Baby Cereal

I’m right with you I will be introducing homemade baby food at 6 months or when he shows signs. From my own research I will not be doing the cereal and i dont care what his pediatrician is saying my baby is fed on demand and he’s shown constant progression in his weight so I see no reason

Interested in answers

@Rocio Cuevas Thank you!! I don't feel crazy now, lol. 😃 Do you think I should switch Pediatricians, or are they all like this?

@Katie personally I would but I’m very weirded out by doctors forcing things on you or baby if it’s literally not necessary. My pediatrician is the absolute best and even if we wanted to delay a vaccine she’s not shaming us. She fully respects our decisions as parents

If you don’t feel she needs it then go with your gut. I think the cereal if you mix it with a thicker consistency is more to get them used to the idea. My LO hated it when I gave it to her with a spoon and so she gets hers in her milk. My LO was getting formula to supplement at night because she was waking up more frequently at the 3 month mark to eat. I have now switched out the formula with cereal at night. Personally I don’t think it gets her as full. She drinks a 5oz bottle of breastmilk (2 Tablespoons of cereal) and she’ll still be hungry. We could give her a 5oz bottle with 2 scoops of formula and most times she didn't finish the bottle and slept longer. we'll probably finish this box I bought and then give her fresh solids honestly.

Why did your pediatrician asked you to do it then?? Please follow your intuition, do your research regardless of what the pediatrician says. Honestly the only reason I've heard of cereal is for reflux (my baby has reflux and we have done cereal water and helped her)

My Dad always says “Drs are practicing medicine, doesn’t mean they know everything. They are always learning and everyone’s different” do what works for you! Starting giving my girl cereal at 3 months because she’d be drinking 8oz and still being hungry. Only 1 scoop of cereal in her daily bottles and 2 scoops at night. I wanted to introduce purée, but her Dad and I decided we’d do that next if the 2 scoops stop sufficing. I switched Peds at her 2 month shots. Literally in the waiting room calling another because her attitude sucked and I felt like she had too many patients, my daughter wouldn’t get the proper attention.

Demanding is crazy 😳. Personally I feel if she’s in that percentile she’s probably eating just fine. If anything why did the pediatrician not offer purées. Interested in answers as well

These words always stick with me "food before one is just for fun," meaning their nutrition is supposed to come from formula/breast milk, and they don't need anything else. Do what your gut is telling you to do. Cereal is just empty calorie with basically no nutrition. My baby just had her 4 month appointment, and Dr. made no notes on food. I asked, and she said I could do purees if I *wanted* to.

If your baby is in the 96th percentile, there is 0 reason for cereal. Its been found there is low nutrional value to it. The fact she demanded you to shows what kind of doctor she is. Parents have say over baby, not anyone else. Shes healthy, Id personally switch. Follow your gut. Also, I keep seeing cereal in bottles. Im not trying to mom shame, but its a choking risk, even with formula. Babies are still devolping their swallow reflex. As someone in the medical field, who does a lot of feeding care, be careful. Choking is no joke.

@Sapphire Thank you so much for your response! Those are my thoughts, too. Also, my baby has documented instances of choking on her own spit during her first few weeks to 2 months old. I just don't think she's ready for anything at this point. She only has 4-5 oz per feeding currently. Thanks again 😃

With my daughter, at 4 months I started with purées (apples, sweet potatoes, carrots, squash) and opted for the baby oatmeal. If you want to wait, that’s totally up to you. Either way, they don’t really NEED it. My daughter kept grabbing at our food so I said why not

Stick with your plan.. I’m waiting until my LO can sit independently before I start solids..

My doctor recommended that I used direct cereal for her weight because when we got Covid, she dropped a few ounces. It's been the best thing ever for weight gain. Also, she is in the 99th for height as well, but I don't think height matters when it comes to rice cereal it's more for weight gain, right cereal doesn't have barely any nutrients.