How to introduce cereal and baby food to infant?

[Chasity]

My son is two months old and my dr. told me to start giving him cereal at night to help him sleep. What is the best way to do that and what kind is best. I did not ask my dr. what kind because I just figured there was only one kind. There was not any instructions for adding it to bottles. I was not sure about the amount.

Also how old to baby need to be when do you start feeding cereal with a spoon, when during the day and how many times a day?

When can you start with cereal with mixed fruits?

 

[Kaitlyn ♥LOML♥]

Start with rice it is easiest on the tummy. He might not have the reflex to swallow it yet so add 1 tbsp to an 8 oz bottle that should do it. If your doctor told you to start cereals early then I'm sure there is a reason for it. (Colic and acid reflux are common reasons and rice cereal does help.)

Start introducing baby foods after 6 months.

 

[-.-"]

I started with Rice cereal in the bottle at 3 months. Adding half a teaspoon to the bottle. Did that for a couple of days then increased it to a full teaspoon, and all the way up to a tablespoon. My boy was drinking 8 oz at that point almost every 2 hours!(ridiculous) Needless to say we were ready for something more solid. I also noticed he stopped drinking 8 oz since and is drinking 6 oz. Just make sure you have the right nipples for the cereal. It tends to get clogged at times.

My doctor gave us the o.k for foods at 4 months. I started with rice cereal in the morning and right before bed by spoon. I found it made him sleep longer instead of having it in the bottle. I also got oatmeal, and barley and just rotated between the 3. My boy is 6 months in a few days and I just started the rice cereal with fruit(bananas)

 

[Yay Nicholas is here!]

My sister was the same when she was a baby my mom had to mix a little cereal in her bottle to help keep her full, is your son formula fed there is a formula by infamil called restfull night it helps baby sleep longer at night because it slowly digest in babies belly, here's the site:

http://www.enfamil.com/app/iwp/enfamil/productDetail.do?dm=enf&id=/Consumer_Home2/Enf_Products/ForInfants/EnfamilRestfull&iwpst=B2C&ls=0&csred=1&r=3432965856

 

[Hannah's mommy]

Your doctor is giving you VERY poor and outdated advice. You are putting your child at risk for digestive issues and it is an old wives tale that it will help baby sleep longer.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and many other health organizations recommends starting solids at 6 months.

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/delay-solids.html

You do not put cereal in the bottle, you are risking your child for choking and other issues.

Suck it up and parent your child at night. Giving him cereal isn't going to help with the issues, he is only 2 months for god's sake, he isn't suppose to sleep much.

Haven't you read a infant development book before?? Even the crap "What to expect" tells you not to put cereal in a bottle and to wait to start solids until 4-6 months.

 

[Anonymous]

"Baby meet cereal. Cereal, this is baby. I'll leave you two alone to get to know each other."

 

[cathrl69]

Get a different doctor. Yours is giving you advice which is more than a decade out of date and which puts your child at extra risk of developing serious illnesses such as diabetes.

You shouldn't give any solids AT ALL until your baby is at least 6 months old.

Even when my daughter was born they advised waiting until 3-4 months. She's nearly 14 years old now! The advised age has been steadily going up ever since as they realise what the risks are.

 

[hhudson]

i used gerber i think. just get the plain rice cereal they make it with flavors but i wouldnt do that at first. they do make special nipples to go on the bottles you already have to allow the baby to get the cereal or they also make special bottles for cereal feeding but i personally think that is a waste. my son never did like eating cereal from a bottle so when he was about 9 wks old i gave him cereal with a spoon. i found the smallest spoon i could and i got the one that was rubber so it wouldnt hurt his mouth. just mix the cereal with his formula (what i did) or breast milk which ever he is currently eating. on the side of the box there should be directions on how much to add but i just kinda eyeballed it. when i first started him out i made it really runny then as he got used to it over about a month or so i just started thickening it.

i would suggest waiting till at least 4 or 5 months till you start mixing the cereal with baby food. the first thing i tried was applesauce in my sons and he loved it. just make sure you start mixing one fruit or vegetable at a time, try one for about a week then you can add another so you can pin point if you baby has a reaction to one kind.

i hope this helps. i did not go by the book with my son so i know some people will not agree with what i said. but i think that a mother can read her child and figure out what is best for their family.

 

[Simrod11]

Why would ur doctor ask u to give him cereal at 2 months? how heartless!!

My baby never slept good at night, until he turned 6 months old. I NEVER gave him cereal but only when he was 6 months old.

Delaying food, even cereal until 6 months, can reduce the possibilities to develop allergies. Did u read out there this information? you should make more research.

Also, there is a possibility for shocking. Dont be scared, but since ur baby cant digest well at 2 months, giving him something heavy can make him feel bad. Please, please, think of ur baby, and not about u. Sleep when baby sleeps, but dont make him do something he isnt able to do at this moment, which is sleep more at night.

Life is like this, I never slept well, always felt tired, but it gets better. Refuse giving him rice cereal now, please. I know some mothers do that to relax, but I am against it.

Hope I didnt offend u, I am just putting in my knowledge and experience.