with you about where you should go from here, but I wouldnt rush her, or try to 'force' her gain weight by rushing into the cereal... my daughter is formula fed, and still drinks 4oz bottles, about 4-5 bottles a day, and is petite...and my doctor hasnt said anything about her weight being an issue...so, perhaps you just have a petite baby as well... I wouldnt rush anything or worry about it until your doctor is concerned...besides, they grow fast enough anyway, why rush them to get "bigger"?? :)

Steve Vinessa - posted on 12/26/2008

didn't see the expressed breast milk, but another thing to watch is to see if she is eating more times than she normally would. And also, I admire you for pumping and exclusively feeding breast milk. It is hard enough to bottle feed, let alone pump for all those feedings!!! you're a trooper, and don't be in a huge hurry for her to gain more weight. It will come with time. :)

Steve Vinessa - posted on 12/26/2008

They say it isn't a good idea, I would just give it to her on a spoon, very thin if you want. However, do not be alarmed if your baby is not gaining weight every month. It is possible it is her metabolism. If she is healthy, and eating like normal, than don't worry. I had a couple of my children around that age that didnt' gain weight for 3 months, but were healthy, and thriving. :) Every child is different. Hope this helps

Liz - posted on 12/26/2008

At the time my twins were both over four months though when I added the cereal to their bottles.

Tandi - posted on 12/26/2008

thanks for the article, sarah i will definatley stop this right away

Liz - posted on 12/26/2008

They say you're not suppose to, but I added rice cereal to my twins formula to help thicken it up a bit before I ended up switching formula. Have you tried the formula that has extra calories in it? Enfamil and Similac both have them. They have two extra calories in it. My daughter was on it for a while to help her gain weight when my twins came home from the hospital. It worked wonders.

Tandi - posted on 12/26/2008

My daughter is 4 months old and i have been feedng her exclusively expressed breast milk in a bottle b/c she refused to breast feed, we tried for 3 1/2 months but finally gave up. I have talked to our family doctor about it and she said to track how much she eats at each feeding for three weeks then we will gether weighed again but i would like her to gain weight sooner than that, maybe i am jsut impatieant though :)

Lacey - posted on 12/26/2008

My daughter is 3 mos, and at her 2 month check up, her dr. said rice cereal in the bottle is not a good idea because it a.) forces them to ingest calories they are not used to taking, and b.) they could ingest particles into their lungs and it could cause serious problems...

she did say after she was 4 months old, at her next checkup, we would "discuss" rice cereal, so if your child is under 4 months, I would definitely not reccomend it...

Sabrina - posted on 12/26/2008

In my opinion, it does not help your child by putting it in the bottle. If you want to get your child to gain weight, it may be just as easy to feed the child off of a spoon. Depending on the age of the child, they may not be able to digest the cereal properly which could case gas, constipation or other stomach problems. It did not work for my daughter but my son didnt have a problem at 3.5 months.

Melissa - posted on 12/26/2008

My mom put cereal in my bottle and for all my siblings. Just keep it thin, get a nipple with a big, slit like opening (they even make them with a note "for thicker liquids") and keep an eye on he while she eats. Mostly doctors want your baby not to choke and to learn to eat from a spoon. Just don't make it a habit so she doesn't put on too much weight! Do what feels right for you and your baby.

Paulette - posted on 12/26/2008

How many months is daughter? If she is 4 months and older I would say it is fine. If she is younger, her body is not ready to digest the cereal. If old enough then I would say a teaspoon in a bottle is fine. Do you suspect acid reflux? What you should look at is....babies under a year grow at a fast pace. After 12 months there weight and height usually increases at a slower pace. Are you breastfeeding? Are you expressing and using a bottle? Or straight bottle feeding? If straight bottle feeding only using formula and the baby is under a year and the weight stays the same for a month I would be concerned. Especially if your daughter is under 4 months. I was breastfeeding and my daughters weight gain in the first 3 weeks was a concern for the doctor. A mom's milk supply has to come in and establish a nursing routine with the baby,etc. We decided to suppliment with Enfamil A R (added rice starch) along with breastfeeding. At 4 months we use rice cereal with both of our children because they had acid reflux. After we suppliment with Enfamil AR her weight went up and the doctor was more than happy when we came back at week three. I would say if you are concerned about her weight, do not feel funny about calling the peditricians office and asking questions for example: My daughter is (xx old) her weight has not increase in (xx amount of time) is this normal? They will want to know how her appetite is? Is she giving you enough pee/poo diapers? And maybe a few more questions. Hope I have helped you some. Remember your instincts as a mother are better than anyone elses, trust yourself. Please update us with your progress. Take care.

Victoria - posted on 12/26/2008

Absolutely not ok... It is considered a solid food.

Sarah - posted on 12/26/2008

http://www.drgreene.com/21_861.html
Here is an article I found by a doctor. There are a couple of reasons why this says it isn't a good idea. Hopefully all goes well for you!