rice cereal

huggybugboy wrote: So I gave Miles his first little taste of rice cereal today. He seemed to be ready. He totally went for it, opened his mouth for the spoon and everything. But then when it was all over, he threw it all up. I guess he's not really ready after all?

kellibellisdillybear replied: Yikes!! I just gave Dylan his first rice last week, he took it great! We did it off a spoon, mixed with B.M. Only tbls. the first day, then two, three, up to four now. W/no problem though. Our doc said not until 4 months because the gestational system isn't ready yet, can cause food alergies...do you think that's the prob.? Maybe it's what you mixed it with? My docs advice is if it doesn't take, try again in a week.

I can see we may be reaching milestones around the same time, with our little guys so close in age, it'll be great to have a friend!

Hillbilly Housewife replied: How much did you give him?

my kids both threw it up if I gave them too much - just start off with a teaspoon or so.... that`s more than enough - just work your way up from there until he`s ''eating''.


It`ll pass!!!

I started my kids young on cereal too..... doctors schmoctors. If you think he`s ready, try it - it`s not the doctor that spends every moment with him.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: What did you mix it with? If you're BF, mix it with breastmilk. Dillute it a lot.

Also, are you giving it to him right after a bottle? Or BF? Wil has only thrown up cereal once when I gave it to him right after a bottle. They were too close together and I forgot to burp him, so when he actually burped, everything came up together. I will typically give him a bottle, wait maybe 15 minutes (and burp him), and then offer cereal.

A&A'smommy replied: My docter said not to give it to her until 4 months... I would wait a little longer!

huggybugboy replied: I think he may have just overeaten. I gave him only a little tiny bit, mixed with breast milk but then I nursed him after that and he ate a lot. He doesnt normally spit up anymore so that's the only thing I can think of besides his digestive system just not being ready. So I was wondering (& I plan on asking the doc this), can you replace feedings with some rice cereal? I have to go back to school in just a couple of weeks and really don't want to have to supplement formula but I cannot possibly pump enough for 40 hours a week of school. Has anyone done this?? Thanks all for the feedback!

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: No you can not replace feedings with cereal. They aren't the same thing. Your baby needs the fluid. But maybe this is JMO, I would talk to your ped first.

maestra replied: My ped says to give the cereal, then follow with breastmilk. But Giselle drinks less breastmilk after eating, so it ends up being the same amount of milk.

My ped recommends starting solids at 6 months, and that has worked well for both of my girls.

coasterqueen replied:
Definitely don't use rice cereal to replace breastmilk/formula. A baby's primary source of nutrition for the first 12 months of life should be breastmilk and/or formula for minimum optimal brain growth development.

Solids should only be tastes for the first year of life, complimenting the breastmilk or formula.

As far as pumping, what makes you think you can't pump enough while at school? Maybe I can help. I worked and pumped for 19 months, until Kylie was 21 months of age. I'm now working and pumping for Megan.

iluvmysweetiepies replied:
I agree 100% with Karen!

huggybugboy replied:
I have to go to school from 8 to 5 for the first two weeks of class. During that time I get a 1 hour lunch (which I can pump during) but other than that I only get two 10-minute breaks which I don't know how I will possibly have the time to pump. After those first two weeks I should have more time to pump but I don't have enough stored up right now since I'm at work and having to use everything I pump. I wonder if I should just start waking up in the middle of the night to pump (Miles sleeps all the way through) just so I can get some milk stored. I really would like to stay away from formula for as long as possible. But would 1 or 2 bottles a day really be that bad? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you all for the replies!!

kellibellisdillybear replied: I too have had a very similar problem. I work 12.5 hour days, and I was facing some of the same problems you are. The only thing that worked for us was to supplement a bottle at night before bedtime, I started that a few weeks before I went back to work. Now I still pump at that time, and then the days I work, I feed him before I go and pump whatever else I can get. I also pump three times while I'm gone. I must say, I have had problems keeping my stock up. Fortunately, my son will take formula now if he needs to, so I don't worry so much if the milk runs out while I'm gone, he can back up with formula. I've come to realize that I never thought I would make it this far with b.f., and although sometimes I may not be able to keep up, I don't stress because I know I'm still giving him all I can.

If you do decide to give him formula, my doctor recommeded Good Start, but he took Similac better for a while, now we're trying Good Start again because I can get better coupons. I would ask your doc for some samples, they get tons of them, and you can use it to find which one he likes better, that is, if you decide to try it.

Otherwise, you can pump consistently when he's finished eating to increase your supply, but then you may be prone to engorgement and leaking more often.

Whatever you decide, don't stress, you'll be doing what's best for you and your little boy regardless!!

Akalei replied:
Yikes, I wouldn't be giving a 3 month old rice cereal. My daughter was a little over 6 months before she tried it.