The time has come.
Oliver is a eating machine that needs more than nursing, so... At 3 months and one
day I gave my son a tablespoon of rice cereal in his breast milk bottle. I know that most doctors say wait until 4 months to allow the digetive tract to develop. BUT Oliver is a fast
growing eating machine, I really think he needs more than I am giving him through nursing!
I asked around and most everyone I spoke to said, either they gave their baby rice cereal well before 4 months or that they wish they did. My mothers’ generation was getting rice cereal and bananas by 2-3 months. I have a friend who was told to give her daughter cereal in her bottle at one month! I know I should have consulted my doctor first, but I didn’t.
I had been toying with the idea of giving him cereal for the
past two weeks. He seems like he
is constantly in a growth spurt and never full. He has been eating upto 5 ½ ounces in his pumped bottles
since 2 months old, and he still screams for food every three hours. I know
he is growing and developing both physically and mentally right on track of not
a little ahead. He is getting what he needs, it just seems like he is
not getting enough of what he wants!
I was warned that the first time I give him the rice cereal to do it early to mid-day, and NO MORE than a tablespoon to start. This way if he has any adverse reaction I can conact the doctor. Plus, cereal can cause bad gas and I certainly didn't to be up all night with a gassy ass.
I started with a warm 5 ½ ounce bottle added the cereal stirred it gently until it all dissolved. I fed him the bottle at 11am and he drank it down with no issue. He was visibly happy and full when he was finished. He smiled and cooed for about an hour afterward. He went to sleep easily for his nap, (according to dad) and was not hungry again until 3pm. That’s still only 4 hours but he was also not ravenous at all the rest of the day.
I started with a warm 5 ½ ounce bottle added the cereal stirred it gently until it all dissolved. I fed him the bottle at 11am and he drank it down with no issue. He was visibly happy and full when he was finished. He smiled and cooed for about an hour afterward. He went to sleep easily for his nap, (according to dad) and was not hungry again until 3pm. That’s still only 4 hours but he was also not ravenous at all the rest of the day.
I will not feed him the cereal again for the late bottle because
I want to give him a full 24 hours to digest the cereal. The idea of satiating the machine brings tears to my eyes and relief to
my over worked milk factories! Plus, I NEED SOME SLEEP! I know that rice cereal does not guarantee
that he will sleep through the night, but here is hoping!
UPDATE Tomorrow!
UPDATE Tomorrow!
