rice cereal?

have you started you twins on rice cereal before the "appropriate time? (4-6 months)
if so, how old were they?
did you mix it with EBM or water?
did your pediatritian approve or not?

curious as several people have said to me, "go ahead and start them on rice cereal. there is no allergy to rice and it will help them be full for longer"

 

have you started you twins on rice cereal before the "appropriate time? (4-6 months) No, I couldn't get mine to take it at 4 months
if so, how old were they? n/a
did you mix it with EBM or water? I mixed it with formula, but if I was BF'ing I would have mixed it with EBM
did your pediatritian approve or not? N/A

curious as several people have said to me, "go ahead and start them on rice cereal. there is no allergy to rice and it will help them be full for longer" This was not true for mine, even at almost 6 months when I was able to get them to take it. It actually disrupted their sleep for a little while.

If your pedi doesn't recommend starting it then I would follow his/her directions.

 

I waited for the pedi's approval at 6 months old. At first, I mixed it with formula but found out based on my boys desires, that they preferred it mixed with water. I don't think any earlier than maybe 5 months is really appropriate. As far as 'staying fuller longer' ... their main nutrition before then should just be strictly formula. If you think their not getting enough, maybe you could up their ounces or contact your pedi for additional suggestions.

 

I did not start rice cereal until my pediatrician said so:
We got the okay at 4 months, I mixed it with formula since I was not breastfeeding.
I know there are people who did start cereal sooner because of reflux issues, so I would recommend talking to your pediatrician first.

 

We received the blessing to start rice cereal at our 4 month pedi visit. The girls have been eating it every other day for a couple weeks and seem to really like it. We only give them about 1-1.5 tablespoon of dry cereal and mix with EBM to a milk shake like consistency.

We usually give it to them in the evening before bed time to help keep them fuller longer. We're working on STTN and some folks recommended cereal in the evening to help get them to go longer between feedings if they wake. It is stretching them longer but they haven't totally given up the post midnight feedings yet.

 

There are only medical reasons to start it (reflux) before the recommended time (4-6 months). It does NOT help with sleep.. as it may actually disrupt their sleep. Starting cereal VERY early is very typical of the baby boomers. My dh & I were both on cereal at the ripe old age of 2 weeks old because they thought it would help us sleep. It backfired.
I mix it with EBM (or water if I don't have any EBM available). We started at 6 months. Believe me.. it is a fun thing to do, but it is a lot of work. I'd rather just breastfeed.. no mess, not setting time aside.. etc.

 

QUOTE(lezlie72 @ Mar 7 2009, 09:39 AM) [snapback]1217845[/snapback]
have you started you twins on rice cereal before the "appropriate time? (4-6 months) We had to put it in their bottles due to Acid reflux but then started by spoon at 5.5 months.
if so, how old were they? see above
did you mix it with EBM or water? formula
did your pediatritian approve or not? yes

curious as several people have said to me, "go ahead and start them on rice cereal. there is no allergy to rice and it will help them be full for longer"


If there is no health reason to do so, I would not do it. All it is, is empty calories when what they really need is formula or BM for all of their nutrition.

FWIW, mine were getting tons of cereal in their bottles and they did not STTN until they were 9.5 months old.

 

I would not recommend it either this young (and neither would my ped.) He advised us only at 5 months to start rice, and other solids at 6 months. I did mix it (and still do) with ebm. But at that age, they really need all the bm or formula they can get. We had to add a little to bottles for one of my girls for reflux, but it did not affect her sleep. In fact, I noticed that when they get too many solids and don't finish their bottle (to clarify this: they get bottle first then solids, but if they eat too much in the pm solid feeding, they sometimes dont finish their last bottle), they will wake up hungry at night (and they have been sttn since 10-12 weeks).