How to start rice cereal?

I'm thinking we need to start DS on rice cereal sooner rather than later. He eats a fair bit and I think his reflux will also improve (so hopefully he'll be able to lay flat more comfortably).

First off, is rice pablum and rice cereal the same thing? I think so, from what i've looked up but just to be sure. The doc said to add 1tsp-1tbs to a 4oz bottle. So you mix it in a bowl and then just put it into the bottle and feed? We're using a level 2 Dr. Brown's nipple, is this ok?

TIA,
Anna

 

I didn't deal with reflux so I was told not to put it in their bottles. I mixed the cereal with their formula and fed it to them by spoon. I started with rice cereal and didn't have very much success, I don't know anything about pablum.

 

Hi there!

We had started off with 1 tsp for DD, in her bottle (6 ounce). She really got constipated and was straining hard to poo when we gave 1 tsp per bottle for ~ 2days. So we back off of how much we gave (ie how many bottles would contain RC). I would measure out 1 tsp of rice cereal, put it in the bottle and stir stir stir. It really dissolves nicely. I use the Gerber nuk bottle, and kept the nipple size the same...it didn't affect the flow much.

When I make it in a bowl, I just add the 1 tsp, and add how much ever BM or formula to make it the texture that is good for DD. DD can eat it easily a little thicker, whereas DS needs it pretty runny.

Good luck, it is a fun stage I found!

TM

 

If you are introducing Rice Cereal for reflux and pedi suggests to add in a bottle, then yes, you put it in the bottle (ask your pedi how much) and then you shake and warm it. I did this with my boys - used #2 Dr browns nipples (they were using #1 without the rice cereal). They were about 10 weeks old and they didn't do well - they just didn't really like it and they got frustrated. Ended up doing zantac meds.

Now we are introducing solids and are back to the rice cereal. However, now we mix in a bowl and feed with spoon - 1 TBSP rice cereal to 4-5 TBSP formula.

 

Pablum is a brand of baby cereal here in Canada, so yep it's the same thing. Good luck, I hope it helps him!

 

Just wanted to add that we do rice cereal both by spoon and in bottles. We put up to 2 tbsp in a 7-8 oz bottle. When starting out though, I believe I started with only 1 tsp. You can put the rice cereal directly into the bottles and swish them around a bit. Importantly, you need the Level Y nipples for the Dr. Brown bottles. They're specifically for thicker liquids. The Level 2's are not designed for thick liquids. Good luck.

 

I actually just saw the dr today for reflux issues and he also suggested adding rice cereal to formula. He said 1/2 tsp per 2 oz. And he also said to make sure it is thin enough to still come out the nipple...obvously I'm also using level 2 dr brown's. Let me know how it works for you!

He also sent me with a few sample cans of Enfamil AR to try. It has rice starch added to it so it's heavier and is supposed to help spitty babies keep it down...similar idea to adding rice cereal in. I haven'tried it yet, but I have never heard of it, and I though we tried all the sensitive tummy formulas out there.

As far as introducing cereal, with dd I would just put the cereal in a bowl and add formula to get the desired texture...runny at first then thicker as she got older.

 

For those on Avent bottles, what nipple size did you use? Even the number 3 doesn't seem to flow well with only a tsp of rice.

Jennifer

 

Just like with the Dr. Brown bottles (Level Y), the Avent nipple packages (Airflex) will tell you that the nipple is designed for thicker liquids. The Avent nipples designed for thicker liquids don't have a number on them, they have lines and as you turn the nipple, the flow of the liquid changes. I don't know if this makes any sense, but at the store, just look for the Avent nipples that say they're designed for thicker liquids (it says so right on the top of the package). Using the regular 1-2-3-etc. nipples (Dr. Brown or Avent) will probably get the LOs frustrated that they can't get the liquid out if it's too thick.