baby cereal....

[Picture.Of.Obedience]

when can you give it to them..obviously not right now, but when, my sister keeps talking about it and i can give it to himm soon and he will sleep longer, etc....but i dont think she is right

 

[andiesmama]

Well, a mere 3 years ago, my pediatrician gave me the go-ahead to feed Andie cereal when she turned 3 months old. However, upon reading some of the posts here recently, I guess it's changed in that time to not before 6 months?? (is that right?)

Ask your pediatrician, but all I can say is that Andie's showing no ill effects from eating baby cereal at 3 months old....and yes, for her it DID help with the sleeping better thing.

 

[Leanna]

My in laws swore up and down that putting cereal in milk would help David sleep longer. I read article after article that says its NOT true. Baby's stomach can only hold so much. Doctors say its not true either. I think what happens is that people try the cereal thing right about the time that baby is ready to sleep through the night anyway. David didn't need cereal to sleep through the night and your baby won't either, but he is too young to make it without night time feedings.

You aren't supposed to give baby cereal (without doctor's recommendation) until 4-6 months. You just have to look for the cues that baby is hungry and formula is not enough. We started David a little over 4 months because formula left him hungry and he was "lusting" after our food. His cousin was always hungry and had doctor's permission to start at 3 months, he has always eaten a lot more than David. So it just depends. So long as he is doing fine without cereal... just keep waiting. One day (probably between 4 and 6 months) he will not be happy with just formula, and that's the time for solids.

 

[CarrieAg93]

We started at about 4 mos.

 

[vscola]

My pediatrician said between 4 and 6 months (depending on if they can handle it I guess). I guess it use to be common to put cereal in their bottles a lot earlier though. My mom has been trying to get us to put it into Christian's bottle since he was a week old.

 

[karla]

We started at 4 months

 

[Lena75]

Between 4 and 6 months is better. Remember, babies have such tiny tummies! Giving them too much too soon can cause alot of belly problems later. Breastfeeding and/or formula is plenty for now. Plus, baby will tell you when he's ready for more.

 

[PegasusOnFire]

our doctor said 4 months, then at 5 months add veggies and at 6 months add fruits.

 

[Zoomer]

I waited until 6 months. It is not true that they baby will sleep longer, and it also isn't healthy to get rid of night feedings so early.

 

[Princessperky]

DD started around 3.5 months, she was grabbing for my spoon and giving her some made meals so much easier, it did not however help the midnight feedings, she was a night owl.

Ds started closer to 4 months, he was already sleeping thru the night. (yeah I had it easy!)

I read a wonderful paper on how cereal was counter productive for sleeping at night, something about how the digesting of cereal was hard and the baby would be more likely to wake up or fight sleep due to the gastrointestinal stuff, I am guessing that is more baby dependant than universal though.

 

[Leanna]

I waited until 6 months. It is not true that they baby will sleep longer, and it also isn't healthy to get rid of night feedings so early.

When baby sleeps through night feedings (after the immediate newborn phase) I figure they are ready to do so. My son made up for the fact he slept through the night by eating extra during the day. He ate as much as he should have, all in the 14 hours of day time.

 

[EmSchmem]

mstodd,
This is really something you need to ask your pediatrician. They can make the determination based on your son and not babies in general.

 

[Picture.Of.Obedience]

yeah i was just curious what others thought, i think now is way too young, so when the time is closer i will ask about it

 

[Leanna]

As I said before...... when you have a starving 5 month old on your hands, you might think it is more necessary. You haven't experienced it yet, and I don't know anyone whos waited until 6 months. Also I have never seen any research that solids between 4 and 6 months is harmful.

 

[andiesmama]

It all depends on the baby, and of course getting the go-ahead from your pediatrician. Anyone who's dealt with a 4 month old grabbing for your spoon when you're trying to eat, putting their hands in your food....lol...sometimes formula or breastmilk just isn't enough!

Like I said, Andie started eating solids way earlier than 6 months and isn't allergic to any foods so far....but every baby is different, and who knows? Studies change all the time, in the next couple years they may be changing everything back to the 3 month thing...

 

[Princessperky]

I think one of the main things about feeding a 4 month old vs a 6 month old, a 4 month old doesn't need it, so we don't care if they swallow or not, we also expect it to come back, (they are a bit young after all) and all sorts of other things. They need the food around 6 to 8 months, so if you wiat till then you have to have a kid able to eat pretty much right from the start! which as any physical skill, may happen, or it may not. in any event I wouldn't (didn't) go for 3 squares a day with a 4 month old or anything. just a teaspoon of food that they can play with in and out of the mouth, and a full meal for me (with no baby grabbing the spoon!)

The hard part is baby sitting an older baby when yours wants to grab a spoon, you get your little one a spoon and some food to 'eat' then you turn to feed the older one (not yet old enough to eat alone) and when do you shovel any in your own mouth? (one made particuarly hungry due to nursing .)

Now my Grandma said she put cereal in her kids bottles, the one was just so hungry all the time, my Uncle is allergic to EVERYTHING under the sun, I think in the bottle is a danger. (my two are only mildly skin sensitive to apples on the skin, they both can eat them fine, nothing else and they have eaten most all foods by now)

 

[vscola]

Anyone who's dealt with a 4 month old grabbing for your spoon when you're trying to eat, putting their hands in your food....

I have heard of babies doing this ... but I couldn't believe it ... until yesterday. Christian went after my coffee cup and later my breakfast!
I am glad we have an appointment tomorrow!

 

[andiesmama]

I have heard of babies doing this ... but I couldn't believe it ... until yesterday. Christian went after my coffee cup and later my breakfast!
I am glad we have an appointment tomorrow!

Andie did that all the time....hmmm...coffee for a baby? Wonder how THAT would mess with his sleeping?? lol

But like somebody else said (too lazy to go back & look), at 3 or 4 months they really aren't getting nutrition from food, it's just the act of eating & getting used to it, working on that coordination stuff. I'd give Andie some cheerios or something & that would keep her busy for a long time! lol

 

[suzybeezy]

This opinion comes from a mother of four. I would never rely solely on what the pediatrician recommends. As a mother, you can see when your child is hungry. If the baby isn't being satisfied with a bottle alone, feed him.

Doctor recommendations change all the time, but a mothers instinct is here to stay. I can't tell you what my children would be like if I listened completely to what the doctors said (not about feeding but other issues). I listen to what the doctor recommends then I pray about it, then I rely upon my instincts and God's direction.

All four of my children started cereal at various ages. There was no harm from the child who started cereal early to the child who started cereal later. Babies have different cries for different things, if you listen closely you can distinguish the difference. I just paid attention to my child's cry and when they cried from hunger, I didn't say "sorry the doctor said not until you're 6 mo. old". I fed the baby what would satisfy him.

Just my opinion...

 

[Picture.Of.Obedience]

suzybeezy, thanks for your post, it is very true