Why can't she - MYOB?

holley79 wrote: (Just got off the phone with DH.) This morning before DH left for work he was talking to his mother. He was telling her how I had been up all night the past two nights with Annika and that she is nursing constantly. She told him that I needed to fix her a bottle and put cereal in it and she will sleep through the night. So now he thinks this is a great idea and told me to pick up some cereal while I was out.

Number 1 I have never heard of this, number 2 I don't mind being up with her nursing (even though I complain, that's my job though) and number 3 who is she to tell me how to feed my child. Why is it she can't mind her own? I know what's going to happen and I'm going to choke him, when I go back to work he's going to try this crap.

Sorry about the vent. Anyone else heard of cereal and do you use it? Am I just over reacting over nothing?

kimberley replied: i know a couple of people (who think bf is disgusting ) who gave pablum in a bottle from about 2mos on. regardless of my attempts to warn them what that could do to baby (bleeding gut, food allergies, etc) they ignored it and said their baby needs more. this is a very old school habit that was acceptable years ago but not anymore. WHO has said babies should be exclusively bf or ff until 6mos!!

i dont think you are overreacting at all. no one needs back seat parenting!

holley79 replied:
Well I didn't light into DH over it and I didn't say anything about his mom either. I just told him I would have to "research" her suggestion. I know DH was just trying to help me get more sleep but it will come with time. She will get there soon.

The one thing I can say is that DH backs me 100% on the BF. When he's home he always fixes me a snack and brings me water or juice. I just don't want her influencing him for when I'm not home. I hope I can find an article that totally condones it somewhere on here so he doesn't do it.

MyLuvBugs replied: Yep. We did it with Lorelei, and my mom did it for me, and her mom did it for her, etc. It will help. She probably won't sleep through the night ASAP, but it will help her to start sleeping for longer periods of time. Get the Rice cereal first. That's the thinnest, and you'd have to have a bottle with a nipple that is a cross cut opening so that the cereal can pass through it.

The only thing that I would worry about is that Annika is only 2 months old right? She is a little young. I think we started Lorelei when she was almost 4 months. Good luck and don't worry about the MIL or others giving your "advice". Everyone will offer it up, but you just have to weed through it and figure out what YOU as the momma want to do for your child.

kimberley replied: kellymom has a million articles...

here is one on why to delay solids.

holley79 replied:

Actually Wednesday she will be 6 weeks so that's why I'm a little ticked that she is saying this. Way to young to start changing up things like that.

MyLuvBugs replied: Yeah. 6 weeks is a little young IMO. I'd wait until she was at least 3-4 months before introducing watered down cereal in a bottle. JMO though.

EDITED TO SAY:
Also, I don't agree with a lot of what that other article said. Like a moms milk supply is affected (Not if she pumps), and the food allergies (ummm Not in all kids), and increased chance of obesity (Please )..... Sorry. I just don't agree with alot of that. I do think that their digestive track isn't ready until they're a little older, but some kids develop faster than others, so you have to just try things out when you think your kid is ready. JMO.

luvmykids replied: We've done it too. I'm not trying to contradict anybody, just offerring what I've been told/done FWIW. Rice cereal is also the least likely to cause allergies, at around 4 mos we put a tbsp ot two in the twins bottles but only after talking to our ped about it.


eta: I'd still be bugged about the MIL

My3LilMonkeys replied: Yes, rice cereal in bottles will help them sleep through the night more - it fills them up better. But, IMO, you should not give it to a baby that young without Dr's advice. And if you a BF and not giving bottles - there is no reason to introduce bottles or substances other than breastmilk unless you want to.

That being said, we did use rice cereal in Brooke's bottles from 2 months on because of acid reflux, but that was at Dr.'s orders and I did not BF.

I don't think you should really need any "proof" - just tell MIL that you are happy with what you are doing and would rather stick with it.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: Whatever you choose to do is right for you. THis is what we did. As of about 2 1/2 months, we started putting a teaspoon of rice cereal in Zach's bottle. He was drinking about 4 ounces before beditme (i htink just before midnight) and was waking up around 4am to eat again, where I would nurse him. Putting the rice cereal in the bottle he took around 9pm (about 6 ounces) made him skip over the midnight feeding... so he'd sleep longer.

My mom did it to us, her mom did it to them... there are no allergies etc.

I didn't know enough about breastfeeding or anything like that, so I just did what I was told to... I told my doctor, he was fine with it. He told me that if the baby seemed constipated, to STOP for a few days... and to gradually increase the amount to 2 teaspoons, and that I could add a cereal feeding in the day.

6 weeks is a little young, in my opinion. Naomie is just over 3 months, and we started giving her 1 teaspoon of cereal at lunch time - because I'm not pumping enough to send to daycare... but with the cereal, there's just enough milk.

I send about 10 or 11 ounces every day... she'll have 3 around 10am, have 3 around lunchtime, then her cereal, then she'll have 3oz around 3pm, and if she's still hungry, she'll get the last ounce around 4:30, not long before we pick her up - I nurse her then.

Just tell your DH that there is no way babies can digest the stuff so early... times and research have shown different finding from 25 - 40 years ago... and that you don't want to risk it this early. Then tell him that it's not your MIL's business.. and that you'd appreciate him not telling her. She doesn't need to know. Good luck!!

calbury replied: I've often received the advice to feed cereal in a bottle from older relatives. The problem is that there just wasn't as much research done into the subject of early feeding when these relatives were new mums - therefore they were simply unaware of the risks of food allergies, digestive problems etc that can be triggered by this practice.

Far from making babies sleep longer, these problems can cause your baby to wake more often at night. So stick by your guns and carry on as you are, you know what's best for your baby.

MomToMany replied: NO, it DOES NOT help them sleep better. I wouldn't do it. Why risk messing with the wonderful BFing? She doesn't need a bottle anyway. Give her the good stuff straight from the tap for the 1st 6 months or longer. She deserves it !

luvbug00 replied: we did it too. I don't remember how young Mya was but I'm pretty sure it was 3-4 months. she was still very underwieght and needed to bulk up. I would just do what your doing, if your sweetie is not reccomended to do it then I see no reason to start.

3_call_me_mama replied: I'd pass on it too. My mom did it with me also but times have changed. I neveer rode in a carseat but I wouldn't dream of not puttin gmy two in them. I dont' have any studies handy but I can look fo ryou if you want. It can and often does lead to overeating and childhood obesity. It hasn't been proven to help them sleep longer. The day will come soon enough when she will be eating cereal and sleeping longer. If your stil unsure check teh site that I beleive kimberly gave you.
And HUGS for having a well meanign but to pushy MIL!

PrairieMom replied: We did it, on the advice of a pediatric pulmonlogist because the boy was having problems with reflux. I read lots of articles that stressed not to do it, but We felt the benefits out weighted the risks in our situation.
As for your MIL, people used to do all kinds of different things to their babys back then. A lot of which we have now found out are dangerous, (like sleeping on their bellies) I would just ignore her. Grandmas are full of bad advice!
My DH's mom suggested I give my month old baby a little peanutbutter to ctop her hiccups!

Edward's Mommy replied: 1. I think breastfeeding is beautiful and if you can do without any hassle, don't stop. When my son was born, he had a problem latching on because my nipples are so small. I pumped for four weeks, he went into the hospital for low oxygen and I 'dried' up due to stress of his being ill.

2. I started giving him cereal at 3 months because his doctor told me to.

3. You're the mom, if breastfeeding works best for you, it doesn't (or shouldn't) really matter what anyone else has to say.

This is your baby, you get to do this your way. Don't let anyone tell you how to do it!

A&A'smommy replied: UM no you are NOT overreacting she is TOO young to do that!! PLUS it could possible mess with your breastfeeding I definitly would NOT do it... IMHO I just don't think its a good idea

LilaGrace'sMom replied: I agree with the others. She is way too young for cereal let alone in a bottle. BF'ing is the only nutrition a babe needs until 5 to 6 months. Your hubby doesn't fully understand. He is probably concerned for you and hoping this will alleviate your stress. It WILL get better...keep that in mind during those sleepless nights. Think about how great your supply will be because she is eating so much.

MIL needs to educate herself in both current baby nutrition and how to be a good mother in law.

In my situation, if my pediatrician told us to feed our child cereal from a bottle or cereal at that young of an age because it would help her sleep better so I didn't have to get up one additional time, I'd be looking for a new one.

ediep replied: my parent suggested it to me too, but I asked Jason ped about it and he said it is not a good idea at all!! It can cause many preblems later...an infants digestive sys is too young for that. I would not put cereal in a bottle

Nathansmom replied: My pediatrician was very strict on waiting the 6 months before trying cereal of any kind. Before that, we exclusively nursed. It's hard, but it gets easier and if you don't mind being up, then who cares waht anyone else says. You're the mom!

holley79 replied:

Thank you everyone. I talked to the evil MIL this morning. She asked if DH had passed along what she told him. I told her yes but I would not be putting cereal in a bottle because she is too young for that. She told me that I had no clue what I was talking about so I came on here and counted up how many "too young" comments were posted and told her the verdict was in. I also told her that Annika has only taken two bottles since she was born and that I would introduce her to a bottle on my time. She got ticked, told me I had no clue what I was talking about and hung up.

Annika is doing very well with her nursing. I am pumping also and have some stored up. Tomorrow I my 6 week check up and hopefully I have lost some weight. When DH gets home I will have a bottle pumped and I am going to the gym for an hour. He took his exams on Saturday, now it's time for me to have some "Holley Time."

Well Annika went to sleep when Grey's Anatomy started and is still out. I am going to go to bed also.

You guys are the best and I don't know what I would do without you all.

msoulz replied: Congrats on standing your ground and holding your tongue, holley! I have said it before here - MIL's are to be ignored when they start telling you what to do. Although I would be unable to not respond if mine told me I had no clue - it would not help family relations, for sure. But I think mine knows that if she makes mommy angry it is VERY difficult to see the baby so she is careful with her words and actions around us. (Nope, I'm not nice sometimes, and fortunately DH is with me as his mom is a little kooky).

Hang in there!

And for the record, you can add me to the "too early" list.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: If BF is going well for you, stick to it exclusively. I don't find anything wrong with using a bottle, I used a bottle with expressed milk sometimes and then went to formula at 7.5 months, but I would never put cereal IN a bottle ever. It just doesn't make any sense to me. I think milk (mother's or formula) has so many beneficial nutrients in it and that cereal is a totally different food, not to be used as a supplement. I introduced cereal seperately at around 4 months.

You're doing great! No need to rush sleeping through the night. She'll do it when she's ready.

coasterqueen replied: Oh please save your poor baby's gut by NOT going with cereal, especially at this age. There are serious studies out there showing how feeding solids before 6 months is not good for their guts. The gut is still open and NOT mature enough to handle foods, especially all the crap/chemicals in foods now a days. THe whole "my mom did it, my grandmother did it, etc" doesn't fly with me (yeah, my mom tried that one on me ) but WE didn't ride in car seats when we were little, we used to ride in backs of pickup trucks AND we are fine. Still doesn't mean we should do things they've proven not to be safe. Also, seriously, back then there were less chemicals added to things...things change for a REASON. Why do we think we have more kids with allergies these days? Because we intro foods too early, more chemicals in foods, etc, etc.

So do what your heart/gut tells you to do. I tell you what I would give my right arm to get some sleep and have my babies sleep, but I would never do it at the expense of their health. And when someone says their kids are fine and their parents did it, well what kind of allergies, etc will they have as adults? Take comfort, whatever you choose to do to know that you are doing what you feel is best for them, not what makes life easier on you.

EvesMom replied: If you are BF it would be a bad idea to suppliment feeding at such an early age. The increase in appetite is usually because of a growth spurt and the frequent nursing is natures way of increasing your milk supply. The more baby sucks the more milk your body will produce. The more you supplement your babys feedings the less milk you will produce. A Baby will also nurse more frequent when ill.

Tylersmommy replied: We didn't give Tyler cereal in a bottle until he was about 3 1/2 months maybe a little older. I don't think you should give it to her so young though because her stomach is so much smaller and she's not quite ready for semi solid foods yet.