I was told that once my daughter reaches 6 months I can start adding Rice Cereal to her formula by her pediatrician. Other Mom's have recommended added a smidge of Rice Cereal to my newborns feeding at night to hold her over longer in then night. Is this okay? Any other suggestions as to helping her sleep at night?
2006-12-26 12:14:13 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
Rice cereal is fine for a 6 month old but NOT IN A BOTTLE! At this age, she needs to start eating from a spoon. NEVER give cereal in a bottle as she may never want a bottle without cereal in it again. This can lead to diabetes and obesity.
Your baby will probably spit it out at first. Just keep trying. Mix the formula with the cereal and make it very watery. Good luck to you.
2006-12-26 13:26:21 · answer #1 · answered by TRUE PATRIOT 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
When your daughter is somewhere between 4-7 months old, she will be ready to be introduced to solids. Rice cereal mixed with formula, breast milk, or water and offered on a spoon is a common first food because it is easily digested, contains iron, and has a low risk of an allergic reaction. Adding cereal to her bottle now will not help her sleep longer although some parents will swear that it does. However, no scientific study has produced that result. Early introduction of cereal gives a baby more calories than just formula or breast milk provides. A baby knows it is full only by the volume of milk he/she drinks and not by the calorie content. The added calories of early introduction of cereal has been shown to have a link to obesity. All babies begin sleeping through the night at different ages and for different reasons. It is common for newborns to want to eat every 1-4 hours round the clock. You will not likely see her sleeping longer at night for several more months, although some babies do begin earlier and some later. I recommend that you do not ever give your baby any cereal in her bottle.
2006-12-26 13:35:25 · answer #2 · answered by sevenofus 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, you just have to deal with getting up more often, I'm afraid! Cereal (usually rice) is introduced when the infant is a few months old. Experts say allergies can occur if it is given too early. Also, if the formula is too thick, baby might choke on it, so stick with the formula and ask your doctor when you can add cereal to her diet.
2006-12-26 12:19:00 · answer #3 · answered by Lean on Me 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When your baby is ready for solid foods (usually around six months, but some babies are ready and need it as soon as four months; don't start any younger!), solid foods are best introduced first at the last meal of the day (the best time for this meal is around 6pm, an hour before bedtime) because it helps them sleep through the night. The second time to add solids is at the mid-day meal, around 11am. Eventually, the mid-day meal will become only solids with more milk at the mid-afternoon (2pm) meal, and the evening meal will be split, with solid food at 5:30pm, and milk at 6:00. This is often done around 7-8 months.
Edited to add: When you start giving your baby solids, mix the cereal with milk, but feed it to her by spoon. This'll get her used to the idea of eating solids from a spoon. Since she won't have complete control of her tongue quite yet, make sure you press the spoon lightly against the back of the roof of her mouth so it'll be easier for her to swallow it (otherwise she'll just spit it all back up trying to get it to the back).
2006-12-26 12:18:02 · answer #4 · answered by Jewel 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would not add it until at least 3 months old. I feel newborn is just a bit too soon.I added rice cereal to my son's formula at 3 months,but only a very small amount.As he got older,gradually added more.When it is too thick,you would have to make a larger hole in the nipple, as someone else posted, this can lead to choking at such a young age.
2006-12-26 12:31:41 · answer #5 · answered by dreamwalker_ks 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Read her a book before bed To get her settled down. Make sure that you have lots of activitys planned during the day so that she will be tired at the end of the day. And the Rice cereal Idea is ok, but i never had to use it.
2006-12-26 12:17:55 · answer #6 · answered by Kailey 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No cereal until 3 months. Your newborn needs to eat every 2 hours. One 4 hour period every 24 hours is ok. Don't start the cereal too early it can cause problems for her.
2006-12-26 12:17:55 · answer #7 · answered by honeybear 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The sooner you feed them the more apt they are to getting an allergy to foods.
I mean you baby is what a month old, that is way to soon.
Her digetive system isn't ready to handle food slike that and anyways what is apinch of cereal going to do. Nothing.
I mean just feed her as much as she will take before bed.
My duaghter is three months now and i can't get her to sleep through the night.
2006-12-26 12:16:54 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your daughter needs the nutrition provided by formula or breast milk in order to have proper brain development...even if cereal makes her sleep longer it is at her detriment...she will not be getting the building blocks she needs. It will show up in the long run...it has also been linked to obesity and development of allergys. It is the trademark of lazy moms..
2006-12-26 12:24:15 · answer #9 · answered by MELONIE T 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not a big fan of putting cereal in a bottle, but sometimes your dr may recommend it for them to gain more weight or if they need iron. You have to cut the nipple and it may be too much for a newborn.
2006-12-26 12:16:39 · answer #10 · answered by iampatsajak 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋