1 mo. old n cereal??

HI ladies I have a quick question about giving my 1 mo old cereal is it safe or what?? some say yes some say no.. what do you moms think? My daughter is a month in  ahalf she eats constitly (sp?) and 4 oz. every 2 hours sometimes 1 and half hrs..

[tiredbuthappy]

my understanding is that it's not good. their digestive systems are not meant to handle anything other than breast milk or formula at that age. i think cereal for babies that young is generally reserved for situations where the baby has terrible reflux. your baby is probably going through a growth spurt and doesn't need empty calories but rather the nutrients in milk or formula.

[DecemberBaby07]

ok great advice b,c i was totally cnfused some sai to do o ut i wasnt sure thanx

[AnnieBrooke]

Ditto the previous poster.  Don't give anything but breast milk or formula until the baby is 6 months old.  Not even plain water.  As for cereal, it just doesn't have in it what the baby needs, and fills her up with empty calories.  4 ounces every two hours at this young of an age is about right.  Let her drink until she is full at each feeding.  That way she will handle growth spurts herself.

[leigh04]

my doctor asked me at one month if i was planning on giving her cereal and said that it was perfectly fine just not a whole lot and to mix it in with her formula. so for the past 6 wks we feed her a cereal and formula bottle at around 9 (2 oz bottle) and then when she wakes up we feed her one more and thats all we feed her. she poops just fine and is perfectly healthy

[2ndBaby]

No.

[JoyRenee]

I have researched this. I have asked my pediatrician, and I have read this in Parents, Parenting, and American Baby magazines: formula and breastmilk are COMPLETE nutrition for the first 12 months of life. They actually recommend you hold off introducing foods for as long as possible to prevent food allergies.

My 10 month old skipped baby foods and cereal and is obsessed with table food. I have saved money not having to buy those things and she is happily eating along with the family, when she is ready.

As for a 1 month old, that is way too young. They do not have the muscle coordination to use their tongues to swallow food, no matter how much you dilute the cereal. They have a reflex that will automatically push the spoon and food out of their mouth. And you are not supposed to put cereal in bottles; it can cause cavities and cause baby to choke (they can get cavities before they have teeth).

Wait until 6 months AT LEAST to introduce food, longer if you can.

If your baby is hungrier, it is because she needs more formula (do not go by baby book feeding tables! EVERY baby is different and those are only meant as a guide for average babies). She is still young enough to be eating that often. My children did not eat every 3-4 hours, they ate every 1-2 hours until they were bigger.

Treat your baby as unique and not as a text book baby! They'll thrive!!! :-)

[JoyRenee]

Oh, by the way, part of the reason we even have infant cereal is to help teach babies how to eat and swallow and it is not for nutritive value (as formula/breastmilk are complete nutrition). So putting it in a bottle defeats the purpose of teaching baby how to eat.

Just relax and baby will get enough nutrients and calories with her formula/breastmilk!!! They will grow, be happy, and they will be just fine!!!

[lovefamily]

Many people get in a hurry to give cereal in a bottle to their new infants because they want the baby to be filled up longer and sleep longer.  Everyone can't wait for a good nights sleep.  It will come, but not usually with an infant.  Baby needs nothing but breast milk or formula for the first 6 months.  This also helps to prevent food allergies.  My Doc said I could give cereal with a spoon as early as 4 months but no earlier.  That would only be if my baby was not the average and was pulling at my food and wanted to eat.  They have to grow out of the relflux where they push stuff out of their mouths before they can even handle a spoonand food in the mouth.  Babies go through growth spurts and you will fill like all you do is feed them.  Also, their stomachs are small and they cannot hold that much at once so milk is quickly digested causing them to be hungry sooner.  I always fed on a demand basis.  If my baby is hungry, I nurse him.  I remember at that age my little one nursed almost every hour.  Sometimes I would only get a 20 minute break and he wanted to nurse again.  But he is now 5 months and is a healthy 18 lbs with nothing but mother's milk.  I will start introducing cereal at 6 months if he is ready.  Waiting that long also helps prevent food allergies.  I'm glad you asked this question before just going along with what someone who is obviously not educated in this matter told you.  You don't want to hurt your daughters digestive system, risk allergies, or give her empy calories.

[SliverCheer]

NONONONONONO

Don't give your baby cereal they are just growing eating constantly is ok but their digestive system isn't ready until the earliest 4 months.  feeding cereal to early can lead to allergies and obesity later in life.

[cantwait4baby]

No do not give your baby anything but formula.  I found out when my dd was 5 months old thhe hard way.  She had a seizure and passed out.  They are not sure exactly why but it happened 2 more times.  Every time was after eating cereal.  She has been cut from all cereal and most stage one foods until she goes to an allergist now.  She goes on Feb 12th.  I had to wait 3 months for the appt.  Like my doctor said do not listen to your mom or grandmom what was ok then is not anymore.

[deanne11]

I wouldn't.  My guy is 16 weeks and for the most part only ever had breast milk.

I think maybe he's had two-three formula bottles in the past few weeks because of daycare...My milk isn't being produced well with the pumping at work.

Anyway....he eats every two hrs too.  and from what I've read...that is normal for a breast fed infant...they don't really get on schedules every 3-4hrs like formula fed babies.

My Dr agrees....it doesn't mean they need anymore, they just seem to feed more.

My boy is 18 lbs and 29 inches long....from birth weight of 8.11 and 21.5 inches....He's growing just fine on breast milk

[deanne11]

Oh my goodness.  I remember you going through this but from what I remember the Drs didn't know why...I thought I read, they thought she was sick....

Now they are saying allergies?  Geez.  That could be really dangerous for her.

So what are you feeding Eva?  The Drs have her on strict diet?

[cantwait4baby]

She is only allowed to have formula, bananas, squash, peas, applesauce, sweet potatos.

And only those because she had already had them and they are not mixed with anything and i have to keep her on stage one until the allergist.  She has already seen Neurology, cardiology and will see Pulminary and an allergist this month (Feb).  She is in a rule out phase because the episodes happened three times and everytime she had just had some type of cereal.  Now she has had cereal and nothing happened but they put a stop to it all.

Since, THANK GOD, neurology was normal and she was either on target or advanced in all areas they think if she is having seizures they are not having any affect on her developmentally but they want to rule out everything.  Three times is not a fluke.  

Deanne those were the worst moments of my entire life.  I learned CPR and when my daughter turned blue I ran out of the house screaming for my neighbors to help me while waiting on the ambulance.  I could not give her rescue breaths  I dont think I was breathing.

But she seems to be doing ok now and they are really thinking an allergy or reflux.

[jenstam]

NO. Your baby needs and should have nothing more than breastmilk or formula until 4-6 months. 6 months preferrably.

[tatmomof5]

I would try giving her an extra ounce of formula at each feeding. She is much too young for cereal, unless there is a medical need for it. At one month she is due for a growth spurt, so she may need a some extra calories, but cereal his too hard to digest. And it is not uncommom for a one month old to eat that often.

[deanne11]

Wow - that is so scary.  I am so lucky, the only thing Abby is allergic to is the 'red 40', of course they put it in everything from pasta sauce to bubble bath.

She doesn't have a reaction like that, just redness on her face.  If she eats anything with red 40 in it she gets a red rash on her face with the food touched her.

Her allergist said not to worry about it.  She isn't ever uncomfortable with it.  That kind of worries me because, yeah it's a rash for now, but what if her allergy intensifies?  

I remember you going through this but I thought the Drs kept thinking it had to due to fever and sickness.

I'm glad they are taking you/this seriously.  I remember at one point, you didn't think they were giving it the attention it deserved.

All I can say is thank goodness for CHOP - we do have one of the best if not the best, Children's Hospital in the country

When it comes to your child....sometimes, I've wanted to punch the Drs in the face.

[cantwait4baby]

Well the ambulance always takes me to St. Christophers because they are closer.  St. Christophers does not do in house testing they release you after 4 days and then want you to come back for tests.  CHOP would do tests right away while it was happening but I cant get there I am too afraid to drive.  So I did all her testing at CHOP and was told to get there as long as she is not blue.  Put her in the car and drive as safe as I could and to call 911 from my phone.  They need to do an EEG during the episode St. Christophers will not do it.  Not only did I threathen people's lives at St. Christophers I taught a bunch of kids in the waiting area a lot of new words.  I punched the glass where the lady was and kicked chairs over while holding my 6 month old unconscious baby in my arms because a doctor had not seen her 2 hours after coming in on an ambulance.  The cocky girl behind the desk said somethign I dont even remember what it was and I told her I was going to shove her computer up her you know what.  The F word was flying  and my heart was about to burst out of my chest.  My boiling point.  Nobody could calm me down Security came as the doctor finally came over to me and looked at my baby for the first time and said she would need to be admitted.  

So Yes, we are so lucky to have CHOP but St. Christopher's is a nightmare.  I must have been really scary because nobody stopped me.  I think I may have said something like YO stop cursing in front of my kid but then again as crazy as I was I may have been afraid.  Parents were all nice and trying to help me.

[deanne11]

You are definitely a Philly chick!  LOL
It sucks when your kid is in danger and no one seems to be hearing you.

I almost got Abby kicked out of her daycare for a few choice words I had about their safety and things that have happened to her there.

Well - if you ever need help or someone to sit with while they are doing tests...let me know.  I'll be down the 76 so quick to help you....I'm in the KOP area now.

[cantwait4baby]

Thank you so much.  Glad you are close.  Eva actually went to the CHOP center in KOP for the cardiology tests.  They had Saturday hours..  One less day off of work for me.

I really am a nice person.  I stop old people on the street that I know live near me and drive them home, One day there was a strange guy on my street and I made all the little kids that were out playing come in my house and call their moms.  (they know me I am not a stranger).  I just am nice to everyone but I swear I could have knocked that lady out and never thought twice about it.  I cant stand ignorant people.

[DecemberBaby07]

Thanx for everyones replys. I`m going to wait off on the cereal but just wanted to know what everyone thought my mom told me its fine but that was 20 years ago.. (when i was a baby)..so i was kinda scared to feed my baby cereal with her bottle at 1 and half month old... I know when she is like 6 or so i can ..... she weighs 10lb 4 oz and is 1 and half month old... she was 7lb 12 oz at birth and 21 3/4 inch..  so  i think she is doing fine on formula with gaining weight she eats about 3 to 4 oz. like every other hour and half to 2 hours.. so THANX again for the replys... im gonna stick with just formula

[mami1323]

I completely understand what you are going through.  My son was 9 lbs.2 oz when he was born.  He never got satisfied by my breastmilk so we supplimented with formula.  I felt like I was feeding him every 2 hours.  My friend told me to try cereal in the bottle because her daughter was just as big as he was and she did it.  One bottle before bed.  So I tried giving him a pinch, then increased it slowly.  Well it wound up making him struggle to poop and he wound up crying because he had problems going to the bathroom.  I decided to stop giving it to him.  He now drinks 5 oz every 3 hours.  Sometimes he can go longer and sometimes he wants to eat sooner.  I feed him when he's hungry.  He's 14 lbs now and 10 weeks old and does just fine with formula alone.  He actually sleeps through the night.  So my answer to you is formula is good enough.  Just increase the amount.  Your baby is growing and just demanding more.

[DecemberBaby07]

right same for me i just started today giving her 5 oz maybe that`ll help her she is a good sleeper thou thru the night she sleeps about 10:30 to 11:30 til about 6:30 to 8:30 i the morning and only wakes 1 in the night to be changed and to eat thats all.. Thanx for the reply..

[mami1323]

It gets better.  My son sleeps straight through without waking up so you will find that your baby won't need that feeding in the middle of the night soon enough.  Plus, the more calories they get during the day the less likely they will wake in the middle of the night.  That's why I want my son to know that day time is for feeding and night time is for sleeping.  I feed him as much as he wants.  It sounds like you're doing everything right.  Good luck.

[DecemberBaby07]

thanx well i hope i am lol... hes a cute baby

[mami1323]

You are, as long as she's gaining weight you're doing a good job.  

Thank you, your daughter is adorable.  I love the pic.  

[DecemberBaby07]

thanx first smile i caught lol