I'm having trouble with my 3 mth old daughter sleeping thru the night. Can I start feeding her cereal?

Question

She eats about every 2-3 hours, which makes it hard on me b/c I'm not sleeping thru the night.

Answer 1

I know about the needing sleep thing, but really three months old is too young for cereal...if you can all do it, keep up the breastfeeding as long as possible, but you know, if you just can't, I've read and heard that if you formula feed, sometimes that will 'last' baby a little longer.

Answer 2

3 months old is not too old to start adding cereal to your daughter's diet.

I agree with the previous answer that you should continue to breast feed ... but mixing cereal with your breast milk during the morning and evening feeding will help "fill" her up and keep her hunger in check longer.

In fact ... this has been a trick of mothers for centuries ... ever hear of "Pabla"? If you haven't, then ask your grand-ma ... she knows what it is.

But don't fret about a 3-month-old sleeping thru the night. Most children do not sleep thru the night until about 6 months to a year.

Alas ... it took my daughter well over the first year before she finally was able to sleep thru the night. My son was much easier ... only 5 months.

Keep the faith ... get some naps in while your baby is napping ... and add cereal to her diet ... it does help.

Answer 3

I am not a doctor, but that may be a good thing in this case. Most peds will tell you to steer clear of solid foods just yet. However, with a healthy eater that eats frequently and is not sleeping through the night, go for it. My daughter was 8 weeks when I added 1-2 TBS to her bottle at night before bed. Worked like a charm. I guess it gives more substance to help ward off hunger pangs through the night.

Now when you try this, you must be careful. They do not like the new texture. Start with 1tsp in 1 6-8oz bottle of milk/formula for about 2 days. See how this works. Then repeat by the teaspoon full until you have added 2 TBS to a bottle. If the baby likes it at that point and you still think she needs more, which in my opinion may be the case, you will need to find a cereal feeder bottle. It has a nipple with a hole large enough for thicker consistencies. Still, be careful with the texture too fast. If she rejects it because of texture, but ate it the night before when it was thinner, thin it down again. In 8-10 days she/he should be sleeping better.

You may have to periodically adjust this recipe. For constipation add no more than 1/4 tsp of white corn syrup. If she rejects the bottle the first night, it may be because it is less sweet. I added corn syrup again, a toothpick dipped in the corn syrup is usually enough.

By the time the baby is sitting up, bananas are perfect for solid foods. Sweet and mushy. Mush a fresh 1/4 of a banana in a bowl and add thickened recipe of cereal. She will think she is in heaven.

Go by your best instincts. The doctors are usually too cautious. Just be very careful to mash bananas and thin down cereal for small babies. Choking is a hazard.

Answer 4

No cereal. She should be on formula or preferrably breast milk for at least 6 months. Guess what, babies eat about every 3-4 hours. Overfeeding while infants can lead to fat babies, fat kids and fat adults. If you have a spouse, take turns. Even better, breast feed, and keep her by your bed to feed her. That is the natural way.

Answer 5

Not yet. Try some other things first. Feed her an ounce extra or fortify her bottle at bedtime (by adding a little extra powdered formula). If you are breastfeeding, try eating onions (they contain magnesium which naturally aids in sleep) If that causes tummy upset for your baby, you can fortify your expressed breastmilk (bonus here is that your partner can do this feeding while you pump off the next night's feeding). When your baby wakes for a feeding, dry her bottom then feed her, but don't talk to her. This will make her fall asleep faster and help her learn to put herself back to sleep without your help when she gets older. Try to relax yourslef. Babies sense when there is stress in their mommies! Nap when she naps and wake up your partner to help (if he can make a baby, he can help care for it! That's not babysitting, that is responsibility)

Answer 6

bit young really,when making up formula milk put in one extra scoop as in 6oz bottle use 7 scoops instead of 6.dont worry about being so tired its normal for first few months.baby will soon sleep through.if you are waking baby for a feed dont.

Answer 7

are you nursing if you are nursing is one thing
if you give bottles is another thing email me i can you a mother of children