Feeding Help

M.,

Don't start cereal yet. Babies' digestive systems are not ready for solids yet at 3 months. 6 months is the earliest you should start, but some would say you should wait until one year or later. Offer bottles more often. My first baby nursed every 2 hours for his first 5 months, then went to every 3 hours for 3 months, then gradually decreased feedings from there. Your baby does not need cereal. He needs formula or breastmilk, especially since he was a preemie. Please don't stress out his digestive system just yet!

Not that you were asking, but I might also suggest that you not start him off with cereals when you do start solids. I have 5 children and the first 4 all started with cereals and then went through an awful period of only eating carbs (cereals, crackers, breads)...so my last baby I started on bananas and avacados, and introduced cereals much later, after she had tried every kind of vegetable and fruit I could get in her. She is 15 months now and eats everything,not just carbs. The younger Dr. Sears has a book that discusses this idea. I saw it on Dr. Phil or Oprah, can't remember which, but it worked. Just an idea.

Do what you think is right. My son is 3 months, has cereal in his bottle (for reflux)and just starting oatmeal cereal once a day on the spoon. He is eating 6 ox every three hours and still hungry. Waiting until 6 months is unnecessary. You know your kid. I talked to my Dr. and he said the same thing. We were all fed early and we are all fine.

Hi M.,
my name is R. and i have 4 children. I did not have a preemie but, all of my children started cereal at the ripe old age of 3 days, i know they tell you not to but all of them slept all night they were not hungry and they all are not overwieght today, my oldest is 20. My youngest is 8. I also have a 15 yr old and an 11 yr old. They are healthy and happy children. You have to do trial and error with the baby and start out with a small amount of cereal at first. Rice is the best and maybe after you try the cereal mix a little banannas in with it for flavor, they like that. Your baby is telling you he or she is hungry so feed that baby!!!!!!! Here is my email address if you would like to talk some more ____@____.com luck!! Oh and you will need to make the hole a little bigger in the nipple so the cereal can come out. ")

Please don't start your baby on solid foods yet. You may just need to offer the bottle more frequently. You might also try holding your baby in a sitting position and the bottle at a 90 degree angle to the baby so he eats slower. It is the same concept as if we eat really fast we don't feel satisfied so we eat too much then feel sick.
Also remember that your baby isn't "really" 3 months. Don't forget to ajust his age.
Blessings,
K.

Have you tried offering the bottle or breast more often. Most babies eat every 2-3 hours.

not yet unless your pediatrician says so. Especially premies have smaller stomachs. She or he may need to eat less more often. Premies also have a need to suck more...maybe try a pacifier. Sometimes babies are a little nuerologically immature and unorganized and seem to want to eat b/c they are fussy. Talk to pediatrician. I'm sure your baby is not ready physicallly for cereal at 3 months. I'm an OT who does feeding

Hi M.
If i were you, I would ask the doctor. I know a lot of people say you shouldnt feed a baby solids till after 6 months or so, but my daughter's pediatrician told me we would talk about introducing solids at the next doctor visit (at 4 months). I think it depends on one's perspective. Go with what the doctor says.