Cereal already?

Question

My baby will be 3wks old this Friday.. is it too early to put a LITTLE cereal in her milk? She eats quite often, like she doesn't get full enough

Answer 1

Yes, much too early. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends not giving baby food until six months and never in the bottle. Only with a spoon. Good luck.

Answer 2

Yes, it's way too early. How do you know she isn't full? It is totally normal for babies to eat every 2 hours- my 7 month old still eats every 2-3 hours! In the evening they tend to eat even more frequently.

Aside from that, your daughter might like the comfort of sucking. She also just might like the time that you are cuddling her and holding her while you feed her. Keep feeding her when she wants, but don't add anything to her milk. Besides, the whole concept of "add cereal and they will be more full, or sleep longer" is an old wives tale.

Answer 3

Don't give her cereal yet. Her digestion is not mature enough to handle it. Breast milk or formula is the way to go. Some doctors tell you that you can start solid food at 3 or 4 months. A lot of moms don't start until 6 months. Little newborns eat and sleep. That is what they do.
I started solids at 6 months. I think that is better for the baby.
Even a little cereal is to much right now. Maybe the baby wants to suck on something just to have something in his/her mouth....

Answer 4

My son ate every 1-1.5 hours until he was 6 weeks old. Babies eat frequenly because their stomachs are small, but they need enough nutrients to help them grow. I wouldn't be surprised if she ate every two hours, around the clock, for another month.

It is WAY too early to put cereal in her bottle. Although many people swear that cereal helps babies "fill" their tummies, and therefor sleep better, this hasn't really been proven. In fact, pediactric sleep specialists discount that food and sleep are really related in babies under 18 months. So if it's about the sleep, then don't bother.

Her body isn't ready to digest the cereal, and you could really upset her chemical balance if you introduce things too early. Just hang in there, she'll slow down and get on a routine soon...

Answer 5

Yes, it is WAY too early!
The AAP says babies should not start solids until close to 6 MONTHS of age.

Starting solids too early can be very bad for her. First off, at this young age she can't properly digest it. Second, starting solids too soon can increase her risk of allergies, diabetes and obesity.

She eats quite often because she is a 3 week old growing baby. That's what they do. She's probably hitting her 3 week growth spurt right now, which means it will feel like she is constantly eating for a couple of days. She'll do it again around 6 weeks.

Answer 6

MUCH too early. Contrary to what past doctor's/past parents say (A LOT of things have changed in the past 20-30 yrs), it is not necessary, and no longer recommended due to increase allergies later in life, and digestive problems. It's now recommended to wait between 4-6 months. They have such small tummies, I'm sure she's getting full enough at her feeds, just needs to feed more often, and is totally normal, this is the age as well that she will hit a growth spurt. 3wks/6weeks/9weeks and will want to eat more often, so don't rush it by giving her cereal. That's not what she needs. Please don't rush it.

Answer 7

Do whatever you feel is right for your baby. They only RECOMMEND that you wait until four months to start giving the baby cereal. I started giving my son cereal when he was about four weeks old and he did just fine. He wasn't overweight or anything and his doctor was informed that I was giving him cereal. Only a little and not every time he took a bottle. You know what is right for your child.

Answer 8

Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES.

Your babies stomach is the size of her fist she i supposed to eat often. Also she is probably just going through a growth spurt which means: yes, she is hungry all the time she is supposed to be.

Rice cereal will sit in her stomach like a brick, she will take forever to digest it. It contains almost no natural vitamins and is very low in calories. The synthetic vitamins added to it are much harder to absorb if the are absorbed AT ALL, and the iron can cause constipation or bleeding.

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/delay-solids.html
There are a million reasons to delay solids and none to start, except ignorance.

(Also it isn't too late to start breastfeeding, natures perfect food. Which I only assume you aren't doing as you can't put cereal in your breast)

Answer 9

yes, it is way too early. babies that young really need all the nutrients from formula, not empty calories from the cereal. her digestive system is not ready for cereal. a lot of parents these days start their babies on cereal early because they dont want to be constantly feeding them, or want to save money on formula, but let me tell you, that is not the route to go if you want your baby to be the healthiest she can be. she may just be going thru a growth spurt right now, and she will eat a LOT but it will slow down. please, dont start her on cereal yet.

Answer 10

it way too early you can get bottles and pump out your breast milk in the bottles store it in somewhere warm and when you are feed her at night you give her the bottles ontill the baby feels like stop drinking just continue give her the bottles then wait a little change her diapers then put her to sleep you be so full she will not feel like waking