3 Month Old Seems Hungry

P.,
I have not read all the responses you got, but the ones I read said no to the solids. I have to tell you what my daughters ped. told me. At 4 months she started my DD on cereal, told me to wait 2 weeks then I could start baby food fruits and veggies. She believes it is ok to feed them when they are interested instead of waiting until 6 months when they will fight it since they will not be used to eating. They will push it out now too, but they are not as strong.
I know a lot of docs say no to the baby food but will start cereal at 4 months.
Just wanted to put that out there.

I started both my kids on cereal at 3 months. Most are ready, and I feel it does help them sleep better!

Hi P.~
You'll find lots of moms who "have it all figured out and do only what the experts say" and they will probably go through the roof at my advice, but here is what the ped. suggested we do. ALL of my children were spitters...major spitters! They were also big, hungry babies. To combat the spitting, the ped. had us put just enough rice cereal into his bottle (yes, bottle) to thicken it and help it stay down in their tummies. It worked like a charm and it also satisfied their voracious appetites a little better. Bottom line, cereal is not going to hurt your baby, no matter what the experts say about him 'needing' it or not. Give it a shot, if it works, good for you! God gave you mommy instincts for a reason...you'll know what is best, sometimes through trial and error!
~L.

Hello My Name is A. and we had the same thing with our lil girl who is now 3 years and 60 lbs. given she is big I dont care what people think she is a beautiful lil girl though now sorry bout that just thought i would share We started her on cereal at 3 months added to the brest milk in a bottle also at wal-mart they have a really neat bottle thats made for solids stage 1 foods some are orange or yellow and have suzy the duck on them they were great when we were on the go or just at home no fuss and no mess to clean up either good luck n go 4 it

Hi P.:

Like many other answers I would advise against giving solids this early. Breastmilk gives him everything he needs for the 1st year. Introducing solids early can cause problems for the digestive system along with the possibility of developing allergies.
It is a good sign that he is interested in food. I have read that this is a common thing for infants to do because they want to mimic what we do. If they show an interest now it can make the transition to solids later a little easier. I know even now if I take a bite of something my toddler wants to try it too. He was like your son and watched us eat eagerly. The transition to solids was relatively easy for us.
It is never crazy to worry about your child's eating habits. Overall at this age they eat because they are hungry so happily fill his belly and enjoy the little smiles of fulfillment.

It's always wise to check with your pediatrician first. Especially if there is any history of food allergies in the family.

I started both my kids on cereal/simple veggies and fruits at 4-months (after the Dr. said it was okay) because they were just like your son - very eager to eat! However, just make sure you don't put cereal in his bottle - that's a very easy way for him to pack on a lot of extra and unnecessary pounds.

Some people say that solids help babies sleep through the night, but that wasn't the case with my kids. I don't think it's abnormal for a breastfed baby to still be waking 3-4 times a night to nurse and I would suggest you continue to nurse him if solids during the day aren't helping.(Don't give solids in the middle of the night because that will be a very hard habit to break).

Babies go through a growth spurt around 3 months. My first daughter nursed every 2 hours around the clock for a week. Our doctor gave me the okay to introduce her to rice cereal. The experts recommend waiting longer than that to introduce solids, but some kids seem to be ready sooner. I think that the biggest concern would be food allergies, but if you stick to things like rice cereal and carrots you should be okay.

Hi P.,
my only advice is this:
your baby will have a greater chance developing strong sensitivities to certain foods if introduced to his delicate system too early. He may develop serious food allergies if his system is not equipped to digest it properly. And at 3 months, his system is really only equipped to handle the perfect food for him right now: breast milk. I am not saying that he definitely will have food intolerances if he eats solids at a young age, I am only advising caution. Give him his own spoon to play with if he looks interested in what you are doing at the table. I would hold off on solids for as long as possible. As long as he seems to be getting enough nutrition from mama's milk, then he is fine.

If you give him solids and his digestive system doesnt know what to do with it he will most likely have a tummy ache, and be miserable, and so will you agonize over his discomfort.

And dont forget, once babies start on solids, their poopie diapers start stinking really bad! mama's milk poopies isnt so stinky.

Let him be a baby for as long as he can, before you know it he will be a toddler....etc... no rush, really.

PS
I just read some of the other posts, and someone actually sugested to give him honey. HONEY! NO WAY< you are NEVER supposed to give a baby under 1 year honey because there could be a chance of food poisoning: this is from baby source . com

<<Infant botulism happens when a baby eats the bacteria or its spores, and they then grow in his intestinal tract. (This is why you should never feed honey to a baby before his first birthday.) Symptoms in infants include constipation, weakness (loss of muscle tone, weak cry, and weak sucking), droopy eyelids, and poor feeding due to difficulty swallowing. (The baby will be alert, though, despite his weakness.) Left untreated, botulism can progress to muscle and respiratory paralysis. The symptoms usually show up in eight to 36 hours.>>

*****PLEASE DO NOT GIVE A BABY HONEY****

Hi P.,
I would start him out with some cereal first. Most of the time babies like the plain taste first. Both of my boys were like yours, whenever we had dinner they would get so excited so I started them around 3 months and they were happy. Good luck.
Chris

I started my oldest on rice cereal before he was a week old. The doctor limited the formula he was supposed to have and said to add cereal to the bottle. Before he was able to eat from a spoon he was sucking down a lot of cereal in his bottle (it was like thick paste). It didn't hurt him, and he is still slim at 34.

Dear P.!
I just talked about it the other day,
and it totally applies to your situation also,
so I hope you don't mind if I just copy-paste you the same message:
Holly's baby is a little older, and she is teething.
In your case, all the same advice, only really LITTLE-BY-LITTLE. Also, you can add a little of the really little amount of porridge the way how I describe making it, into the bottle with formula, then having the hole for sucking an little bigger. All kids are different, some are bigger and need more food, and what I suggest is in no way harmful, whatsoever.
All the veggies and fruit, definitely, and also porridges: buckwheat and rice and oatmeal are the best.
When you start adding food, do it one thing at a time for about 3 days, so you can see how he takes it, that his stool is good, and no allergies, so you know exactly what makes the difference, if something does not seem to fit. Then you just eliminate this new food and try something else.
See what I mean? If you give him first time ever carrots, and an apple at the same day, and then you see something is not quite right, then you do not know which was the cause: a carrot or an apple.
For baby-boys one more advice: they have gases 'wondering in their tummy more than girls do. After feeding, hold him upwards on your chest, and walk a little with him, so he gets the gentlest 'shake' :) from you two taking a little stroll around the room. He gets sleepy often, after food, puts his head on your shoulder, so cute, may even fall asleep, but oftentimes, there comes a little 'croak' out of his belly, this release of gases will be a great help.
If it does not happen, and he may get restless and cry, as if something hurts, it may be gases.
I raised two boys, and the ancient suggestion i got from wise old people, was to give them A LITTLE bit of honey: take his pacifier (do you have one? :) ) and stick its end to honey, and give him. they Love it! also, he will never get addicted to the pacifier, as when the time will come and you decide no more pacifiers, just quit sticking it into honey, and the rubber thing won't interest him at all, he'll most likely forget it. How often honey on the pacifier? When falling asleep after eating, or while sleeping and waking restless, but diapers dry. You won't overdo it :), it will help digestion though.
Here is the copy-pasted advice, P., and: happy holidays to you all!!!

From:
M. M

Date:
Wed. Dec. 19, 2007

Holly, dear
her teeth are growing, and hurt!
Nursing is most wonderful thing ever, keep doing it.
In addition, you might try giving her soft food,

like mashed potatoes, with little butter in them, and milk
or even sour cream, but mash them so that it is like a pudding. This way you can mash very soft any vegetables, or raw or a little boiled or baked fruit, so that she does not need to bite, but just kind of suck her food in. She should like it, as it does not hurt.

Also, if you cook oatmeal porridge, make it simmer long,
so it's very soft, and then take a sieve (the smaller the 'holes' the better, and a spoon.
For all the cases for food now, while her teeth are 'cutting through' and hurt,
use this 'tool', to put the food in the sieve one spoon at a time,
then press the food through with the spoon in the bowl,
and give her to taste, just a little.
If she likes the taste, she'll smile soon and ask for more.
Experiment with different tastes, and give a little first, to check how she reacts. Ti sweeten food, I used honey always, a LITTLE, just to give it an appealing taste. natural is always better, and honey is better than any sugar.

Any kind of porridge works this way: rice, oatmeal, buck-wheat!
I raised three kids like this.

Still, as long as you have milk, keep breastfeeding her, just adding this other food to the 'diet'.

My kids grew up very healthy, no problems at all.

Happy holidays to you and your dearest ones!!!
M.

Talk to you ped. Most would say its way too early for solids; they don't digest anything and it may just cause problems. 3 months could be a growth spurt; could be a reason for the extra feedings.

Introducing solids this early can cause a lot of problems a few are a lower IQ, weaker immune system & allergies. It can be very tempting, but breastmilk is far better than any food. My son was 19 lbs 10 oz at 4 months exclusively breastfed, he nursed constantly! He was very interested in food. But it was well worth it to me & he has really slimmed out & is a healthy solid boy now. It is too young to worry about weight problems.
Brekka

Hi
At three months old, he should be on rice cereal at least three times a day. Espiecally befor bed at night. It will help him sleep longer thru the night. Also, you can start him on bananas.
Mix his cereal with some warm milk, soy or breast and he will eat it up fast.
Hope this helps. All my sons are dads now, but the ALL starting eating solids by the time they were a month old, and none of them had any bad effects from it. In fact, they are all healthy, slim young men.
Introduce your baby to healthy foods, and that is what they will eat for life.
Hope this helps.
Merry Christmas.
P.

You are never crazy for worrying about your kids! I also had very big babies who seemed to be very hungry after a few hours. I started to give them cereal in the evening at around 3 months. I used rice cereal mixed with breast milk. It was messy but it really seemed to help. My children are 14 and 5 and there has not been any problems from starting them on cereal early.

I started my 5 year old on solids at about 2.5 months,if he is hungry feed him!

S.

BE SURE YOU DISCUSS THIS WITH YOUR DOCTOR!! When my little ones were hungry and waking up too often at night, the dr recomended a little baby rice cereal just before bedtime,(yours), so he would sleep longer. 3 months seems early, but he may need a little solids being a large baby. Be sure you DO NOT sweeten or salt it. Babies don't need any of this and it doesn't help them as they get older.(I didn't know about this when mine were small and now they a both have problems with weight and high blood pressure as adults.) Be sure you ask the doctor.

Hi P.. I read through some of your responses, but not all, so I am sorry if I repeat what someone else has said. First of all, know that it is only a myth that starting cereal helps a baby sleep through the night. The milk that your son gets at night is the best for him...has the most fat & nutrients. Also, I wanted to point out that the moms who suggested starting foods this early have much older kids- some even grandchildren by now. As with anything else, new research and knowledge has developed since then! Just a few years ago doctors advised putting babies to sleep on their stomachs and now we know better....keep that in mind.

Hi P.,
I have to agree with most of the other moms. My son was a big eater. He was a good sleeper too. I started putting rice cereal in his bottle when he was 5 weeks old. It didn't take a lot, maybe a tablespoon in 8 oz. of formula breakfast, after nap, and bedtime. He's 18 now and he's doing just fine. He's 6'3" and 180lbs. And there is no adverse medical problems because I fed him when he was a baby.
Trust your mama instinct and good luck!
E.

I would continue to nurse. If you can pump I would put a little rice cereal in it. Little being the key. It might just give a little substance to your milk. I wouldn't feed him anything yet as his digestive system is still really young. If you can as well pump to see how much you are producing. Drink plenty of fluids, get some sleep :), and eat healthy. This should help keep your milk flowing. If he is not getting enough keep breastfeeding and add a bottle of formula into the day. Good Luck!

DO NOT GIVE HIM HONEY!!! VERY DANGEROUS!

One more note, As for worrying about his weight, you have a great start with just being cautious. He will be okay especially as he starts moving it will come off. My kids always chunk up a little then hit a growth spurt.

Your baby does not need any solids at this point...giving them to him could cause harm. (diareah or constipation, allergies, less breastfeeding which is all he needs for the first 6-12months)

And he's not big at all :-) 14 1/2 pounds is really very average for a breastfed baby....and actually would be kind of on the small side comparing my 17lbe 3-4month olds LOL

It's perfectly normal for him to still be waking 3-4x's a night...it takes breastfed babies a little longer to sleep through than their formula fed counterparts because breastmilk is so perfect that it gets digested fully, instead of sitting in the tummy.

From my experience giving solids does not equal better sleepers. My Oldest didn't sleep through until he was 8months old, and he was the one that we started feeding cereal to right on the 4 month mark...he was eating full meals three times a day by 7months and still took him another month to sleep through the night.

My four month old son was also very interested in the rest of the family eating. I asked my pediatrician about starting solids and he said no. It is good that he is so interested, it will make it easier to feed him in the future. Breastfed babies can start solids at five months, but your milk should satisfy him until then.

P.,
I,too, had a big boy. He was always hungry. I nursed and supplemented with formula bottles, but nothing seemed to help him. It seemed like he was constantly eatting. We finally started giving him a little rice cereal in the morning and before bed. That was enough to help him seem happier and content. He is know three and has slimed down considerably. He loves being outside running and playing on the climber. He is a better eater than my four year old who never received any additional food until he was five months old.
J..

Similar advice to what I gave another post. The interest in food shows an interest in family activities, that is normal development for this age. But your son does not need nor should he have solid food at 3 months. The digestive system is not fully developed until the age of 2. The medical/scientific community is just beginning to understand the connection between the maturation of the digestive system and proper training of the immune system. Introducing the wrong kinds of foods before the digestive system is fully developed can lead to long term problems. About nursing at night, he may be hungry, or he may be wanting your company, or he may just be use to waking up.

Same story with my three month old(well, four month now). She would watch us eat and chew on her little hands. I waited with my first for four months like dr said, but decided to start feeding this little porker sooner. I started her on thin cereal first until she got over the tongue reflex (pushing the food out), then started with veggies and fruits. After about a month of solids she is doing fine and sleeps all night long finally.

At six weeks my doctor had me put a 1/2 teaspoon of cereal in his bottle or by spoon eventually he didn't need it, it is probably just a growth spurt but they say at 4 months you can start cereal, fruit and veggies with no problem, and I am also concerned about over feeding and weight issues as my child is also a brick wall. And all the experts keep saying is that they don't understand the term comfort food yet,. they eat because they are truly hungry because they bodies change all the time at different speeds and burn calories different from day to day, so they tell me all the time if he is hungry feed him he will stop when he's full. He's older now. so he only gets 22 oz milk a day and small breakfast and small dinner, and little snacks like crackers or cherrios throughout the day...
hope this helps

3 months is way too early for solids. There are several things you need to look for in a baby before giving them solids: ability to hold their head up and sit in an upright position, and the absence of the extrusion reflex - this is the reflex where they stick their tongue out when things are put in their mouths. It's a protective mechanism because babies at that young age are not supposed to be getting solids.
Babies go through some pretty predictable growth spurts, and 3 months is one of those spurts. He will be nursing frequently for awhile to send your body the message that it needs to provide more milk. By allowing him to nurse when he gives you cues that he's hungry, you will produce enough milk to satisfy his needs. I went through the same thing with my twins; I thought I wasn't making enough milk because all they wanted to do at 6 weeks and 3 months was nurse constantly! But we got through it and the frequency of their nursing declined.
If you have questions and would like some support, La Leche league is a great resource. You might also contact your county health department; a lot of the health departments work in conjunction with WIC and provide breastfeeding support groups. Another option would be contacting a lactation consultant at your hospital.
Good luck!
J.

I started feeding my son rice cereal at 3 months and then by 4 months we started with 1st foods. If you're making your own food, start with bland fruits and veggies (i.e. bananas, pears, squash). There are tons of great baby cookbooks as well as stuff online. I had a big baby too and once he started moving, the weight started melting off. I would rather have a big baby then one that I constantly had to worry about getting enough food.

There is a great book out there called "Super Baby Food" by Ruth Yaron. I don't agree with everything in the book but it does have some really great tips and recipes. The AAP and Ruth both recommend waiting til at least 4 months to start solids because a baby's digestive system is to immature and doesn't have all the correct enzymes to digest things such as starches from cereals, and if the baby still exhibits the tungue-thrust reflex (where he just pushes food out with tongue). During the first year a baby really only needs milk(breast or formula) and all other food is just really practice.

I am a firm believer in mom knows best so just keep watching your son for his ques like you are doing & keep an eye out for allergies.

Good luck with everything.

C.