Adding rice cereal to formula?

SouthSeasBride

I switched my twins from Neosure to Target's generic brand, comparable to Enfamil's Gentlease...  Since the switch, they are spitting up when burping and even after their feedings.  The pedi said to add some rice cereal to thicken the formula.  Has anyone else done this?  Does it work?  How much do you add?

kelliwill

I've never done this and it's my understanding that there are some mixed feelings about it.  When we switched from neosure to Sim advance we had no problems.  We later switched to Kirkland brand again with no problems.  I am sorry your Lo's are having a problem.  Maybe try another formula.  

ChicagoKari

We tried just about every formula and finally ended up using Nestle Good Start Gentle Plus, but both of our LOs still spit up.  Jack would throw up almost half of a bottle sometimes.  At 3 months, the doctor also told us to add cereal, but said to add Baby Barley cereal because there's more fiber in it so it won't cause constipation as bad as the others (e.g., oatmeal).  She told us to add 1 teaspoon per ounce of formula, but we cut that back a bit and only add 3 teaspoons in a 4 ounce bottle.  It has helped A LOT!  Jack hasn't thrown up anything significant in weeks and Sydney isn't spitting up at all anymore...unless we weren't successful getting all her burps out 

 

GL!

jcthomas1281

my ped recommended just putting my bigger son on enfamil AR. Its about the same price as regular but it has the rice cereal added in, so you dont have to worry about if you are adding enough. Seems to help him and I am starting my other son on it too (weaning him off soy). Doesn't answer your question but I hope it helps!

jennie1308

I started using rice cereal about 1tbsp when they were just about 3 months and whenever I use the cereal they don't spit up as much as they do when I don't use the cereal.  They are 5 months now & I still use it but I now use 2 tlbsp for 8oz and only use it in their 7pm bottle.

AlishaMay

 We are thickening Nanny's Neosure with rice cereal because of her reflux.  They told us to do 1 Tbsp per oz, which seemed too thick for her, she worked too hard to suck it out of the nipple, even when we switched to a cereal/fast nipple.  Also, she got really constipated.  I gradually started backing off on the amounts until she started to spit up again, then went to what worked before the spit up.  Currently she's getting 3 tsp per 4oz. 

You'll also have to play with bottle and/or nipple combinations.  For us, the Playtex Drop In system with a fast nipple works great.  The cereal 'Y' shaped nipples sucked.

GL!