Rice Cereal ?

stewz

My doctor told me I could start cereal this week, but I'm not sure how to begin. How much formula or bmilk to you mix it with. I'm bf'ing and ff'ing, but it's mostly formula at this point b/c i'm drying up. So, i'm thinking I should go with formula. What do you think and how much do you mix it with?

Oh and DH wants to put it in her bottle so she'll possibly "sleep longer", but i told him that I heard it was a myth she needs to eat it to learn how to eat, but he really wants to try it b/c unfortunately is she doesn't sttn.

netterbean

I have read that you should begin with 1 tablespoo of cereal with 4/5 tablespoons of milk.  I am going to begin cereal soon.  We don't see our pedi until the end of the month and my lo is 4 months on Friday so I would like to try sooner.  The cereal in the bottle is a myth. they will sleep better when they are developmentally ready.  Oh start with 1 tbl and work up to more and more. good luck!

baylorflamingo

It depends on which kind you get, but the directions are on the box. We use gerber rice cereal (though I just got a box of organic...haven't used it yet, though). The directions say to mix 1 tablespoon of rice cereal with 4 or 5 tablespoons of formula or breast milk. When they're first starting out, you want it to be runny with no lumps so they get used to the spoon and swallowing and eating sitting up. As they get better at it over a few days, you can use less liquid and make it more like the consistancy of cream of wheat or a veggie puree (your next objective).

As far as putting it in the bottle, the big deal (to my understanding) is that you want LO to get used to the spoon. So, if you're feeding them from a spoon at other meals, I don't see the harm in putting a little in the last bottle of the night before bed.But, I'd call your pedi if you have any questions about that.