Cereal in the Bottle at Night?

wow, you're certainly getting a variety of opinions - some are actually frightening!

your daughter is behaving exactly like a newborn should - babies wake up at night, some of them quite frequently. there are very few medical reasons to add anything into your child's bottle other than formula or breastmilk & doing so can be dangerous. a newborn's gut is simply not mature enough to handle anything other than breastmilk or formula (nevermind the potential choking hazards), so adding anything (i would think especially to a preemie's bottle) could do more harm than good. solids of any kind (including cereals) aren't recommended before 4-6 months at the absolute earliest.

you'll always find a mom who'll say "i did such & so & my kids are fine" which is probably true, but it doesn't mean it's okay for your kid. talk with your ped before you make a final decision. and for the love of god, don't put potatoes or anything else in the bottle before you do.

i'll probably get flamed for this, but you've gotten some seriously wacko advice... be cautious & talk with your doc.

"Cereal in the bottle" is an outdated parenting practice. Women were at one time told to do this by their baby's doctors, without any evidence of benefit. Now, we have evidence that it's harmful- it increases the baby's chances of developing a food allergy and asthma. And speaking from the experience of having a baby with food allergies, it's not fun (I also started the same child on solid food at 4 months, signs of food allergies started around 8 months). Also, putting cereal in the bottle is considered a "dangerous" practice by many pediatricians because it could lead to choking- your baby is expecting liquid, not a semi-solid.

As far as infant sleep goes, some take their babies to bed with them. Far from being a harmful practice, this helps infants (especially premature infants) grow faster, regulate their breathing and heart rate.

First of all, I think your baby might have her days/nights a bit mixed up...that can be fixed. CALL THE DOCTOR FOR ADVICE ASAP. I second Jaime's advice. It's WAY too early to feed your child cereal or anything other than breastmilk or formula! It sucks that you have to go back to work so soon and that Nebraska doesn't have better options for mom (you take off 12 weeks in California, at least 6 of which are paid time off)! Anyway, I haven't read anyone else's advice, but PLEASE don't give your child any food before 4 months old...even that's a bit early...unless your doctor has specific medical reasons for doing so. And by the way, I don't think cereal in the bottle helped my child sleep anymore than he was before I gave it to him.

I agree with Jaime, some of the advice you've gotten is downright scary. Your baby is a PREEMIE, a NEWBORN PREEMIE. Her tummy is tiny, and if you start force feeding her rice cereal, it will overstuff her! Yes, feeding a newborn rice cereal through a bottle is force feeding. Not only is she a preemie, but any newborn cannot handle rice cereal, or any solids other than breastmilk, at this age.

Please, do NOT give her solids, especially in her bottle. Try nursing her more often during the day, like ever y1 1/2 to 2 hours, then cluster feeding her before bed. Nurse at 6pm, 6:30pm, 7pm, then bath, then nurse at 8pm to sleep.

But seriously putting cereal in her bottle when she is a preemie newborn, no.

Hello, Congratulations! I have 3 boys all preemies, 13 wks, 11 wks, and 6 weeks premature. I think she may just have her days and nights mixed up. I always followed what the doctors said for their feeding schedules because they were so small and so very early. I would try to help her change her schedule, ask your pediatrician for some ideas, but I wouldn't give her cereal in her bottle, I never did that, cereal is something they should eat, not drink. Good Luck :}

I would start working on a better daytime routine(not schedule, you have to be flexible). This will help her out at night. She's making up for the lack of daytime feedings during the night. It would seem that 3-4 hours is good, but if she needs to eat every hour and a half at night, it clearly isn't working for her (or you!). Don't put the cereal in the bottle, it causes problems on many levels, as previously posted.

I would start by getting a daytime routine that feeds her every 2.5-3 hours. Don't let her nap through feedings and make up for it later, she needs the consistent intake of calories and nutrients. You should start to see her go longer at nightime since she's had more during the day. Also keep in mind babies are hungrier when they have growth spurts, so this may cause some nightime wakings if she's having one of those. Good Luck, I'd be glad to answer any more questions for ya! Oh and congrats on your little one!!

I would have to say that I was shocked at some of the advise you have recieved. I personally belive that a premature baby such as your child should not have anything put into there bottle, they are to underdeveloped to take on rice in there bottle. Your daughter sounds like she has her days and nights mixed up, like another posting said. I belive that if you adjusted her daytime schedule a little and woke her up every 2-3 hours and not allowed her to sleep threw those feedings, that your night time problems would adjust and she would be able to sleep a little longer. Unfortunately we live in a society that thinks and belives that there should be a remedy for everything including sleeping. We believe that if the baby doesnt sleep as long as we want them to that we should be putting stuff in there bottle to keep them sleeping longer. I think that people use the ceral/ rice in the bottle at night at any age are lazy and are only using it as a sleep aid. There is formula Enfamil with A.R, the AR stands for added rice, it allows the formula to stick to the lining of the stomach longer. I had to use this for my daughter as she had Acid Reflux till she was three years old. It did help, however I cant say weather or not you can use it on a Preemie. When you are dealing with a premature baby, I would think that it is always best to contact her nurse or her dr. and ask them. They are the only ones that are going to know what exactly you can give a child that has not fully developed yet. I think asking and using mamasource is good, in this case I think that you must contact your doctor!! Best of luck!!
Always remember what works for one persons child may not work for yours!!!

I have read that putting cereal in a bottle does not help them sleep better. introducing cereal to early can be hard on their digestive system and lead to food allergies. they do not recommend giving cereal until at least 4 months. some drs are recommending waiting until 6 months now. that aside i do know people who do it and swear it works. i would ask your dr but my opinion would be to wait. i know its hard to get up so often but she will start sleeping longer and things WILL get better :)

I see nothing wrong with trying cereal in her bottle at night to satisfy her. When my second son was born he became allergic (?) tomy breast milk and I had to feed him formula. He was not satisfied with it so I did give him some rice cereal in his bottle at night. Of course any kind of feeding regimen is highly individual, but there is nothing wrong with trying. I have found that my babies would not be harmed terribly if I tried something with them. Babies are very strong and very flexible with us. We as mothers have to not be tentative with our own young and rely on others who 'know best'. Good luck--P.

No, no, no, no, no. I was told the same at one time (my oldest is almost 12). Especially since you baby is a preemie, her little digestive system isn't ready for cereal. It sounds to me like she has her days and nights mixed up. She should be 3-4 hours at night and 1 1/2 or more between feedings during the day. It took my second little one almost the whole 6 weeks I was off on maternity leave to readjust his schedule as his clock was flipped as well.

Certainly if you're in doubt...talk to your baby's doctor. They will know what's best for your little girl. Good luck and congratulations.

D.
Westfield, WI

I would not recommend putting cereal in her bottle. She is MUCH too young for cereal. I would never recommend putting cereal in her bottle ever anyway. All new research shows that starting cereal too early can lead to allergies, and putting cereal in the bottle will cause a baby to overeat because they don't realize they are full. If you ask her pediatrician, he/she would tell you the same thing.

If you want her to sleep longer stretches, I would really recommend buying a Halo sleepsack/swaddler. They are the only product endorsed by the SIDS foundation, and it wraps your baby very tight and snug and they can't get loose like with blankets. I used one for my daughter and she immediately started sleeping longer stretches. You can buy them at Babies R Us and other stores or halosleep.com. (I promise I'm not a rep for them or anything - it's just a really great product!) Good luck!

I'm a mother of four my youngest being 12years old. I'm also a daycare provider. I would not recommend giving a infant cereal at such a young age. If you are bottle feeding you have more control in setting feeding times just be patient. It sounds as if the baby has days and nights mixed up. Keeping her up more during the day. They eat on demand every 2-3 is pretty normal. Bathing at night relaxes them and they will sleep longer. Get into a regular routine and they will adjust. Their digestive system is not fully develope and they can have issues down the road.

A.

I would absolutely not put anything in her bottle right now. She is way too young for that. My first daughter was a horrible sleeper and at 5 months was still getting up every 2 hours to nurse. I highly suggest Baby Wise books to help with this. Also, I noticed the people who were suggesting to me to do the rice thing were older and I think that was the mentality back then. Which we all survived, but I still think 7 weeks/2 weeks is way too young for her little tummy to take. She has proven to you she can go longer without eating, so I'd say your job at night is to make sure there is no snacking aloud. You can do this by stripping her down to her diaper when you feed her, tickle her back, anything you can to wake her up. Do not let her snack and fall asleep. Keep her up so she gets a full feeding. Once you establish that there is no snacking, she will turn around. Good luck! It gets better and you'll get some rest!

My advice-don't do it. If she is waking up at night, it's because she needs the nutrients and calories in either formula or breastmilk. Cereal has practically none, it's just a filler. It is a myth that cereal in the bottle will make a baby sleep longer at night.

I think you are right. She is way too young for cereal. I didn't give my son anything except breast milk at all until he was 6 months old. He started sleeping long after he was about 4 months old. It is normal for a baby to eat that often...even when they are much older. Cereal can start all kinds of problems for babies...constipation, tummy aches, and overeating...not that it always does. I think that you should wait to feed her cereal until she can sit up in a chair and eat with a spoon. It is really important that she be able to recognize that she is full; she needs to be able to turn her head away from food on her own. Having a heavy meal before bed can also make a baby uncomfortable and that makes them even more fussy.

p.s. My son didn't actually have a desire to eat anything until he was about 10 1/2 months old.

I work in an early intervention program and see a few preemies. It's wonderful to hear that your little one is already experiencing some "catch up" growth. Look into allergy development. There appears to be a definite link between developing food allergies and too early exposure to some foods. I wouldn't recommend giving solids so soon. Your little one might not be awake when you're trying to feed her.Sometimes little ones who are "snacking" really aren't fully awake and are falling asleep before they really eat their fill. Try waiting until she is really crying for you (I know it's hard)or keep her awake longer while she's eating by unswaddling her, tapping the bottom of her foot, jiggling the bottle in her mouth etc. She needs to be fully awake and know that's she's hungry and be ready to really work on that bottle. As hard as it is, don't offer the bottle every time she wakes up. Try giving her a pacifier, change her position,or pat her on the back. If she can develop some "self-calming" strategies (like sucking on a pacifier when she's not really hungry), then she may just be able to fall back asleep without your help in a few months.
I breast fed my babies and they all started each night in their crib and ended their night with us in bed. None of them are still sleeping with us. The Family Bed is a good read on that subject.

I think she is way too young for food. For her digestive track to develop correctly I would hold off until at least 6 months. I have a daughter who likes to "snack" during the night too. I know it's hard but I think at that age (teeny) they really need to eat whenever they feel like it. They really don't know the difference between meal times or night and day. Would it be possible to keep her in bed with you to feed her quickly and then go back to sleep? Or maybe in a co-sleeper next to your bed? I really think babies need us more than we think at night. Maybe even just to cuddle:) Good luck! She'll get the hang of it eventually.

Don't even consider adding cereal into the bottle at night. Her digestive tract is not developed enough. She needs more milk. Are you breast feeding or feeding with a bottle? If you are breast feeding she is probably not receiving enough milk from you at one time. It might be a good idea to pump and feed her by a bottle for a while. This way you will know exactly how much she is getting at one time. There is nothing wrong with breast feeding and supplementing with a good formula if you are not producing enough milk. If you are bottle feeding you may just need to purchase nipples with larger holes so she receives more milk at one time. Most babies tend to fall asleep while you are feeding them, so it's a good idea to try to sit them up while feeding with a bottle especially if you are using nipples with larger holes. I really believe that she is not getting enough milk and once she receives the right amount her belly will be happy and so will you. Feeding her cereal right now will just lead to bigger problems. Her body is not even close to being able to handle any type of food. Cereal is food. All she needs is milk right now. Also, make sure that she is on a regular schedule for sleep and feeding. Maybe she is just getting too much sleep during the day. I noticed that you said she can go for 3-4 hours between feedings during the day. Is she getting to much sleep during the day and just wants to be up during the night? Make sure you look at her entire schedule, it all plays a role in what is going on at night. Good luck.

Please don't put cereal in her bottle now, or ever actually. Putting cereal in a bottle can cause her to overeat, and adding it into her diet now can cause some severe food allergies, you are right, she is just way too young to have any solids or semi solids now.

If you'd like to try to have her wake up and eat less at night, I would try to convince her to eat more during the day, such as every 2.5 to 3 hours. One thing to note is that breastfed babies tend to eat more often (than formula fed babies) because breast milk is more easily digested (you didn't mention if you breastfeed or formula feed, but I wanted to throw that out there. If you DO breastfeed, please keep it up!).

Some babies are just naturally night owls, but you might be able to get her days and nights switched around. My little man was the same way, but right around 8 weeks he actually began sleeping 8-10 hours a night, we just had to make sure to get him up and make things interesting during the day, so he wanted to be awake with us at that time, rather than the night.

Don't lose hope!

J.,
You're right, it does seem early for your baby to be given cereal. I would speak with your pediatrician before giving her cereal. Does she stay awake for the entire feeding, if not try playing with her feet and legs while she eats to keep her awake. We used to have to strip our baby down to his onesie to keep him awake to feed - if he was warm he'd go right to sleep without hardly eating. You may want to try adding an extra ounce to the bedtime feeding, to tide her for an extra hour or two. Otherwise just give it time, and your baby will get the hang of it. For the first month I was up every two to three hours with my son. The second month was every four hours, and his third and fourth month he's been sleeping through the night. Just give it time, I know it stinks! Remember to nap when the baby naps during the day, even if it's only 20 minutes. I'm still not giving my son cereal at 4 months, my pediatrician recommends waiting until 6 months, so their stomach is able to digest the cereal. Good Luck!

The rice ceral in the bottle isnt a bad idea at all. Start with a 1/2 teaspoon of cereal and as she grows build up from there going no more then 2 tablespoons per bottle by age 10 months if she even needs it anymore. It does help fill the tummy a bit more and both my girls had ceral bottles at 2 weeks. But if you want to double check with your Pediatrician go for it. Since they know more about whats best they could give you a different alternative then we can. Good luck and Congrats on the lil one. Wlcm to the mommie club.

Personally, I would not suggest cereal for a baby this young - it is too hard on their little tummies. Try to feed her more during the day because at this age, she may still have her days and nights mixed up. Hopefully in time, she will start to eat more during the day and let you get a few hours of sleep at night.

Hi J.,

If I read your e-mail correct, your baby is now only 7 weeks old. Under no circumstances put cereal in the bottle. 30 years ago when I started public health nursing, we started babies very early with solids and later found out that because the infants didnt have the digestive enzymes to break down the proteins they ended up with food allergies. Babies are not meant to have solids before 6 months of age but many pediatricians will tell you that you CAN introduce solids at 4 months. Over the years I have not found solids to solve sleep problems, occasionally making it worse. All new parents crave sleeping through the night but you have a baby that physiologically needs feeding throught the day and night (something Babywise does not acknowledge) since she is waking. Have you tried feeding your baby more frequently during the day reversing her feeding frequency to the day vs. the night. It is a scary thought to go to work and feel sleep deprived. Do you have help at home? Are you breast or bottle feeding? If you have help, that person can bring the baby to you for breastfeeding and do the burping and diaper change before taking the baby back to the crib. If you are bottle feeding, have that person take a feeding. You mentioned snacking, don't we snack frequently? Write down how often you eat or drink something and you'll be amazed. Bottom line, please do not put cereal in a bottle, ever. Solids come from spoons, liquids from a bottle.
good luck

Hi J. I had the same problem with my daughter. She had her days and nights mixed up. I would change her diaper so she would be more awake and she usually ate more. I put just a little cereal in her formula which did help. What I learned from my forth born is most of it is just getting adjusted to sleep patterns.

Hi J., i would call your doctor, i don't think your little peanut's system is ready for solids. They will probably tell you to supplement or change formulas. My first was a snacker also, he always wanted to eat. I breast fed and couldn't supply enough milk for the little piglet. So i supplemented with formula. I got nooooooooooooooooooo sleep with my son. My baby was full-term and i wouldn't dare feed him solids until my doctor told me to. Good luck, J.

J.:
I've had 3 babies -- and all of them had cereal in their bottle at early stages. My pediatrician recommended it, especially for my last one because of her reflux issues. I see no issue with it as long as you are comfortable and you start slow. You will be amazed how your baby will adjust to it!

The baby is to young for cereal in the bottle, cereal is for baby's over 15 lbs and 24 inches long. Please seek your pediatricians advice for this issue. God Bless

My first daughter was also a preemie (30 + years ago :-) )

I was told to put cereal in a bottle with formula so she would sleep more at night. The doctor said it was a dumb idea, but she did seem to sleep longer. I don't know what the current trend is according to the medical profession it seems to change on a regular basis. My second daughter would sleep 4 to 5 hours at a time DURING THE DAY, but at night was up most of the night for the first 8 weeks! I was told to keep her up during the day. I would vacuum, keep the tv or radio on etc, but she would sleep right through it all, however, when it was quiet she would wake up. I guess what I should have done is keep it quiet during the day! :-)

My daughter was born 5 weeks early also. I would NOT recommend putting cereal in a bottle. Like someone else stated, their digestive system is not ready for this. I would recommend asking your pediatrician on what they suggest. It might just take a little time to spread the child's feedings out during the night. They might be waking for comfort or might just really be hungy. The pediatrician should be able to tell you how often they should be able to go during the night and any healthy suggestions.

I was advised by my son's physician not to do that. Cereal is usually introduced at 4 months of age. When they are so little, their stomachs are tiny which is why they eat so frequently. After awhile she should be able to go for longer stretches without eating.

Besides the fact that her GI tract is just simply to young and immature to handle cereal there is edvidence to suggest by introducing highly allergenic foods to early you can actually increase their suspectability to allergies. And trust me you don't want food allergies. They grow up so quickly, and as tough as it may seem right now before you know it she'll be a rowdy toddler. She is still very much at the age where she needs to be spoiled. Her every cry should be answered. This will give her the confidence and security that will be very important to her later in life.

I had twins and I also have another child mine are 21,21 and 14 so they are older now, however when they were younger I did just that put a little of the cereal in the bottle and just make the hole a little bigger. Make sure it is very thin mixture and you shouldn't have any problems and will get more sleep.

My youngest did the same thing - up all night eating and then sleeping 3-4 hours at a time during the day. A lactation nurse gave me advice that worked almost immediately. Feed your baby every one to two hours during the day even if you have to wake her up. For the first couple of days I woke and fed her every hour, after that every two hours. Please don't put cereal in her bottle. This time will pass and, believe it or not, you will say "It wasn't that bad."

That is something all of our parents did when we were babies and every one of them will tell you that they did it to you and you are fine, but there are those who have side effects from being given "solid" foods too early. It is not natural and docters now know that it is NOT A GOOD IDEA. I put the same postiing at the bottom of this as i used the other day for another person with a similer question. (taken from the Nestle website) Do not give in the the pressures of others. I know it is hard when it is your first, (they were telling me to do it too)but especially having a premie. Her stomach is small and can not hold enough for her to sleep longer. She will get on track soon, but especially since you have a premie. They have so many other obsticalls to overcome from being born early, you don't want to introduce the cereal this soon, it greatly increases the risk of becomeing allergic to foods. I have also read that they can get the cereal into their lungs...i can't remember the details. Anyway, hope this helps.
Age Breastmilk or iron-fortified infant formula
Birth to 4 Months Nursing on demand or up to 32 ounces formula daily
4 to 6 Months* Nursing on demand or between 24 and 40 ounces daily
6 to 7 Months* Nursing on demand or between 24 and 32 ounces formula daily
7 to 9 Months* Nursing on demand or between 24 and 32 ounces formula daily
9 to 12 Months* Nursing on demand or between 24 and 32 ounces formula daily I took this from the nestle website:

How Much Formula Does Your Baby Need?
Spending time feeding your baby is one of the most pleasurable and important things you can do. And while you’re at it, you want to make sure your baby is getting all of the nutrition she needs. Here are a few guidelines that can help you tell if baby is getting enough to eat.

Vital signs

Is your baby gaining weight? If the answer is yes, then that’s a pretty good sign baby is getting enough formula. If the answer is no, you should talk to your baby’s doctor and discuss what steps you need to take.
A good time to introduce baby to drinking from a cup is when baby starts eating solid foods between 4 to 6 months of age.
Check out baby’s diapers. If baby is getting enough formula, she should be wetting a diaper almost hourly until she’s 3 months of age. And she should be having at least three bowel movements each day by the time she’s 2 weeks old. The number of bowel movements will gradually taper off as baby grows older and starts on solid foods.
Keep track of baby’s formula. The quantity of formula a baby needs depends on the child’s weight, growth rate, and metabolism, but most newborns will drink two to three fluid ounces per day for every pound of body weight. For example a 10-pound baby, will drink between 20 and 30 ounces of formula each day.
Is baby ready for solid foods?
If baby always seems hungry, you may be thinking about introducing solid foods, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends baby be 4 to 6 months old before solid foods are introduced. Remember not all babies are ready to eat solid foods at the same time. Rely on your baby, not a calendar, to let you know if she’s ready at this age. If you introduce solid foods too early, your baby is more likely to have allergic reactions. Babies can’t properly chew and swallow solid foods much before 4 to 6 months of age. And your baby’s digestive system must mature somewhat before it can handle these new foods.

Hope this helps!

Hi J.,

First of all, congratulations on getting your baby home!! I'm sure you're so glad to be done with that hospital. My daughter was born at 31 weeks and is now a totally healthy, thriving 3 year-old.

I think your pediatrician will say don't do it. Your baby is so tiny and new, she's supposed to be eating all the time (especially because she missed out on a few weeks of in utero development).

Eating every 1.5 hours for a while and then spacing the feedings out is a normal newborn feeding pattern. It's called "cluster feeding". The trick is trying to get her to cluster feed during the day and space them out at night.

I suggest trying to encourage her to feed more often during the day, and seeing if she'll wake to eat every 3 hours. Trying to get lots of calories in during waking hours means that she doesn't need as many calories at night.

But remember, most of all, she's just too new to be controlled much at this age. She'll grow out if it! Those preemies are good sleepers usually. Her stomach is so tiny that it won't fit much in, so even if you put cereal in the milk she'll need to eat often.

So, check with your pediatrician, but my guess is that they'll say don't do it, and trust your baby to wake and get the calories she needs on her own clock.

I hope that helps, and hang in there!!

S.
Amma Maternity

J., first of all congratulations, remember too, that babies dont always sleep through the night for a while, so giving her cereal may ormay not work anyway, when i had my first child, he fed every two hours also, but he also slept through the night in a couple of months, when i had my second child,he was done with bottle feedings as a staple at one month , and wanted more food, which was fine for him, since he was a bigger child, first child nursed for a whole year, second child nursed like 3 months, with food, 3 child about 6 months, every child is different, and what is best for your child may not be for other kids, any concerns you have , do talk to dr about , they can offer suggestions, well have fun and enjoy your little bundle, they wont be small forever, enjoy them while you can , D. s

Hi J.,
My first daughter was born 6 weeks early. I found that she kept the 2 hr schedule they had her on in the hospital for the first 3 months. It is very hard and I am sorry I don't have a better answer for you but I just couldn't break her of it. My doctor told me the reason could be is they are trying to "catch up" so much they are growing more than the average child and therefore 'need' more to eat. I think with hindsight I believe this. She grew 3" in one month. After 3 months it seemed to get better. Although she never would eat more than 6 oz at one time, ever. My 2nd daughter now at 3 mo eats 8 ounces at a time no problem! I think it just all stems from being early. I stayed away from cereal and solids until her adjusted age was what the doctor said to start. I didn't want her to develop food allergies, is what can happen if you start them too early I have read. If you have more questions I found that shareyourstory.org (March of Dimes website) has TONS of helpful mothers with preemie experience!!

Absolutely not!! Your newborn's digestive system (as ajusted as she may be) does not have the ability to digest cereal yet. She will become cramped and only make the matters worse for you. As a new mother it will be hard to find out just what gets your baby to eat better. Some tips I have found helpful:
1. Babys tend to get sleepy as they eat. Keep her awake and get her to continue to eat by rubbing her chin or cheek as she starts to fall asleep. This will keep her awake and she will eat more at each feeding. Also - you may need to actually wake her up fully by sitting her up or whatever gets her awake then start feeding her again.
2. If you know she has had plenty to eat and that if she can sleep longer during the day she may need to just cry some. I know this is terribly hard for new mothers but believe me you will benefit in the long run. It is funny how a mom of two always says her second child always slept better. It is because the mothers are now used to hearing the crying and small wimpers that a newborn will make all night long.
3. My child was born 3 MONTHS premature. He was in the NICU for the next 3 months until he was 5 pounds. He came home on oxygen and heart monitors. He slept GREAT in the NICU. When I got him home he just couldn't stay asleep. The doctors asked where I had him sleeping. I mentioned a dark, quiet room. Immediatly they knew the problem. You may need to look back at where your daughter is used to sleeping. If she is able to sleep during the day, I am sure it is not as quiet as it is at night. Try turning on a radio, background noise CD or one of those CD's that plays sometype of relaxing or nature sounds. I even had to keep a nightlight or small wattage lamp on at night.
Please try some of these ideas before you start changing her diet to cereal. AND if you ever have any question talk to the nurses at the NICU. They know what they are talking about!!
GOOD LUCK and let us know how it goes!!!

Your baby's digestive system is not developed enough for cereal at this age. It best to stick to breast feeding and/or formula until around 5-6 months.

As long as your baby is passing his/her milestones do not add cereal or other foods to his/.her diest at this time. It could increase the risk of alergies & food sensitivites since such a young babies system is not ready to deal with any solid foods yet.

Getting up many times thorughout the night at this age is normal. Eventually your baby will get up less and sleep longer. Just hang in there and continue doing what you are doing.

I think your baby is still too young for cereal. I gave my son cereal at 3 months old. I didn't really notice a difference with the cereal anyways. Good Luck....

My baby was a preemie 2mos. premature. Was in the hospital for 15 days total. I gave her rice cereal at night I wanna say around 3mos.old actual age. She did just fine and it actually helped her reflux. She was born tail end of August and on Thanksgiving she tried mashed potatoes and other soft foods. I went by gut instinct and what I felt my daughter could handle she's always been fine and has NO food allergies and is NOT a picky eater what so ever. I tried to not treat my daughter as a preemie but as a regular baby. I did this and put expectation on her to make her a normal heatlhy baby. She was caught up and normal by age1. If I treated her differently or gave excuses to why she couldn't do stuff that would have stuck with her. Technically my daughter shouldn't be in 1st grade right now but because she was a preemie her birthday fell before the cut off so she's in school earlier than she is suppose to be and doing just fine. I've always treated her as the age she is not the age she should be.

The answer is no, no, no, no. No cereal for babies under 4 months of age. Also pediaticians don't recommend feeding cereal in a bottle, it defeats the purpose of feeding babies solid foods, which is training.
The reason for not feeding babies any solids before they are 4 months, is because their disgestive systems are not ready for it, they don't have the necessary enzymes to process the food, plus you increase the risk of allergies by feeding them solids too early. Years ago everybody did it, but now the professionals will tell you NO.
In my experience (my baby is almost 6 months old) they reason why she started sleeping through the night wasn't the solid food, it was the routine before night time. She woke up 2-3 times every night to feed for the first month, then slept through the night for the second month and then again woke up 1-2 times for the next two months. She's been sleeping throught the night for the last 2 months (THANK GOD).
I know it seems like this will never come to an end... but it will, you are probably super tired but you need to have patience.
Good luck!
S.

I had a preemie girl also, 6 weeks early. She nursed and drank breast milk in a bottle. I was told to put a scoop of Enfamil Enfacare in her bottle of breast milk to supplement for more calories, if you are formula feeding, or breast feeding, Enfacare is made for preemies.

I wouldn't give her cereal yet, my opinion is she is too young and it sounds like she just has the day/ night reversal going on. My guess is that you wouldn't mind if she didn't eat for 4 hours at night- remember, if she doesn't eat during the day, she's going to make up for that at night.

Ask your Dr first before you do switch to cereal. I didn't give cereal until 4 months of age, and then she ATE it, you want her to eat her food, not drink it. LR

hi, I am no expert, but my daughter was 6 weeks early, so I'm responding from my experience. During the first couple months our daughter seemed to do a lot of growing and therefore a lot of eating. My guess is your daughter is either needing some extra food during the night to grow or some reassurance you are still there (being as she was away from you in the hospital for a while.) Either way, I would just try to hang in there with her. It will get better.
Also, she is SO young, I don't think her system is ready for cereal yet. Let her grow a little first.
just my opinion...
A.

My son was 5 1/2 weeks early and had to get up every 2 hours to feed him even if it meant waking him up to eat so he would gain weight. I was exhausted but it only lasted a couple of months and he started sleeping longer and longer. His weight was no longer an issue and he had caught up to a average sized baby in no time. My doctor told me not to feed him cereal until he was 7-8 months because their digestive system and their insides don't catch up as fast. I didn't feel it was worth the risk of damaging his insides for a few more hours of sleep. It doesn't last forever!

J.,

I would not but cereal in her bottle yet. Babies do not usually get cereal until at least 4 months, most are 5-6 months.

If she just came home, she needs to adjust to a new setting. It will take her awhile to get her days and nights right. She is a baby and some babies are just that way. My daughter is almost 4 months old and when she was a newborn, she seemed to sleep alot during the day. We would wake her up to feed her every 3 hours (during the day), otherwise she would sleep for hours without wanting to eat. Than because she got fed more durng the day, she slept more at night.

Even though your daughter was 5 weeks early, I would still just consider her a 7wk old premie, not an adjusted age of 2wks...

Good Luck and hang in there...it will get better from here, I promise!!

Don't do anything till you ask your pediatrician. sometimes it can do more harm than good they can get gas to build up in their little tummies and be even more uncomfortable or they can't always digest it right in their little systems.

Morning! :)

I am also the mother of a preemie! My daughter Piper was born 5 weeks premature (and is now 5 years old). It's been awhile since Piper's birth but, I would say NO! Do NOT put cereal in her bottle. Her little tummy cannot digest the cereal for a few more months. What we did with our daughter is during the day feed her every few hours - that way at night her tummy was full and then she would sleep. Hope this helps :)

It's been quite some time since my daughters were babies. Even though it's been a long time I would still recommend giving them cereal in their bottle. It helped them sleep for longer periods of time at night. I would suggest making the opening of the nipple bigger for the cereal to pass through better. My pediatrician also told us to wait 6 months before giving them cereal but my mother in law how had 5 children kept telling me to try it and my daughters slept much better at night.

J.. my daughter was 12 weeks early and when they started her on my breast milk through her feeding tube they came to find out she had swallowing issues and reflux. for this reason they DID put cereal in her milk. it was finely milled in a coffee bean grinder. she had that in her milk/formula till she was almost a year old(actual age not adjusted age)

my answer to you would be to first talk to your pediatrician.
or call back up to the nicu and ask your daughters previous nurses. i still have a great relationship with my daughters nurses and i called them alot once my daughter came home after 77 days in the nicu. and you pediatrician would probably want you to call and ask them if you have any questions. as much as i agree with everything the prior posters have said, when it comes to a preemie everything is out the window. nothing is average. things are done all backwards sometimes..lol lol
doesn't sound like your daughter is fighting at reflux or swallowing issues so i'm gonna guess your pediatrican or nurses will help you figure out a routine to 'try' to get your daughter into that is both beneficial for you and her. but there is always that chance that it will just be hard for a while and you won't get any sleep for a while. that's just the nature of having a two week old:-)
it will get better, just remember that. this stage is only temporary.
bottom line i would change anything until you talk to your pediatrician. good luck.. if you need to talk just let me know.
my daughter is now 3 and so great.

T.

Hi! I have two children, 7 and 4. My 7 year old used to do the same thing. She was not a preemie, but didn't eat much during the day, but made up for it at night. Our pediatritian said that she might be confused still. It was frustrating because I had to go back to work too. The dr suggested that if my daughter was sleeping too much in the day to wake her and even undress her to feed her more in the day. Once she was in daycare she was on a schedule and eventually figured it out on her own. I just had to come to terms with the fact that I wasn't going to sleep that much for a little while. It seems terrible at the time, but it goes fast and berore you know you will wonder how they got so big!

For sure - talk to your doctor. So many things have changed and your doctor will follow the American Academy of Pediatric recommendations. I would not start cereal until 4 months. Waking up often is normal. Try to feed more during the day and less at night. Fill her up many times before bed. With all of my kids it seemed like from 5:00 until 10:00 I fed like every 1 1/2 hours - but that was nursing. It really helped get through the night though. Things will get easier as she gets older. When people give you advice just smile and say thank you and if you need to give a response say I'll think about that or I'm going to follow the plan my doctor and I decided on.

Hi J.:
Yes, your baby is too young for cereal at this stage, bc the GI tract is immature and can not digest very well. However, there was a similar post like this a while back and a pediatric nurse said that she began putting a teaspoon of cereal in her childs bottles at 2 weeks. Your little one is a preemie though. I would like to add one more thing to this, I know that this is a place to ask the advice of other moms but this is a medical issue that should probably be asked of your pediatrician. Not that any mom on here would, intentionally, give you advice that would put your childs life at risk, at least i hope not, but i would double check with your babies Dr. or a nurse.
I am happy that you have a happy healthy preemie!
K.

I used cereal with my son, but not that early. I would wait at least a few more weeks. Ask your doctor for any other suggestions. However, It does work nicely. My son would sleep thru the night and so could I. But I didn't use cereal until he was probably about 3 months or so. Just hang in. We all know it is tough. But enjoy the time as well. It goes so fast and you will miss the late night feedings with her. The close cuddling bond. They grow up fast. Good Luck.

Please don't! I highly recommend against this. There is risk of asphixiation due to the increased texture and also the babies digestive system is not ready at this stage for other foods. Also, it is not recommended to put cereal in bottles ever since babies need to learn to developmentally drink liquids through sucking and then later to learn to eat solids from a spoon...which are two different physical functions and the latter isn't posible until the baby's physical maturation is capable. Yes, you are giving the baby a sense of fullness that MAY help them to sleep for longer periods of time. This is similar to why formula-fed babies go longer periods between feedings than breast-fed babies. But you are then also giving the baby more calories than they need which can contribute to the rising epidemic of childhood obesity.

It is also sad to hear how often this is still done today. Just because we turned out okay because our parents did it doesn't mean it should still be done today. We also rode in cars without seatbelts, slept in lead-based painted cribs, and slept on our tummies. MANY children did die from these things, just because most of us survived still doesn't make it okay, just lucky.

Hi J.,

My now 7 month old was born 6 weeks early. Her sleep routine is also very sketchy - still. Every baby is different but I think that it is too early to be giving her cereal. Their little tummies are sensitive and continuously growing. My Dr didn't even think we needed to do cereal and baby food until 6 months and wasn't going to even push it then but I felt she was ready.

If you think about it, her gestational age is only 2 weeks. You may just confuse her by introducing another substance other than formula or breast milk. Hang in there, these early years don't last forever. I also found with my other two children that once I went back to work and they started daycare and were around other kiddos, they were more tired once they got home so that helped with both of their sleeping habits. I didn't have that "luxury" with the 3rd as now I'm home.

Take care of yourself.

J.,

It sounds to me that your baby is strugling with day/night confusion more than anything else. From what I've heard and read, no cereal should be given until your baby is 4-6 months old - closer to the 6 preferably. Look into ways to help adjust her sleeping schedule to have the hour and a half feedings during the day and hopefully that will then switch the 3-4 hour feedings to nights. Keep the house quiet at night when she wakes up for feedings, avoid a lot of talking to her (which can be SO hard when she looks all cute - even harder when she starts to smile at you!), and keep it as dark as possible while still offering enough light to see what you're doing. Those are the biggest things I've heard and tried in regards to helping with night/day confusion...but I've never really researched the topic. My advice is to try to fix that problem before worrying about adding cereal to her bottle. And please, consult your ped before you start your baby on the cereal - good advice for everyone, but esp since your little one was born so early. Good luck!

J.,

I wouldn't give your baby cereal yet. What I would do is ask my doctor for advice. Also, I recommend the book Baby Wise. We didn't have it for our first baby, started reading after we had the second baby. Worked miracles...just wish I had read it sooner.

I too had my son five weeks early I fortunately had him in july and being a teacher did not go back to work until October...That aside I waited until he was six months old before introducing cereal...We continued to breast feed and supliment with Similac advance...I am still feeding at night and now that he is eating (7 months ,yes) he sleeps a bit longer 10 pm to 3am but after the rest it is back to the hour and a half for feedings. I geuss I just tell my self its best for his growth...Good luck

I had preemie twins- they were born @ 33 wks at the end of May. I started putting cereal in their bottles (just a little bit) at night around labor day, so 3months or 2 months adjusted for prematurity. It truly did help them sleep through the night...however I would not recommend doing this with your little one just yet!!! It can do more harm that good. I know that you are desperate for the sleep- so was i- still am!!!! her little digestive system just isn't developed enough for the processing of cereal yet- it may do more harm than it is worth. I know how attractive it may seem to give the cereal- but it does get better- it really does. I was told by another mother of preemie twins that after month three it gets better, and it did. I can only assume that this is true for singltons too! Sleep is a luxury that the non-parent population takes for granted!!!! You will survive!!! Don't give the cereal just yet! Good luck- we have all been there!!!!!! Also- there is something to be said about setting routines! I know that setting a set routine saved me and my sanity with my children. Wake up, Breakfast, Lunch, Naps, baths and bed time- same time every day and night. Children like routine- they like to know what to expect. I realize that she seems young and it may seem rigid but it truly is a life saver and makes everyone happy! The feedings are random now- but you can start by establishing a wake-up time, bath time and bed-time until a more routine eating schedule is appropriate! Email me if you have any more questions or want to chat.
Also- a great resource is a book I believe is called SuperFoods! Awesome book with great ideas.

J.,
I agree with you that your dtr is too young for cereal. It seems that she has her days and nights turned around. Can you keep her up more during the day? Maybe that will encourage her to eat and sleep more during the night. Is there someone else at home who could help feed babe during the night?

DO NOT DO THIS!! Your baby could choke and die. You need to learn some basic baby care info. Pick up a book on the subject. Waking up during the night to feed is normal and healthy. Are you breastfeeding? With a preemie this would be very beneficial for her.

Hello,
I would suggest not putting cereal in the bottle. Your baby is still very young and does not need cereal yet. Many studies show that it won't help a baby sleep longer at night anyway. You could try offering more feedings durring the day (every 2- 2 1/2 hours) and possibly wake baby up for feeding before you go to bed. Those would be my suggestions. Also, if your baby is only an adjusted age of two weeks, she may need to eat often. I think it is important to feed them often durring the day. I think when my son was about two weeks I fed him every 2-3 hours. And I didn't necessarily wait for him to be crying. I think it helped at night.

When my first one was little, she, too, would sleep longer in the day than at night. Someone suggested that I wake her up during the day to help her get her inner clock turned around. In your case, if she's sleeping 1.5 hours at night, you could try waking her up every 1.5 hours during the day, and then let her sleep uninterrupted for as long as she will at night. I know it's hard to make yourself wake a sleeping baby, but you might want to give it a try. Her age seems really young for cereal. What does her doctor say about that?

Dear J.,

About cereal this arly please consult ped. I gave my son cereeal in a bottle when he was 7 months, coz they have growth spurt at that time. What helped me most was for initial weeks, my mom would just pat my son to sleep, and he wopuld sleep, he wud wake up every 4 hrs, and then gradually increased to 8 hrs. You can supplement water-very little if u wish to.

Hi J.
My son was 4 weeks early and at about 5 weeks i started to put cereal in his bottle at night. He also slept alot during the day and short spurts at night and that seemed to help. My Dr. also told me to do it to help him keep his food down (he threw up alot). Just talk to your Dr.-they will let you know. My mom said she put it in all of our bottles and we turned out ok !!!! Good Luck

I got the same advice from my well meaning mother in law but did some research and found out it is a very bad idea. I see you have many replies that tell you why this is bad so I wont go into details there. There was just one thing I didn't see in the replies that may be helpful. After each day time feeding try to get your baby to not fall asleep at the end by interacting with her and showing her some interesting bright objects (red and black work well at this age). If you can stretch out her wakeful times during the day, she will sleep better at night. If you cannot kep her up after a feeding then try to interact with her more and keep her engaged before the feeding.

Some babies do need cereal early but usually not until around 4 months and most Drs suggest waiting until 6 months. If you can get her to sleep 4 hrs during the day pay closer attention to the nap time surroundings like light and sounds. Then try to recreate it at night or possibly change the day surroundings to night to change her sleep schedule around. My sister had a similar problem - had the baby napping in living room with low light and music or tv sounds and usually she was doing laundry or dishes so there were other sounds in house during day. Then at night the baby was in crib in total darkness and quiet and wouldn't sleep more than 2 hours. She adjusted the daytime to be quiet and dark and adjusted nighttime to add a soft light and low music in the nursery and started the dishwasher before bed and was able to get the baby to sleep longer. It will also be helpful to think of how much playtime the baby gets before napping and time relation to it (how long & how much time before sleeping) so that you can do that the same at night too in case that is why. Good Luck!

Sounds like she may have her days and nights mixed up. Both my kids did the same thing. Here's a few suggestions:
-Feed every 2-3 hrs during the day until the night time feedings get further apart. Certainly don't go more than 4 hrs
-If your nursing have dad pick up the baby when she cries so the immediate response isn't "let's eat"
-Consider using a pacifier. I know it's not recommended this early if your nursing but I found sometime all they needed at night was a little sucking time to get them back to sleep. Just don't use the orthodic version
-Have a solid bedtime routine. Seems odd at this age, but you want a trigger to let her know it's night time.
-Do what's right for you. Regardless of advice and recommendations try a little of this and a little of that until you find the right solution for you and your baby.

Hi J.
I am a mom of a preemie, I had to get up a lot in the night to he would eat and than sleep for maybe 1 hour than want to get again so we did this for a while (about a month) We had found out that he had reflux and they actual told us to cereaal in his bottle and he slept better after that. Good luck it is hard but it is all worth it when you see them grow before your eyes.

Hi J.,

Congratulations on your new little one! I think it is much too early to be putting cereal in her bottle. She's making up her strength after being born so early and it's quite natural for her to want to eat throughout the night. In fact all babies, preemies or no, tend to abide by that schedule for the first month or so. My daughter was born 4 weeks early--she's now 18!--and I remember this well. Once you do go back to work baby will probably begin to tip towards your schedule, but it will take some time. It's going to be rough for awhile, as far as sleep goes, but hang in there! Another thing you can try to do, while you're still home, is to wake her up during the day to feed her more frequently. She might not go for it, but it could be worth a try. I'm a doula and have helped birth and care for dozens of babies--including siblings and nieces and nephews etc.--and they pretty much all tend to follow this pattern you mention. My own personal belief is that the baby really knows what she needs and while it might not always be the most convenient thing for her parents, it might be best to follow her lead for the first month or so, especially because she's a preemie. Sounds like she's doing GREAT! Hope the transition back to work isn't too hard. I would definitely vote against the cereal at such a young age--her digestion system just isn't ready for that.

Good luck!!!

S.

Don't do it! Babies that age are not ready for cereal. Especially if she is premature. It could cause digestive problems and promote food allegries. Some people will tell you it is a good idea but it is not. Make sure you are really sleeping when baby is to make up for the interuptions in the night.It could take a while for her to sleep for the night. My daughter did not sleep through the night for over a year. I hope this is not the case for you. Hang in there. Baby cereal is not the answer. It could cause more problems and it wont help. Good luck mom.

From all that I have read and been told by doctors, putting cereal in the bottle is not a good idea. Since you have a preemie, then you really should talk it over with your pediatrician. First, at 7 weeks old, your infant is not ready for cereal. Her digestive system will not be able to handle this. Second, feeding cereal through the bottle does not develop her eating skills, and may lead to overeating. Here is an objective site that pertains to your question.
http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/tipcerealinbottle.htm

this is a very antiquated and very dangerous practice. adding cereal to a bottle poses a choking hazard and is on the whole very unnecessary. i agree with the previous poster, as long as your baby is meeting milestones and gaining weight i wouldn't rock the boat. babies this young are not expected to sleep more than a few hours at a time.

Hi J.,

I am a first time mom to twin boys that were born at 35 weeks. I know it's hard and really trust me when I say I know what it's like to want them to sleep through the night.

For many preemies, the first couple years are different than for other children. We got this book that we found EXTREMELY HELPFUL on dealing with preemies, called The Premature Baby Book : Everything You Need to Know About Your Premature Baby from Birth to Age One.

Here is a link to it on Amazon so you can see what I'm talking about: http://www.amazon.com/Premature-Baby-Book-Everything-Pare....

Now I don't want to be any more presumptuous than I already have been but I did find the book extremely helpful

About the cereal - we ended up not starting solids until 6 months, and even then the oral reflexes were still there. I would not put cereal in the bottle because it can be harmful. Instead I would see if your husband can take some of the feeding at night instead, if you're willing to try pumping and giving the bottle at night(don't know if you're breastfeeding or not). If your alternating who gets up with the baby, then this way you don't have to get up every time. Otherwise, I know it's tough but you just have to do it for a while.

Hope that suggestion helps!

I wouldn't give her cereal til at least 5 months, probably later! Are you nursing?
Good luck!
S.

If you ask any doctor cereal in a bottle is a BIG no-no. First off, there is a risk of choking because of the thickness that the cereal makes the milk and with your child only being 2 weeks old she doesn't know how to move the cereal around in her mouth to swallow it. Second, if you start cereals too early in life (as well as other foods) you run the risk of a higher chance of food allergies and type 2 diabetes. Third, it's a complete myth that cereal will make a child sleep through the night. If anything it will make them up longer or more often because their digestive systems are not used to having the cereal in them and it runs the chance of the child being more gasey or to have digestive problems in general. Cereal in a bottle is an old wives tale and can do some serious damage to the child. I would suggest that you contact your daughters doctor before you add anything to her bottle, especially since she is a preemie and there might be things that she is especially sensitive too that other babies may not be. Hope this helps. :)

Your child is wayyyy to young to add cereal to the bottle. The earlier you add solid-type foods, the higher likelihood of creating an allergy to the food product. Her response is totally normal, albeit you're tired, but gently push her into the normal cycle of day/night eating and sleeping. This takes some time. I understand tired, but adding cereal now may create some problems later on.

I think you're right. She is way too young. Our dr. told us that their stomachs can't digest the cereal properly until at least 5 months. I wouldn't. She sounds like she's doing everything right & normal to me. Maybe try giving her milk during the day before she says that she's hungry & if she takes it, great, if not than that's OK. We did this with our son & it got enough in his tummy during the day that he started sleeping through the night.

Way too young!!! She may very well have the digestive system of a two week old as well! (At least not a digetive system over 7 weeks.)

My son actually fed every hour on the hour for the first two months of his life so this seems normal to me - but they are all so different. Talk to her professionals - maybe she just needs some schedule readjustment. Maybe this is exactly what she needs right now and it will play itself out.

She is still a preemie with an immature digestive system and even a mature digestive system cannot tolerate cereal at this age (or until much older). She is eating and growing and thriving after being born premature - that is a blessing.

Also know that going back to work with a new baby is never easy and will be exhausting no matter what the circumstances!

I don't think cereal is the answer, she's too young for that. Way too young. The idea of cereal is pretty "old school." Is she breast or bottlefed? Anyway, I think you should feed her more during the day, maybe she'll eat less at night that way. Does she sleep in a crib? If so, she might be waking up because she's cold or lonely, you may want to try an alternative. Babies just love, love, love to be held all the time. My guess is that she's not hungry, she needs company. Good luck!

Hi J., I would never give a baby that young cereal, for one their stomach's are not ready for solids yet, and two she could choke!!
Adjust her feedings during the day to every 2 hours or so, that will help with the night time feedings.
Good luck.
Gina

Congrats on your new little girl! Being a new mom can be so challenging, especially when you get very little sleep. Instead of cereal can I suggest cluster feeding. I am a mom of three and my youngest is 4 months old. I have a pretty steady night time routine with Logan, his bed time is about 10:00 pm, I nurse him from out 8:30pm till then. I give him a bath after my older ones are asleep and then I dim all the lights in my living room and start feeding. He has slept for a minimum of 5 hours since about 2 weeks old. ( I think he knows I need it) My oldest never slept all that much, but she slept best when I nursed her in a warm bath. I know that sounds strange but as a new mom who desperatly needs sleep you will try almost anything. I wish you the best of luck and I think you have plenty of ideas to try, try them and see which one fits you and your daughter.

I don't think it is a good idea for cereal in the bottle. Most articals state not to ever put cereal in the bottle. I know that the old way was to do this but it is not recommended by pediatricians. Have you contacted your pediatrician? Studies show you should wait till 4-6 months before introducing anything other than breastmilk or formula. Night and day is not something babies know about and have to learn that from us. The best think I have learned with my children is routine. It takes time but it works. During the day they nap but you don't change daily routines. You should rest too with baby but don't shield from sound. Find a bed time routine. For us it is about 730pm we get jammies on, read a book or watch a show, for my son he has his bottle, and have the lights low. At night you lay baby down in the dark (or night light), no talking when wakes, feed the bottle, change diaper, then lay back down to sleep. My son did have to go through a spell of crying himself to sleep but that was about 9 months or so. He is a yr yesterday. He just finally started not getting up at all last week. He was just getting up once about 3am for about 2 oz. Sounds like a lot but I really feel kids respond to routine. I hope this helps. oh yeah - both my kids were born early. Jenna at 35 wks and Jackson at 34wks.
Take care
A.

There is no medical proof that your child will benefit from cereal in the bottle. New findings (for us younger moms vs. our mothers) say not to do it as their little intestines aren't ready for any type of solid type food until they are atleast 4-6 months of age.

Keep in mind that your baby was a preemie and that she may eat more to be catching up size wise of what a "normal gestational age" child would be eating.

Also, if you feed your child any type of solids too early in age you could be setting her up for allergies at a latter age (also more new findings compared to those of old).

Good luck!!! I went back to work for a short time after my daughter was born (now 3) and I along with so many others understand the severe sleep deprivation. I had to try so many other things before feeding so I didn't become one of those moms that baby made a noise and I was pulling out the "milk jugs" to suffice the smallest noise!!!

It's amazing what you learn from your first child!

my doctor said never put cereal in their bottles. that is way too young for cereal. your baby being a premie will be hard enough don't want to add food issues because you started cereal too early.

Hi J.. This is my first reply on this site. Congrats and hang in there: the first weeks can be tough. One thing that worked for me was to double up on nursing/bottles right before bed. If your baby goes 3-4 hours between feedings during the day, but not at night, the ideal thing would be to flip those two around. SO I increased the frequency of daytime feedings, especially in the few hours before bed, and then hopefully the nights will spread out. Good luck! -K.

All my babies had cereal in their bottles, but not before about 3 mos. old. I'd check with the pediatrician first. You don't want to chance developing allergies or some other problem. If you can, put off going back to work as long as possible. Babies need their mommies!

SAHM of seven