3 months olds and cereal.....kinda long

So my MIL has been on my case from day 1 about giving the kids food to help them sleep longer bc thats what she did back in the day....anyway the kids went to the Dr last week for their 3 month checkup and the DR said to start them on cereal. I tried it and they HATE it.. Little Sophia is really the only one that will eat some of it I am not really concerned bc they are gaining weight just fine but once again MIL is om my case and insists they eat it and will feed them when she visits once a week but I dont have time feeding 3 kids by myself right now to deal with them spitting it all up( I know this must sound mean). So now MIL tells me to put it in the bottle which I did a few times but I have to make it thin enough to get thru the nipple....so here is my question to I really need to be feeding them cereal now at 3 months and should I be putting it in the bottle if they wont eat it off the spoon?? Any suggestions I am willing to listen and give it a try.

TIA

Re: 3 months olds and cereal.....kinda long

I wouldn't do it to make them sleep longer, but if the doctor suggested it to help with reflux, you could put it in the bottle and get the 'Y' nipple for it to fit through. Unless they need it for reflux, there's no reason they would need to start this early.

Re: 3 months olds and cereal.....kinda long

Cereal = sleep is totally an old wives tale.

Did the ped say why he recommended it? Usually the earliest is 4 months...

Re: 3 months olds and cereal.....kinda long

None of them have reflux. Its seems that my Ped starts kids on cereal at 3 months but he did say if they didnt want to eat it dont push it. I am hearing that some people started at 3 months while other at 6 months I personally think 3 months is to soon but I am so sick of hearing my MIL's mouth and then she starts putting things in DH's head.... .
Sorry for the rambling its been a rough day with them today everyone is so cranky....LOL Including Mama

Re: 3 months olds and cereal.....kinda long

Cereal will not make DC sleep longer. I was told by my Ped at our 4 month visit we can start cereal. Not in the bottle b/c it's a choking hazaed (and they only recommend that for reflux).

DS wouldn't have it. He hated being fed. We tried fruits, cereal, cereal and fruits mixed, tried after a bottle or in-between so he wasn't starving... nothing worked. The Ped said we can wait.

BTW... this whole time DS would still be getting up in the middle of the night... cereal or none.
Right now I'm waiting till 6 months and see if he's ready. He's a little over 5 months now. BTW... just 2 nights ago he started sleeping through the night. On his own... he hasn't had cereal in 2 weeks. He gets his last bottle around 7:15 PM... about 7 1/2 oz and then sleeps till 6:30 AM.

Re: 3 months olds and cereal.....kinda long

i can tell you that cereal does not help them sleep longer... we put ds on cereal at 4 weeks because he was not satisfied at all with bm or formula (ped decided that 65 ounces was alittle much)... but he was still up every few hours.. he didnt sleep longer stretches for another 2 months

Re: 3 months olds and cereal.....kinda long

The AAP recommends waiting until 6 months to start cereal for a variety of reasons including reducing the risk of food allergies and obesity. Babies have immature digestive systems and their bodies typically cannot handle cereal at a young age. Of course, babies who have reflux are typically given cereal in a bottle b/c the pediatricians feel that the benefits outweigh any possible risks.

The sleeping longer is a total myth. Don't listen to your MIL. You need to do what you feel is right.

Re: 3 months olds and cereal.....kinda long

Thanks girls.... They actually STTN last nite I was so happy.....LOL They do fine eating their bottles and are not ever really screaming for more. I think I am just going to wait I have enough things to worry about taking care of the triplets by myself during the day and I am not going to stress about about feeding them cereal they eat their bottles and do just fine with that. Its just my MIL making me nuts she comes here once a week and thinks she knows how to take care of them Sorry for the venting but it kinda sucks being home alone all day with them babies and nobody to talk to.....

Re: 3 months olds and cereal.....kinda long

As long as they are gaining weight and they are content with their bottles I don't see any reason why you would start them on cereal at 3 months. Most peds. recommend between 4-6 months. As for cereal making them sleep longer through the night......that is such an old wives tale. My DD has been STTN (7pm-7am) since she was 8 weeks old and I never put cereal in her bottle. They will STTN when they are ready to STTN........you can't force it or make it happen faster. IMO........don't worry about the cereal right now.

Re: 3 months olds and cereal.....kinda long

Message edited 11/5/2009 4:17:22 PM.

Re: 3 months olds and cereal.....kinda long

Re: 3 months olds and cereal.....kinda long

Like I say to all mothers. Follow your instinct weather it be three months or 8 do what your mommy instinct tells you. It's almost always right!!

Re: 3 months olds and cereal.....kinda long

Re: 3 months olds and cereal.....kinda long

i totally agree with the poster that said follow your instinct. i started my dd on cereal at 8 weeks she hated it so i stopped... i tried it again at 10 weeks in her bottle and she LOVED IT.... she needed the Y cut nipple and does fantastic with it. at 12 weeks or so i started on the spoon she just couldnt get the hang of it.. at 13 weeks i tried again, and she did great with the spoon. BUT i learned fast that she HATES rice on the spoon but loves it in her bottles.... and LOVES oatmeal on the spoon and not in her bottle... if you want to put it in their bottles def. go with a Y cut nipple and try it. if your doing the spoon thing i would try oatmeal its a litle sweeter i think.

If you have any questions paula dont hesitate to email me i can explain in more details.

oh and i know they say full bellys= sttn is a wives tale but it 100% worked for us. Unless it was a major fluke!