can i give my 6 in a half week old baby a lil bit of cereal in her bottle?

Question

she is starting to eat 6 oz every 4 hours

Answer 1

She is way to small to stomach this. If you are trying to get her to sleep through the night, its only a myth that putting cereal in a babies bottle will make it sleep longer. Also, doctors normally no longer suggest putting it in the bottle, instead they say use the spoon... Good luck and congrats!

Answer 2

Hello there,
I am afraid that I have to agree that a six week old baby is WAY too young to digest cereal, in her bottle or any other way. It is a bad idea and it would not be good for her.
It is perfectly normal for her to be eating as often as she does. Putting cereal in her formula will only make matters worse, since she cannot digest it, it may give her a stomach ache and even if it does not it will just make the trip in one end and out the other.
It is a shame that you are not breastfeeding her, then you would not have to worry about getting up for nightime feedings at all.
Please don't put formula in her bottle, the poor little thing has no choice but to eat what you offer her and it is not fair to give her something that you know could be harmful. Listen to all the advice you have gotten here or at least ask your pediatrician. A regular doctor may not give you a really qualified answer but a pediatrician will tell you not to put anything in her formula.
I know it seems like it has been a long time but this time when she is tiny really will go by so fast. Before you know it she will be running out to play! She is tiny for such a short time, enjoy the time you have with her.
Blessings
Lady T~

Answer 3

I wouldn't suggest it. Although many have said babies will sleep longer with a little pablum in their bedtime bottle, it may in fact have the opposite affect as a 6 week old is not old enough to digest the food properly and may actually end up waking more do to an upset stomach. You should really wait until she is around 6 months before introducing cereal to your baby. I know when you are tired and desperate to get your baby to sleep longer you reach for anything, and I know older generations are big supporters of this idea, but the safest bet is to save the bottles for milk only, especially since cereal may be a choking hazard for such a young baby.

Answer 4

NO! Never give a baby cereal in a bottle, it can cause choking.

I wouldn't recommend (and neither would your pediatrician) giving a baby any kind of solid food before age 4 months. If you are resistant to that, try spoon feeding a bit to her, but it probably won't work well. It will also give her stomach pains and maybe some bad gas. Remember that cereal has no nutritional value. It's the equivalent of feeding your six year old chocolate chip cookies so that they can wait an extra hour for dinner.

Answer 5

If it's just a matter of convenience for you because your baby wants to eat every 4 hours, then NO! This is what newborns do, they eat constantly and sleep.

Cereal is added to the milk of newborns ONLY if they have swallowing difficulties/disorders such as reflux. This is done under the supervision/recommendation of a pediatrician. Thickening your baby's milk can cause her to choke.

If your baby is eating 6 oz. every 4 hours, congratulations! You have a thriving baby with a great appetite. Feeding solid foods to your baby before they are ready can cause your baby to develop food allergies. Don't rush your baby to do things she's not ready to do, she'll be the one to pay for your impatience.

Answer 6

I'd advise against that.
Pediatricians do not recommend cereal for infants until they're b/w 4 and 6 months old, and there's a good reason for that.
Their digestive system isn't ready for solid foods yet(cereal is considered a solid food).
She's fine with just breastmilk or formula at this age.
No need to rush-it won't be in her best interest. Is it really worth the risk? Babies that young are supposed to drink formula/ breastmilk that often. And yes you will lose sleep over it, but that's what comes with being a parent. You will get used to it eventually.

Please read this link for more info:
http://pediatrics.about.com/od/weeklyquestion/a/04_fdng_gidlns.htm

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Answer 7

No...it's still a bit too early to have cereal. They really aren't ready for cereal untill they are sitting pretty well propped up. like 5 or 6 months. At least 4! And it's bad to give cereal in the bottle. It can lead to obesity later. Please don't do it.

Answer 8

Gosh NO! Babies at 6 weeks are FAR too small...their digestive tract-and intestines-are far too immature to properly digest anything but milk-via breast or bottle. The Canadian Paediatric Society now recomends starting solids NO EARLIER than 6 mths. Strong allergic reactions are also quite possible. If he/or she is up to 6ozs., thats perfectly fine, and very normal. My son at that age drank 6-8 ozs himself...consider yourself lucky that he has a healthy appetite!

Answer 9

I don't recommend it. My 4 children honestly ate nothing but formula until they were 12 months old and they are all fine and dandy!
Putting cereal in the bottle can actually present a choking hazzard, and has been found unhealthy for the baby!

Answer 10

I would not give her cereal in her bottle. My daughter was 2 months old and eating cereal off a baby spoon. If your baby is ready make thin solution of rice cereal and her formula in a small bowl hold her in your arms and in a feeding upright position and off her the spoon. If she takes it shes ready for solids. That's what my doctor and mother in law of 3 who worked in a hospital told me. And you know what she did and she did sleep better at night and was a happier baby. I also fed her only one solid meal a day at that age because their nutrients come from their formula until they are older.
Good Luck
Morgaine