Rice cereal in bottle to help sleep?

My mom has been here for the past few days and is insisting that if I put a little rice cereal in their bottles they will sleep longer for me. To the point where she sent my dad out to pick some up. DC are 3 months. I know this is an old school thing and our parents all did it - but why don't we do it? I mean it doesn't seem like a big deal to me but what do I know.

ETA DS2 is under 11 pounds and eats nearly 45 oz a day. He is still waking at 11:30, 3ish and then around 5:30 every night and downs full 6 oz bottles. I have tried giving him more in the bottle but he just can't physically take in any more at one time. Tonight has been nuts - 6.5 ounces at 7:30, 11, and 1:15 so far...

Message edited 2/27/2010 2:26:26 AM.

Re: Rice cereal in bottle to help sleep?

it doesn't work.... i'm sorry - that is one of those old wive's tales... we asked the doc about it and she laughed...

unless the baby has reflux and the rice is for 'medical reasons' - i wouldn't do it.

Re: Rice cereal in bottle to help sleep?

Thanks Jess - I haven't talked to my ped about it. I'm willing to try anything at this point

I put more info in my first post.

Message edited 2/27/2010 2:25:49 AM.

Re: Rice cereal in bottle to help sleep?

i know that my sister did it for my niece who is now 5 months, starting at 3 weeks but under the direction of her ped for reflux. she did start sleeping better, at least to the best of my knowledge. also, time between feedings increased and spit up decreased

i think that changing bottles helped even more though with sleeping and reflux issues (from avent to dr. browns)

Re: Rice cereal in bottle to help sleep?

How old are they? My ped had my start my twins on cereal at 3 months.....I didn't put it in their bottles, just feed it to them once a day. Actually DS loves it so much he is up to twice a day

Re: Rice cereal in bottle to help sleep?

My mom is insisting on it too but not in the bottle (she said they had to poke bigger holes in the bottles back in the day to get it through). She wants me to water it down and give her just a spoonful bc the baby sleeps through the night but always seems starving during the day. When I asked on here, people thought I was nuts so Im going to ask the ped. at my next visit on Tues.

Re: Rice cereal in bottle to help sleep?

Cereal in the bottle is not popular on here. That being said, my ped. recommended I add cereal to both my boys bottles starting 2 1/2 - 3 mo. because they were drinking WAY too much formula.

It doesnt exactly help them sleep...it keeps them fuller a little longer so they are not waking up so often to eat. BUT, with Derek the cereal in the bottle hardly made a difference.

Re: Rice cereal in bottle to help sleep?

I wanted to try this as well and my ped. told me no. He said that the boys will sleep more as they get bigger (duh)

I still wanna try it but I havent. He said rice cereal usually starts around 4 months

Re: Rice cereal in bottle to help sleep?

Starting cereal too soon has also been thought to cause food allergies....so unless it's for a medical reason, or the child is drinking a ton of formula, I wouldn't do it, personally.