Mixing rice cereal and BM?? How much for 9 week old?

LadyL · Apr 6th, 2012, 14:54 PM

My little one is 9 weeks old. My pediatrician said it was ok to start him on rice cereal for his nighttime feed to see if it would help him sleep longer. I have him on a strict schedule during the day, 6 oz of expressed BM every 4 hours (8,12,4,8). Then to bed right after his last feeding. He usually will sleep about 5 hours, waking sometime between 1-2am. Dr. said that is good for a BF baby, but if I wanted to try cereal to see if he'll sleep a bit longer. Pediatrician said, it may or may not help, but I'm willing to try.

Just curious if any of you ladies had tried this and did it help? Also, what's your advice on giving it to him? Should I mix it with the entire 6 oz? or just mix a couple oz of BM and cereal and give the rest just BM?

Any advice will be appreciated!! Thanks!

Honeybear1976 · Apr 6th, 2012, 15:26 PM

I cant believe a doctor told you it was ok to cereal to a 9wk old. They recommend weaning with cereal etc at 6months and absolutely definitely not before 17wks. Their gut is not ready. You are very lucky the amount baby is sleeping, be happy:-)

mistyscott · Apr 6th, 2012, 15:37 PM

My baby is nearly 7mths and we've been weaning for a few weeks now - I wish he regularly slept for 5 hrs straight!! Totally agree with above poster, breast milk is all he needs for now.

jenniferttc1 · Apr 6th, 2012, 15:46 PM

Using rice cereal seems to still be very common in the states, all of my friends do it but I don't and I'm pretty certain I will skip the rice even during weaning and go to other options.
No advice though, all my friends that use it, formula feed and babies sleep through.

RaspberryK · Apr 6th, 2012, 16:01 PM

I am shocked any doctor would suggest at such a young age, its not at all safe. for your lo age that's a good amount of sleep, my baby usually slept well even when he was very young but he would eat every 2-3 hours in the day, cluster feed from 7 til midnight, to get him full for the night. I don't think your lo is having enough milk in the day to skip the night feed.
X

flippityflop · Apr 6th, 2012, 17:13 PM

Wow 9 weeks is early for a 4 hour feeding schedule in the day. My 12 week old will do 3.5 hours at a push and 5 hours max at night. I really would think 9 weeks is too young for anything other than BM/formula (other than medical reasons). But that's just my opinion!

CandyDay · Apr 6th, 2012, 17:51 PM

9 wks seems way too early. AS pp said their guts aren't developed enough to handle foods that young

Health experts and breastfeeding experts agree that it’s best to wait until your baby is around six months old before offering solid foods. There has been a large amount of research on this in the recent past, and most health organizations have updated their recommendations to agree with current research. Unfortunately, many health care providers are not up to date in what they’re telling parents, and many, many books are not up to date.

The following organizations recommend that all babies be exclusively breastfed (no cereal, juice or any other foods) for the first 6 months of life (not the first 4-6 months):

World Health Organization
UNICEF
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Academy of Family Physicians
Australian National Health and Medical Research Council
Health Canada

http://kellymom.com/nutrition/starti.../delay-solids/

mrs.amillian · Apr 6th, 2012, 18:03 PM

It sounds to me as though you've got your baby into a really good routine and to have 5 ours straight at 9 weeks is brill, we only manage about 2 hours at night, lol!!

I totally agree with the others though it's way too early for food, 6 months is recommended to start weaning, but many parents start between 4-6 over here.

Is there another issue they may have recommended the rice, like poor weight gain or reflux or something???

ashley2pink · Apr 6th, 2012, 18:31 PM

Oooo, I wouldnt even consider rice cereal or anything other than breastmilk at 9 weeks if it was me. Thats way too early. Its really not that common here in US. I've only heard of my mom doing it at 3 months with my brother. He was huge so was told he was still hungry after milk which is bull. Rice milk doesnt help with weight gain. Milk has far more cals amd fat. Anyway, He has many digestive problems and allergies surfacing as he is getting older which is common to happen when solids are started too early. It is common here to start rice cereal at 4 months which I dont agree with either, but its more of personal preferance I guess. But 2 months, no way! Please dont start for at least 2 more months.
My baby is 7 months and she wakes 3-4 times a night to bf and she bf's every 2 hrs during the day(was the same with my others too). Its 100% normal for babies(even toddlers who are bf)to want to bf at night. Its more unusual when they sleep through, but the newish era of ff babies makes it seem unusual if they arent sttn at 3 months.

booda · Apr 6th, 2012, 18:36 PM

I really feel for some babies

Why bother having a baby if you cant be bothered getting up at night to give the poor thing a feed!?!!? seriously! 5 hours is a long time for a 9 week old on breastmilk. My 7 month old has just started going 5ish hours some nights, usually its 3-4 though.

Apr 6th, 2012, 14:54 PM	#1
LadyL Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Southern US Posts: 388	Mixing rice cereal and BM?? How much for 9 week old? My little one is 9 weeks old. My pediatrician said it was ok to start him on rice cereal for his nighttime feed to see if it would help him sleep longer. I have him on a strict schedule during the day, 6 oz of expressed BM every 4 hours (8,12,4,8). Then to bed right after his last feeding. He usually will sleep about 5 hours, waking sometime between 1-2am. Dr. said that is good for a BF baby, but if I wanted to try cereal to see if he'll sleep a bit longer. Pediatrician said, it may or may not help, but I'm willing to try. Just curious if any of you ladies had tried this and did it help? Also, what's your advice on giving it to him? Should I mix it with the entire 6 oz? or just mix a couple oz of BM and cereal and give the rest just BM? Any advice will be appreciated!! Thanks!

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Apr 6th, 2012, 15:26 PM	#2
Honeybear1976 Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Wales Posts: 1,243	I cant believe a doctor told you it was ok to cereal to a 9wk old. They recommend weaning with cereal etc at 6months and absolutely definitely not before 17wks. Their gut is not ready. You are very lucky the amount baby is sleeping, be happy:-)

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Apr 6th, 2012, 15:37 PM	#3
mistyscott Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Norwich, UK Posts: 1,861	My baby is nearly 7mths and we've been weaning for a few weeks now - I wish he regularly slept for 5 hrs straight!! Totally agree with above poster, breast milk is all he needs for now.

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Apr 6th, 2012, 15:46 PM	#4
jenniferttc1 Mum (Mom) BnB Elite Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: US Posts: 11,063	Using rice cereal seems to still be very common in the states, all of my friends do it but I don't and I'm pretty certain I will skip the rice even during weaning and go to other options. No advice though, all my friends that use it, formula feed and babies sleep through.

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Apr 6th, 2012, 16:01 PM	#5
RaspberryK Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Northamptonshire, England Posts: 4,629	I am shocked any doctor would suggest at such a young age, its not at all safe. for your lo age that's a good amount of sleep, my baby usually slept well even when he was very young but he would eat every 2-3 hours in the day, cluster feed from 7 til midnight, to get him full for the night. I don't think your lo is having enough milk in the day to skip the night feed. X

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Apr 6th, 2012, 17:13 PM	#6
flippityflop Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: May 2011 Location: Berkshire, UK Posts: 2,534	Wow 9 weeks is early for a 4 hour feeding schedule in the day. My 12 week old will do 3.5 hours at a push and 5 hours max at night. I really would think 9 weeks is too young for anything other than BM/formula (other than medical reasons). But that's just my opinion!

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Apr 6th, 2012, 17:51 PM	#7
CandyDay Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Ontario,Canada Posts: 618	9 wks seems way too early. AS pp said their guts aren't developed enough to handle foods that young Health experts and breastfeeding experts agree that it’s best to wait until your baby is around six months old before offering solid foods. There has been a large amount of research on this in the recent past, and most health organizations have updated their recommendations to agree with current research. Unfortunately, many health care providers are not up to date in what they’re telling parents, and many, many books are not up to date. The following organizations recommend that all babies be exclusively breastfed (no cereal, juice or any other foods) for the first 6 months of life (not the first 4-6 months): World Health Organization UNICEF American Academy of Pediatrics American Academy of Family Physicians Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Health Canada http://kellymom.com/nutrition/starti.../delay-solids/

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Apr 6th, 2012, 18:03 PM	#8
mrs.amillian Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Basingstoke Posts: 1,415	It sounds to me as though you've got your baby into a really good routine and to have 5 ours straight at 9 weeks is brill, we only manage about 2 hours at night, lol!! I totally agree with the others though it's way too early for food, 6 months is recommended to start weaning, but many parents start between 4-6 over here. Is there another issue they may have recommended the rice, like poor weight gain or reflux or something???

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Apr 6th, 2012, 18:31 PM	#9
ashley2pink Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Utah, USA Posts: 3,131	Oooo, I wouldnt even consider rice cereal or anything other than breastmilk at 9 weeks if it was me. Thats way too early. Its really not that common here in US. I've only heard of my mom doing it at 3 months with my brother. He was huge so was told he was still hungry after milk which is bull. Rice milk doesnt help with weight gain. Milk has far more cals amd fat. Anyway, He has many digestive problems and allergies surfacing as he is getting older which is common to happen when solids are started too early. It is common here to start rice cereal at 4 months which I dont agree with either, but its more of personal preferance I guess. But 2 months, no way! Please dont start for at least 2 more months. My baby is 7 months and she wakes 3-4 times a night to bf and she bf's every 2 hrs during the day(was the same with my others too). Its 100% normal for babies(even toddlers who are bf)to want to bf at night. Its more unusual when they sleep through, but the newish era of ff babies makes it seem unusual if they arent sttn at 3 months.

Status: Offline

Apr 6th, 2012, 18:36 PM	#10
booda Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Not here. Posts: 1,444	I really feel for some babies Why bother having a baby if you cant be bothered getting up at night to give the poor thing a feed!?!!? seriously! 5 hours is a long time for a 9 week old on breastmilk. My 7 month old has just started going 5ish hours some nights, usually its 3-4 though.

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