MY BABY iS 3 M0NTHS. CAN i START iNTR0DUCiNG CEREAl iN B0TTlE & H0W MUCH DURiNG THE DAY ??

Sherry - posted on 10/18/2009

I would not ever put cereal in a bottle! 1. Your baby is too young to digest the cereal, thier digestive systems are not developed fully

2. Your child is at risk of choking on it and getting it in thier lungs.

3. Your child should only eat solids around 4 months and should be introduced slowly.

I hope this helps your decision?

Kate - posted on 10/18/2009

The world health organisation recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for 6mths, the same would apply for formula fed babies. Studies have shown that a childs digestive systems is not ready for solid food yet and by filling them up with solids you are taking away the nutrients they would get from extra milk. Your baby is still so little and should not be required to sleep through the night yet, they are growing at such a rapid rate that they need frequent feeds, and the sucking action and being close to you is essential for healhty brain development and bonding.

Edna - posted on 10/18/2009

Plz! The child is hungry. Start small a teaspoon and move up a little based on the baby's desire. You'll know by the lip smacking satisfaction.

Shelli - posted on 10/18/2009

Wow! I may offend someone but I will take that risk...This should not be a place to post medical opinions! I find that very irresponsible. I am married to a pediatrician. Why would you ask advice on something as important as nutrition on a site like this? You have chosen a doctor that you trust. Ask them your questions! By the way, I have a sixteen year old and a twelve year old. Both were only fed breast milk, never formula. The first slept through the night at eight weeks and the second at six weeks. All babies are different.

They are both very healthy and very intelligent. I still ask their pediatrician/dad questions about their health. If you do not trust your child's doctor than you should switch to another doctor. Please do not listen to advice on subjects as important as nutrition from anyone who does not have medical training. Why would you???

Enjoy your babies! They are going to grow up so fast! Also...make sure you label EVERY photo with the date! You think you will remember ...but trust me, you won't!

Shelli - posted on 10/18/2009

Never put it in a bottle!

Kimberly - posted on 10/17/2009

I have a 16 year old, a 14 year old and a 22 month old. They all had cereal, at niqht, in their bottle. None has any food allerqey and they all eat more thinqs then most kids would, i.e brussell sprouts and salmon. If, at niqht, it fills their tummies, and Mom qets some sleep, that is always a qood thinq. You can not be the best Mom if you are exhausted, and kids know. Do what your qut says, even doctors don't know the riqht thinq. You are with this baby every day!

Brenda - posted on 10/17/2009

You shouldn't start a baby on cereal in a bottle.

Nicole - posted on 10/17/2009

My vote is also No cereal in the bottle for all the reasons listed above. That said, my doctor told us to start solids between 4-6 months when they are ready. A baby's tongue moves in a certain direction when sucking at breast or bottle. But is moves differently when starting cereal/solid food. So if you try the solid food and they really just don't get it/keep pushing it out with their tongue, they they are not ready. Wait a week or so and try again. But, when all else fails, ask your doctor, he/she will give you the best advice. Good luck!

Shan - posted on 10/17/2009

I did not put the cereal in a bottle but i found an infant feeder and started her on 2 ounces of milk wiht a teaspoon of rice at 3 months and only at night. She was eating every two hours. She was never over weight and she is now 7 and she does not even weigh 50 pounds. Just when it starts to get thick enough to stay on the spoon you give it to the child by the spoon

Lisa - posted on 10/17/2009

I have 6 healthy children. When my youngest one was a infant I had to put cereal in his bottle because of reflex. I do agree if you don't have to do it in a bottle don't. You can how ever spoon feed it to your little one. go a tblsp. and make it soupy. The little one will love it. I know my other children did and my oldest is 28

Erica - posted on 10/17/2009

My doctor told me it was fine when my son was 2 mos. It won't hurt anything, but I decided it was just more trouble than it was worth. I breast fed though, so mine only got the occasional bottle anyway. Start with just a little at first once a day. Then go from there.

Dawn - posted on 10/17/2009

i have had eight kids and i have started all my kids on cereal at around the same age ,but i dont put it in the bottle i make it in a bowl,i make it runny and i give it around mid morning to start with ,then as they get a bit older i give it late afternoon,as i find they sleep better of a night...

Stephanie - posted on 10/17/2009

When my son was born he was 11 lbs 5 oz and after about two weeks he could not get satisfied with just formula. So we started him at night after his bath on rice cereal. We had one of those feeders for cereal However we found out after the first time that he was sucking it down so fast he did not know he was full. So we started using a baby spoon. This worked and he only ate just a few spoons and finished with a bottle and slept through the night.

You just work with your doctor and try different things to find out what works for you and your baby. I say this because at age 6 months he started throwing up the formula so with the pediatrician we moved to 1% milk and in a few weeks stepped up to 2% then to whole and back down to the 2%.

Like most mothers will tell you you know your baby and what works for them You just have to be very aware of the little signs to guide you.

Valine - posted on 10/17/2009

its good you want to start your child on cereal right now my daughter just turned 3 months i've been giving her cereal since she was two months just the size of a quater for right now mixed in her formula start off when its time to put mher out for the night

Alberta - posted on 10/17/2009

i worked for a pediatric for over five years. i feed both of my children cereal in every bottle since there was two months and there great. when feeding just put enough to make it a little thick. once you do this you will realize you don't have to feed as often and that they start sleeping way better for you.

Lateak - posted on 10/17/2009

Everyone has their own opionion, but whatever you decide remember that all kids are not create equal. LOL. I have three kid of my own and about seven nieces and nephews and all were started on cereal about that time. They are now between ages 21-5, and they are all doing well. You just have to figure out your child. And FYI on a personal note: If you do decide to use it. Plz Do Not make the cereal thick. Thats where the constipation comes in effect.

Melody - posted on 10/17/2009

i help raise alot of children from birth. and three of them had to have cereal in their bottles just a few weeks old and it did not affect them.the cereal helped their refluxes.their pediatric dr told us to put cereal in their bottle but not thick very thin.

Candace - posted on 10/17/2009

my daughter is 6 months old and she has been eating cereal in her bottle since she was 2 months old I had to start her on it because she has acid reflux really bad so the doctor recommended that I try her on a lil cereal... what I did was start out with just a lil bit in there until the baby gets used to it so it dont make them real constipated!! then add a lil more maybe ever week or so if they do get constipated go get some supposatorys and give that to them and it will most def help!!

Teresa - posted on 10/17/2009

i started to feed my girls around 3-4 months old they were hungry, i didnt wait til the advised 6 mths and mine are fine. i started with rice ceral once a day at night, this was when they were the hungiest and it filled their bellies for a good night sleep, but give food after bottle as milk is the main food supply til about 9 mths old. Good luck.

Angie - posted on 10/17/2009

My reply about people being sarcastic was to the one who said you do have a pediatrician don't you. Some things are uncalled for. I know everyone has opinions, but to get on here and demean people is ridiculous.

Laura - posted on 10/17/2009

In an 8 ounce bottle, put about 1-2 "formula scoops" of rice cereal in the bottom of the empty bottle...put about 2-4 ounce of HOT water in and shake until smooth. COOL THIS DOWN. Then make up a regular 6 ounce bottle of formula and add the 2 ounces of cereal to it. It should make up one 8 ounce bottle total, 2cereal/6formula. When you tip the bottle upside down and apply slight pressure to the nipple, it should come out smoothly. I started with once a day, lunch time and then after about 2 weeks I moved into one at lunch and one at dinner, formula only at bedtime, less throwing up/gagging upset tummy, fussiness and crying. After about 2 months of this switch to a spoon and make the cereal about the same texture as applesauce, then about 2 months later add applesauce. Good luck. Mother of 2 daycare provider of infants for 8 years.

Rebecca - posted on 10/17/2009

This topic is something that is debated over and over again with everyone having such a strong opinion on what they do is right! My opinion, to all mothers, do what you think is right and what feels okay to you. Most people are terrified at the idea of giving there babies anything but breastmilk/formula for the first year, and some the first year and a half. What I did with both of my children, the were formula fed, starting with cereal and formula (Spoonfed, never out of a bottle) at around 2 months, after they tried all the cereals, they went on to fruits, veggies, and meats..all introduced one at a time to notice if allergic to any of them, by 6-7 months they were on all fruits, veggies and meats and off formula on to milk. My pediatrician said that they Recomend only formula for a year, but was okay with this, we kept logs on what the kids ate to make sure they weren't missing out on any vitamins in their diet. Now, they have wonderful eathing habits, very active and excelled in their preschool evaluations! My opinion on the child obesity link...two things, people feeding kids every single time they cry, whether they are hungry or not, they get a bottle in their mouth! Another, kids aren't getting the excercise they used to!!! Kids need to be able to be active, starting from the belly stage!! Hope any of this helps!!

Kendra - posted on 10/17/2009

Here is a great article it took me 2 seconds to find on Google (just type in putting cereal in baby bottle in the search bar).

Your pediatrician says this is not wise (except as a treatment for reflux). Dietitians and nutritionists concur. Introducing solids before 4 months might cause food allergies. Your well-wishers discount these recommendations because cereal in the bottle worked wonders for their children!

Throughout most of human history children were exclusively breast fed for the early months. During the previous generation or two, when bottle-feeding became very popular, rice cereal was often put into the bottle at a very early age. What were the results?

Most children seemed to thrive. A small number of children, though, did not tolerate the addition, because their sucking and swallowing actions were not yet fully coordinated. They inhaled small amounts of the rice cereal into their lungs, which led to pulmonary problems.

I’m much more concerned about a subtler issue. Babies are born with a wonderful mechanism for knowing how much food they need. During the early months, they take their cues from the volume of what they drink. Adding cereal derails this mechanism. It forces them to take in deceptively large amounts of calories. It teaches them to overeat.

By starting with a spoon, resting between bites, and stopping when your child lets you know he’s full, you will be laying an excellent foundation for good eating habits throughout his life.

A major study looking for the causes of obesity found that short-circuiting young children’s self-regulation of how much they eat is a major cause of later obesity.1 Cereal in the bottle does just that.

Babies that are fed this way may appear to be unaffected – but those few weeks of added convenience may result in a lifetime of struggles with weight. This common practice may have contributed to our being the most obese generation in history.

And it doesn’t even work. Scientists at the Cleveland Clinic studied the effect of cereal on sleep and found that adding the cereal did nothing at all to speed up the age of sleeping through the night. That first uninterrupted 6-hour stretch of sleep came no earlier in those who took cereal early.2

People swear otherwise. I suspect the reason is that kids do fall asleep a bit more quickly, and some babies may even go a bit longer between feedings. There is no scientific evidence, though, to support the claim that cereal in the bottle will help an infant increase total sleep or decrease crying.3

Drawing on the wisdom of experience and the latest scientific knowledge, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against adding cereal to the bottle. It may be tempting after your 16th straight sleep-deprived night to cut a bigger hole in the feeding nipple to add rice cereal. But it won’t offer lasting help, and it may be giving your baby a lasting gift that both of you will regret.

Alan Greene MD FAAP
http://www.drgreene.com/21_861.html

More sites:
http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/tipcere...

http://www.parenting.com/article/Pregnan...

5 reasons not to put cereal in your child's bottle
http://baby.families.com/blog/5-reasons-...

Sharon - posted on 10/17/2009

My last baby was a 10 pounder and the breast and bottle alone was not getting the job done for him. My sitter started him on cereal, with just a touch of fruit in it to help with constipation. He was well satisfied and started to sleep through the night. To quote my sitter: "You can't operate a Cadillac on the same amonut of fuel that you operate a Yugo, and get the same distance and performance."

April - posted on 10/17/2009

When starting a baby on cereal using a bottle, you NEVER ever leave the baby unattended. The cereal should be so soupy that it is almost like plain milk. I gave the girls cereal through the bottle three times a day and plain water or milk or juice the other feedings. When I fed them cereal, I held them and watched them carefully. They seemed to want to choke more with water than with anything else. We always joked that there was a bone in their water. If you watch your baby carefully, there should be no problem with cereal in a bottle. Just don't make it thick.....about a tablespoon of cereal in an entire bottle of milk or water. Good luck with your baby, and again....go with your instincts.

Kendra - posted on 10/17/2009

I CANNOT believe that people actually put cereal in their baby's bottles in this day and age with the information available. Not to offend anyone, which I know I will, but all of the literature and research proves against it as many have already pointed out. I know that our mothers did certain things.



My mother started me on whole milk when I was a few months old. HOWEVER, that is what the Dr. told her at the time. They did not have the same research or know better. When my son was an infant 15 years ago there was no information about DHA or ARA. Does that mean it isn't important for brain development??So, yes he and I turned out OK, but who knows. I might have been a little bit healthier or smarter or different if my mother had the information available. And yes, nothing happened to me. But does that mean I am willing to even take a risk with my child? Also, the statement that hundreds of other parents do it does NOT make it ok or safe. Hundreds of pregnant mothers drink and do drugs too but is it a good idea?



Obviously you have access to the internet. Please do the research. It doesn't take long, and as long as you look at good parenting and medical websites, you will receive very good information. On a board like this you will get a lot of opinions from people, but none of us are professionals.



On a side note- I started giving my daughter cereal from a bowl and spoon when she was around 4 months. It was not as a source of nutrition but rather because she was exhibiting the cues to show interest in feeding, and I wanted to give her the experience of a different texture. I followed the guidelines on the cereal, online, and of my pediatrician. I gradually introduced new foods over the next couple of months, once again following guidelines. I NEVER relied on the foods though. Her main source of nutrition was still formula (I had to quit nursing at 3 months because of medical reasons with me). Now she is 11 months old and beginning to eat big people food. She still drinks regular formula too.



If you are worried about your baby sleeping through the night, don't believe that cereal makes it better. They wake up for very specific reasons and will sleep through when they are ready no matter how miserable it makes us. My daughter started sleeping through around 2 months WITHOUT cereal in her bottle. She was just ready is all.

Marti - posted on 10/17/2009

Both of my kids had different peds when they were infants (we moved--I didn't have a problem with the first one). Our first ped was very cautious because my husband has food allergies--and one school of thought is to wait to help prevent allergies. We started Stew on cereal @ 6 months. Matt's ped told us we could start him @ 2 months. I was horrified and waited until he was 3 months. At that time he was consuming nearly $200 worth of formula a month (wasn't allowed to nurse due to meds). We started him out on cereal--bowl and spoon. It took a week or more for him to figure out what to do with it. :) Both peds were VERY clear that cereal should not be put in a bottle--it can cause choking--you'll sleep better if your baby is safe. :)

April - posted on 10/17/2009

Sweetie,

I, too, raised three beautiful girls and I started them off on nursing. When they started needing more than just milk, I started putting baby cereal in their bottles. One daughter was about 3 months old, the other two were only about 3 weeks old. I made it extremely soupy. This helped them to sleep through the night. By the time the youngest two were a month old, they were sleeping all through the night. All three of my girls are grown, happy and very healthy. When my oldest was less than a week old, I was still nursing her, I had to go back into the hospital and they fed her Simulac with Iron. This caused a fisher which in turn caused her years of pain. The pediatrician did nothing for her so I took her 500 miles away to the Doctor that delivered me. He told me to give her regular mill as it is lower in fat than formulas. I did and that is what helped her get through the fisher problem. It still took time to heal, but she wasn't in as much pain and it healed much faster. The pediatrician than informed me that "if I was going to feed her cow's milk, which was for baby cow's not baby people, than I could find another pediatrician" so I quit going to a pediatrician and started taking my children to my regular MD who seemed to know more about the realities of babies than any pediatrician I had met. My regular MD didn't treat me like an idiot when I asked questions and didn't act like he was almighty God, he just talked to me like I was someone who was looking to him for the correct answers. To this day, I hate pediatricians, they all seem too stuck on themselves, like they are the only ones who know anything. My suggestion to you is to go with your own gut instincts. A mothers instincts are the best! God gave us those instincts to help us raise his children so they can't be wrong! You'll do fine as long as you don't do anything, anybody tells you that goes against what you feel is right, deep down inside your gut! Good luck

Trudy - posted on 10/17/2009

Quoting Lisa May:

My advice would be definitely don't put cereal in a baby's bottle!!! It's the most dangerous thing I've ever heard! Drinking and eating are completely different and your baby could choke no matter how small the amount! I don't know what they teach you in America but in the U.K it's a big no no. Not only does it lead to obesity and can affect their undeveloped teeth but it can also cause them food allergies.

Are you only wanting to do this so you can sleep better because there is no need, either up the ounces in his/her bottles or wait untill the recommended age of 4-6 months before introducing small amounts of cereal in a bowl so he/she can learn to feed properly. All the research that has been developed has been done so for a reason, ok some are a bit O.T.T but seriously parenting is about common sense, could you drink something with lumps in it without choking!!!!!

If you put baby rice in bottle and widen the nipple, its fine. There are No lumps is just thicker milk, can we drink milkshakes? Yes we can and so could a baby if you gave it to them. My daughter has rice in her bedtime bottles and I know that 100's and 1000's of parents do it, the food allergies bit is right but that is Cereal only, due to the grass pollen that cereal can carry. Rice is fine and alot of parents do it!

Terri - posted on 10/17/2009

i did this for my oldest son. i put a teaspoon in a bottle of formula from the time he was 6 weeks

Sarah Chase - posted on 10/17/2009

We started giving Nicholas cereal by 2 months...at bedtime..they will sleep through the night and be happier...the doctor said he is healthy and wonderful...so, do what you feel is comfortable...no health problems here!! "knock on wood" We would just thicken the cereal up with formula and water, and we cut a slit in the nipple...he loved it! good luck!

Mandy - posted on 10/17/2009

Yaritza, I am the mother of a five year old and I am expecting a new little one to join our family at the end of February. My son actually had a reflux problem. The doctor believed that it was happening because my son drank his bottle too fast. He had me introduce the rice and banana cereal, but in a bowl and on a spoon sitting up. Just enough for a few bites before he got his bottle. It helped my son with his reflux and he was less inclined to gulp his bottle down so fast. I hope this helps you a little. Good luck! ~Mandy~

Eve - posted on 10/17/2009

Post a reply!I started my son with oatmeal at 4months by spoon--mixing it with apple juice.always check with your pediatrician--all kids are different.

Jennell - posted on 10/17/2009

I gave both of my kids cereal at a month old and neither one is anywhere close to being over weight. Just keep in mind that these doctors are referring info that is referred to them. You are not making your child grow up too fast either by giving them cereal. The way I always did it was I made up 1oz. less of their normal feeding. I mixed up a couple tablespoons of cereal with part of their bottle. I fed them their cereal and what was left of the bottle. That way they are getting that little extra but they are not overeating. You are the parent and you know what your kid needs better than anyone. I say that if you feel your child is ready for cereal then go for it!

Rebecca - posted on 10/17/2009

Quoting Angie:

She was asking a question, which is why they have circle of mom's. No sense being sarcastic!!

Wendy - posted on 10/17/2009

its ok to put cereal in bottle ,i always put 1 teaspoon at first and i also made the hole a lil bigger on the nipple ,try once a day at night and see if baby sleeps better ,just be careful with the rice cereal it can constipate and thats not fun .!as the baby gets bigger you ll need more cereal in the bottle ,good luck and take care,and enjoy! .... wendy

Karen - posted on 10/17/2009

Why not mix up a small amount in a bowl and give your baby whatever amount they will eat. Your baby tells you how much. You will find your baby will sleep better and longer the plus side is the time you share with your child while feeling him/her

Charlene - posted on 10/17/2009

there are so many ppl that say this and say that and so many different ways of doing everything. one mother will say use soap others will say dont. you have to do you think will work for your child. i feel if your child is happy on his formula bottle, drinking every 4 hours and dropped a night bottle and sleeping thorugh, you dont need to introduce cereal, if not then add 3/4 teaspoons in formula feed last bottle at night... other than that wait till they 4 months ol to start cereal from a spoon and other solids from 6 months. i have 3 kids and my son is 11 weeks now, i give him 3/4 tsps rice cereal in bottle...

Julie - posted on 10/17/2009

I put cereal in my sons bottle at 3 weeks. It was only at bedtime because he was only sleeping about 30 minutes and then would wake up hungry again. I was exhausted. I asked the doctor what to do and he told me to put 3 tsp of cereal to a 6 oz bottle. I did have to make the hole in the bottle bigger and had to make sure I only used that nipple for cereal bottles only. My son is now 17 and perfectly healthy.

Kristine - posted on 10/17/2009

What is everyones fascination with putting cereal in the bottle? Sorry to sound so crabby this early in the morning, but it is a choking issue for anyone to do that and guess i am just extremely worried about this myself as am due to give birth any day now and my mother in law keeps talking about when the baby is hungry and not able to sleep through the night that i should put cereal in the bottle. i know as a mother that i would never do this and didnt do this with my other 2 girls, but worried about her thinking this is okay when my child is in her care!

Chloe - posted on 10/17/2009

My doctor was "Old School" and always said when to start cereal/food depends on the baby, not the chart. All 3 of my girls were started on cereal at about 2 months in their bottle. Start out very thin at first and work your way up. Sassy brand (sold at Target) even sells a small bottle designed for feeding cereal in a bottle. It also helps with reflux and sleeping better (since they have a full belly at night) I usually just did it at night. My girls were all big and bottles with formula just weren't cutting it as they grew. It's true there's no rush to start solids, but if they're hungry all the time, you have to help them out a little. Good Luck!

Lori - posted on 10/17/2009

I also am a mother of 4 healthy children and you can definitely start giving cereal now if you feel they are ready. I also wouldn't do the bottle as if you start out feeding them with a spoon it helps them adjust to how they need to eat baby food. I always started it in the evening just a teaspoon very soupy first and then gradually add more and eventually start in the morning too.

VANESSA - posted on 10/17/2009

HI, I HAVE 4 CHILDREN MYSELF, AND GIVING YOUR BABY CEREAL IN THE BOTTLE IS NO PROBLEM. I GAVE IT TO MY KIDS WHEN THEY WERE 2 WEEKS OLD. A TABLESPOON OR 2 DOESN'T HURT AT ALL. MY FIRST CHILD IS 10 YRS. OLD NOW AND HE IS AS HEALTHY AS AN OX. WHEN HE WAS A BABY, HE WAS ALLERGIC TO ANY FORMULA YOU CAN THINK OF. THE WIC OFFICE AND HIS DOCTOR DIDN'T WANT TO CHANGE IT SO I STARTED GIVING HIM WHOLE MILK AT TWO MONTHS. MY SON NEVER HAD BABY FOOD, I USED TO BOIL THE MEATS AND VEGGIES AND PUT IT IN THE BLENDER WITH THE WHOLE MILK AND HE WAS FINE. THE DOCTOR NEVER SAID HE WAS OVER WEIGHT OR ANYTHING OF THE KIND.HE WAS BORN WITH ANEMIA, LOW IRON. AND HIS DOCTOR TOLD ME WHAT EVER YOU ARE GIVING HIM KEEP DOING IT.HE HASN'T HAD IT SINCE. ALL THE RED MEAT AND THE VEGGIES WERE BOILED AND IT KEPT ALL OF THE PROTEINS AND IRON IN THE FOOD. AND YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT A LITTLE CEREAL! LOL!! YOU CAN GIVE IT TO THE BABY IF YOU WANT. THE FORMULA ALONE DOESN'T FILL UP THERE TUMMY. THAT'S WHY THEY ARE ALWAYS HUNGRY. AT THREE MONTHS YOU CAN GIVE THEM THERE BABY JUICE AND THE BABY FRUIT. THE CREAMED ONES. BUT STICK TO ONE FOR A MONTH TO MAKE SURE THE BABY IS NOT ALLERGIC TO CERTAIN ONES. YOU CAN PUT CEREAL EVERY TIME YOU GIVE HER A BOTTLE.YOU WILL SEE SHE IS SATISFIED MORE AND WILL BOTHER FOR MILK LESS.

Karen - posted on 10/17/2009

My daughter (now 42 years old) was started on cereal at 2 weeks, from a bowl and on a spoon, not in a bottle. She is not in the least overweight and never has been, a beautiful figure on her. We fed a baby cereal as soon as 4 hour feedings were not enough - ie: wanted more in less then 4 hours - and yes the cereal we used was rice because if was light on the little tummies. Now on the other hand, my eldest son (now38) only tolerated milk until he was 6 months. In other words 42 years ago we let the baby decide what and when to eat with the doctors advice on specifics. How times have changed. (By the way - I mean MILK - not formula, and yes we had formula, but all of my children were fed carnation canned milk (half and half from sterilized bottles) with the addition of a dose of vitamins every day. I have 5 grown, healthy, not over weight in the least happy children with families of their own.

Lisa May - posted on 10/17/2009

My advice would be definitely don't put cereal in a baby's bottle!!! It's the most dangerous thing I've ever heard! Drinking and eating are completely different and your baby could choke no matter how small the amount! I don't know what they teach you in America but in the U.K it's a big no no. Not only does it lead to obesity and can affect their undeveloped teeth but it can also cause them food allergies.



Are you only wanting to do this so you can sleep better because there is no need, either up the ounces in his/her bottles or wait untill the recommended age of 4-6 months before introducing small amounts of cereal in a bowl so he/she can learn to feed properly. All the research that has been developed has been done so for a reason, ok some are a bit O.T.T but seriously parenting is about common sense, could you drink something with lumps in it without choking!!!!!

Louise - posted on 10/17/2009

So many replies! When your baby is bigger you'll realise just how small a 3 month old infant is! They can choke on cereal and they have found now that their bodies can't digest food properly until 6months - that is why they say no food until then as you will get stomach pain (crying!) and constipation. I was in a bit of a hurry with baby number 1, but when I had baby number 2 I realised how fast it goes and just let her be a baby and pig out on breast milk as much as she pleased. She is a very happy child now.

Jan - posted on 10/17/2009

Noooo, not in a bottle , a little on a spoon.

Tess - posted on 10/17/2009

Never in the bottle but while everyone seems to have an opinion on the best time to start giving food I followed my doctors advice (over 30 years ago) and started them when they were getting 8oz a feeding and still hungry. I had 3 boys and that translated into 9 weeks for one, 4 months for one and 8 months for one. The one who got food the earliest has always been thin (he's 32 now). My guess is that he's always had a really high metabolism. BTW, the one who started the latest was always the best sleeper too. My point is to trust that you know if your baby is really hungry and needs food to supplement the bottle.

Jessica - posted on 10/17/2009

First: Every child is different. I have 3 children. My first one started cereal at 4 months, my second had it in a bottle per her gastroenterologists' instructions starting at 2 months. My third was a bruiser, he started eating solids at 3 months and by 4months was gumming regular food to death. He wouldn't eat baby food, or cereal. Take your cues from your children. Only YOU know what is best for them.

Second: No need to listen to other people. Though everybody's advice on here is wonderful, it is based on their own experiences and biases. ONLY YOU know your child. Is your child staring at your spoon as you eat? If not, he's probably not ready for cereal, and you will start a very frustrating journey. If so, then he might be ready.

Good luck,

Jessica

Jan - posted on 10/17/2009

As the mum of a babe with severe colic, I was advised by the health centre nurse to feed him with fruit gel at only 6 weeks of age and then not too much later baby rice, worked a treat !!! Not given by bottle, by spoon.