Formula not filling enough-can I start adding ricecereal?

Blakes mommy · January 2010

My LO was on genaric Enfamil but had to switch to genaric Enfamil for fussiness and gas. Ever since we did this, he never seems as filled and will wake every 2 hours to eat and he eats between 3-4 oz every time.

I am thinking of starting to put a little rice cereal in his bottles to see if that will help fill him up because A) Its not fun for me to get up every 2 hours and It can't be fun for him to be hungry every two hours.

Has anyone else started rice cereal early and what was your experience? Does anyone else have issues with formula for gassiness and fussiness not being "as filling"?

mstopka · January 2010

I wouldn't without first speaking with your pedi.

Rogue Lily · January 2010

hi. please call your pediatrician. not an internet message board.

newguardwife · January 2010

I would agree ask your doctor about this. How long has he been doing this. Could it just be a growth spurt.

Blakes mommy · January 2010

I plan to ask his pedi on Friday at his 2 month appt. I am asking if anyone else has had to ask rice cereal because their kid isn't filled enough. Maybe I should have been more clear.

Blakes mommy · January 2010

newguardwife:
I would agree ask your doctor about this. How long has he been doing this. Could it just be a growth spurt.

It has been going on for about a week or more straight. We thought it was a growth spurt at first but clearly its not.

mommys.gummy.bear · January 2010

Our LO started getting rice in his nighttime bottles around 3wks at the advice of my mother who stated that it may help him sleep better. It didn't help him sleep as much as I would have liked.

It may help your LO and it may not (I wasn't so lucky) but you'll never know until you give it a try.

AZAudiGirl · January 2010

Umm....it is normal for babies to eat as often as yours is. I put rice cereal in DS bottle due to reflux and A) he doesn't sleep any better/longer He now has a difficult time with BM so that keeps him up and fussy C) He still eats every two to three hours.

Good luck at your pedi appointment.

Lucky_N_Love · January 2010

Yeah I agree call your Pedi if you don't want to wait until your appt. He/she will tell you that it is not a good idea to put cereal in his bottle because babies bellies can't handle it yet. I am sorry you are dealing with this but I would want to try and fix whatever is wrong or find out something you can do so hopefully they will be able to help you.

alatchaw · January 2010

We get the formula with the added rice starch in it and it has helped fill her up and sleep better tremendously. Maybe try that?

SpartanGirl · January 2010

AZAudiGirl:
Umm....it is normal for babies to eat as often as yours is. I put rice cereal in DS bottle due to reflux and A) he doesn't sleep any better/longer He now has a difficult time with BM so that keeps him up and fussy C) He still eats every two to three hours.
Good luck at your pedi appointment.

This has been my experience as well. My oldest two both had rice cereal for reflux and neither slept better or longer (DS woke almost every 2 hours at night until he was 16 months old). BM also became an issue when we added rice cereal (we had to stop giving it to DS because he became even fussier).

Honestly, eating every 2 hours sounds pretty normal for the age of your baby.

nmc29 · January 2010

Gentlease is further broken down than regular formula and is more easily digested. Your LO is just digesting it faster and needs to eat more frequently.

We had the same thing when we went to Alimentum - we just upped his bottles to 5.5oz and he's doing great.

coffeeqween · January 2010

We did with ds 1 bc he was eating 6 oz and pedi said 12oz in 4 hr is too much and can hurt them. Try adding a teaspoon and see if that helps

Giannismommy707 · January 2010

its pretty normal for babies to eat every 2 hours....especially during growth spurts, which occur often during the first few months...

just because it is inconvenient for you to wake up every 2 hours...it is not healthy to add anything to bottles until they are at least 4 months old. they're bodies aren't made to digest anything other than breastmilk/formula.

Lucky_N_Love · January 2010

Another thing I thought of Is he eating every 2 hours during the day as well? He could have his days/nights mixed up. DD will usually go for about 5-6 hours at night w/o eating anything but during the day it can be about 2 hours or so. Just a thought.

Rachel2315 · January 2010

Sorry that its inconvenient for you to feed your kid every 2 hours, but that's what he wants right now. I, personally, wouldn't give my kid rice cereal until 4 months at the earliest. Talk to your pedi though. I had a very hungry kid who ate every 2 hours until 2 months then he stopped one day and only eats every 2-3 hours during the day and sleeps almost all night. It gets better, eventually, but for your LO's sake right now it might be better to hold off.

Again, just my opinion and I have no medical degree. My MIL also wanted me to add rice cereal to DS's bottles because it helped her kids STTN faster but I took her to his two month appointment and asked the pedi point blank if it was a good idea and he said absolutely not unless he has reflux bad enough to need it.

Courtney&Jason · January 2010

Please don't ever put rice cereal in bottles without the advice of a pedi. Not only are their stomachs too immature to handle rice cereal, but it can cause choking.

Most pedis are now recommending that you wait to feed rice cereal until 6 months. Your LO is only 1 month. Feed every two hours if that is what is needed. My daughter still sometimes eats every two hours and she is almost 5 months.

I'm sorry it is inconvenient for you, but this is what you signed up for when you became a parent.

BlairWaldorf · January 2010

You're kidding, right?

Do not do it unless under the advice of a pediatrician. His stomach isn't ready for it, especially at one month, & he could choke on it. He is meant to drink milk at this age - that's all he's programmed for.

My child is being spoon-fed oatmeal for severe reflux & it has had zero effect in his sleep patterns. & watching him try to eat something he's not truly developmentally ready for isn't always a blast, either.

I'm sorry that feeding your kid isn't "convenient," but as Courtney said, this is what you signed up for.

Mrs.tlcS · January 2010

If your baby is still hungry, put more formula in the bottle. Easy peasy.

Do not put cereal in the bottle without a pediatric consultation AND your pediatrician's approval. In young infants (younger than 4-6 months), it is usually ONLY recommended for severe reflux. As pps have mentioned, it can be a choking hazard, but it can also cause serious disruptions to the immature digestive system.

Please consult your pediatrician before risking health issues for your baby for the sake of an extra hour of sleep.

mcdermom · January 2010

My 1 month old eats 4 oz of formula every 2 hrs also. At night, she can usually go 5 hrs without feeding. I agree with the other posts about not feeding rice cereal until you've spoken with your pedi.

ZAngel · January 2010

With my first DS we had to start rice as soon as we got home from the hospital. He was actually on a special formula while in the hospital but it was very expensive so the rice was our second option. However, he only took the rice because of his relux and he was still eating often. My DD eats every 2-3 hours now. Sometimes every hour during the day. If your baby is hungry, just feed more. Otherwise you can try a paci if you think it is comfort eating. Don't give rice without asking your pedi.

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