Hungry Baby

Rice cereal in his bottle to help him fill up is just fine. I know all the books and doctors say not to but everyone one I talked to said to try it so I did and it worked. My son started having rice cereal in his bottle before bed at approx. 3 weeks old. He slept through the night after about a week of that and has been doing so ever since (he's 21 months old now). Don't put too much in, just enough to thicken it up a bit. I actually didn't even make the hole in my son's nipple any bigger than it was (though I think it was a larger hole than most nipples anyway as he seemed to choke when it was just formula with that particular nipple). I added approx. 1 tsp. of cereal for every 2-3 oz of formula. Hope this helps. :)

S. i have been going throught the exact same thing. I have been told if you start a baby on solids too early it will cause all kinds of allergies. So I wouldn't start him on cereal until at least 3 months. My baby is 9 weeks and started on 6 ounces probably 3 wks ago. Now he is up to 7. Don't worry about it, all babies are different and more babies are drinking this amount at this age than what you know. Give him what he wants, he is just a growing boy like mine. :)

All 4 of my daughters were big eaters and had cereal in their bottles almost from birth. I also used a spoon with my last daughter. But it was just because she took to it really easy.

We had to do cereal with one of the girls because she had bad reflux and it helped to keep her food down. I don't think there is anything wrong with it. But you may have constipation problems. In my day a little dark karo syrup was considered ok. But I suppose the younger moms on the list have better alternatives.

Suzi

My first two babies did the same thing, then my pediatrician suggested with my third, that sometimes they just want to be snuggled and are actually longing for closeness. They are used to being in your whomb and find comfort by being near you. I learned that it is VERY important for your sanity to get them on a good eating sleeping schedule, but not to crack down to hard on it until about 5-6 mo. The most important thing you can do is keep track of when he is finished eating (write it down), then try to make him hold out for at least 2.5 hours. If he seems hungry before that hold him, sing, interact...try to re-direct him. It will get easier, and eventually his body will not feel hungry because he will be conditioned. It goes by quickly, try to enjoy the gift!

I am going to be honest. I had a son that had the same problem and I decided to go against the book, and I did give him rice cereal. I didn't put it in the bottle though. I took a really small bowl and put a tad bit of rice cereal in it, and then really diluted it with formula (to the point of not being able to tell it was cereal). I fed it to him on a spoon and I just shoveled it in quickly since they are used to the flow of a bottle. It was diluted to the point of looking like I was feeding him formula from a spoon. I only gave about 6 small spoonfuls at first, and then went to the bottle. He took it like a champ, and went three and half hours from that feeding. (He was wanting to eat at every hour). I did this in the morning and at night only. I increased amounts when I noticed his feeding times were changing. I didn't increase much, but a little at a time. This way I wasn't putting cereal in his bottle, and he was learning to eat off of a spoon at the same time. It was messy as to be expected, but I knew he was full and he wasn't fussy. Hope this helps. A book is a guide, but not all babies follow the books. Use your own judgement! Hope this helps!
I actually did this with both my son and my daughter. Neither one have food allergies or stomach problems. Neither of them get sick often. I think you should go with your gut instincts and do what you feel is right. People have been feeding their kids cereal as early as a month old.

A friend of mine has a baby that sounds exactly like yours. She was always hungry and eating way more than the average amount of breast milk & formula than normal. Turns out she has silent reflux and was put on medication and special formula to help. From what I understand, instead of spitting up, the baby kind of swallows it back down and then eats more to soothe. If you're concerned, I would ask your pediatrician.

Also... please consult your pedi before adding cereal to his bottle. He is really young to start cereal, plus cereal in a bottle could be a choking hazard, especially in a baby so young.

Trust me, it is ok to give him a little rice cereal. My Mother did it and I did it with both my kids, which was advised by their peditrician. It won't hurt him at all. You will be surprised at the results.

I know the books say not to do it, but I always did and both of my kids are fine and are not fat. I think the reason they say not to is because of food allergies so if you try it just keep an eye on your son to make sure he tolerates it well.

Hi S.,
When my son was 2 months old we had a similar situation. His pediatrician told me it was okay to begin putting rice cereal in his bottle at night time. (about 1 tablespoon mixed with 6 ounces of formula) As mentioned by someone else you will have to make a small slit in the top of the nipple. Be careful not to make it too big or he may get too big a drink at once and choke. Consequently, that was the first night that my son slept all night long. I think we held off on giving him thicker cereal with the spoon until he was more like 4 months old to keep from upsetting his digestive system. He was never overweight either. Just go with your instincts on this one...after all no one knows your baby better than you do. If in doubt about something, consult his pediatrician.
Best of Luck,
K.

Hi S., don't feed the baby any food yet. You need to wait til 6 months - the reason is food allergies - most people don't keep up to date on what the guidelines are now - and they change as research changes.

As far as quantity, I breastfed so didn't have to worry about that, but know that babies have growth spurts and need to eat frequently when they are little. Their tummies are the size of a pea, then a marbel and then the size of their fist. I think you should let him eat whenever he is hungry and not worry so much about the number of ounces - watch his hunger cues.

My son was younger than yours (probably about 4 or 5 weeks) and I spoon fed him cereal. Made it very very thin (follow the directions for a first feeding). My son is going to be 1 in Jan. My doctor said that this was fine and that it was great that he was able to be fed with it out of a spoon. It does help them sleep through the night and to help fill up their little tummies! Good luck :)

Ok so you will find a lot of controversy on this issue. Your grandmothers and mothers will say feed the baby,he is hungry! I fed you and your fine. And then you will hear, Oh no you have to wait until they are at least 4 months old or they will develop allergies. Here is my position. Children are more allergic now to foods then they were when they were eating rice at 6 weeks. I fed both of my babies rice by 6 weeks and they have no allergies and they are fine. I say go with your gut. If your baby is hungry it won't hurt him to have rice, especially at 8 weeks. I think he is plenty old enough! Now don't feed him a chicken leg or mashed potatoes yet, but a teaspoon or two of rice in his bottle will make all the difference in the world. I breastfed so I would try spoon feeding the cereal or using those good ol' fashion baby cereal feeders.

S., I had that problem as well with my second child. She had to be put on soy milk, come to find out the other was too harsh for her tummy, and that made her feel hungry. I also recommend warm chamomille tea in the bottle, if you get them started now you will be glad. It calms the stomach, rids the gas, and makes a nice natural good sleep!
Hope that helps
M.

Hi S.,

I know how you feel. 2 of my 4 kids were big eaters. They were eating 8 ounces of formula by this same age. My doctor told me to start my kids on cereal. 2 tablespoons twice a day and feed it to them by spoon if at all possible.

At this point he should atleast be going every 3 or 4 hours in between feedings if not then you should go up 2 more ounces at each feeding. If he stays at 8 ounce bottles every 3 or 4 hours for a solid week (monday - monday) I would then move on to cereal like I said above. Start out with rice cereal and make it soupy. The one thing that is ok to do is feed your child the amount he will take in, keep him happy and satisfied and use your own judgement, you are his mother and you do what you feel is best. Even when everyone else doesn't agree.

By the way my youngest daughter was on table food at 7 months, she was on milk at 10 months, and she is off the bottle now. And the day after Christmas I am moving her into a toddler bed. W.

It sounds like your baby is going through a growth spurt. They usually do this at about 2 mos, 4 mos and 6 mos but it can happen at different time frames depending on your baby. I would not introduce the rice. That's how they did things in the old days. Now they have learned that introducing rice and other foods too early has been linked to later food allergies. When it is time to add rice cereal to the diet (at 6 months), you want to use that opportunity to start teaching him to eat from a spoon. I would just give an additional 1 to 2 ounces of formula and see if that will satisfy him. He may not be able to hold that much right now so you may have to feed him a little more often to satisfy him. Good luck! He is at such a fun age!
G., RN and mom to Jessica age 8 and Lindsay age 3

Hey! My son is almost 4 months old and was pretty big when he was born.. He also was eating about 6 ounces at the same time yours is... I try sometimes to just see if he'll eat 4 but damnitt he wants that 6 ounces.. I did start putting like a teaspoon and a half per 6 ounce bottle around 2 months so he would get full and would stay in his tummy for longer.. the only thing is that it might constipate your little one.

Hope this helps :)

It sounds like your baby is going through a growth spurt, which is totally normal and expected. You might try to give him 8 ounces at a feeding if he is bottle fed. Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, do not put cereal in his bottle. Babies don't eat solids (including cereal) for nutrion until much later, and putting cereal in a bottle leads to overfeeding. Good luck!

Baby's go through growth spurts where they eat more food, more often. I would advise against the rice cereal addition as it has been linked with childhood obesity and other issues. Breastfed babies don't have cereal in their feedings, so it doesn't seem right to add it to formula fed babies' diets either. Try looking at "What to Expect in The First Year" or a similar type of book to be prepared for when growth spurts hit so you don't worry. Good luck.

I know the doctors all say not to feed cereal and fruit until 4 months, but in my family my mother and the aunts and grandmas say if the baby is hungry feed him. You just need to be cautious of the amount of flow. With the cereal you will probably need to use a bigger hole in the nipple to allow the thicker substance to flow. Also make sure not to feed too much cereal. You need to remember that his stomach, intestines and bowels need time to grow and will need to have little bits added over a period of time.

I realize that literature these days say not to put rice in the bottle, but it never seemed to hurt my three children and my parents used it on the seven children in our family. It may be worth a try and you will know if he doesn't tolerate it. Good luck!

You can use the rice. Or the oatmeal - which is what my mother did for me and what I did for my daughter. Make sur eit is VERY thin though and it's also a good idea to add a mild fruit like pears or apple to keep helping with digestion. Changing around formulas can be a little dodgy because that can cause more tummy pains than simply adding small amounts of rice or oatmeal. So if you change formulas, be sure and do it gradually. Also, if you add the cereal and/or fruit, be sure and widen the opening in the nipple with a sterilized knife. And, sterilize the knife with heat instead of chemicals.

If he is a bigger baby, he will need to eat more. My first (of 4) child ate nearly 8 ounces at 5 weeks. He was hungry, he ate and he thrived. He was "big" until he was about 2 and then he slowed down. He was never fat, or even chunky...he was just big (90th percentile height and 75th weight). Now in a world where a lot of children are overweight, he is 75th percentile in height and 50th in weight at 13 years old...nearly one of the thinnest in his class!

Don't give him cereal. Their digestive systems aren't mature enough to handle it yet. Usually around 6 months is the best time to start (according to our pediatrition) and my nutritionist says they can go until they have teeth (which is sometimes later). It doesn't help them go any longer...it is something they used to to a long time ago. We know a lot more now about how our bodies work, so stick to formula or breast milk.

Good luck!

No cereal in his bottle!!! I would talk to your pediatrician about how many oz. he needs. He might need more. Or switching to a different brand. Good luck but please go see your doctor and tell them. I'm sure it's just a growth spurt.

Unfortunately, babies just eat a lot when they're that little. Mine ate that frequently until she was at least 4 months old. I would suggest not introducing the cereal until he is at least 4 months old. New research has shown that babies digestive systems just aren't mature enough for solids until at least 4 months. They prefer you to wait until 6 months if you can. I would also suggest talkign to your pediatrician b/c like a couple of other moms mentioned he could be having some stomach issues that need to be addressed. If he doesn't have any stomach issues then I would just try feeding him more often or upping his ounces per feeding. I know it's hard when they're so young but you'll get through this. Good luck and happy holidays.

Hi, well your son is more than likely getting ready to go threw a growth spurt, thus the reason why he is seems like he is always hungry. It's normal so no need to worry. Putting rice in his bottle wouldn't be good untill he is a little older 4-6months when you start introducing him to solid foods.

It's very likely that he is going through a growth spurt right now and IS hungry, but I would try to get him on some kind of feeding schedule (not rigid: if he's hungry, feed him), but that will help regulate his eating. I would not put cereal in his bottle. It just causes overeating because babies eat only liquid, and they do so based on volume, so if you start messing with the volume by adding solids in a sneaky way, they eat too much. Plus, they really can't digest it yet, so it will likely make his stomach hurt.

My middle son ate every 2 hours for the first 4 months of his life. Yes this was hard. Especially the middle of the night feedings. I talked to his ped. and when he said to add some more solid foods I did.
My son is now 11 and fine. It was hard but we made it thru. Good luck.

When all three of my child turned 3 months I started to put rice cereal in their bottles to help with them eating so much. I would suggest you try this. Also, if you are feeding him about 3oz maybe try 4oz to see if that works. Sometimes babies need the extra food at a younger age. Good Luck!

My son was 6 weeks old when we put him on cereal from a bowl and he was fine. My niece is seven weeks old and she is always hungry also and my sisters doctor told her to put cereal in her bottle at night. S.

Don't feed him cereal to fill him up. It is not meant for babies that young. All our mothers and grandmothers say to do this but now there has been more research and it is not recommended anymore. My Pediatrician said putting cereal in bottles doesn't help babies sleep better, it just makes fat babies. I'd try to hold out on the cereal until at least 3 months and waiting even longer is better. Instead, try shortening the time between feeding (3 hours instead of 4).

Like someone else mentioned, he might be having stomach problems that is affecting his eating. My son kept wanting to eat a lot (every 1.5 to 2 hrs) and it ended up that he had a protein sensitivity to milk and soy. It was crying from stomach pain instead of from hunger. The Dr. kind of explained it like he had become confused between pain and hunger and would want to eat even though it was actually stomach pain. I ended up having to regulate his eating to only every three hours for a while because he didn't "understand" his hunger signs anymore. Another sign that something was wrong was that he developed bad excema and the rough rashiness moved from his cheeks to all over his face and chest.

It could also just be that he is going through a growth spurt and will slow down on the feedings on his own. Just be aware of his hunger cues and don't end up overfeeding him once he's down with the growth spurt.

Babies just go through spikes in their growth/hunger--one day my son seriously ate 16oz of formula in a 2 hour period when he was 2 months old! My pediatrition told me not to give my son rice cereal at that age--better safe than sorry. Just keep on feeding your son more formula on days he seems more hungry. Good luck!

S.,

Hello! My name is J. Rutledge! If you wish to put cereal in his bottle to fill him up and to get his constant hunger to go away then do so. You might want to consider switching his formula. When my oldest, who is now 8, was a baby we had to switch her formula. Then when my youngest was little we started putting cereal in her bottles with the hope that it would help her keep her formula down. We found out that she had Acid ReFlux when she was 6 months old. As a parent after our babies come home we can do as we wish with them. The only thing the books and the dr.'s can do is advise us. No one can tell us how to raise our kids.

Don't give him cereal yet you may cause a whole bunch of other problems. You may need to switch formulas or you could thicken it a little by adding less water. At this age babies eat, sleep and poop. If he is eating every two to three hours that is about right sometimes he will go longer but for the most part This is what he should be doing and before you know it he will change and do something totally different. Relax and go with the flow. As long as he is growing and wetting his diaper he is doing great.