NOT following drs orders???

I'll preempt by saying that Aly is sleeping half the night in her crib!!! She'll do about 5 hours and wake up to eat (10 weeks old).

I've been hearing from many a mom and gransdma to put a small amount of cereal in her bottle so she'll sleep through the night and go longer than 2 1/2-3 hrs between feedings.

Has anyone done this at this early of an age??

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I've only added cereal to my son's bottle due to his reflux.

I think the theory is if the baby has a fuller stomach they won't get up to feed and sleep through the night. I'm not sure it really works though.

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I did that with my first - it didn't make him sleep any longer though.

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That's an ole' wives tale, unfortunately.

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I was told that putting cereal in a bottle was a choking hazard, so I never did it. I know that some pediatricians of the babies on this board have recommended it. I just followed my dr's advice on this one.

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IMO- the only time cereal should be put in a childs bottle, is when they have reflux...and the formula needs to be thickened to help the child keep it down...

I dont find cereal on the spoon or in a bottle EVER helps a child sleep through the night...

Now- if you feel shes not getting enough from her bottle alone....thats a different story... If you feel shes needs more and you wanna go the cereal route, do it from a spoon....

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I agree - it won't make her sleep longer - I think only time can help you with that.

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Whether or not a child is ready to digest cereal is a determination I think that only a doctor can make. I'd only do it with a doctor's approval.

How to handle discipline you can listen to other moms. How a body works I'd depend on scientific study.

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We thicken her bottles at the peds advice due to reflux- she doesn't sleep through the night.

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Myabe in my situation its different but I disagree what with most have said on his post. I have been feeding Ryan some cereal with his last feeding for a few weeks now and it has worked WONDERS. He sleeps about 8 hours now compared to 3. It totally agrees with him, no constipation, no gas, no spit up and he LOVES it. I notice that when I dont do the cereal he only sleeps 3, maybe 4 hours tops.

My pediatrician did not recommend this, my mom did. I was on cereal on a very early age and she only started it because MY ped. told her to. I think this is an old school practice because my friends moms ALL had the babies on cereal from about 4 weeks of age and they swear by it.

All I can say is that cereal is a god-send for us. Ryan is happy and I am happy because I am getting a great nights sleep!

ETA: I give the cereal on a spoon, not bottle. At first he hated it but after a few times he got the hang of it and has no problems!

Message edited 3/12/2006 9:55:29 PM.

Re: NOT following drs orders???

I tried it when Nate was around 10 weeks also and it didn't do anything. So I stopped and started giving it to him when the dr advised.

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I tried it also when Emily was about 2.5 months old and it didn't do anything to help her sleep better but she did have poop problems for about a week afterwards so that told me that at least for her, it wasn't a good idea.

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I tried it with jacob at about 6 weeks old for reflux and he didnt sleep any longer in fact he woke up more that night screaming!!! I dont think he was able to digest it at that point so i stopped and wont start again until the 4-5 month mark when cereal is supposed to be introduced.

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That is old school. Everything you read will tell you that cereal, solids, etc. does not help them sleep longer, through the night, etc.
At 2 months old she really should be waking up to eat during the night. I guess some babies that age sleep through the night but I think that's the exception, not the norm.

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I did that when marissa was 2 1/2 months

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First I heard it is an old wife's tale. I also heard that there digestive tract is not ready of for the cereal and there is evidence that cereal given before 4 months can cause celiac disease. It is also a choking hazard for the cereal to be in the bottle (even with the nipple made for it).
Also at that age they may really still need the night feeding or your comfort etc.

Message edited 3/13/2006 1:18:20 PM.

Re: NOT following drs orders???

It might stretch the hours a bit but I don't know if it will push him all night. It depends on the baby. My son is 6 months and he eats solids, cereal, fruit and veg and still wakes up at night!

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We tried this with Frankie, but it made no difference. He didn't sleep through the night, nor did it spread out the feedings any longer. We stopped and will wait till he is 4 months to start with cereal again and then fruits.

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I would wait to do cereal until the doctor tells you to start. From what I hear from people who have tried to do the cereal in the bottle trick, it doesn't work.