Rice Cereal

nikel13 · July 2013

DH was to add a little rice cereal or formula to the breast milk he is bottle feeding Lily while I am at work. She is going through a growth spurt and it has been hard for him to keep her full and happy for a bit. I'm going to talk to the pediatrician. Would any of you add the rice cereal? We wouldn't do it while I was home as it BF while home. Oh, and I don't want to even start the formula thing. He keeps pushing for it and Lily is getting plenty from me while I'm home.

BLT20051 · July 2013

No. It can choke them when they're this tiny. Not to mention tear up their stomachs. Absolutley not.

sweetbabypea · July 2013

Aren't they recommending to skip rice cereal because of arsenic? And no way I would start it at this age. There is plenty of time for her to enjoy cereal when she's the appropriate age.

BabyPsychic · July 2013

I predict that this is a bad idea.

ashlo618 · July 2013

Baconlettucetomato said:

No. It can choke them when they're this tiny. Not to mention tear up their stomachs. Absolutley not.

skio · July 2013

Fuckno. It's a really bad idea for a lot of reasons. Did his mommy tell him to try it? Because it was only regularly done ages ago before anyone knew any better. That advice is now very outdated. The only time rice cereal should ever be added to a bottle is when babies have severe reflux and can't keep liquids down, as advised and supervised by a pediatrician.

If she's not staying full, why not give her bigger bottles? I don't see the need to supplement.

ChristyD6 · July 2013

Baconlettucetomato said:
No. It can choke them when they're this tiny. Not to mention tear up their stomachs. Absolutley not.

Formal would be a much safer option if you need to supplement at this point.

megandchase · July 2013

Give a bigger bottle if breast milk. We are up to 4oz bottles with LO when we give him one because he was still hungry when we were doing smaller bottles. Sometimes he finishes the 4oz sometimes he doesn't buy at least he is satisfied. Check out the ounce recommendation on Kelly mom that is how I new to bump up the ounces.

ladybugpjb · July 2013

At the risk of sounding snarky, food isn't the only thing that keeps babies happy. I freely admit that my first thought whenever DD gets upset is that she must be hungry (because feeding her will almost always quiet her). So my question would be whether or not she is actually hungry, or if your H is just assuming she is hungry. Overfeeding can make them happy for the moment, but then you have to deal with the upset tummy later.

And no, I wouldn't give rice cereal. I have a pack of the 2oz premade formula bottles in case DH needs to feed her more if I go somewhere without her (which isn't very often) and I don't have any milk pumped.

ilovemarfa · July 2013

Nope. Rice cereal is meant to be eaten, not drank from a bottle. If she is going through a growth spurt she may be fussy and not necessarily fussy from hunger. If she is hungry,give her extra breast milk or formula. Rice cereal is also extremely constipation and has arsenic in it.

Western Diva · July 2013

Also, introducing anything other than BM or formula before 6 months really increases your baby's risk for allergies. I sure wouldn't do it!!

costa2011 · July 2013

I wouldn't be trying any cereal until 4 months, the recommended age. I know you don't want to start formula but you could always do a half/half mix, that might help a lot. Baby is still getting breast milk but also is feeling more full. Just a suggestion.

MdWestMom · July 2013

skio said:

Fuckno. It's a really bad idea for a lot of reasons. Did his mommy tell him to try it? Because it was only regularly done ages ago before anyone knew any better. That advice is now very outdated. The only time rice cereal should ever be added to a bottle is when babies have severe reflux and can't keep liquids down, as advised and supervised by a pediatrician. If she's not staying full, why not give her bigger bottles? I don't see the need to supplement.

Lol, this. It's a terrible idea. You should have DH ask the pedi, so he can hear what a bad idea this is, straight from the horse's mouth. If baby isn't full, then give more breast milk!!!

LaBellaVida · July 2013

ladybugpjb said:

At the risk of sounding snarky, food isn't the only thing that keeps babies happy. I freely admit that my first thought whenever DD gets upset is that she must be hungry (because feeding her will almost always quiet her). So my question would be whether or not she is actually hungry, or if your H is just assuming she is hungry. Overfeeding can make them happy for the moment, but then you have to deal with the upset tummy later.
And no, I wouldn't give rice cereal. I have a pack of the 2oz premade formula bottles in case DH needs to feed her more if I go somewhere without her (which isn't very often) and I don't have any milk pumped.

+1

kelseypie · July 2013

skio said:
Fuckno. It's a really bad idea for a lot of reasons. Did his mommy tell him to try it? Because it was only regularly done ages ago before anyone knew any better. That advice is now very outdated. The only time rice cereal should ever be added to a bottle is when babies have severe reflux and can't keep liquids down, as advised and supervised by a pediatrician.

If she's not staying full, why not give her bigger bottles? I don't see the need to supplement.

This. You could mix formula and breastmilk in a bottle if you're worried about blowing through your stash. This is what we do if I'm not nursing him for one reason or another.

My mom, mil, and other women around the same age keep trying to get me to give DS cereal because he doesn't sleep at night. Not worth it. I'd rather be awake with him than take a risk like that.

KacyChicago · July 2013

As you can see, no way! My pediatrician even warned me never to do this when she recommended "Baby 411." As a Mom that has had no choice but to formula feed, your comment "Oh, and I don't want to even start the formula thing." kind of rubbed me the wrong way. There's nothing wrong with supplementing if she's not getting enough when you're gone.

homebird · July 2013

No. Babies do not need solids of any kind at this age. That is very old/outdated and potentially harmful advice.

homebird · July 2013

KacyChicago said:

As a Mom that has had no choice but to formula feed, your comment "Oh, and I don't want to even start the formula thing." kind of rubbed me the wrong way. There's nothing wrong with supplementing if she's not getting enough when you're gone.

I think you're being a little oversensitive. Supplementing if you are trying to EBF can be harmful to supply, so of course she doesn't want to give formula unless she absolutely has to. That's not something you need to be offended by.

steph_pegasus · July 2013

I agree with PP's. Don't give her anything other than BM or formula! I was reading that the 6 wk growth spurt is like that, they seem like they are never satisfied and need to eat very often. The theory being that if you're BFing, your breasts don't get full and the fatty hind milk is more quickly accessible.

CindyRelluh · July 2013

DS has an esophagul reflux issue, so his pedi recommended a tiny bit, but I've only used it once or twice because I'm paranoid. He's on a formula now with added rice starch, and it helps a lot. Enfamil AR.

JANCANDANCE · July 2013

Thehell.......no sweetie! If its a growth spurt offer more breast milk or mix the breast milk with formula. And this is mean but why in thefuck would you consider rice cereal and shun formula. Crazy as hell!! And are you sure the issue is eating? Good luck to you.

uticamom87 · July 2013

We give Lucas rice cereal because he has severe reflux, Only because the GI doctor told us to do this.

ssemovsk · July 2013

kelseypie said:

skio said:
Fuckno. It's a really bad idea for a lot of reasons. Did his mommy tell him to try it? Because it was only regularly done ages ago before anyone knew any better. That advice is now very outdated. The only time rice cereal should ever be added to a bottle is when babies have severe reflux and can't keep liquids down, as advised and supervised by a pediatrician.

If she's not staying full, why not give her bigger bottles? I don't see the need to supplement.
This. You could mix formula and breastmilk in a bottle if you're worried about blowing through your stash. This is what we do if I'm not nursing him for one reason or another.

My mom, mil, and other women around the same age keep trying to get me to give DS cereal because he doesn't sleep at night. Not worth it. I'd rather be awake with him than take a risk like that.

My doc has said not to mix bm and formula

kelseypie · July 2013

ssemovsk said:

kelseypie said:

skio said:
Fuckno. It's a really bad idea for a lot of reasons. Did his mommy tell him to try it? Because it was only regularly done ages ago before anyone knew any better. That advice is now very outdated. The only time rice cereal should ever be added to a bottle is when babies have severe reflux and can't keep liquids down, as advised and supervised by a pediatrician.

If she's not staying full, why not give her bigger bottles? I don't see the need to supplement.
This. You could mix formula and breastmilk in a bottle if you're worried about blowing through your stash. This is what we do if I'm not nursing him for one reason or another.

My mom, mil, and other women around the same age keep trying to get me to give DS cereal because he doesn't sleep at night. Not worth it. I'd rather be awake with him than take a risk like that.

My doc has said not to mix bm and formula

Care to elaborate as to why?

CindyRelluh · July 2013

kelseypie said:

ssemovsk said:

kelseypie said:

skio said:
Fuckno. It's a really bad idea for a lot of reasons. Did his mommy tell him to try it? Because it was only regularly done ages ago before anyone knew any better. That advice is now very outdated. The only time rice cereal should ever be added to a bottle is when babies have severe reflux and can't keep liquids down, as advised and supervised by a pediatrician.

If she's not staying full, why not give her bigger bottles? I don't see the need to supplement.
This. You could mix formula and breastmilk in a bottle if you're worried about blowing through your stash. This is what we do if I'm not nursing him for one reason or another.

My mom, mil, and other women around the same age keep trying to get me to give DS cereal because he doesn't sleep at night. Not worth it. I'd rather be awake with him than take a risk like that.

My doc has said not to mix bm and formula
Care to elaborate as to why?

Yeah I mixed bm and formula all the time, his pedi approved.

CindyRelluh · July 2013

CTGirl30 said:
NO. I'm guessing his mother suggested this? Women of that generation often gave very young infants cereal in bottles under the assumption it'll help them sleep longer. The AAP recognizes that as a dangerous and outdated practice now. Have him ask your Pedi if he needs to hear this for himself. Sometimes there are medical reasons to push an earlier introduction to solids but that's done under the recommendation and guidance of a Pediatrician - and it's not for reasons to "keep baby happy" or "to sleep longer." I'd really love to be asleep right now, myself, instead of up at 2:30 (going on over an hour now) but there's no way in hell I'd give my 7wk old anything other than either BM or formula (we do both).

Are you sure the issue is that baby is hungry? If not, help him learn other techniques for dealing with an infants fussy times...including not letting them stay awake too long and getting overtired. If it really and truly is hunger, he can give a bigger bottle or maybe try an oz of formula (which is not the debil, by the way) if your stash is limited.

This exactly. Our pedi told us to use rice cereal, but only because he has medical issues that it might help. I wouldn't use it early just to get him to sleep longer.

mommakristydawn · July 2013

I mix breast milk and formula too. Doc told me good job on trying to pump and said "keep it up"! Really curious as to why you where told to not mix BM and Formula. That is a new one to me.

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