Author Topic: Cereal bottles?  (Read 1774 times)

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Offline 1bygrace

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Cereal bottles?
« on: September 15, 2006, 03:40:02 am »
I'm going to start cereal w/ DS in a couple weeks.  Right now we are bfing and supplementing with formula.  Problem:  DS is only in the 3rd percentile because he had a heart problem that was making it hard to eat efficiently.  But (THANK GOD!) he recently had surgery and he is completely recovered and BOY is he making up for it!  He was only drinking 4 oz/3.5 hrs. 2 weeks ago and now he's taking 6 oz/4 hrs.

I've read that formula should be the staple nourishment, which I'm fine with, but I know DH's family is wondering what I'm waiting for- they think that cereal will help DS gain weight faster.  Both my SIL's give their kids, 14 and 9 months, cereal bottles.  In fact, I don't think either gives formula anymore, just diluted (with water) cereal bottles.

I guess my question is- Is there anything wrong with putting an ounce of rice cereal in a 6 ounce bottle of formula?  Or should I just stick to trying to feed him the cereal with a spoon?

Also, if I think that his recent night waking is from hunger, how else can I increase his intake without going back to 3 hour feedings?  I mean, he already is eating 2 ounces more per feeding, can do you think his tummy could handle more so soon? (I'll post this in the night waking forum too)

TIA!

Offline Katet

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Re: Cereal bottles?
« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2006, 03:51:30 am »
Let me tell you about my girlfriends 6.5yo foster daughter & then you can decide if it is better to give formula in a bottle or on a spoon.
She was given fast flow teats on bottles (12mo) from birth & all her solids up until age 15mo were in the puree or liquid form... first cereal was from a bottle... at age 4 she still couldn't speak word that were understandable & at 6.5 her speech is less clear than my 3yo... the speech pathologists all agree it was because she didn't learn to use her mouth muscles due to only drinking & having puree food...eating from a spoon is apparently a helpful part of speech development.
Also nutritionally Breast milk & formula have more calories than cereal, so you may fill him up more but it won't mean he gains more weight... you'd actually be better to offer more bf than formula from a calorie weight gain point of view as the formula is probably messing with your supply & not helping the breast milk adjust to the "changes" it needs at each growth spurt... with bf it is supply & demand & while volume increases so also the "calories" do & it becomes more nutrient rich between 3-6months in an exclusively bf baby... supplementing with formula messes with the balance in some babies & so breastmilk never adjusts.... just my thoughts.
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Offline rinajack

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Re: Cereal bottles?
« Reply #2 on: September 15, 2006, 04:43:32 am »
I also read that if they get the cereal in a bottle, they don't learn about being full liek they do if they eat from a spoon, which can mean weight issues later in life. So if you are going to offer cereal, do it with a spoon I say.

Also, since my DD is on solids her weight gain has slowed dramatically.

Try offering more in each bottle, if it doesn't fit in he either won't take it, or will spill it back up - you will know pretty much in the first bottle or two. With the BFing, does he take both breasts - keep feeding him until he lets you know (by refusing breast) that he has had enough.  And ditto re the supply issues...

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Offline *Natasha*

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Re: Cereal bottles?
« Reply #3 on: September 15, 2006, 05:00:18 am »
Agree with pp. Also putting cereal in bottles can lead to constipation and upset tummies. I would rather up the amount of formula you are feeding at each feed.

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Offline JennŠ

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Re: Cereal bottles?
« Reply #4 on: September 15, 2006, 13:34:46 pm »
Then you throw in the fact that cereal won't totally mix, so lo gets some mouthfuls that are thicker than others.  Can lead to choking.
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Offline litomi

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Re: Cereal bottles?
« Reply #5 on: September 15, 2006, 13:42:39 pm »
I put cereals in my LO's bottles for few times, then I stopped. Coz my LO choked easily and swallowed more air when eating. Choking, spitting and gassy  :(
My LO just turned away from ther bottles if DH adds in little bit of rice cereal.

Offline 1bygrace

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Re: Cereal bottles?
« Reply #6 on: September 15, 2006, 19:40:51 pm »
All good responses, thank you!  I won't put the cereal in a bottle, I'll just try to up the milk intake.

Offline Samuel's mum

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Re: Cereal bottles?
« Reply #7 on: September 15, 2006, 20:04:41 pm »
You have been given all the sensible advice and thankfully you are a mother with the intelligence to learn from others.

But I'm sorry I just have to take off my 'professional' calm moderator hat for a moment and say:

Quote (selected)
Both my SIL's give their kids, 14 and 9 months, cereal bottles.  In fact, I don't think either gives formula anymore, just diluted (with water) cereal bottles.

 :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o
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binxyboo

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Re: Cereal bottles?
« Reply #8 on: September 15, 2006, 20:38:41 pm »
Well said, Emma ;)

Offline Duckie

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Re: Cereal bottles?
« Reply #9 on: September 15, 2006, 23:15:57 pm »
Let me tell you about my girlfriends 6.5yo foster daughter & then you can decide if it is better to give formula in a bottle or on a spoon.
She was given fast flow teats on bottles (12mo) from birth & all her solids up until age 15mo were in the puree or liquid form... first cereal was from a bottle... at age 4 she still couldn't speak word that were understandable & at 6.5 her speech is less clear than my 3yo... the speech pathologists all agree it was because she didn't learn to use her mouth muscles due to only drinking & having puree food...eating from a spoon is apparently a helpful part of speech development.

REALLY!!!!!  I had no IDEA!

And, ditto to Emma.....
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Offline Katet

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Re: Cereal bottles?
« Reply #10 on: September 16, 2006, 00:58:42 am »
Duckie that was an extreme... she had never chewed food until she was 18mo & my friends fostered her... she also wasn't crawling & if you tried to get her to weightbear, she just flicked her legs out to sit down... child abuse unfortunately doesn't have to be "physical". The parents actually used to put the puree jar baby food in a bottle with a big whole cut in the teat... amazing she didn't choke... yet the Grandmother let these things happen...sorry to hijack the post, just wanted to share that there is more to feeding than just nutrition KWIM
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Offline Duckie

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Re: Cereal bottles?
« Reply #11 on: September 16, 2006, 01:29:07 am »
OMG, Kate that is terrible.
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Offline *Natasha*

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Re: Cereal bottles?
« Reply #12 on: September 16, 2006, 02:20:10 am »
I can not believe that Kate hoe terrible :o

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Offline 1bygrace

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Re: Cereal bottles?
« Reply #13 on: September 16, 2006, 06:40:31 am »
You have been given all the sensible advice and thankfully you are a mother with the intelligence to learn from others.

Thank you.  DS is my first, and I've learned quickly to not count on any single opinion about childrearing.

Quote (selected)
But I'm sorry I just have to take off my 'professional' calm moderator hat for a moment and say:

Quote (selected)
Both my SIL's give their kids, 14 and 9 months, cereal bottles.  In fact, I don't think either gives formula anymore, just diluted (with water) cereal bottles.

 :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o


Yeah, to be honest until I read here about the importance of milk being the staple nourishment, I never would have known.  Apparently my SILs did the cereal thing w/ their other kids too, so I just thought that was 'common'.  Glad I found out some other opinions.  I also read tonight and my pediatrician's guide says the same thing as you great ladies.