Can a 1 month old eat rice cereal?

Question

I heard it was ok?

Answer 1

Yes a 1 month old aby can eat rice cereal in its bottles, probably not off a spoon. All 3 of my sons have since 2 weeks at dr's orders. I know some people say it is wrong but I have 3 very happy haelthy boys who have no allergies or weight problems that disagree. Good Luck!!

Answer 2

It's a little young. Last I knew, they wanted babies on formula or breast milk for a year. Supposedly, food too soon is linked to allergies.

My daughter was nicknamed "Fang" and had 4 teeth by three months. I did put a little rice cereal in her last bottle of the night at three months so she slept more than 2 hours (yea! 4 continuous hours of sleep, yippeee!!).

At 6 months, I was gradually introducing her to very bland foods. Mashed potatoes, rice cereal, things like that. She doesn't have any allergies, but could be I was just lucky.

Answer 3

Starting cereal this early in an infants' life isn't a good idea. Despite their weight and the amount they are consuming, their gastrointestinal tract is still immature, and introducing another foreign protein in cereal can predispose them to allergies later on.

At this stage of a babies physical development, formula is still the only food a formula-fed infant should get. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months with gradual introduction of solid foods in the second six months for a breastfed baby, and introduction of solid foods between 4 and 6 months for a formula-fed infant.

Some of the signs that your baby is ready for solids are an ability to sit fairly well in a high chair as well as take food off a spoon and transfer it to the back of her mouth. This means the disappearance of the tongue-thrust reflex (where the baby pushes most of the food put into her mouth down her chin with her tongue). The final signal is an interest in food.

You also run the risk of choking. Trust the experts and talk to any pediatrician (Current) today. They will always say no cereal before 4 months. I studied this in early childhood development at school and I have 3 children.

Answer 4

It is fine on their tummies. Doctors give diluted rice cereal to preemies in bottles to pack on the calories. I fed my son at three months, against my peds advice. He just could not get enough formula in him. He was always cranky and hungry. When I started to give him food, it was an instant turn around. He was happy, he could go the three hours without a bottle that most babies his age were doing, and he slept better. His doctor even said after he noticed the change that it was right for him. However, I think that 1 month is still too young. You shouldn't put anything in his bottle, because it's just overfeeding the baby. At 1 month, all a baby needs is formula or breast milk. Why do you want to start with cereal now, anyway?

Answer 5

Babies under the age of 3 1/2 to 4 months old do not have the head control to tolerate solid foods. They are at higher risk to choke on solids including rice cereal. There are some babies, e.g., those with reflux disease, that are advised to have some rice cereal mixed in their formula to thicken the feed, but again only if they have reflux disease. Baby food, e.g., Gerber, et. al., should be started at 5 - 6 months old. It is recommended to start vegetable baby food prior to fruit, because the fruit is sweeter and the baby would reject the vegetable. Also, try only one new solid food every 4 - 5 days as to become aware of any allergies. Lastly, it is important to start infants that take solids on a three meal per day regimen as this would help them as toddlers to be on a better schedule, e.g., rice cereal for breakfast, baby food for lunch and dinner with three or so bottles of formula or breast feeding episodes mixed in their. Too much formula or breast milk will satisfy the baby and decrease their hunger for solids.

Answer 6

I know you have a lot of answers to this. And obviously you are never going to have a group of people who will agree on this one.
I have four children and have also worked with children for over seven years. I am by no means an expert in this area(I am no rice cereal-ologist). However I have had a lot of experience.
All of my children were good eaters. Three of my four were HUGE eaters. My oldest at one month old every evening was eating 8 ounces of breast milk (pumped she would not latch on) and then within an hour would eat another six ounces of formula. At first we thought she wasnt getting the important nutrients from my breast milk so we switched to just formula. But she was still drinking just as much. She just was not getting enough to eat at that time of night for her little body. So my pediatrician recommended for her that I do give her rice cereal-small amounts VERY watered down at that point in time. It worked miricles for us and she was finally satisfied. At three months old she started eating fruits. By eight months old she was eating most solids but then again I made all my childrens baby food.
With my other children I followed basically the same routine with the ok from their pediatricians.
Some children are not only ready for rice cereal younger but they actually need it to satisfy them. Of course this is not the general rule. And I would not suggest making any changes to your infants diet without consulting your doctor. But remember not all children are the same!
Let me also add that once again I do realize that all children are different. But none of my children have any food allergies. And in fact so far one has an allergy to an antibiotic and one has an allergy to pollen and other then that they have no allergies at all. Also none of my children are overweight. My oldest is seven and is very tall for her age and solid but not fat just very athletic build. My second is also very tall for her age and is quite skinny. My third is about average she is a little taller then most her age but not like the other two and about average build. My youngest is my peanut he is shorter and thinner then the others were at his age (go figure the only boy be the smaller one)

Answer 7

your not supposed to give your child any solids including cereal until they can hold there heads themselves before that the chocking risk is to high the other reader was also right that you shouldn't give cereal in a bottle you can mix it with formula or breast milk in a bowl every mother knows themselves when to start there baby on solids because every child is different but if your unsure what to do just call your docs nurses hot-line that wont cost you anything and they can tell you what to do and remember always hold your child when feeding the bottle dont prop a bottle

Answer 8

ABSOLUTELY NOT! Do you want the child to choke? No newborn at that age eats rice cereal. If you are asking for yourself I suggest you go to a parenting class and get educated on the how to care for an infant. For an infant at that age the most important intake is his/her formula and/or breast milk and NOTHING ELSE! Solids are not started until around 5 or 6 months depending upon the child of course.

Answer 9

No there body does not know how to digest the cereal you should not give them cereal till they are at least 4 months old

Answer 10

Not a good idea. A baby that age should only have breast milk and/or formula until at least 4/5 months. Their little tummies cannot digest the cereal just yet.