What's SO wrong with giving Rice Cereal to a young baby?

I searched "Rice Cereal" here on ANSWERS and you Mommies are so adamant about NO RICE CEREAL, but why? What EXACTLY is so wrong with it? My 2 1/2 week old weighs almost 12 pounds (she was 10lbs, 9oz at birth) and is always so hungry! She's not "fat," just pretty big for her age. I'm breastfeeding her and supplementing with soy formula as well, about 8 oz per day. She takes 5-10 minute naps most of the day and sleeps in about 45-60 minute spurts at night. She will take two one hour naps during the day and again around 3:30 - 4:30 a.m. OUCH.

A good friend of my Mom's (a Labor & Delivery Nurse / Neonatal Head of nursing for 20 years) suggested giving her Rice Cereal. She says (and I agree), "Some babies are just very hungry!" I did it once today (1 tblsp. in 1 oz. as directed on the box) and I've never seen my baby look so satisfied. So please explain why this is so bad, besides just saying "THAT IS REALLY BAD!!," etc. Thanks!

Starting cereal this early in her life isn't a good idea. Despite her weight and the amount she is consuming, her gastrointestinal tract is still immature, and introducing another foreign protein in cereal can predispose her to allergies later on.

At this stage of her physical development, formula is still the only food a formula-fed infant should get. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months with gradual introduction of solid foods in the second six months for a breastfed baby, and introduction of solid foods between 4 and 6 months for a formula-fed infant.

Some of the signs that your baby is ready for solids are an ability to sit fairly well in a high chair as well as take food off a spoon and transfer it to the back of her mouth. This means the disappearance of the tongue-thrust reflex (where the baby pushes most of the food put into her mouth down her chin with her tongue). The final signal is an interest in food.

You also run the risk of choking. Trust the experts and talk to any pediatrician (Current) today. They will always say no cereal before 4 months. I studied this in early childhood development at school and I have 3 children.

Their tummies cant digest it yet.

I gave my baby rice cereal and she ate it just go slow to see that she is digesting it well. Ask your doctor if you are that concerned

Per my pediatrician, I gave my children rise cereal and they are all healthy and happy. Listen to your doctor, not a bunch of nameless, faceless people on a website.

Well if a nurse told you to try it then it can't be so bad... I've heard that their tummies just aren't ready to digest it yet.

My dr. told me to start puttin rice cereal in my daughters bottles when she was like maybe a month old but she couldnt keep it down...i dont know why people are so against it i just say trust your instinct only YOU know whats best for your child

my doctor always said to give the babies rice cereal because it would not upset their stomachs. If they were still hungry I used to mix it with applesauce and give it to them. Of course this was 20 yrs ago. but my girls turned out fine with no eating problems. I also used to put l tblsp in their bottles at bedtime. My children were 6 lbs 11 oz and 6 lbs 6 oz. at birth and were always hungry. I didn't breast feed either of them.

At that age their digestive system is not developed enough to handle rice cereal. Introducing foods to babies too soon can lead to digestive problems and obesity. Her wakefulness is not due to hunger. You have got to work on getting her on a schedule. Once she is fed, changed, etc. & you have met all her needs, she needs to be put down at certain specific times to nap. Remember who is in charge!

It binds the baby up and constipates them. it's best to start with veggies - try one for five days (to make sure there is no allergic reaction) and move to the next. the best to start with is carrots, then sweet potatoes, then onto the greens.

Some babies are more hungry than others. There is nothing wrong with giving your baby rice cereal as long as she is digesting it well.

When you start to give food to a baby you are opening up a can or worms for digestive and allergic reactions. Frankly, I cannot believe a health care professional gave you that advice: the child is too young for anything other than sterile water and breast milk or formula. Giving her food could make your life miserable when she has tummy problems and food allergies or worse.

She is not going to sleep any better with a belly full of food than she does right now with milk or formula.

You really do need to speak to a pediatrician because giving your baby food can really be a tragic mistake.

Also, if the baby is so large she does not need to get larger. You could be setting a bad precedent for her in regard to dietary issues in later life.

Hi there,

Every baby is different, and your baby sounds a very hungry baby. There is nothing wrong with rice cereal, I used to give mine Ready Brek ! and my baby didnt grow up fat, was very contented and slept for longer periods - thank goodness. Listen to what your heart says, not other people.

When they are young it can upset their tiny tummies. And their digestive systems can't handle it. Go to your Dr to confirm. There tummies are only the size of their fists.

they are to young for their bodies to digest it. they will become very constipated and or very fussy. i can't believe a labor an delivery nurse told you that. i am sorry but that is dangerous to her health. by the time she is one she will be one of those babies that is on Maury Povich every now and then with a weight problem, sorry but she will. my niece started getting baby food and etc. when she was about a month old and she looks like Mrs. Michelin man. it is horrible, she is over one year old and can't walk or stand up for long because she is so over weight. but anyways, i hope this helps, cereal is for when they were about 3 months and baby food when they are about 4 or 5 months. and if you use cereal use oatmeal cereal because it will stick so to speak to their tummies and keep them fuller longer. hope this helped, holly

isay go for it! but only use rice cereal or baby oatmeal. there is nothing wrong with it. the tummy can digest it if you make sure there is enough formula mixed it.

Well, it can cause digestive problems when solids are introduced too early, there are studies that show early (at the age of your daughter) being given solids like cereal leads to obesity, and it can cause things like acid reflux and indigestion which can lead to excess gas (lots of pain for baby) and constipation (which can be serious). So, there are plenty or actual reasons not to give her cereal. My family all pushed me to do it, and when I asked the doctor she gave me some reading material on it and told me no. I never did! Good Luck, hope you choose the right option!

Nothing is wrong with it as far as I am concerned. I have given it to ALL 4 of my kids when they were babies. I never saw any reason not too. None of my kids are fat - and it did help them stay full longer - which usually helped them sleep longer.
If you are really concerned about it I would ask your baby's pediatrician. I had a nutritionist once tell me it was "empty" calories - but then my kids' pediatrician turned around and told me it was just fine -- in fact she recommened I give it to my youngest because he had reflux and it helped his milk stay down.
Hope this helped - if I can answer any other questions please email me.

My doctor didn't want me to give my nursed baby rice cereal at 4months because he is nursed and he said that nursed babies tummy's aren't ready for something so heavy. I had to start him out on veggies when he started eating.
But that is where I am coming from that's what I was told by my baby's doctor and our friend who is a pediatrician.
All babies are different so whatever you feel more comfortable with and if your baby is fine with it I would do it to.

it's not. we normally mix it in milk for our reflux babies.

I don't think there is anything wrong with giving your baby rice cereal at the age she is now. I gave it to my daughter when she was 3 wks old. As long as she seems to be digesting it well and doesn't get a tummy ache, I see nothing wrong. Sometimes breastmilk just does not fill a baby up. It didn't fill mine up that's why i started giving her cereal. Make sure that is just plain cereal though... not the kind with oatmeal or applesauce b/c that is the one that babies are the least likely to have allergies to.

She may start to sleep longer too b/c she will be more full.

Good luck, let me know how it goes.

It expands their stomachs to an unhealthy extent and they can't digest it very well..Yes, some babies ae just very hungry, but don't over-feed, nor under-feed, give them just the right amount. Good luck.

The risks are: potential choking, and the potential for developing diabetes (some studies show this). I think it's too young and unnecessary. Babies as young as yours only need breastmilk or formula.

However, you should talk this over with your pediatrician. You'll get tons of conflicting information from well-meaning people responding to this question.

I think people will argue about this until the cows come home. Find a pediatrician you trust, discuss this (and your daughter's growth) with him or her and set up a feeding plan with their counsel.

I don't see anything wrong with it. Some dr's suggest waiting till 4 months, and that's fine if the baby isn't hungry all the time. Some dr's suggest waiting till SIX months, and I personally (mother of three) think that's too long, but it's just my opinion.

My 2nd son couldn't take the cereal too soon, it made him sick. He couldn't digest it.

Test it out. .. make it very, very runny. There are nipples out there with openings for cereal with formula. Just make it VERY VERY VERY runny, their little tummies need VERY LITTLE to be filled up. Try it out, but I suggest trying it in the morning so you are up through the day and can see how it effects your daughter. Good luck!!

There is nothing wrong with it. It can cause ecessive weight gain in some babies but there is nothing wrong with it. If it is so bad then why did Enfamil come out with it's AR (added rice) Formula. It is for babies that spit up a lot. All three of my kids had GERD and had to have rice put in their bottles, per their doctor, and it didn't hurt them. Maybe some of you people that think (or know) it is so bad should write Enfamil a letter about their AR Formula and let them know how bad it is for babies.

NOTHING is wrong with it, my first son was hungry all the time like that, and at 2 weeks THE DOCTOR said to put rice cereal in his bottle.
the second son I had has severe reflux, and guess what at 1 week THE DOCTOR him on rice cereal

Do whatever it takes to fill the baby up.Don't listen to everyone else.My kids were eating cereal and baby food at 3 months.If anyone says anything, ask them if they get full on milk?

You do whats good for you and your baby. To many people are quick to jump on someone else is throat bc of their practices. Back in the 80's Dr. would tell you to do that but now they have opted not to as well as water. I was told not to give a child water until they are 1.

I think you are going to do whats best IN your childs interest and wether anyone agrees with you or not is up to them.

Personally I wouldnt do it but thats my personal choice bc a baby's stomach is not ready for such a heavy food like rice cereal. Their digestive system is barely getting adjusted to milk but thats my personla opinion and why I opted to wait until my oldest was 9 months to even introduce cereal but liek I said thats my personal choice and I would never bash someone who does diffrently

I dont see anything wrong with giving your baby rice cereal. If it is good for us then it is good for the baby as well. they are small humans after all.