Cereal

When did you start feeding your kids cereal? My boys are 3 months now and it seems like all I do is feed them. One of my boys will eat 7oz every 2-4 hours but he is all sleeping through the night. The other one eat every 3-4 hours 5-7oz and wakes up once to eat. The doctor says I should wait to they are 4 month to feed them cereal because it can cause adult allergies if I feed them sooner. Do you think I should wait or did you feed your kids sooner?

Thanks and Happy Friday!

 

I know that they say to wait, but if it can cause allergies why do they suggest giving it to reflux babies? We have been doing cereal since 2 weeks for reflux.

I hate to think that by treating the reflux, I am risking them having allergies. :-(

 

Both my babies have reflux and all she told me to do was to prop their beds up to help. I go through lots of bibs and clothes everyday. I am sure ready to start them on cereal. Their doctor told me it could cause adult allergies & diabetes. Now my sister works in a pedis office and her doctors said that was crazy. I am not sure what to do. I probably will just wait.

 

I started lose cereal at 4 mos. - In the same boat as you - my girls just did not seem satisfied with the formula - so I went for it. My ped was talking about starting at 6 mos! yeah right. I went with my instinct instead. As far as allergies - back in the day, babies were being fed lose cereal at 2 weeks! I'm sure if you and your husband are very allergic etc. - there would be a concern, but if not, I wouldn't worry. It seems today - the doctors are SO cautious - and there really hasn't been anything proven. Babies today have more allergies than 15 years ago and those babies were getting everything at a very early age as opposed to now. Go with your Mommy instinct. Make the cereal lose, and go for it. It may take a little while for the babes to get used to the spoon, but they'll get the hang of it and will start gobbling it up! And it so much fun too. Good Luck and have fun.

 

QUOTE(daisydoll @ Jan 4 2008, 07:13 PM) [snapback]557583[/snapback]
Both my babies have reflux and all she told me to do was to prop their beds up to help. I go through lots of bibs and clothes everyday. I am sure ready to start them on cereal. Their doctor told me it could cause adult allergies & diabetes. Now my sister works in a pedis office and her doctors said that was crazy. I am not sure what to do. I probably will just wait.

I'm with your sister's ped - that's the craziest thing I've ever heard. Sorry - this is such a touchy subject for me. I'm 40 years old and my Mom's generation etc. were giving us as babies EVERYTHING at 6 mos.and there were no wheat, nut, milk - lactose intolerant etc. allergies that kids suffer through today. Diabetes is hereditary for one and it's also brought on by diet - a poor nutritional diet high in fat and sugar - not by cereal. Sure - if this runs in your family etc. - there's probably room for concern, but IMO - your ped is mis-informing you about the whole diabetes thing.

 

Wow I can't believe your babies take in so much formula - I can only get my munchkins to take 3-4 oz every 3 hours. My babies are 3 months old and one of them has reflux so we have been putting cereal in her bottle for about 2 months. I would love to know your secret on how to get babies to eat more.

 

wow thats a lot of milk or my boys aint gettn enough.. one baby is getting 90cc(3oz) the other 125cc (5oz)
is there a calculator based on age of how much milk to give per age? (boys turned 3months today)

 

QUOTE(Jennifer702 @ Jan 4 2008, 01:46 PM) [snapback]557618[/snapback]
Wow I can't believe your babies take in so much formula - I can only get my munchkins to take 3-4 oz every 3 hours. My babies are 3 months old and one of them has reflux so we have been putting cereal in her bottle for about 2 months. I would love to know your secret on how to get babies to eat more.



I read that it is 2-2.5 oz per pound per day. so if your babies weigh 12 lbs then they should take 24 - 30oz per day.

 

we started at 4 months and 5 days...

 

QUOTE
if it can cause allergies why do they suggest giving it to reflux babies?


I think it's because with reflux you're between a rock and a hard place - there are genuine risks to starting solids too soon, but untreated reflux can lead to serious damage to the esophagus etc...

Daisydoll - the current recommendation of the AAP, WHO, CDC, etc is not to offer anything except breastmilk and/or formula until 6 months. They can't digest anything else that early, so it's just filler, and takes away from the nutrition they really need from BM/F. Starting solids early also increases the risk of allergies and future obesity.

Here are a couple articles about it. One is more geared to BFing, but some of it still applies to formula fed babies; the other is more general.
http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/delay-solids.html
http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/readyforsolids.htm

HTH (And TGIF is right!!! B) )

 

My 3 month olds eat about what yours do, DS does 6 6 ounce bottles a day (minus what he throws up), and DD 6-7 4-5 ounce bottles a day. We haven't started cereal, but plan to discuss it with the pedi at our 4 month visit and will hopefully start then as I have "happy spiiters" that go through 2-3 outfits and at least 2 crib sheets each day. I agree with the previous posters that our mom's all gave us cereal and solids way early and the allergy rate was alot lower then than it is now, I think it's just pedi's being overly cautious, know the facts and make up your own mind.

 

I agree with the majority of the previous posts. We all have been feed cereal, but not all of us have allergies or diabities. I think it is crazy too. Most of us were started on cereal much younger than 4 months. Emily started at 2.5 months and did great with it! She started baby food at 4 months via permission from pedi. No allergies at all!

The twins I started at 4 months. Not because I was worried about allergies...I just didn't feel they were ready and they were content with their formula only. They just seemed not interested in it when I started at 2-3 months. So I stopped and we re-started at 4 months...much better now. They will start baby food next week!!

Go with your instinct! I am thinking you should at least try it...especially with AR!

April

 

We started at 4 1/2 months as told by our pedi. A lot of people say they gave cereal for reflux, but mine have been on Zantac and it has been very successful. Also, if it seems like they are eating constantly, they may be going through a growth spurt. It probably won't be permanent.

 

Oh, and I was anxious to start cereal too. It seems exciting and like a whole new exciting phase. Keep in mind, if they are satisfied, it is easier to sit on the couch and give them a bottle than put them in high chairs and deal with the mess of baby food--atleast until 4 months or so.

 

My twins were on cereal for reflux at 2 weeks. I started feeding them off of a spoon at 4 months!

 

I know that "they" say start cereal at 6 months, but we skip the cereal phase entirely. Once my kiddos can sit up well I start giving them bits of mushed up food off my plate. My bigger girl who has been sitting longer like baby mum mum rusks but doesn't handle the other textures well. My littler one totally goes for the food- sweet potato, avocado, cantaloupe, carrots, spinach, etc. I figure if they can't get it from the table to their mouths alone, they don't need it.