Advice on mixing a little rice cereal w/ formula for 7 week old?

[MamaBear518]

So I've gotten some people (my mom included) who tell me to mix a little rice cereal with my babys formula to help hold her over better inbetween feedings, and I was just curious if anyone else with previous babies has tried this and how it went for them?

Lilie is going to be 7 weeks on Friday, weighs 10lb 13oz and takes about 5oz every feeding which lately seems to be every 2 hours. My mom said I was 5 weeks when she started doing this and I'm still here today. Lilie's pediatrician said that giving babies this young cereal could promote infection according to some research, so I'm torn. It just seems like Lilie can never get enough, but then if I give her more formula she'll spit it up and then be hungry 5 minutes after. Just looking for some opinions

 

[skunkpixie]

My opinion is dont do it! I would listen to what your doctor says. Dont give anything other than milk until at least 4 months. Have you spoken to your doctor about prescribed feed thickeners? The will help your baby keep her milk down and not sick it back up again. We have a product called Carobel in the UK that you can get on prescription. You add it to formula milk and it makes the feed thicker, so it will settle in the baby's tummy better.
Parents way back when did alot of things that are now considered unsafe. Obviously most turned out fine, but better safe than sorry where your child is concerned. xxx

 

[kat2504]

Don't do it. The gut is not closed until 17 weeks so introducing any sort of solid food is risky and may increase the risk of allergies later on. Are you sure that she is hungry if she spits up extra formula that you offer her? She might just be fussing due to a bit of colic which is very common at that age. Try soothing her in other ways such as carrying in a sling or walking around with her over your shoulder. If she is actually taking (as opposed to spitting up) way more than the guideline amount for her weight on the tin then perhaps talk to the doctor about hungry baby milk or some other type of formula such as staydown milk. But definitely no solids before 17 weeks regardless of what your mum did.

 

[Kage76]

there is a massive growth spurt around the 6 to 7 week mark- it could be she is going through that- personally there would be NO way i would introduce solids this early- the risk of choking and allergies is to me too much of a risk. There is no way her tummy is ready for solids-

 

[honeybee2]

I had the same Q, thanks for asking this x

 

[kls9503]

When my oldest dd was 8 weeks old the pediatrician told me I could start putting rice cereal in her bottles although he said they like to wait until the baby is 4 months old. She had had trouble with acid reflux and never seemed full so he gave me the okay. He told me to put 1 teaspoon per ounce of formula. My youngest dd is not quite eight weeks yet and thankfully is perfectly content with 4 oz every three hours or so. I'm hoping we can wait on the cereal until 4 months for her because it did tended to make my oldest constipated.

 

[Noelle610]

Unless there's a medical reason to wean early (like reflux), I would advise against it. A baby that age doesn't have a digestive system that is developed enough to process solid foods.

My LO was perscribed baby rice at 4 weeks old for severe reflux. Honestly, it did not make her sleep longer at all! It only made her constipated.

 

[Frooty]

There is no reason to put cereal in formula especially for a baby so young milk is all thats needed

 

[Laucu]

7 weeks is still so young! They do feed often at that age. I would follow your doctor's advice and hold off for now.

My MIL's friend used to put rusks in her son's bottles!!! It was deemed to be okay 30 years ago but not now.