RICE Cereal...? Opinions and thoughts

Question

Just wondering what everyone's reasoning for rice cereal is? For baby to sleep longer? Iron supplementation? Just curious why everyone thinks this is a good "first food" to start your baby off with.

My mother in law fought me so hard to get me to give it to my daughter as early as 6 weeks because "she did with all of hers".

Just curious as to why you think it's necessary or if you all do.. and what your opinions are on rice cereal! I have my own opinions on it and am personally against using rice cereal. My MIL reasoning was to get baby girl to sleep longer. I'm a stay at home mom (as was she) and have no reason to not be waking up when my baby calls for me and can (thankfully) make up for sleep sometimes during the day. I don't agree with giving it to her for that reason. If I were working my tune may change but even then I'd prob stick with barley cereal.

How do you all feel about it, and have you researched it / and or the negatives of rice cereal at all?

Answer

My baby is 3 months and I won't be giving him rice cereal. I am back to working again and my baby wakes every 2-2.5 hrs at night to nurse. My cousin gave her LO some at 3 months so her baby can sleep longer and she was a stay at home mom at the time. Even though Im not sleeping well, I don't believe in giving my baby something that he doesn't need at this time unless it benefits him. I don't think anyone should pressure you into doing something if you don't feel it necessary. I'm just hoping that his sleeping patterns will get better with time and in the near future when we start him on solids. Until then, I'm just gonna suck it up and zombie my way to work!

Answer

I'm considering it as my baby isn't gaining weight very well and has dropped off the growth chart. I would prefer giving her rice cereal over formula but I can't really argue that's due to anything other than preference. Would also prefer waiting with solids until 6 months but a healthy weight is priority. Waiting to see what my GP says next week at her 4m check up.

Answer

3 weeks is wayyyyy to early

Answer

I asked my daughters pediatrician if she can use the rice or oatmeal cereal because she's going to be four months and she said absolutely not. Can cause choking and rapid Weight gain. She also said they should not have any other food other than formula until they're six months and can sit up properly without any support. I didn't believe it but then I remember my friend used to feed her daughter Rice cereal in every bottle. And that's why her daughter was 40 pounds at six months. Three weeks is way too early follow your instincts it's your child not hers.

Answer

I'm kinda indifferent on the whole cereal thing. I was actually going to ask at her 4m appt if she can kinda skip the cereal and go to baby food around 5 months. I hear cereal is just a filler with no nutritional value really. As for rice....I think I will definitely skip rice cereal.....but possible do oatmeal instead if we do it as my girl is already on a daily dose of prune juice for ongoing constipation issue. My lo also sleeps 9-12 hours a night too..
.so I don't know.

Answer

I plan on waiting until 6 months to introduce food, and I'm just going to let my son eat little pieces of pretty much whatever we're having (obviously baby safe sizes/shapes). I'm not convinced that rice cereal has any benefits at all, and I don't plan on doing puréed food.

Answer

My daughter is going to be 4 months in a week and I have been given her cereal but not rice cereal. I give her the oatmeal and banana cereal since she was 2.5 weeks old. When she turned a month I started blending carrot, sweet potato, pumpkin, potatoes, apples bananas, and some other fruit and veggies and put it in her milk and she loves it. She's a very healthy baby girl.

Answer

Rice cereal gives my daughter a tummy ache but I've tried giving my daughter oatmeal the other night in her night bottle and she sleeps through the night. I didn't give it to her just so I wouldn't have to get up at night. Because I Dont mind at all. I'm not working right now and I'm usually up at night anyways so her waking up to eat isn't a problem. She's almost 4 months I just started oatmeal to keep her fuller for longer so SHE could sleep longer. I take naps with her during the day so the waking up at night to feed her never bothered me lol. But she has a sensitive tummy and the rice cereal just wouldn't work. But she loves the oatmeal and its easier on her tummy

Answer

I don't plan on using any cereals. There is almost no nutritional value for them. I'll continue to just breastfeed until she is 6 or so months unless her DR recommends otherwise for my big girl. If he does, then we will start either rolled oats or straight to pureed veggies.

Answer

I just out my daughter on cereal at 4 months at the night night meal because she would eat 6 oz and wake up in 3 oz so hungry.

RICE Cereal...? Opinions and thoughts

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