Starting Cereal

[@llli*irishmom]

My son is 3 months old. Recently he has been very hungry consuming a lot of breast milk via bottle when I am at work or nursing a lot. He recently went through his growth spurt but remains to be still drinking a lot of milk. We have been monitoring it while I am at work. Before he was drinking about 1 ounce per hour I was away and now he has increased to 1.5 ounces per hour I am away. First I should say he is not being overfed. He is not napping well during the day and gets fussy at night because he is over tired. Also, he sometimes is so preoccupied with being hungry that he won't play as much. He eats about 12 times per day and when drinking from the bottle anywhere from 1.5-4 ounces. I am considering giving him cereal mixed with breast milk in a bottle in the morning to help him out. Wanted to get some feedback on this. My pediatrician is OK with giving cereals before 4 months.

[@llli*elizabethr]

I am no expert and I'm sure the other ladies well come in with specifics but I would not recommend adding cereal. From what you have said, his eating seems perfectly normal. Is he having enough wet diapers? Gaining weight?

Breastmilk provides everything your baby needs in the perfect balance, and adding cereal is just filing him up on none nutrative fillers which means he will be getting less of the good stuff, i.e. breastmilk, that he really needs. WHO and APA recommend *exclusive* breastfeeding until 6 months.

[@llli*mommal]

This article on solids may be of interest to you: http://kellymom.com/nutrition/starti...s/solids-when/

I wouldn't do cereal in a bottle. It's a choking hazard and it's nutritionally more or less void- it's simple carbs and a few added vitamins/minerals, no proteins, no fats. If you're going to supplement, use formula.

[@llli*djs.mom]

Yes. I would NOT do cereal ever really and if you were going to certainly not until the 6month point. Their gut is not ready for it before then. And it is completely processed with no real nutritional value other than the iron they fortify it with which is not nearly as absorbable as iron found in real foods. But nothing you are describing sound abnormal. I think you continue to nurse on demand so that you continue to meet his needs. 1.5 oz for every hour that he's away from you is in the realm of normal.
And as Mommal said it's actually a choking hazard to put cereal in bottles.

[@llli*auderey]

hi mama, i agree with all the PPs about your son's eating sounding completely normal. when you say "to help him out" - do you actually mean to help YOU out? are you having trouble keeping up with his demand when you pump at work? because that's something we can help you out with too.

[@llli*sassypants]

This article on solids may be of interest to you: http://kellymom.com/nutrition/starti...s/solids-when/

I wouldn't do cereal in a bottle. It's a choking hazard and it's nutritionally more or less void- it's simple carbs and a few added vitamins/minerals, no proteins, no fats. If you're going to supplement, use formula.

YES to everything here. Cereal in a bottle is a choking hazard.

Using rice cereal to fill up a belly is not really its purpose. It has no nutritional value and is really just a spoon feeding practice device. It is recommended as a first food because it is unlikely to cause allergic reaction, not because it is nutritious.

If you think your LO is not getting enough from his bottles and you have hit a pumping wall, please see the sticky threads in the pumping section, they are very helpful. Good Luck.