He was spitting up a lot and milk was coming through his nose, also he would never drink more than 2 ounces at a time and then we'd burp him and he would not want to drink anymore, but would wake up after 1-2 hours and be hungry again even during the night. The doctor said to give him the rice cereal in his bottle so he'd sleep better and not vomit as much. What do you guys think?
Thanks a lot!
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10 responses so far ↓
1 Little Mans Mom // Jul 4, 2008
I had heard never to put cereal in the bottle because of a choking risk and that it can undermine learning to eat with a spoon
2 Jessica R // Jul 4, 2008
I can't believe the doctor is telling you that. Baby's do not digest cereal any faster than milk, so he's still going to wake up like he would with only formula. Also, your baby could aspirate the cereal. I think I would get a second opinion from a different pediatrician. You may just need to switch formula.
3 Heather H // Jul 4, 2008
Used to be done all the time, but these days they don't recommend it. I'm surprised your doctor suggested it. They say not to introduce any foods until around 4 mos. because it is supposed to increase the risk of food allergies. In addition, it poses a choking hazard for a child less than 4 mos. old because they still have "bottle tongue" and don't have the know how to use their tongue to push solid like foods to the back of the throat.
However… I used to do it with my oldest children and my parents did it with us kids… and we were just fine. In saying that, they also drove around with us in the car never buckling us up, gave us a chicken leg to chew on at dinner by the time we were old enough to sit upright in a high chair (I've seen pictures), and they would have us sleeping on our bellies - which now a days is a big no no for SIDS prevention.
So, I suppose this is going to have to be your decision~
4 Whitney~ // Jul 4, 2008
Yes it is ok and try Enfamil AR its thicked and its in a red and gold can at Walmart. Its in powder or liquid. My son has acid reflux so i had to give him this formula and rice cereal when he was 5 wks old. If he gets constapated use 1 tsp of Karo Syrup in his bottle without cereal until he poops!!! Good Luck and Congrats on Your new Baby!
5 Layne and Ebyns Mom // Jul 4, 2008
I have a 2 month old girl and my dr told me the same thing at her 2 week check up cuz she was throwing up…she said sometimes its the texture…it may not be thick enough or something like that is what she said…its easier for thinner liquids to come back up…I never tried it cuz they ended up doing some test on her anyway but she continued to throw up until about 1 1/2 months…I cant tell you how many times I have washed my sheets from that in the last two months.
Also my friends mom started giving her cereal at 3 weeks old and we are both 24 now…and her mother raised 4 healthy children so I dont see the harm in trying what your dr is telling you.
And if you dont feel like trying it…the test they gave my daughter was easy…they had her drink a bottle of biliram or something like that and then took xrays to make sure it went down correctly…hers came back fine.
6 Happy mommy // Jul 4, 2008
Dont….do that, lol, just wait.
7 Glenn T // Jul 4, 2008
I think back many years ago, pediatricians used to say put a bit of cereal in with the formula but I honestly don't think they tell you to do this anymore. I would not do it. I would want to know why my son is spitting up alot. Maybe he needs to switch formulas. Maybe he has reflux problems. Did you doctor tell you to keep him slightly elevated after he eats? Have you tried different formulas? I breastfed my children so that the business with formula is foreign to me but I don't know what the rice cereal is going to do to help him. Babies have to develop a bit more internally to be able to digest cereal and I think a 2 month old is too young to be given it. That is why doctors say to wait until they are 4-6 months of age before starting on "solids". I hope it goes better with your son.
8 Barbara S // Jul 4, 2008
Get a new doctor. Any doctor worth his or her salt knows that rice cereal in a bottle is a choking hazard. Especially for such a young baby. There are other, safer ways to control your baby's vomiting, whether it be switching to a different formula or using medication, if absolutely necessary. From the sounds of it, your doctor didn't even attempt to get to the bottom of the cause of your baby's vomiting. He just gave you a cheap 'solution' that will probably cause more harm than solve the problem. You need to find out what's making him spit up so much before you use any method to treat him for anything. I would suspect reflux, especially if this has been going on for a while, but there are other things it could be as well.
Rice cereal will *not* help your baby sleep better at night. He needs to eat often, he's growing. My daughter was the same way…three-four hour feeding schedules? Yeah right. We were lucky if we made it to 2-1/2 hours. Feed your baby on demand. It will not be like this forever. Good luck.
9 Starr6_6 // Jul 4, 2008
we tried enfamil ar first and eventually had to change it again due to reflux and colic to nutramagen and adding cereal.
if the doc told you to do it then i would. my son is doing alot better and gaining weight now as before the ar then nutramagen w/ rice added he wasnt and would throw up the entire bottle. DOC RECOMMENDED !!! with both my almost 3 month old and my almost 5 year old and they never choked on the bottles and arent overweight and dont have any alleregies.oh and it didnt help them sleep longer so that one was true with us. if you dont think the doc is right go see another doc and see what they say.
10 aet // Jul 4, 2008
i think you should change dr's -
i myself do not always 'listen' to my dr - but i know that at 2 months i would not put anything in her formula - the only thing i put in her formula was a little bit of gripe water - but when she would not finish her bottle she didnt get all of it (for colic) - so i just started giving it to her with a dropper -
when she was a bit over 3 months i started putting a tsp of cereal in her milk - (i know - most say not to do it - but it works for us) but it was only because she was HUNGRY - NOT to get her to sleep - or not throw up
babies eat and spit up - and sometimes poop, and they pee alot- that is what they are supposed to do - and at 2 months his tummy may not be big enough for more than 2 ounces at a time - mine was up to almost 3 ounces about that time - but that was not a constant -
basically - DONT put the cereal in the bottle - feed him when he is hungry, burp him - however long it takes - then start all over again - just hold him and love him -
i cant count the nights i feel asleep burping the baby only to wake with her hungry again - sometimes i dont know if she even burped - it is all a blur -