can rice cereal be given to a 3 month old baby very fussy after bottle????

Answer 1

Many people will say no, but I've always started giving my babies rice cereal around 3 months. My son is 11 weeks right now and I fully intend to start it in a few weeks. You could try making a very soupy mixture of cereal and formula (or breast milk, whatever you're putting in the bottle) and see if it helps. Be prepared for a mess...babies have the natural tendency to push food out of their mouths with their tongues, so it tends to be messy until they get the hang of it.

Good luck! :)

Answer 2

I would try a gas remedy first. My favorite was Hyland's homeopathic Colic Tablets, they are little white pellets that dissolve on contact in your baby's mouth and they are all natural so you don't have the concern of giving them too often.( Hyland's also makes really effective teething tablets that you will soon need.) That being said, your baby is close enough to the magic 4 month age recommended by doctors to give babies rice cereal. Start with a tablespoon or so of dry cereal and mix it with formula or breast milk. I always had good results with infant cereal feeders ( sort of like a bottle with a bigger hole in the nipple, but it has a plate inside the bottle that pushes the cereal into the nipple as the baby sucks) to avoid the baby getting excess air and you can find them at Walmart. Try giving the cereal before the bottle about the same time you would eat dinner. Good luck!!

Answer 3

He could be fussy because he's still hungry, or he could be too full, or he could be gassy or have a little bit of reflux. I would talk to the pediatrician and see what he recommends. It's possible you could try giving him an ounce or two less and keeping him upright after a bottle and see if that helps with the fussiness after a few days. I wouldn't think that rice cereal at 3 months would hurt a baby... just be sure you're *feeding* it to him with a spoon and *not* putting it in a bottle. Babies who are given cereal in a bottle have a harder time learning to recognize their hunger cues later on, because they are getting the same volume of food with more calories and nutrition. Babies need to *drink* their milk and *eat* their food. Good luck with your hungry little guy!

Answer 4

Sounds like gas more than anything. With my two the gas was so hard to come up even gas drops didn't help. I would bounce my kids on my laps(just be very care full not to shake or bounce baby to hard) and that seemed to help alot. Even the moving legs back and forth and rubbing tummy never helped my kids. I would also try using a different formula. Your baby might need a BM. I know this sounds gross but how hard was the last BM your baby had was it large or small. I see nothing wrong with the baby cereal just make sure your baby doesn't have gas or it could cause more problems. I gave my babies cereal in the morning and cereal at bed time. Both of my kids are normal but like I said MAKE SURE BABY DOES NOT HAVE GAS before you give cereal!!!!

Answer 5

baby could be fussy for other reasons than hunger. I mean I totally went against the doc and put rice cereal in my lil girls bottle, so I am not against the idea.
but it could be the formula is upsetting baby's stomach, gas pains etc.
the main thing I tell people is liquid formula is soooo much easier on baby's stomach than powdered.

"very fussy" is the thing that bothers me about your question, it makes me think its something more than just hunger, but no there is nothing wrong with giving the baby rice cereal. a doctor will tell you different, but plenty of mothers have raised perfectly healthy children this way. it wont make a bit of difference long term.

Answer 6

you should be more specific.. how much does he/she take in at a feeding and how often? Make sure it's not a medical reason why he's upset, such as acid... if it just started, then maybe he needs more food. It;s up to the parents how you want to handle solids, put in the bottle, or feed with a spoon, though at 3 months, they still have a strong sucking reflex that will not allow them to try to put that solid food from a spoon into the back of his mouth and swallow.. So if the bottle is empty, then he's still hungry add an oz to each bottle.. If the bottle isnt' empty, consider burping more often, could be gas, you can put Mylecon gas drops in his bottles, see if that could help... Anyways,. Good Luck

Answer 7

You can, but you shouldn't. It just isn't worth the risks.

"A little more about feeding baby cereal from a bottle...

Doctors and other experts recommend that you never give baby cereal in a bottle unless recommended by baby's doctor for a specific medical condition. Here are some of their reasons:

* It is a choking hazard.
* The cereal takes away from the amount of milk in the bottle (adds carbohydrates and dilutes the nutrient density), and baby may not get adequate milk volume for proper growth and development.
* Baby is being given a higher concentration of calories without being able to regulate her own intake. This can lead to weight problems in the future.

If baby’s doctor suggests thickened feedings for reflux, consider asking about alternatives, as many doctors question this practice and it has the potential to cause more harm than good."
http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/solids-sleep.html

"What about thickened feeds?

Baby cereal, added to thicken breastmilk or formula, has been used as a treatment for GER for many years, but its use is controversial.

Does it work? Thickened feeds can reduce spitting up, but studies have not shown a decrease in reflux index scores (i.e., the “silent reflux” is still present). Per Donna Secker, MS, RD in Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease PDF, "The effect of thickened feedings may be more cosmetic (decreased regurgitation and increased postprandial sleeping) than beneficial." Thickened feeds have been associated with increased coughing after feedings, and may also decrease gastric emptying time and increase reflux episodes and aspiration. Note that rice cereal will not effectively thicken breastmilk due to the amylase (an enzyme that digests carbohydrates) naturally present in the breastmilk.

Is it healthy for baby? If you do thicken feeds, monitor baby’s intake since baby may take in less milk overall and thus decrease overall nutrient intake. There are a number of reasons to avoid introducing cereal and other solids early. There is evidence that the introduction of rice or gluten-containing cereals before 3 months of age increases baby's risk for type I diabetes. In addition, babies with GERD are more likely to need all their defenses against allergies, respiratory infections and ear infections – but studies show that early introduction of solids increases baby’s risk for all of these conditions."
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/reflux.html#thickenedfeed

Cereal in a Bottle?
While many continue to believe this practice will buy parent's some sleep, studies show it simply doesn't work that way.
http://web.archive.org/web/20030404085424/http://babyparenting.about.com/library/weekly/aa021399b.htm

I have heard different reviews about putting cereal in the bottle of an infant. Is it safe?
http://www.drgreene.com/21_861.html

Answer 8

I was told that around 3-4 months to give my son a tablespoon of rice cereal before bed. He has been sleeping through the night since he was 2-1/2 weeks old...my Dr said that if he starts waking up to give him a tablespoon before bed...I did, and he went right back to sleeping through the night again because his tummy was full.

Answer 9

That's not recommended any more. If baby ate a full bottle, it might be gas. Lay baby on back and gently pump the legs (like riding a bicycle), then put your whole hand on baby's stomach and gently massage in a circular motion, then try to help baby burp.

May have to change formula and/or nipples and/or bottles to reduce gas.

Answer 10

Are you sure they are fussy after the bottle due to hunger? Maybe it is gas or the baby could have a hard digestive track. I would ask the peditrician.