How much Cereal should my baby be eating?

Question

My daughter is 3 months old and her doctor just told me to start her on baby oatmeal with breastmilk.... how much should i feed her, should i skip the breastfeeding session when i feed her the oatmeal? Whne is the best time during the day to feed them... any advice to keep it in her mouth and to make feeding easy? Any info would be GREAT! THANK SO MUCH!

Answer 1

I was always told not to give them cereal until 6 months

Answer 2

I'd feed her just a little breast milk when she's starving. Then I'd interrupt with oatmeal (1-2 tbsp w/enough milk to make it thin) and when she's done with that, back to the breast until she's satisfied.

I'd do that 3 times a day and extra breastmilk right before bed.

It's fun teaching a child so young how to eat. Most of it comes out onto the bib! I had an itty bitty spoon, and I'd slide the tip into baby's mouth and push down. As soon as the mouth is open, I'd dump my load of food. Then I'd wait and pick up any leftovers on baby's face.

I wouldn't try to feed baby oatmeal first thing because if she's starving, eating with a spoon will frustrate her and make her angry. Once she gets the hang of the spoon, though, I'd do cereal first, then breast.

Answer 3

I was told they don't really need food until 6 mo. especially when they get breastmilk (kudos to u-it's the best for them) but they love it and it's funny to first feed them and 3-4 mo. is a good time, they just don't need much- couple tablespoons. I was always told to start with rice cereal. Sometimes when u give it before nap or bed they stay fuller longer and may sleep longer. they spit it out a bit a first just getting used to it. but don't put in a bottle if u use one- i've been told that anyway plus they should get used to the spoon. bty-if the doc. says fruits and veggies are okay u should get another opinion- that shouldn't be til 6 mo. and introduce one at a time, at least 5 days apart in case an allergy comes up you'll know from what. Also I made my own baby food and it's one of the best things and surprisingly easy-cook it, puree it, freeze in ice-cube trays-many books on it. Good luck and have fun!

Answer 4

I started with rice cereal (which is the one to cause the least problems with allergies) at around 4 months. I mixed up about a tablespoon with enough formula to make it a little soupy. She will have to learn to eat it so keeping it in her mouth will be a loosing battle. Just give her a little on the spoon and when it runs out take the spoon and rake it back to her mouth. She will probably fuss at first as it is new. Give her the cereal and then a little milk after. After she starts on juice you can mix the cereal with juice. I did this with dd cause she really didn't like the cereal but seemed to eat it a little better with the juice.

Answer 5

I have recently heard that babies do not need any solids until 6 months old as their digestive system isn't up to it yet! I have a near 4 month old child and on a packet of rice cereal it said for children 4 months+ - it is a bit contradictory.
Anyway I followed the instructions on the packet it said for the first day 1 tsp (teaspoon) cereal days 2 & 3 2tsp and gradually increase to 1 1/2 tablespoons per day. I followed the instructions and found that my daughter was not eating 2 tsp of made up cereal.
She is in her first week of eating cereal and is having 1 tsp per day made up followed with formula followed by a 180ml - 200ml bottle.
(I am feeding her for her other drinks as she needs them)
she is currently waking at 7.30am and drinking of me, around 10.30 am I'm giving her cereal and her bottle, 2.00pm another drink from me, 5.00pm another from me, anytime from 8.00pm - 12.00am (usually if she hasn't woken by 10pm I wake her and feed her, sometimes I fall asleep so it is at 12.00am) and then she sleeps through!
Have patience when feeding them! They are learning! I sit my daughter in her rocker as she cannot sit up by herself or hold her with my arm behind her back to support her in a siting position. Just give her a little at a time and make it more runny then thick for a start. Use a plastic spoon. I find that warming the milk to mix with the cereal is her preference.
I have given my daughter her own spoon as she tries to help me place my spoon in her mouth! This has made it more messy as she spreads any excess all over her face. I don't mind as she is developing her hand coordination she can get the spoon in her mouth but sometimes pushes it too far and gags!
Good luck!

Answer 6

She isn't getting nutrition from cereal at such an early age, she's just getting used to a new way of eating. Her natural way of eating is pushing with her tongue toward the front, so that's why the spoon food comes back out! She'll get the hang of it. Just scrape it off her mouth and poke it back in.
The doctor is trying to give you a break, so spoon feed a small amt, then breastfeed three times a day. She'll sleep longer.

Answer 7

first nurse then try a teaspoon of baby cereal with lots of breast milk to water it down also can be put in a bottle with breast milk or formula

Answer 8

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/index.html
Solid Foods and the Breastfed Baby & Toddler

Most of the literature I've read on starting solids seems to have been written on the assumption that baby will be weaned (or mostly weaned) between 6 and 9 months. The relatively large amounts of solids suggested early on are simply not consistent (for most babies, at any rate) with keeping breastmilk primary in baby's diet for the first 12 months, as is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and breastfeeding experts worldwide.

My purpose here is to offer a guide to starting solids for a breastfed baby, based upon my reading of the current breastfeeding literature. I am assuming that your baby will be breastfed well into the second year (or longer), but these suggestions can certainly be adapted if you plan on weaning earlier. If you're undecided or simply curious about continued nursing past the first year, see the Extended Breastfeeding Fact Sheet.

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/delay-solids.html
Why Delay Solids?

* Reasons for delaying solids
* Additional information
* References

Health experts and breastfeeding experts agree that it's best to wait until your baby is around six months old before offering solid foods. There has been a large amount of research on this in the recent past, and most health organizations have updated their recommendations to agree with current research. Unfortunately, many health care providers are not up to date in what they're telling parents, and many, many books are not up to date.

The following organizations recommend that all babies be exclusively breastfed (no cereal, juice or any other foods) for the first 6 months of life (not the first 4-6 months):

* World Health Organization
* UNICEF
* US Department of Health & Human Services
* American Academy of Pediatrics
* American Academy of Family Physicians
* American Dietetic Association
* Australian National Health and Medical Research Council
* Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
* Health Canada

Most babies will become developmentally and physiologically ready to eat solids by 6-9 months of age. For some babies, delaying solids longer than six months can be a good thing; for example, some doctors may recommend delaying solids for 12 months if there is a family history of allergies.
Reasons for delaying solids

Although some of the reasons listed here assume that your baby is breastfed or fed breastmilk only, experts recommend that solids be delayed for formula fed babies also.

* Delaying solids gives baby greater protection from illness.
Although babies continue to receive many immunities from breastmilk for as long as they nurse, the greatest immunity occurs while a baby is exclusively breastfed. Breastmilk contains 50+ known immune factors, and probably many more that are still unknown. One study has shown that babies who were exclusively breastfed for 4+ months had 40% fewer ear infections than breastfed babies whose diets were supplemented with other foods. The probability of respiratory illness occurring at any time during childhood is significantly reduced if the child is fed exclusively breast milk for at least 15 weeks and no solid foods are introduced during this time. (Wilson, 1998) Many other studies have also linked the degree of exclusivity of breastfeeding to enhanced health benefits (see Immune factors in human milk and Risks of Artificial Feeding).

* Delaying solids gives baby's digestive system time to mature.
If solids are started before a baby's system is ready to handle them, they are poorly digested and may cause unpleasant reactions (digestive upset, gas, constipation, etc.). Protein digestion is incomplete in infancy. Gastric acid and pepsin are secreted at birth and increase toward adult values over the following 3 to 4 months. The pancreatic enzyme amylase does not reach adequate levels for digestion of starches until around 6 months, and carbohydrate enzymes such as maltase, isomaltase, and sucrase do not reach adult levels until around 7 months. Young infants also have low levels of lipase and bile salts, so fat digestion does not reach adult levels until 6-9 months.

* Delaying solids decreases the risk of food allergies.
It is well documented that prolonged exclusive breastfeeding results in a lower incidence of food allergies (see Allergy References and Risks of Artificial Feeding). From birth until somewhere between four and six months of age, babies possess what is often referred to as an "open gut." This means that the spaces between the cells of the small intestines will readily allow intact macromolecules, including whole proteins and pathogens, to pass directly into the bloodstream.This is great for your breastfed baby as it allows beneficial antibodies in breastmilk to pass more directly into baby's bloodstream, but it also means that large proteins from other foods (which may predispose baby to allergies) and disease-causing pathogens can pass right through, too. During baby's first 4-6 months, while the gut is still "open," antibodies (sIgA) from breastmilk coat baby's digestive tract and provide passive immunity, reducing the likelihood of illness and allergic reactions before gut closure occurs. Baby starts producing these antibodies on his own at around 6 months, and gut closure should have occurred by this time also. See How Breast Milk Protects Newborns and The Case for the Virgin Gut for more on this subject.

* Delaying solids helps to protect baby from iron-deficiency anemia.
The introduction of iron supplements and iron-fortified foods, particularly during the first six months, reduces the efficiency of baby's iron absorption. Healthy, full-term infants who are breastfed exclusively for periods of 6-9 months have been shown to maintain normal hemoglobin values and normal iron stores. In one study (Pisacane, 1995), the researchers concluded that babies who were exclusively breastfed for 7 months (and were not give iron supplements or iron-fortified cereals) had significantly higher hemoglobin levels at one year than breastfed babies who received solid foods earlier than seven months. The researchers found no cases of anemia within the first year in babies breastfed exclusively for seven months and concluded that breastfeeding exclusively for seven months reduces the risk of anemia. See Is Iron-Supplementation Necessary? for more information.

* Delaying solids helps to protect baby from future obesity.
The early introduction of solids is associated with increased body fat and weight in childhood. (for example, see Wilson 1998, von Kries 1999, Kalies 2005)

* Delaying solids helps mom to maintain her milk supply.
Studies have shown that for a young baby solids replace milk in a baby's diet - they do not add to baby's total intake. The more solids that baby eats, the less milk he takes from mom, and less milk taken from mom means less milk production. Babies who eat lots of solids or who start solids early tend to wean prematurely.

* Delaying solids helps to space babies.
Breastfeeding is most effective in preventing pregnancy when your baby is exclusively breastfed and all of his nutritional and sucking needs are satisfied at the breast.

* Delaying solids makes starting solids easier.
Babies who start solids later can feed themselves and are not as likely to have allergic reactions to foods.


http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/solids-how.html
Should solids replace breastmilk?

No. Solids during the first year are only meant to complement breastmilk, not take precedence over it or replace any breastfeedings. It is more of a way to add textures to the baby's diet, to allow the baby new experiences, and to help her develop hand/eye coordination through finger feeding. Your baby should still be allowed to nurse on demand, as your milk should be her primary source of nutrition until closer to the end of the first year. Continuing to allow on-demand feedings also better ensures your milk supply.

6 - 7 months Offer solids once a day, at most. Many start out offering solids every few days or even less often.

Continue nursing on cue. Solid foods should not replace nursing sessions unless you're actively weaning.

Limit water to SIPS from a cup with meals.

Juice is not necessary for baby's nutrition. If you offer juice, limit to sips from a cup with meals and introduce it gradually just like any other new food. It's best to dilute juice with water and limit total juice intake to no more than 3-4 ounces a day

SOLID FOOD: BEST DELAYED
http://breastfeeding.hypermart.net/solidfood.html

When should my baby start solids?
http://www.llli.org/FAQ/solids.html