Cereal question

ebales

We started Katie on rice cereal a couple weeks ago - just at night in addition to her regular b-feeding "meals" so she can start getting used to the idea of eating/using her tongue in a different way, etc.  She LOVES it.

The ped said to give her 1 tbs cereal mixed in with approx 1/2 oz of milk. Well, we were doing that, but in the past few days she wants more when she is finished. So...I have been giving her now 2 tbs with 1 oz milk. 

Is that OK??  They warned me she could get constipated and sure enough she didn't poop Fri or Sat, but then this morning the mother load came out - and a good part of it was solid poop (this was a first for me seeing this - may have been happening at daycare though).

So, my questions are this:

 1. Is 2 tbs too much for a 4-month old?  Again, she seems to like it, but I also don't want to mess her all up.

2. When should we start giving her cereal in the morning?  The doctor told me and now I cannot remember.  Thought I would avoid calling them if I could.

TIA.

myrall

We quickly switched to oatmeal after about a month on rice because it constipated Geneva so much. I don't think I added a second meal for about two months after I started.

Just make sure you're giving her the cereal AFTER she nurses or gets a bottle. You want to be careful that she's getting full off that first.

I'm not sure about the amount question. That might be better answered by the pedi.

JoelsGirl07

I think the amount is ok, but like PP said, make sure you fill her up on milk/formula before she eats. As an alternative to offering more, I would try to offer more milk/formula AFTER the feeding as well. As long as the poop isn't really hard, it's probably not "constipation", but more slowed down b/c "real" food isn't processed as quickly as BM or formula.

On another note, we use Happy Bellies Oatmeal (DS is sensitive to rice), but they make rice cereal and multigrain, too) which has probiotics and DHA in it. You can get it for about $3 @ BRU/TRU or $5 @ Whole Foods.

Overall, if you are BFing, make sure you are drinking enough water b/c that highly influences how much you daughter is getting. HTH.

kbowman78

I can't answer for sure either, but I do know rice cereal caused my son to have a lot less frequent poopy diapers and then when he did finally have one, it was much more solid than usual and he would actually cry sometimes while he was trying to push it out. Poor baby! I think oatmeal does better if rice causes any constipation. At this point, I don't really give him much cereal anymore, but he is 7 months old...

maykat

It sounds like she has mastered the rice cereal. You may want to introduce baby prunes and mix this in with rice cereal or move up to the oatmeal.

My 14month old has lots of constipation issues and she has been having prunes 3-4x a week since she was 5 months.

atlbride23

maykat:

It sounds like she has mastered the rice cereal. You may want to introduce baby prunes and mix this in with rice cereal or move up to the oatmeal.

My 14month old has lots of constipation issues and she has been having prunes 3-4x a week since she was 5 months.

this. prunes or pears.  Or prune juice mixed with cereal.

ebales

Thanks everyone! I think I will finish off the box of cereal since there isnt' much left and then definitely move onto the oatmeal. 

I have been b-feeding her before giving her the cereal, so we are good there! 
Thanks for the feedback.