when can i start putting rice cereal in my daughter Grace's bottle, and will it really help her sleep longer?

Nicole - posted on 11/17/2008

I started my son (now 5 months) on solids, including veggies and fruit along with oatmeal instead of the rice cereal when he was almost 3 months. I didn't do it because of sleep, since he's slept through the night when he was just 5 weeks old. However, he is a power eater and constantly hungry and milk even like 10 oz does not keep him happy for more then an hour. I think that as along as you introduce food slowly and watch for any sign of allergic reactions, you can do it as early as you'd like. They say feed with a spoon because babies need to learn to eat off a spoon anyway and also for choking. One thing you should know about sleeping through the night, while feeding solids may help, it's acutally a maturity factor in the brain that causes them to sleep through the night. Hope that helps. Good luck with your sweet baby!

Cindy - posted on 11/17/2008

Hey Elizabeth - a different sleep pattern has helped mine sleep thru the night better than the rice cereal... I too was desperate to give my baby some solids to sleep better at night and I tried giving him rice cereal in his bottle and it gave him the worst gas ever! So the doc gave me interesting advice last week. The sleep cycle of a baby is 3 hours going thru deep to light sleep, very different pattern than adults. And my 5 month old was waking up every 3 hours like clockwork, (and waking up my 4 year old too) so I'd give him a paci and he'd go right back to sleep, then I'd end up feeding him at 3am. My doc encouraged me to let him comfort himself to sleep at 8pm, so that when he wakes up every 3 hours, he will be able to comfort himself back to sleep. After 6 nights of letting him cry it out at night, it's working. He slept from 8pm -5:30am night before last and 8pm-4am last night never woke up once! Now he's beginning to comfort himself back to sleep when he wakes up without me having to run in there and give him a paci. So at 8pm, we put him in his crib, let him cry for 5 mins, then we go reassure him and give him his paci if it has fallen out. If he is still crying, then we add a minute and go back 6 mins later and do the same. Each time we add a minute and the longest he has cried was 30 mins, yet last night it was only 5 mins... and tonight, he didn't cry at all, he just layed there playing with the mobile. So we are making huge strides. I thought he was really hungry and that's why he couldn't sleep, but that rice cereal had him up every hour to 2 hours and it was completely exhausting me. He just wanted to be held everytime he came out of his deep sleep to light sleep in that 3 hour pattern. So it might be food Grace is after, but it might also be a new sleep pattern.

Amanda - posted on 11/17/2008

Every child is different just like every pregnancy is different. Every mother has their own opinion just as every doctor and pediatrician have their own opinions. I have 4 children, they are 10, 8, 2, and 4 months. Any time I have taken my kids to the doc to ask his advise, his response is always the same - let the baby decide he/she will let you know when they r ready. I have always trusted my docs advise-well cause hes my doctor - lol! but also because he has 5 kids of his own. your baby will let you know if he/she is not getting enough from breast milk or formula alone. as for feeding with the spoon rather than putting it in babies bottle (if you do feel baby needs more) do what ever your baby is more comfortable with. if they r able to swallow the cereal mixed in with the bottle with the nipple made bigger and not choke - go hard - make baby happy. if they take it well off the spoon and dont choke feed it to baby that way or both! what ever works best for you and baby. As someone else had said - no one knows your baby better than you do. If your baby seems satisfied with just the bottle and doesnt seem to need more to eat, i wouldnt recommend giving cereal just to make them sleep longer. Some babies may not ever sleep through the night (like my 2 yr old-never has-still gets up in the night) and some will sleep through the night from 1 month (my 10 yr old). every child is different and will let you know (says my docor) hope this helps.

Tiffanie - posted on 11/17/2008

I put rice cereal in both of my kids' bottles because they had problems with reflux. My daughter wasn't so bad, and it did help her sleep a little bit longer, maybe an hour. My son developed GERD; so he had to have it to help his formula stay down. As far as it being too hard to suck from a nipple, you only add a scoop or two to the bottle depending on the amount. Also, if it's still too hard, then you can cut the nipple....This worked for us and our doctors recommended it at 3 mos of age. Do whatever you think is best for your child.

Loy - posted on 11/17/2008

I'm new here, hope I'm helping. I never bottle-fed my girls at night, so I can't weigh in on the cereal issue, but I can weigh pretty heavily on the sleeping issue.

My first born turned out to have milk allergies at birth, which led to acid reflux every time she laid down. She slept for only 2-3 hours and would wake crying because her tummy hurt. Once we finally figured that out, Zantac for the short term and eliminating milk from my diet for the long term was the solution ... and finally we were able to sleep.

My second-born wouldn't sleep through the night, either, as soon as we moved her from our bedroom. After putting her in a crib for a short while, we brought her back to the co-sleeper in our bedroom, then figured out we could leave some music playing in her room to keep her happy. Eventually, she didn't need that either.

IMO, you should try to find out what your baby needs in order to remain asleep (yes, it's hard) and I think you'll have a more successful, non-controversial solution.

Betsy - posted on 11/17/2008

Wow, lots of response. ALL CHILDREN ARE DIFFERENT. I put cereal in the bottle for the sole purpose of getting nutrition to my (8-9 month old) developmentally delayed baby girl who had hypotonia of the muscles and couldn't eat solids. It is generally not recommended so that the baby isn't accidentally over-filled (Dr. advice: pay attention to child). I never left my girl with a bottle unsupervised so choking and overfilling not an issue. Made the hole bigger so she didn't have to work too hard to get it.

Jaime - posted on 11/17/2008

As far as solids/cereal goes, I started my son out at 3 months w/ cereal & formula mixed, 6 months to baby food jar type, & at 9 months was eating mashed up table food (still w/ some formula to round things out, mostly in a sippy). I didn't see any adverse reactions to this routine. My son had pretty bad acid reflux (pretty much everything that went in came out, I don't think I wore anything besides sloppy T-shirts for 6 months after he was born). The solid food seemed to weigh things down and keep it in his tummy. Both of us were much happier about it. The peditrician suggested it, WIC disliked it, but hes a happy healthy little boy who didn't throw up after every meal. As far as the solids making him sleep better....can't say, he's always been a really good sleeper! I do agree with a couple of the moms who said that every baby is different and you just need to do what works for you and not what anyone else says you have to do. Talk to your peds about it and if you're not happy w/ him/her, talk to another dr. The first dr I took my son to, (at 4 days old), told me he was allergic to the air we are breathing because he's not used to it after being in a liquid enviroment for 9 months....not very helpful or comforting to a new mom. So I went to someone more reasonable, just do what you feel is right. There is something to be said about a mothers intuition.

Carlie - posted on 11/17/2008

Hey Elizabeth, I always talked to my daughter's doctor before I changed anything in her diet. I gave her rice cereal when she was 3 months old, but with a spoon. It helps the baby learn to move food to the back of their mouth which is an important skill. It seemed to satisfy my daughter more that just milk. You can mix the cereal with breast milk or formula too, and as they get older you can mix in fruit and veggies. My daughter is now 18 months and she still likes the cereal sometimes! Good luck, mommy instincts are always best. So listen to what your gut tells you, not what others tell you!

Kay Kay - posted on 11/17/2008

Hey Elizabeth, You will find that there are many Dr's out there that will tell each individual mom a different thing depending on their practice. Most do not recommend putting cereal in bottles before 3 months because their little bellies have can have a hard time breaking down the food. Dr's do use cereal to control reflux but at a minimal amount. Most DR's also don't recommend because moms will put to much cereal to thicken the milk and can lead to constipation because of that inability to break it down. Cereal in the bottle really do not cause them to sleep longer. Some babies are diff and sleep longer on an average. You should first make sure that she is waking up because she is hungry. If not teach her how to self soothe like others recommended( rubbing her back, gently tapping her butt, etc.).Some just want comfort and you don't want the bottle to be a comfort measure for her. There comes a point in time when you want her to be able to put herself back to sleep and you not have to be there. Big holes in the nipple can cause problems so instead try avent 1-2-3 hole nipples if you need a better flow.

Penny - posted on 11/17/2008

I have a one year old daughter who is my first and I had asked the same question. My daughter was a very hungrey baby. I went to my doctor and asked what can i do and if I could put rice ceral in her bottle. He said ti was fine and she was 6 weeks old. She started sleeping better and I believe she was also feeling a lot more fuller as I would be feeding her every 2 hours and when I started putting the rice ceral in she would sleep the hole night and she would have bottles every 4-6 hours durning the day. Its really what you feel best doing. It will not hurt your baby at all

Jen - posted on 11/17/2008

My doctor recommended that I put my daughter on rice cereal at two months because she was eating so much! A month later and she is sleeping 10 hours a night! Just make sure you get nipples with bigger holes! As always, I recommend talking to your pediatrician first! Good luck!

Tiffany - posted on 11/17/2008

I would never put cereal in a bottle, the risk of baby choking or becoming sick due to indigestion/allergic reactions is not one I'd take. However, to each their own, and there's no need for anyone to be fighting about it.

My 2 year old first got rice cereal at 4-5 months and it was in a bowl diluted with breastmilk. My new baby is one month old, and he won't be getting any cereal until about the same time.

Amie - posted on 11/17/2008

Wow, a lot of responses and most of them are good. I'd ignore any negativity. It is not constructive. There is no right or wrong, just different approaches. For my own I talked to public health and had an appointment there with their nutritionist. What I heard this last time surprised me but I followed their advice and now have a large(shes 17 months 2ft. 9 inch. and 28 lbs.) healthy toddler. =) What I was told this go around (I have 3 kids) was this. It is ok to start babies at 3 months if they need it. Our daughter did as she was drinking an excessive amount of formula in a day. If sleep is your only concern I'd hold off on it a little while but again that is only me. If you want to try make it runnier than recommended and try the spoon method. You will know if it is too soon. One of my friends tried it through the bottle before her lil one was ready and instead of a baby sleeping through the night ended up with a very cranky constipated baby. If you're still unsure after all this I recommend public health, it has always worked for my family and I. We live in Canada so I don't about other places but it's a start. =)

Jessica - posted on 11/17/2008

Oh my goodness!!!! Did you ever think this would get such a response? My daughter is now 5 and I was a by the book listen to every word the Dr. had to say kind of mom. I didn't feed my daughter cereal until 5 months with a spoon like my Dr. recommended. I was afraid of the whole choking thing, and she was a really good sleeper. I've been blessed. My advise to you would be to talk to you Dr. and listen to your motherly instincts. Ultimately you and your Dr. should be able to come up with a compromise if you are truly concerned about her sleep. Good Luck and God Bless.

Nikki - posted on 11/17/2008

I started my son on rice cereal when he was only a couple of weeks old. It was not to make him sleep longer but to help satisfy his hunger. He was up every 1.5-2 hours wanting a 6 oz. bottle every time. We started him out with an "infant feeder" that can be purchased in pretty much any baby section. The feeder is specifically designed for "soupy" cereal as well as to help push up the contents of the feeder when the baby is sucking on the nipple.
I told my doctor that I had given him cereal, and he stated that every child is different. The "RECOMMENDATION" is 4-6 months, but it was just that, a recommendation.

Rochelle - posted on 11/17/2008

My son is just now four months (tomorrow actually!) and I just gave him rice cereal for the first time last night. at first he didn't really get it but then he caught on to how the "eating" worked and loved it. He slept from 8:30pm until 4:00am (when I wake up for work) My pediatrician said that it was fine at his age and that if he seems hungry all the time even just a little while after a bottle then he is probably ready. I think that it made my son full for a change so he slept peacefully through the night :) he loved his new food! Good luck!

Cheryl - posted on 11/17/2008

I would agree with Erin. It is ultimatly up to the mom. I have 2 children who both started cereal early, my daughter at bout 2 and a half months, and my son at bout a month, they are both fine. I also agree with Erin that the name calling is completely uncalled for, thats not advice its childish bickering. What I would do Elizabeth is gather the info you have received from all sources, your fam, your friends, and anything helpful you have read here and go with your gut feeling on how you feel your daughter may or may not take solid food. Asking for advice is one thing, sorting through it all is a complete other, I feel that if we as mom's were suppose to go by the book they would come out with a manual that gave us step by step instructions on how to deal with every little thing throughout their lives. Good luck with the sorting, and congrats on your baby girl she is beautiful (from the pic)

Emily - posted on 11/17/2008

Just wanted to say that just as we tell our children, if someone says something rude and insulting, sometimes the best thing to do is COMPLETELY ignore it. I mean COMPLETELY, like do not respond, just pretend it didn't happen. To respond gives the insulter validity, which they do not deserve.It would be great if this could be a supportive, helpful community for us moms out there!

Missy - posted on 11/17/2008

1) If you agree with your medical care provider's philosophy, then you may use them as a guide as your child develops. But doctors are not gods and they are not always the authority on everything related to parenting. I did not see one comment from anyone that comes first to my mind: ask a nutritionist. Also, I used the book Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron when I was introducing solids to my sons. It is fantastic, providing sound guidelines about when baby's digestive system is ready for lots of exciting foods! The Family Nutrition Book by Dr. Sears is also an informative resource that may help you learn about giving your child what they need to grow and develop in a healthy way.



2) I did see someone allude to this information, but whether you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding, cereal or other foods should not be given at the same time as breastmilk or formula because the other foods will prevent the important nutrients in the milk from being fully absorbed. You should wait twenty minutes or longer after a milk feeding to give other foods. When babies begin eating solid foods in the second half of their life, it is mostly an experimentation phase to learn about new flavors and textures and their nutrients and calories still come primarily from breastmilk or formula.



3) I know how tiring life is when you are a mom with a baby who may not sleep well. Neither of my sons slept through the night until they were three years old, so I definitely understand the feeling of being exhausted. I enjoy a good night of sleep now, but I also remember many special nights of cuddling with their warm, tiny bodies and bright eyes when the world was quiet. I do miss those times.

Martha - posted on 11/17/2008

Hi everyone. My name is Martha and I am the community manager for Circle of Moms. I want to echo what Natasha said in her post. It seems like people are pretty passionate about whether or not we should put rice cereal in our children's bottles. While I love the advice and exchange of ideas, I want to make sure that the conversation is constructive. There is no "right answer" in parenting and, while you may disagree with some of the advice, there is no need to make people feel bad for their decisions. Please do not put people down in the future, whether it is for their approach to parenting or for their spelling. Feel free to reach out to me if the negativity continues.

Erin - posted on 11/17/2008

Sorry ladies, I don't know what I did, but I deleted my post! :o) Basically, I just said #1 that I didn't find it necessary for one mom to be calling another mom lazy, stupid, etc. for making a decision that she thought was right for her child. In my opinion, those are very insulting words and whether or not they were meant that way, that's certainly how it is coming off in the post. And #2...that the decision of how and what to feed your baby should ultimately be up to you since doctors give advice but they don't always know everything. I firmly believe that a mother knows her baby best and can gather all advice given, but the decision should be up to her (and Dad too of course!) :o). I had 2 different doctors give me conflicting information...and they are from the same clinic! One said that they don't recommend giving babies rice cereal until 4-6 months and the other said that if they take it willingly from the spoon and "chew" it appropriately that they were probably ready but both doctors agreed that it wouldn't hurt them....especially since rice cereal is part of the BRAT diet that they would give kids with food allergies and those with intestinal upset. I have 3 very healthy boys who were large at birth and all 3 started rice cereal around 2 months. They all took it from the spoon and moved it around appropriately in their mouths. It did help them stay fuller longer (each one wanted to nurse constantly) which in turn probably helped them sleep better but I can't be sure since all 3 were great sleepers from the get go. I always gave it from the spoon, a little runnier than normal, but never from the bottle. I do agree that that can pose a choking hazard. I also wanted to add that none of them developed any kind of food allergy which is the main reason the doctors don't recommend solids until 4-6 months. However, if you have any family history of food allergies, you might not want to risk it.

Harmony - posted on 11/17/2008

I wouldn't put cereal in your baby's bottle period. This can cause ear infections from her sucking so hard to get it out. Also, it's not recommended to give a baby any "solids" before 5-6 months old.

Denise Levy - posted on 11/17/2008

In response to this: I WOULDNT PUT CEREAL IN YOUR CHILDS BOTTLE.. LEADING CAUSE OF EAR INFECTIONS BECAUSE THE SUCKING SO HARD THROUGH NIPPLE. .... they make nipples designed specifically for cereal so they don't have to suck so hard :)

Christina - posted on 11/17/2008

Hey I am a nurse and have given my own 5 month old oatmeal cereal since he was 2 months old. We started giving it to him because of his acid reflux and he did sleep better because he was fuller and not throwing up everything he ate. In general the doctors I have talked to say it's safe to give them cereal, but suggest that you start with oatmeal because it has less of a chance to cause allergic reactions. I even have paper his doctor gave me saying that, You can use anywhere from a one teaspoon to one tablespoon or cereal per oz of formula.We started with just a little and as he has grown we have increased with the size of his bottle.

Beth - posted on 11/17/2008

Sounds like everyone has said all that can be said on the topic of putting rice cereal in a bottle. Mostly conjecture. Dr.'s say not to, many moms have tried it and no one has reported serious injury due to trying it to see if it works for your baby. I'm sorry some people seem to use this as a soap box to spew their venom and feel big by trying to make others feel bad.



As to sleeping longer... I have a 6 year old, 4 year old and 7 Month old. guess what I've found? yup, all babies are different. I am truly blessed with my 7 month old. she goes down at the latest by 7 pm and wakes for a feeding around 2 or 3 and then is up for the day by 7:00am.



Feel good about your baby's sleep if you are getting 5 or more consecutive hours at night and know it will get better. I wish you happiness solice in knowing you are doing your best and you are going to get through this.

Sara - posted on 11/17/2008

wow ladies!! every mother is entitled to there own oppinion...but do we have to be rude about it?!?! we are all here to give "motherly advice"!!! i have talked to tons of different moms who have given there child rice cereal at a young age, and nothing bad has ever happened to there babies!! if you have food allergies in your familys medical history, more than likely that is how your baby will end up with food allergies. not by feeding them solids too early. i gave my son rice cereal at 2 1/2 months because he acted like he was still hungry after feeding him an 8 ounce bottle. so i started feeding a little cereal by spoon and bowl. my son is now 18 months, has no food allergies, and is not over weight!!



elizabeth, i would do whatever you feel comfortable with!! :) good luck hun!!

Deanna - posted on 11/17/2008

If you are insistent about the cereal, use a spoon, not a bottle... and only a tiny bit. It also has to be a very very watery consistency ... but I still don't agree with that, I breast fed my son till he was six months old and he slept longer when he was ready to. Same with my daughter she slept through the nights when she was 3 months old : ) with breast milk and a bottle or two of formula a day

Angie - posted on 11/17/2008

Just wondering if you use a binky? I found out that when one of my babies would wake up in the night it was not always to eat. Sometimes they would go back to sleep with a binky. Also, is Grace waking up more than she should be. If she is getting up more than every 3-4 hours she might have bellyache or something. If that is the case then I suggest baby gas drops or trying a different formula. The drops were a godsend to me. Hope I have helped a little.

Deanna - posted on 11/17/2008

Putting cereal in a bottle is never a good idea... it is food not drink ... and no it does not help babies sleep longer. It just fills them up faster, which can reduce the intake of the essential vitamins in the breast milk or formula. She will set her own sleep patterns and they will probably change often until she is a little older. May I ask how old she is?

Maria - posted on 11/17/2008

The reason that some changes to the recommendations were made more recently had to do with sudies that seemed to show that when children were started on cereal or foods other than breast milk or formula before 6 months of age they were more prone to develop type 2 diabetes later in life. I have not heard of any new studies recently but the original study was done about 4 or 5 years ago. I have been a PA for 9 years and have 2 children and saw the recommendations change in the years between the birth of my kids. I am not sure as to what % increase in risk was found.

Corine - posted on 11/17/2008

I think that everyone is entitled to their own opinion. We all were probably given cereal before we were 6 mos. I would suggest to mix a little cereal and then try giving a baby spoonful around supper not too close to bed to give time to watch how they react.Keep the cereal runny not thick. It is each mother's discretion, and we all know our babies. If they still seem hungry then try it.

Natasha - posted on 11/17/2008

I think this has gotten a bit out of hand, we are all here to help others! Not everyone has the same "opinion" and yes when you ask a group of people for their help you need to be open to listen to them, and take it or leave it! May people will offer advice that you may or may not agree with, but it is your choice to take said advice. Now off topic comments aside, please remember why you are here, to help other mothers answer their questions and leave the rest alone.

Michele - posted on 11/17/2008

I have been told that if you start your infant on solids too early, they can acquire food allergies. My daughter who is now 8, was up every two hours. Man was a tired!! I found that it wasnt the food she was waking up for, but to be held! She wanted to cuddle. I started swaddling her and putting her in her car seat and sitting it in her crib. She felt warm and secure, and slept much longer. As far as putting rice in the bottle, I dont think its a good thing......but only my opinion. I think if you want to try it, spoon feed her a very dilluted mix of rice. Enjoy her!

Jennifer - posted on 11/17/2008

Well I'd like to clarify back in the olden days when my son was a baby there were pediatricians at the time who disagreed. Mine said it was fine and I also would like to add that not long after I did start with the spoon too - which also helps a baby develop muscle control in their tongue (of course you have to really start small and watch to make sure the baby can handle it).

Krystle - posted on 11/17/2008

I started letting my son who was born 6p 5oz, "taste" things at a few days old and had him on rice cereal in the mornings at 1 mth old and custard at night. I am now doing the same with my daughter who was only 5p 6oz born. I give her some cereal in the mornings and as she has a btl straight after to wash it down i just tip the left over cereal from her bowl in to her btl and the same goes for her night time custard. My dr was weary when i told him untill she went 4 her 2mth needles last week and he was so happy with the way she is going he actually suggested i could feed her rice cereal twice a day. Just do what you feel comfortable with because no one knows a baby better than the parents.The brand i use is farex. I hope this helps

Rachel - posted on 11/17/2008

Hahaha. Times have changed ladies!!! Get with the new times!!

Jennifer - posted on 11/17/2008

Samantha - you are entitled to your opinion I never said you weren't. As you said, you had an opinion and you never disrespected another's which is cool. There are other posters who are insulting women because there opinion is different -those are the miserable people that I refer to.

Robyn - posted on 11/17/2008

I gave my son cereal with water about 8 weeks old, and used a spoon. When he started on veggies at 4 months old, he was fine with the spoon, and still got formula in his bottle. I read Dr. Spock books, asked my Mom and my doctor, and really just had to decide what I thought was best for my son so he wasn't hungry all the time. he had no side effects, no problems. I know one lady who gave her baby cereal at 6 weeks old because the baby was really hungry all the time. The baby is now 21 and fine. Just trust yourself and see. Have confidence in yourself as a Mom and a person.

Samantha - posted on 11/17/2008

i am sorry i did state IMO= in my opinion ..everyone does have there own opinion and askin publicaly like this you are goin to get a mixed responce there is no need to slate people because there answer is differant than yours?? i dont class my self miserable but i do class tampering with a bottle as unsafe but again its just my opinion ...

Shelby - posted on 11/17/2008

I started putting cereal in my son's bottle when he was 3-4 months old. It always seemed like he was never full. He started sleeping longer and longer through the night and shortly after the whole night. It was wonderful!

Jennifer - posted on 11/17/2008

I started when my son was about 2 mos old. His pediatrician said it was fine. And I am not lazy as some ignorant posters here have suggested - I was a new mother who wanted what was best for my child who was never satisfied, always seemed hungry and crying for more. Problem was if I gave him more formula he would then start throwing up. That is why the cereal was a good alternative as it gave the formula a little more substance. I did slightly enlarge the hole in the nipple as PER MY DR'S INSTRUCTIONS AND HE DID NOT CHOKE. He was fine - he was happy and no longer as hungry. He is now 8 and perfectly fine. Again, opinions vary among drs and obviously mothers but you may as well try and just really monitor her reaction.
Also, please ignore the negativity - some people are just miserable. Good Luck :)

Samantha - posted on 11/17/2008

IMO i would not put cereal in a baby's bottle its not what they are ment for for a start..if your baby is quite satisfied during the day on just milk and goin the usuall every 4 hours or so on just milk during the night why would you want to start givin solids early? could do more harm than good...with my first i couldnt wait to start feeding him food and i did so before he was ready at about 8-9 wks with the baby rice off a spoon and after the fact noticed a jelly like substance in his messy nappy.. going to the doctor..he told me this was down to giving the food too early he could not tollerate the ingriedence in just the 'normal baby rice' later on though he was fine...but my second and third sons where very big babys (10lbs and 10lbs 9oz) the where ready early on they where havin a 9oz bottle then half a bottle every feed they where not gettin enough out of just milk feeds so then went on to baby rice then baby food after a period and where never over wieght or ill ...you will know your self weather you baby is ready but please dont put it in a bottle or tamper with the nipple of the bottle its not safe!!

Rachel - posted on 11/17/2008

Felicia:



You need to mind your own business. I stated what i had to say, and you will find a lot of women who feel the exact same as i do.



But to those of you who have a brain and LISTEN to your doctor. Good luck!! And to those who feed your kid(s) cereal in a bottle, your still an idiot.



So Grace i really hope you seek a doctor's PROFESSIONAL advice, and good luck.

April - posted on 11/17/2008

I have just joined this circle of moms in hopes that my experience as a mother of three over the past 21 years can help other moms. I DID NOT join to listen to women complain to each other. I hope this discontinues and these immature women take thier issues off line and only focus on giving their experiences in motherhood, or I might be swayed not to stay in this circle of moms group.

Sandra - posted on 11/17/2008

I haven't read the other responses so I'm sure I'm repeating all of them, but you can never put cereal in a baby's bottle, and it's a myth that it will help them sleep longer. It can actually ruin their sleep since their little body isn't ready for solids. It can cause gas/reflux pains, and increase her chances for allergies. Cereal in a bottle is also a choking hazard.



Cereal is no longer even a recommended "first" food. It tastes terrible (there is no rule that says a baby has to have bland foods), causes problems with iron absorption, can cause stomach irritation, and early introduction of solids (prior to about 6 monthns) leads to allergies, obesity, and diabetes.



Baby ONLY needs breastmilk (or formula) for the first six months of life. Good luck!

Kathleen - posted on 11/17/2008

There's been a lot of response here, from both general opinions. There are pediatricians out there who say go ahead and do it early, it won't hurt them. There are also mom's out there who have done it - and most of them can say that their kids are fine. They aren't bad moms for doing it early. My take on it (I have 3 boys and our 4th on the way) - and I've done it the same for all of them - was to not give ANY solids until after 6 months - mine were closer to 7 months. And with my last I actually gave mashed bananas and homeade baby applesauce before cereal. A family friend who's a natural doctor said that most kids with wheat/rice allergies have them as a result of introducing those things into their system too early (much like giving strawberries or nuts to early). I always figured - why risk it? My mom did give me cereal at 4 weeks of age - her pediatrician told her to - the same pediatrician told her that there was no difference in formula and breast milk??? As for sleeping through the night- when I asked my family friend about that - her response was - they are little, with little tummies and fast metabolism - they aren't meant to sleep through the night. :) I can say from my experience that it's worked well. My boys have NO allergies to anything, have never had an ear infection, and have rarely been sick. They are healthy boys with healthy appetites. And they all willingly eat vegetables, all fruits, and try new foods often. Good luck in whatever you decide!

Felecia - posted on 11/17/2008

rachel, you bitching about the way another mom fed her kids cereal was immature. There is no need to critisize.

Jessica - posted on 11/17/2008

I also wanted to mention that I did do the cereal in the bottle. My son actually likes it better from a spoon so we didn't do the cereal bottle more than about a week at the most.

Rachel - posted on 11/17/2008

I gave my opinion, that is all. Just like all of you. I don't see how i am immature. She retaliated by commenting on my spelling, which is completley off topic.

Felecia - posted on 11/17/2008

I agree with Jessica! That is what i had to do when the cereal did not help as well as i expected it to! =)