Advice Needed on Feeding Issue

I started putting cereal in my daughters formula at about 6 weeks and it was wonderful. It seemed to satisfy her a lot better.

My son did the same thing at that age. I asked our doctor if it was normal and he told me that many many babies like to eat that often my son was eating the exact same amount (5oz) every two hours for months. It is okay to feed your baby on demand they are growing and it is comforting to them. DO not do the rice bottle thing all though your mother means well it is old fashioned and not really recommended anymore these days besides his tummy is too young for rice cereal just yet. It is okay that he is eating this much it is normal. Good luck

How frequently does he normally eat? If it is noticably more frequent than normal, it sounds like a growth spurt...I'm a first time mom, too, and my baby nursed about once an hour, then she slept for close to 18 hours, only getting up a few times to eat when I woke her. I think they grow in their sleep, so chances are that if he hasn't already, he'll be giving you a little down time soon. As for the rice cereal, my mom and sister have both been suggesting (for a while) to introduce a little bit to my now 10 week old, too, but as long as she is sleeping well at night and not waking more often than usual, I'm going to hold off a bit. Until then, I don't think the extra nourishment is needed, but I'll probably start closer to 4 months or a little sooner since she'll be about 15 pounds in a month and I'd like to start introducing new textures to her.

My baby is now 12 weeks, but at 6 weeks he was just like yours. Eating 5 or 6 ounces every couple hours. At 8 weeks, we tried rice cereal in the bottle for his bedtime bottle, hoping he wouldn't wake up so much in the night. It didn't help. :( He only just slept through the night for the first time (8 hours!) last night.
Most doctors will recommend against the cereal before 4 months, partly because of digestive issues in young babies, but also, as mine said, and was proven correct on: it just doesn't work in most cases.
My advice would be to give it a try, and if it doesn't help go back to plain formula or breastmilk. If you do plan to try, here's what I did: I added one scoop of cereal for every two ounces of bottle. I needed to buy the higher level nipples for the bottles though because the cereal wouldn't come through the stage 1 nipple holes.
Good luck! I hope it works better for you than it did for us.

Don't do it - there is no proven benefit to rice in his formula. In fact, the studies are starting to show it is linked to childhood obesity since they aren't learning the proper feeling of being full at an early age. He is simply going through a growth spurt. Stick to his plain formula. I am breastfeeding, and I recall when all my kiddos reached that age, it felt like they were nursing every hour, for a few days straight... but it passes and everyone survives! =) It will happen every few weeks, so don't be alarmed.

Your mom has good advice. My 18-month old was the same way and that really helped. Plus it helps get them used to more solid foods faster. You only need about a teaspoon per bottle, but if that doesnt help you could always add more. Hope this helps.

He is probably going through a growth spurt. I wouldn't worry about it, just let him eat. Certainly, don't start cereal at this age, especially without talking to your pediatrician. My son went through a phase similar (one day he at 10 oz in 1 1/2 hours - I was so sure he would throw up but didn't!) He may back down, he may not. The cereal thing about helping sleep (which my mom and mother-in-law tried to tell me) actually is a myth - in scientific studies they have not been able to duplicate any longer sleeping than without, babies naturally start sleeping through the night when they are about 10 pounds! Try not to stress out (which I know is hard!),and enjoy mommyhood

Hi J.!

I agree with your mother. I began putting a small amount (1/2 - 1 teaspoon) of rice cereal in both of my children's milk when they were about the same age. Your child will love it and it will keep him full and satisfied longer. It didn't hurt my girls. My oldest is 9 and my youngest is 3. God bless!

J.,

It is is normal for very young babies to eat that frequently because their stomachs are so small. I would not add cereal so early; the current recommendation is no food other than milk/formula until the baby is over 9 months old, as this seems to prevent food allergies. I was able to nurse my guys, and they did not get any solid food until 10 months--they are not allergic to anything that I've found. Your baby may be going through a growth spurt, too, which leads them to eat more often, sleep a bunch, and grow.

Best wishes,
K.

Hi J.!

I had run into many people telling me to give my son cereal in his bottle to help him sleep through the night. I asked my son's pediatrician first, and he said not to give it to him in the bottle. It could hinder him learning to eat from a spoon later on. Granted, my son was 4 months at the time. I would think 6 weeks is a little young for cereal.

My son was always hungry. He was still eating every 2-3 hours up until 6 months! I even tried increasing the number of ounces to space out the feedings. I'd put 6 oz in the bottle, and he would drink exactly 4 and be done. He just wanted to eat every 2-3 hours. So I just went with it. He slowed down eventually.

Babies can't express to us what they want, but they know exactly what they need. Your son may just need more to eat, especially through a growth spurt. My son was a bottomless pit when he was growing. Still is!

Good luck!

my son was the same way at 6 weeks, each time I would try to hold my son off on eating to 3 hours and then continue to hold him off a little more each time until we finally made the 4 hour mark. I was told to give him cereal by a friend and some other family members. So I gave him some in a cereal bottle and then gave him a regular bottle feeding with it and it did not work for him. I have heard from several people that it works but for my son it did not. Maybe you will have luck if you decide to try it. Good Luck!

The cereal is more to benefit the parent (less frequent feedings) than the child. Their bodies are not ready for food yet, and it really stresses their digestive system. I would let him drink how much he wants and how often (make a bigger bottle if that's easier)...the only caveat I would add is unless you think he really just wants to suck and isn't really hungry. They do have a strong sucking need at that age...that could be satisfied in other ways besides a bottle. But it's up to your instinct...
Definitely dont' add the cereal, though!

Hi J.,

Do not nother witht he rice cereal, they are to young and it really won't help much.
My older daughter came every 2 -2 1/2 hours till she was five months. She has always been 90% and therefore needed alot of food to support her growth, but she also had stomach issues and therefore couldn't take more than 3-4 ounces at a time. If he is healthy weight, a little chubby or so, instead of putting rice cereal in his bottle, try stretching hime. This is what I did with my second child. She had nor issues and is also 90%, but her stomach can take more than my first born one and therefore I just let her fuzz a lot before I feed her. Do it gradually. Start with waiting 2 hours 45 minutes in beteen feeding, or even three, but make sure you wait as long as your nerves can. He will get used to it in just a few days and sometimes if the get the message they will make thos stretches than longer by themeselves. But for 6 weeks it is not unusual to do this pattern and maybe do it for another few weeks. At that age I would not let them cry too long. But as long as you can stretch it by say walking or carying him or whatever, try that. I think a 3-4 hours chedule is normal at 6 weeks, but whenever they are in a gowthspurt, they will revert bak. they need the food. Maybe just wait another month and half and then he is at the point where screaming for longer period s of tiem to get them to sleep or wait for food is nto that bad.

T..

Rice cereal in a bottle is a choking risk, specially in a baby that small, but it's a mom thing, your mom probally did it with you, i heard the same thing from mine. it's just a generation difference. but everyone else has said it, he's growing and his little tummy is only about the size of his fist. so he's going to eat a lot, the later you start solid foods the healthier baby will be, less food alergies, less chances of vitamin def. and proper brain development are all helped by formula or breast milk, and introducing solids mean they get less of this and can suffer for it. good luck.

My son is almost 9 weeks old and I had the same issue when he was about 6 weeks. I am breastfeeding and so I asked a friend about it. She said that her lactation consultant told her that right before the baby is about to grow, he will eat more, more frequently. This is the natural way for the baby to let the mother's body know that it is time to increase the milk supply. So if you are bottle feeding, your son is essential doing the same thing.
Have faith... this time will pass. Remember kids grow when they are sleeping, so you have some peace soon.

My nephew is about to turn 6 months and he was and is the same way with the food. My sister was petrified she was going to run out of formula so she always had an extra can just in case. She did try the rice in his bottle as well because she needed some sleep but it didn't work for him. It seemed to make him think he was full when he wasn't and he would want more later. He was also growing almost 2 inches a month as well during those first months.
It will not hurt to try--I did the same thing with my son when he was 2 1/2 months and it seemed to help. Now my nephew is wolfing down entire jars of stage 2 baby food and he's still hungry for a big bottle. I wonder if it is a boy thing to be bottle-wolfers.:)

WAY too young for the cereal! They can't digest it at all so it really doesn't help, and it could cause problems such as major constipation because of this. Will he drink more than 5 oz at a time? You could give him more milk. Formula is all they need to survive. May not seem like it but it truely is. Bottle fed babies normally eat every 3-4 hours, so he is eating a little bit early but it's not too bad. Let him cry a little, make sure he is really hungery, which I'm sure he is, but it is ok to let him cry for about 5-10 minutes for hunger. It lets them know what the hungery feeling really is. Let him drink as much as he will each time. It's ok if he is drinking 6 or more oz. as long as he isn't vomiting (not spit up I mean vomiting pure formula) back up then it's ok. He is growing, he is going to need more and more. I found my son eating very large amounts. It is ok! Just don't do cereal, it really is not good for him.

Well I actually asked my ped. about this same issue recently and she did suggest putting infant cereal in her bottle when I feed her. She said to put only like 1 tsp. in her bottle just to thicken it up a bit, so maybe you could bring up this idea with your ped. and see what he/she has to say about it.

J.,
Listen to your mom! My mom told me the same thing, I put a little rice cereal in the baby formula and it makes them fuller. He won't be hungry so quickly. It is not going to hurt him.

M.
Mom of 3 kids
19, 11 & 9

The advice I was given from my pediatrician was not to give a really young baby (under 3 months) any cereal in his food. Have you talked to your pediatrician about his constant hunger? I would suggest starting there! Good luck with your new hungry one. My son was a snacker and wanted to eat every 2-2 1/2 hours also,so I feel your pain! It will get easier as time goes by. I started my boy on cereal by spoon at 3 1/2 months. Congratulations on your new little one!
S.

Sounds like a growth spurt to me. Although our parents' generations used rice cereal in the bottle, it's not really necessary or safe. I'd just let him eat when he's hungry.

The little guy may be going through a growth spurt. I think there is one at 6 weeks and then again at 3 months. I've heard the current recommendation is no food until 4-6 months, and I personally can't imagine waiting any longer than that. My guys were climbing the walls they were so hungry, and I didn't even wait that long. If you have allergies in the family, you may want to be more cautious about the food, but people have been giving rice to newborns for a long time.

Good luck! Those first couple months are so hard trying to decide what to do and what is right for you. It gets so much easier as you get more confident being a mother and you know the baby better.