Yes, I gave my daughter rice in her bottle at night so she would sleep longer. Look at your local Walgreens in the baby section they carry a special bottle with a bigger nipple hole made especially for rice. Good Luck
Comment by ljkrfnc on Dec 17 2009 02:32:21:
Is the baby going through a growth spurt? Usually around 3 weeks, 6 weeks and 3 months baby will have a growth spurt. How much is baby currently eating and how often? Baby may need more non-nutritive sucking rather than more food. Baby may also need holding or other types of nurturing rather than more food. Babies often have “tummy aches”, but aren’t able to distinguish yet between hunger pain and an overly full tummy. They will continue eating and sucking even if overly full. It is an old wives tale that cereal will make the baby sleep longer or better. The current findings are that babies are not ready for cereal until 5-6 months. The digestive system is not ready to handle cereal. Physically the baby should be sitting well with good head control and be given cereal with a spoon and not mixed in a bottle with formula. Starting solid foods too soon and putting them in bottles or syringe type feeders encourage overeating and help contribute to the child obesity epidemic.
Comment by Tenille on Dec 21 2009 06:47:15:
I know that my mother gave all four of us rice in our bottles when we were around four or five months and none of us have had any problems. My sister also did it with her two children and they are both very healthy and growing well. I will be giving it to my children. And it really does help them sleep longer because they are fuller. The bottle with the bigger nipple is specially made for just this thing and works great! Good luck.
Comment by Judy on Dec 29 2009 08:59:24:
Why not? Unless your pediatrician says there is a specific reason for you not to do it, if it helps maintain a little parental sanity and allows your baby to sleep, that seems worth it. I did it for my boy and he is still a sturdy and healthy child seven years later!!
Comment by Kathy on Dec 30 2009 08:54:22:
My son is also four months and was eating ALL the time it seemed. Our doctor suggested starting him on a little cereal too. I just add a tablespoon of rice cereal with formula / breast milk, to make the cereal watered down, then I add the cereal to a six ounce bottle. I use a fast flow nipple on our bottle and my son is happy. If you dont mix the cereal with warm milk prior to adding to the bottle, the cereal doesnt break down enough to get through the nipple. Good Luck !!
Comment by Rebekah on Jan 04 2010 03:58:27:
I started my daughter on rice cereal in the bottle at about 2 1/2 – 3 months…I told my pediatrician this and he said that it was not recommended, but that he didn’t have any problems with me doing it. And regardless of the latest research, it worked wonders for me! She slept thru the night from that first night on! Yeah! lol Then I had twins this past summer and the pediatrician actually told me to put them on it at their 2 month check up bc they were spitting up SO much and it would help them keep their food down! He said that it is safe, but not recommeded because it is usually not needed yet and becuase of the chance of allergies, overeatting, etc. But we have not had any problems with it, and they were finally able to keep their food down and slept SO much better! (probably bc they could keep a meal down and were more comfortable) I also see that there are alot of formulas that come with the rice cereal already ground up in them. It is more convient and most don’t get stuck in the nipples like adding your own can.
Comment by Stacy Wolfram on Jan 28 2010 08:49:38:
I started my son on cereal at 3.5 months to help him sleep at night, but it was more formual then cereal. I also started giving him stage 1 infant food at 4 months (very small qty’s) Unless your child has a medical condition that prevents them from eating I don’t see why not.
Comment by Nicole Abbott – Resident Mom on Jan 31 2010 02:39:37:
I would not recommend it.
You should try giving your baby more milk/formula. Babies eat only until they’re full. Maybe your baby is going through a growth spurt…
Also, I have read (and my pediatrician agrees) that giving your baby cereal in a bottle is not a good idea. This might cause you some issues later on when you start trying to feed your baby with a spoon. Your baby will think “Why do I need to eat from a spoon when I can get my cereal in a bottle?”
Just remember, that whatever decision you decide to take will be the right one. Don’t doubt yourself
Comment by Nicole Laws – Resident Mom on Feb 08 2010 03:25:01:
I would recommend adding cereal to a bottle. The only time that it is recommended is for a baby with reflux in hopes it will help keep the formula down better. However, with that said pediatricians usually recommend starting cereal by spoon anywhere between 4-6 months old. Have you tried it by spoon. It will take a few tries before they actually start getting the hang of it and start eatting. I would recommend feeding your baby a bottle first because they will get more frustrated and not want the cereal if they are really hungry. Hope this helps. Bought as always do what you think is best. As Nicole above said dont doubt yourself. Its all trial and error.
Comment by Nicole Laws – Resident Mom on Feb 08 2010 03:26:14:
CORRECTION!!! I would NOT recommend adding cereal to a bottle. So sorry for the error!
Comment by Paula on Feb 09 2010 09:34:54:
He is 4 months? I have heard that adding cereal to formula is NOT recommended. But why not start feeding him cereal (mixed with formula)?!
Comment by Gaile Gonzales on Feb 28 2010 05:26:05:
I would NOT recommend cereal in a bottle, EVER, for the reasons already listed in above posts…..
Cereal is a solid food, and there are FOUR specific signs that your baby is ‘ready’ to start solids (this can happen at various ages, usually around 6 months or so):
1) able to sit unassisted
2) appearance of teeth
3) loss of the tongue-thrust reflex
4) interest in solid food
While it is true that there are many babies, and now fully grown adults, who were given rice cereal in a bottle with no ill effects, the risk of serious problems (allergies, obesity, constipation, even malnutrition) is too great in most situations.
The existence of a product ‘designed’ for cereal bottles (fast-flow nipples) does not indicate that it is SAFE or ADVISABLE. After all, some manufacturers still make baby walkers, and we all know they are not safe, right?
Comment by Dawna on Mar 01 2010 04:46:05:
I would not put the cereal in a bottle, but rather try to start spoon feeding him. I did this with my son and it was messy at first, but we (and him) had a great time with it. Good Luck
Comment by sanela on Mar 04 2010 04:19:53:
I agree with Dawna’s strategy of giving him some baby food from the jar it will make him feel fuller. My daughter was 4 months when i started introducing baby food, mashed banana in very small amounts, she was sucking on grapes cut in half. You will recognize it when the baby is ready to move on to the next level of feeding just pay attention to the signs. All babies are different and ready to eat foods at different age-give it a try. After all that is the goal to get them to eat foods..
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Comment by Britt on Dec 13 2009 05:26:56:
Yes, I gave my daughter rice in her bottle at night so she would sleep longer. Look at your local Walgreens in the baby section they carry a special bottle with a bigger nipple hole made especially for rice. Good Luck
Comment by ljkrfnc on Dec 17 2009 02:32:21:
Is the baby going through a growth spurt? Usually around 3 weeks, 6 weeks and 3 months baby will have a growth spurt. How much is baby currently eating and how often? Baby may need more non-nutritive sucking rather than more food. Baby may also need holding or other types of nurturing rather than more food. Babies often have “tummy aches”, but aren’t able to distinguish yet between hunger pain and an overly full tummy. They will continue eating and sucking even if overly full. It is an old wives tale that cereal will make the baby sleep longer or better. The current findings are that babies are not ready for cereal until 5-6 months. The digestive system is not ready to handle cereal. Physically the baby should be sitting well with good head control and be given cereal with a spoon and not mixed in a bottle with formula. Starting solid foods too soon and putting them in bottles or syringe type feeders encourage overeating and help contribute to the child obesity epidemic.
Comment by Tenille on Dec 21 2009 06:47:15:
I know that my mother gave all four of us rice in our bottles when we were around four or five months and none of us have had any problems. My sister also did it with her two children and they are both very healthy and growing well. I will be giving it to my children. And it really does help them sleep longer because they are fuller. The bottle with the bigger nipple is specially made for just this thing and works great! Good luck.
Comment by Judy on Dec 29 2009 08:59:24:
Why not? Unless your pediatrician says there is a specific reason for you not to do it, if it helps maintain a little parental sanity and allows your baby to sleep, that seems worth it. I did it for my boy and he is still a sturdy and healthy child seven years later!!
Comment by Kathy on Dec 30 2009 08:54:22:
My son is also four months and was eating ALL the time it seemed. Our doctor suggested starting him on a little cereal too. I just add a tablespoon of rice cereal with formula / breast milk, to make the cereal watered down, then I add the cereal to a six ounce bottle. I use a fast flow nipple on our bottle and my son is happy. If you dont mix the cereal with warm milk prior to adding to the bottle, the cereal doesnt break down enough to get through the nipple. Good Luck !!
Comment by Rebekah on Jan 04 2010 03:58:27:
I started my daughter on rice cereal in the bottle at about 2 1/2 – 3 months…I told my pediatrician this and he said that it was not recommended, but that he didn’t have any problems with me doing it. And regardless of the latest research, it worked wonders for me! She slept thru the night from that first night on! Yeah! lol Then I had twins this past summer and the pediatrician actually told me to put them on it at their 2 month check up bc they were spitting up SO much and it would help them keep their food down! He said that it is safe, but not recommeded because it is usually not needed yet and becuase of the chance of allergies, overeatting, etc. But we have not had any problems with it, and they were finally able to keep their food down and slept SO much better! (probably bc they could keep a meal down and were more comfortable) I also see that there are alot of formulas that come with the rice cereal already ground up in them. It is more convient and most don’t get stuck in the nipples like adding your own can.
Comment by Stacy Wolfram on Jan 28 2010 08:49:38:
I started my son on cereal at 3.5 months to help him sleep at night, but it was more formual then cereal. I also started giving him stage 1 infant food at 4 months (very small qty’s) Unless your child has a medical condition that prevents them from eating I don’t see why not.
Comment by Nicole Abbott – Resident Mom on Jan 31 2010 02:39:37:
I would not recommend it.
You should try giving your baby more milk/formula. Babies eat only until they’re full. Maybe your baby is going through a growth spurt…
Also, I have read (and my pediatrician agrees) that giving your baby cereal in a bottle is not a good idea. This might cause you some issues later on when you start trying to feed your baby with a spoon. Your baby will think “Why do I need to eat from a spoon when I can get my cereal in a bottle?”
Just remember, that whatever decision you decide to take will be the right one. Don’t doubt yourself
Comment by Nicole Laws – Resident Mom on Feb 08 2010 03:25:01:
I would recommend adding cereal to a bottle. The only time that it is recommended is for a baby with reflux in hopes it will help keep the formula down better. However, with that said pediatricians usually recommend starting cereal by spoon anywhere between 4-6 months old. Have you tried it by spoon. It will take a few tries before they actually start getting the hang of it and start eatting. I would recommend feeding your baby a bottle first because they will get more frustrated and not want the cereal if they are really hungry. Hope this helps. Bought as always do what you think is best. As Nicole above said dont doubt yourself. Its all trial and error.
Comment by Nicole Laws – Resident Mom on Feb 08 2010 03:26:14:
CORRECTION!!! I would NOT recommend adding cereal to a bottle. So sorry for the error!
Comment by Paula on Feb 09 2010 09:34:54:
He is 4 months? I have heard that adding cereal to formula is NOT recommended. But why not start feeding him cereal (mixed with formula)?!
Comment by Gaile Gonzales on Feb 28 2010 05:26:05:
I would NOT recommend cereal in a bottle, EVER, for the reasons already listed in above posts…..
Cereal is a solid food, and there are FOUR specific signs that your baby is ‘ready’ to start solids (this can happen at various ages, usually around 6 months or so):
1) able to sit unassisted
2) appearance of teeth
3) loss of the tongue-thrust reflex
4) interest in solid food
While it is true that there are many babies, and now fully grown adults, who were given rice cereal in a bottle with no ill effects, the risk of serious problems (allergies, obesity, constipation, even malnutrition) is too great in most situations.
The existence of a product ‘designed’ for cereal bottles (fast-flow nipples) does not indicate that it is SAFE or ADVISABLE. After all, some manufacturers still make baby walkers, and we all know they are not safe, right?
Comment by Dawna on Mar 01 2010 04:46:05:
I would not put the cereal in a bottle, but rather try to start spoon feeding him. I did this with my son and it was messy at first, but we (and him) had a great time with it. Good Luck
Comment by sanela on Mar 04 2010 04:19:53:
I agree with Dawna’s strategy of giving him some baby food from the jar it will make him feel fuller. My daughter was 4 months when i started introducing baby food, mashed banana in very small amounts, she was sucking on grapes cut in half. You will recognize it when the baby is ready to move on to the next level of feeding just pay attention to the signs. All babies are different and ready to eat foods at different age-give it a try. After all that is the goal to get them to eat foods..