should i put cereal in her bottle?

J

joannek

Registered User
What your view on starting solids? I understand usually is exclusivvely breastfed for 6 mths. That's what I did with my first & I had enough milk.

Now with my 2nd, who's 4 mths & 3 weeks now, I seem to be running low (or she's just so efficient in emptying my breast). She's always finished a feed in 10mins (15 mins when she was 2mths). Now she only feeds for 5mins at home or 3 mins when we're out.

Here is the time that she feeds - 7.30am, 10.30am, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm (bedtime), wakes again around 7pm, then she sleeps til around 10-11pm to wake for another feed, then wakes again between 2-3am, and 5am for another feed. she is hungry at the 2am feed (cos i put EBM in a bottle & if i give her 4oz, she wakes after 2hrs for another feed, if i give 6oz, then she wakes at 5am. but she doesn't ask for feeds at 7.30am. i just feed her anyway cos i know the next time i'll be able to feed her is around 10am (between 8-10am, i'm busy with my elder daughter's breastfast & sending to school). She was born 8lbs 11oz, and now weighs about 15lbs. She has enough wet nappies & poos well. I am so tempted put some rice cereal in the EBM at the 10-11pm feed, so hopefully she sleeps longer at night. I don't want to give her formula. I'd rather give her good quality rice cereal. My chinese doctor said she's OK to take rice cereal since she's 4 mths+ & so big already, but I just want to hear what other mom thinks?

thanks!

P.S. I started giving her rice cereal with a spoon to try before the 10am feed. she likes it, but gets frustrated when she couldn't eat faster. cos she doesn't know how to eat with a spoon yet she keeps pushing the food with her tongue (as w/ bfeeding). i tried to give her after nursing but she's full & won't take it. she took about 1tsp cereal mixed w/ 10ml of EBM & 10ml of water this morning, then turned away. so i stopped the food & bfeed her.

P.P.S I also have another problem with nursing is that she keeps looking away after a mouthful or two & then relatch on the breast. it hurts when she pulls away cos of course she pulls my nipple away too. she wants the milk i just don't know what's up. she does this once in a while. there is no disturbance around, i feed her on my bed where i've always been. pls also help!
 
I really don't think you have any supply problems as you baby is growing and producing enough output and so solids are not required yet.

It is not recommended to put cereal in with the milk. This is because there is more possibility of chocking. It also doesn't help the baby understand how to get the feel of food and eat because she is still sucking and swallowing as if it is a liquid.

Babies first learn to grab objects (including food) and explore them with their mouths. Around six months old most babies can reach for easy-to-grab objects, pick them up in their fist and get them to their mouth accurately. If a baby has the opportunity to look at, reach for and grab food (rather than just toys), she will take it to his mouth. Although it looks as though she is feeding herself, she won't actually swallow the food, she'll just explore it with her lips and tongue.

Several abilities develop, one after the other. First, the baby manages to bite or gnaw off a small piece of food with his gums (or her teeth, if she has any). Soon after this she discovers how to keep the food in her mouth for a while and, because the size and shape of the inside of her mouth has changed and she now has more control of her tongue, she is able to move the food around and chew it. At this stage through, as long as she is sitting upright it will almost certainly fall out of her mouth rather than being swallowed.

Unlike milk (from a breast or bottle), which is sucked directly to the back of the baby's mouth, solid food needs to be actively moved there. This is something that a baby is unable to do until after she has discovered how to bite and chew. This means that, for a week or two at least, any food she gets into her mouth will eventually fall back out again. She will only begin to swallow it when the muscles of her tongue, cheeks and jaw are sufficiently coordinated to work together to allow this. This may well be a natural safeguard to help minimise the chances of choking. But it only works as long as it's the baby who puts the food into her mouth - she needs to be in control.

It is really common for babies of four months old to look around and get distracted while feeding. This isn't a problem for the baby but it can be really annoying for the mother. Try stopping the feed and trying again in 10 to 15 minutes if you are finding it too irritating.

If your baby is hurting you have your finger ready to break the suction as soon as she starts to turn her head. Try breastfeeding lying down. She is less likely to hurt you when she twists if you are lying down

Best wishes,
SARAH
 
Your baby`s schedule sounds like my own`s and he`s been on solids for nearly 2 months!! hahaha.

I actually started him on rice cereal at 4 months and 3 weeks, the same age as your baby. I wanted to wait til 6 months, but he was feeding nearly every hour and I just couldn`t keep up - it was obvious he need more. I had the same dilemma as you and also posted here. A lot of mom started around that age too.
From my understanding, you are not supposed to put rice cereal into the baby`s bottle bc they might choke or something, but still, a lot of mothers do that.
Why not just continue feeding her rice cereal from a bowl? Or other fruits and veggies if she accepts the cereal more and more? My son was the same as your daughter - he wanted it but he didn`t know what to do with his tongue - but honestly, he learned fast. I generally BF first and then wait 30-60 minutes before a solid feed. He`s now eating 3 times a day.
But sorry to disappoint you, my baby still wakes up in the night a couple of times to feed. Even when he has a huuuuge late dinner. I think it`s out of habit rather than necessity.
About your baby looking away a lot, I think around that time they are really curious about everything, and even though you are still in the same place as before, maybe she is noticing new things or hearing a noise or something. Mine`s the same, but doesn`t stay latched on so it doesn`t hurt.
 
As PP said, I too was also under the impression that only milk or water in bottles. I was alsways told that if you put in anything else they get lazy and then expect food to be put in it and it is a hard habit to break.

This was in addition to what others have said about blocks and the like.
 
Pediatricians recommend not giving anything other than milk for the first six months. Best to check with your pediatrician on feeding semi solids.
 
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