Feeding cereal

We had our 4month visit with the pedi recently and he was on the fence about starting cereal and solids. They have reflux, which is better now. They are eating more and more and it doesn't seem to satisfy them. How did ya'll start cereal in the bottles? Oh, they are still on a level one nipple too. Does that matter? I don't have any other children, so I don't know how to do this. Any advice? I can use all the help you give!!
Thanks!

 

I never did cereal in the bottles, only by spoon. And at 4 months old I tried to get mine to take cereal and was so excited about it, and they wanted nothing to do with it. I was so disappointed! I couldn't get mine to take any cereal until almost 6 months old.

What kind of bottles do you use? If you are using Dr. Brown's there is a certain nipple they make for cereal, I think it's the Level Y. I don't think the level 1's will let any cereal through.

 

I am only doing cereal in dd's bottle because she spits up so much. We started this at 6 months and we started cereal by spoon with both dd and ds. We had to use the medium flow, cereal will not go through the slow. We were told to mix it 1 tablespoon to every 2 ounces of formula. We didn't start any solids til 6 months though. GL.

Jennifer

 

My boys were like that at four months too, so I started them on rice cereal but only by spoon. I use the small gerber spoons and by the end of the first bowl they had the hang of it. One DS loved it, the other one took a couple of weeks before he would eat it but it did stop them from eating every 1.5 hrs , I could go 2.5 to 3 hrs with giving them cereal. Mine also had huge growing spurts in the fourth and fifth month which caused them to eat a lot. They finally settled down in their 6th month.

 

If they dont need cereal in their bottles for reflux, I would wait to start solids until the Ped thinks they are. They are still on the young side for solids and it would probably just interfere with their formula intake right now. I would try switching to a faster flow nipple and see if they take a bit more formula at each feeding that way instead of adding cereal to the bottle. GL!

 

Be careful and make sure that weight gain is okay. Cereal has LESS calories than formula or breastmilk. It can slow your babies weight gain. We just had to stop giving solids because DD weight gain stopped after introducing solids, and we waited til 6 mo!

Cereal also can stop them up, so make sure that they are pooping okay.

 

We had our four month check up yesterday and the pedi suggested possibly starting rice cereal slowly. Right now, they are on 1/2 Enfamil AR and 1/2 Similac Sensitive. The [AR] formula has got some rice starch in it so it gives the formula a little texture. Also, I recently moved the girls up to med flow nipples [about 3 wks ago - and transitioned into them].

 

Mine have been having a spoon of cereal in their bottles since they were 4 months. We started with this once a day and I gave it to them at their last feed. We made the hole in the teats bigger too as it was too thick to pass through the stage one teats. We then increased it to 2 bottles at 4.5 months (I did first and last bottles - they have x4/day).

Now, they have been taking 3 bottles with 1 spoon of cereal since they were 5 months old. I give DD 2 spoons in her last bottle as she doesnt eat too well during the day plus she has reflux. Both have taken to the cereal no probs. They´re now on a cereal that also has fruit in it. They´re also having fruit puree once a day (also since 5 months). They take what they want and I offer milk too unless they eat a bowl each which DS has achieved a couple of times!

If your pedi says to try the cereal, then go for it. Mine are on AR formula which is already heavier than most standard formulas but they have adapted fine to the added cereal.

GL & KUP!

 

i did it in a bowl with formula. the more formula you add the thiner it gets, i have always made it more liquidy to start and than add less formula until i got the texture babies liked

 

I started my twins with rice cereal when they were 4 months, but we did not give them in bottles. Started them straight away with spoon and they took it quite well...

 

I don't do cereal in bottles, just very runny mixed with b-milk by spoon. We won't be doing cereal until they are 6m + at our peds' recommendations. They were 6 weeks early but growing very well on b-milk. I'v always waited until 6m due to the allergy thing. . . 7 years ago, they would rec waiting because they thought too early solids could trigger allergies. Anybody got any recent info on this?

 

QUOTE(Emily@Home @ Nov 26 2008, 01:00 PM) [snapback]1087635[/snapback]
7 years ago, they would rec waiting because they thought too early solids could trigger allergies. Anybody got any recent info on this?


I found a good article that explains why it's best to wait until 6 months to introduce solids. Link.

 

We were told that we could start rice cereal at 4 months, but I've read conflicting advice that says you should wait until 6 months, so we split the difference and started at 5 months. DS didn't really get the hang of it for a couple weeks, but DD took to it right away.

We never did cereal in bottles as the purpose of them eating solids was to learn to eat thicker food from a spoon, and get the idea of opening their mouths, removing the food, and swallowing it. We started with the cereal very runny (dilute with formula) and then thickened it up a little each day over the course of a week. They now have rice cereal in the morning for breakfast mixed with a little pureed fruit.

 

QUOTE(debfitz @ Nov 22 2008, 12:23 AM) [snapback]1081344[/snapback]
We had our 4month visit with the pedi recently and he was on the fence about starting cereal and solids. They have reflux, which is better now. They are eating more and more and it doesn't seem to satisfy them. How did ya'll start cereal in the bottles? Oh, they are still on a level one nipple too. Does that matter? I don't have any other children, so I don't know how to do this. Any advice? I can use all the help you give!!
Thanks!


Mine started cereal at 4 months and took to it no problem. We did have to make the holes bigger in the teats though as the milk is much thicker.

Mine are on AR formula and we started out by giving them one spoon of cereal in 2 bottles (we did the first and last feeds). Our pedi told us to use cereal that doesnt contain gluten due to their age. At 4.5 months we upped the cereal to 3 bottles and we are still doing that.

They are also eating fruit puree and veg puree. My DD has reflux and moving onto solids has helped her tremendously so do talk to your pedi about that. Mine started the fruit puree (half a pear, half an apple, half a banana & the juice of an orange) at 5 months and usually share that quantity. Now they´re starting to eat that quantity each and it replaces a bottle. If they dont eat all of it, I still offer milk (without cereal). We give that to them at their 2nd feed.

We introduced the veg puree (carrot & pumpkin) for their 3rd feed about 2 weeks ago as they began rejecting the bottle and it´s going pretty well. DD has only had reflux a couple of times since. Maybe its her age too (they are 6 months old tomorrow) that is influencing the reflux but she had a bad day on Monday so who knows.

Trust your instincts. You know your babies beter than any pedi or doctor. I felt that mine were ready for the change, even though it´s more typical to start solids at 6 months, so I called the pedi and got the go-ahead to start the veg puree earlier. In your shoes, I´d start with the cereal and slowly increase the number of bottles they have it in. I´d try solids a bit later on. Mine are just growing so fast - they wear clothes for 9 month old babies!!!

 

QUOTE(debfitz @ Nov 21 2008, 06:23 PM) [snapback]1081344[/snapback]
We had our 4month visit with the pedi recently and he was on the fence about starting cereal and solids. They have reflux, which is better now. They are eating more and more and it doesn't seem to satisfy them. How did ya'll start cereal in the bottles? Oh, they are still on a level one nipple too. Does that matter? I don't have any other children, so I don't know how to do this. Any advice? I can use all the help you give!!
Thanks!


I wouldn't do it in bottles either but would feed by spoon mixed w/ formula to start. Mine liked it better thicker (and not so runny) and even better still with fruit or veggie mixed in (if you've ever sampled it, it's really bland). My DD really preferred oatmeal & I think Ionly got the 1 box of rice cereal & did oatmeal after that.