Starting Cereal - Suwanee,GA

Hi S.,

My son started cereal in his bottle about 3 weeks ago and his stools do get much looser and I was told that its normal as their tummy is getting used to the new item. It will change when you add food as well. Not to worry it's normal for us.

Hi S.,
Calling the doctor on Monday is probably smart. I was told not to start my breast fed baby on baby food or cereal until 5 or 6 months old. I heard that starting solids too early could lead to allergies. If it was me, I'd not give her any more until tomorrow, just to be safe. It's probably not going to be a big deal though when you call about it tomorrow. Don't worry, good luck!

Could be an allergy. What kind of cereal? Mine were allergic to wheat and I only used Rice cereal after becoming aware of this. V.

I would recommend you stop the cereal. She is getting everything she needs from you!!! I would wait until 6 months for the cereal, her intestines are not ready for this and could certainly explain what your seeing. Please dont doubt that your breast milk is best for her!
Good luck!

A baby doesn't need anything other than breast milk until at least 6 months of age. I would stop the carbs. When you do start up again with feeding at 6 months, I would start with veggies and other things instead of carbs (we as Americans are hooked on carbs and the cereals just aren't necessary right now). I would start her on avacado and the normal veggies, then fruits...let carbs be last.

(Another note, most of the time, kids are constipated from having the cereal. Of course symptoms like diarrhea is the first sign of constipation.)

Hi, I am a mother three girls... The poop changing is normal. The runny nose maybe just from the weather changing. My 4 month old and my 2 year old both have a runny nose since the weather has changed. I give them polyvi sol vitamins. But if you feel like it's something more call the doctor to be on the safe side.

Listen to your doctor and do your own research. As long as your doctor says it is OK and as long as you feel comfortable with your decision, don't listen to anyone else. It is a good idea to introduce foods 1 at a time so that you can isolate the cause if there are any problems. The poop could be just normal changes as your daughter gets older, and her runny nose could be seasonal allergies (it is almost fall!). As moms, we are all doing the best that we can...just trust yourself!

I would check with the dr

Well i'm a single mother my son is 3yrs old i brest feed for the first week and put him on the bottle the second week always gave him the enfemil in the can and did not have any problems

The AAP recommends that babies get nothing but breast milk for a MINIMUM of six months. Take her off the cereal to give her digestive system a chance to develop (that's why you should wait the 6 months--it's called an "open gut") and she'll be fine. You haven't hurt her, but even rice cereal, which has no nutritional value, ought not be introduced yet.

I agree--stop the cereal and try again at 6 months. She's probably fine with it--I just say 6 months because that is what is reccomended. If you are giving cereal to her in hopes of more sleep, I never found solids to help sleep (sorry--it's not that easy! Lol!)

So glad you stopped the cereal. The iron that is usually used to enrich cereals can be hard on little tummies.

If you notice she is hungrier than normal try to make sure she is getting enough hindmilk at her feedings. Green poo can be a sign that she's getting to much foremilk and not enough hindmilk.

Hi S.,

My pediatrician strongly discouraged us from introducing solids to the baby until she was 6 months old. Maybe her system isn't ready for it yet?

Hi Sherri!

My personal viewpoint is its likely not an allergy. However it is very common for babies under the age of 10 months to develop allergies if they are introduced to cereals/solid foods/ dairy products to early. This is MUCH less common in breast fed babies. Its still advised (from a Holistic/Naturopathic standpoint) that babies under the age of two years old not be introduced to dairy products. Some will agrue that by one year its fine.

Mucus is developed in "the gut" of a body. Its related to the small intestine. Mucous is always fed and thrives on dairy & sugar. SO, you may want to consider looking at your own dairy/sugar consumption, and eliminate it all. You will see a difference right away. Also consider taking her off of the cereals. Its not necessary at 17 weeks, and will only lessen the amount of time you will ultimately end up nursing her for. La Leche League Leaders that I know personally have barely introduced their exclusively nursed near one year olds to solid foods, and they are Healthy as can be!

Good luck!

~ Check out homeopathic remedies, maybe also get yourself on a probiotic blend.

Hey Sherri,

She doesn't need it. It likely is a reaction she is having from the cereal. Even though it's organic, it's still very processed. If you are able to exclusively breastfeed her still, that would be the best. At 17 weeks, she does not need any other nourishment but your wonderful, ever changing to her specific needs, mama milk! :o)
Or maybe she is just getting a little cold.
Anyway, babies/toddlers do not NEED other food sources the first year other than their mother's perfect milk. (contrarty to what the ads and docs say) :o) Some kids don't eat table foods until age 2; I know mine didn't. Well, he is 2 1/2, still nurses and just barely nibbles on ceratin foods, and he is happy, thriving and robustly healthy.

Congrats on the new baby, and don't stress.

Love,
C.
www.LostRiverNaturals.com
Handcrafted Herbal Organics

I agree with the other posters. You don't need to start cereal this early. I waited until 6 months with both kids. Plus my ped. also said that you should wait until 6 months to start any solids.

shes probably too young for cereal, specially as a breast fed baby, it can really mess up their sensitive little tummys when they're used to breast milk and you give them anything else. I would wait atleast six months if at all possible preferably 1 year since shes breast fed and does not need any other form of food untill then. My daughter is 8 months old and only gets other foods when my mom has her (which isn't even once a month) Shes happpy and the healthiest baby that her DR has seen, so try waiting as long as you can. You can prevent her from having a ton of unnessecary weight problems and allergies. As far as the slimy poo, it's probably just her age, my daughters poo did the same thing at four months and is still like that. But do talk to your dr, 'cause in the end moms just give their opinions, and they're not always based on facts.

Nevermind, I see you already spoke with your ped! :)

Good luck!

I have to agree with everyone else so far. Four months used to be the recommended age to start cereal, and my pediatrician recommended it, but I waited until 6 months for my son, just because most of what I read said 6 months. I plan to wait until 6 for my daughter as well-- she's just about the same age as yours, so we can see how it goes together! With my son, I started with rice cereal-- just a very small bit, mixed with breast milk, and he didn't have any problems that I can recall. But I also agree with the others, that maybe starting with a fruit would work, too--- avocado, banana, applesauce ( I made my own but you don't have to be that crazy!). Good luck!

Not sure, the best way to find out is to stop it for a period and start back to see if the symptoms follow the ingredient. Make sure you stop it long enough (at least 7 days) to see them go away and then come back without the invovlement of viral symptoms. I know my friends kids would both get runny noses as soon as they had milk products. J.

I just have to ask, out of curiousity, why do you want to feed her so young when she is getting everything she needs from you? Feeding children food too early will cause digestive issues and allergies. If you don't need to feed her cereal, I wouldn't. Wait until she is AT LEAST 6 months old. EBF children can go much longer than that, the longer you wait, the better.

S.,

Many, many people start their babies on cereal at 4 months of age (16 weeks). I know moms who have started even earlier than that. I looked it up, and even the ever popular, mommy "Bible", What to Expect the First Year, recommends starting rice cereal at between 4 and 6 months (page 312 for any skeptics). If you think it is too early, then stop, but go with your gut feeling and your doctor's opinion.

Best of Luck!

If you are breast feeding you should start her only on rice cereal mixed with your breast milk and only 1 to 2 teaspoons per day for the first week. Then you can increase it very little each day until she seems comfortable with it. Most doctors do not recommend anything but breast milk for 6 months but sometimes we have to go back to grandma's ways and put a little cereal to the test. Baby rice cereal comes in a box at the store. Try and see. Hope she does good.

Why are you statring her on solid food SO YOUNG? iS IT THE GENERAL IDEA OF DOCTORS ON DAYS THAT BABIES SOULD BE EATING SOLDIS AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE? When our children were young you reast fed for 1 year and then began introducing solids. We had a lot less obese children in their growing years.

I beleive you are right on the track about your child being allergic to the food as my highly allergic child would have a runny nose and congestion and could not breath well so he slept poorly when I introduced a "bad" food into his system. I like that you are introducing one food a week so you can see what her little body is not responding well too. But why so Early! Good luch and enjoy your time with a sweet ittle one.
Keep Mothering,
C.

Is there a reason why you're giving your dtr. cereal this soon? I'm not sure about the slimy stool but I do know that baby's digestive systems are still developing up to 6 months which is why dr's don't recommend solids before then. I'd check with you dr as soon as you can. Good luck and hope all is well!

hi,
this isn't probably much help...but i just wanted give you my thought...my nephew has alot of food allergies, and he experiences the runny nose, mucus thing with it...he also (and my son as well) tends to throw up after he eats a food that he is allergic to...since your daughter hasn't had much in the line of solids, you might look out for that as well...better safe than sorry...ask your doctor...good luck

Most cerials are mucus forming, wheat, rice, oats,and barley are. Corn is not as bad with the mucus but has other draw backs. In my openion, you have started her TOO young, if you think she needs something besides breast milk; give her a little fresh fruit you blended yourself, but introduce anything into her diet in VERY small quanities to see how her system handles it.

V. Twiddy
____@____.com

my son is younger than your little girl, but I can say from experience that their stools change everytime you add or change their diet. Example: breast fed to formula it gets thicker, add cereal it gets even thicker. My Dr. suggested water with Karo syrup, it works!!! Also, I think that the mucas in the nose could be the weather, my son is the same way. I would still consult his Dr.

I would be very cautious about giving a baby any cereals (even if the doc says it's okay). Do YOUR research first- not all docs do! Most babies are introduced to solids at around 6mos with fruits and veggies. A lot of doctors out there don't recommend any grains (including rice cereals) until around 12 months.

extra mucous (in sinuses as well as stool) can be a sign of an allergy, such as casein or gluten. i would just mention it to your pediatrician and se what he/she says.