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I'm sure you'll get a lot of different opinions on this one--I know i did-- I started adding a little rice cereal to my son's bottle at about 8 weeks. I did it, with the support of my pediatrician, because my son is exceptionally large for his age (about the size of an average 6 month old) and has a hearty appet_te. Once I started adding it he slept so much better, as did the whole family. Some will say you should wait until 6 months because their digestive systems are not mature enough to handle before then. Every baby is different of course, but Lucas had no problem at all adjusting to it. His poops are a little thicker and stinkier in the morning but I can handle that. I b___stfeed all day and evening then at around 10pm when he's ready for his last feeding of the night I give him one bottle with formula and a couple scoops of rice cereal. I split the nipple a little so he can suck it out. He loves it! As I said, this is only my experience --but it has been great! If I were you I'd give it a shot.

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I started both of my girls between 4-6 weeks. Some friends told me they would sleep better. I think it works, I just shake a little in there, if you don't put too much, you do not have to split the nipple, but I have done that too. That is pretty much it, it is really simple.

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I haven't done that with Trinity yet..but with my other 2 who are now 10yrs. and 13yrs. ...I use to give cereal to them in their bottles at bedtime. I just split the nipple a bit and they slept great....but I think I didn't start doing that until they were about 8 or 9 mo. old. Trinity is 3 1/2mo. now and she's eating 34-36oz. of milk a day so I think when we go to our 4 mo. check-up in a couple weeks , I'll ask the doc. if it's ok to give her some cereal bc she really eats alot now.

Hi YC, If you baby is suffering from acid reflux why do they have him on nutramigen? That formula breaks down immediately almost like water. It has no "weight" to it at all... hence the reflux. I would try Good Start and add the rice cereal as well. Of course you should be able to tell in a week if you baby is better on any new formula you try. However, I noticed a difference in two days. The only thing rice cereal will do is weight the formula down so the acid reflux will not be bad. Does you Dr have your baby on and meds for the reflux? Could be the reflux is buring so bad that is why your baby is crying. I am not a fan of nutramigen simply for reflux, I do not believe if works very well. Of course every baby is different and by no means am I telling you what to do. I just didn't have luck with it for 3 babies. I feel in love with Good Start. For constipation give a little bit of apple juice ... you can mix with cereal to weight it down so it does not cause reflux. Good Luck!

Hi Lizzie, she is not on Nutramigen for reflux, she is on it because she has a milk allergy. We will be transitioning her to the soy Carnation Good Start after abut 12 weeks. For now she needed formula that was broken down as much as possible. She is on zantac for the reflux and it is working well. She used to wake up screamin after she spit up but now she spits up a couple of times a day and it doesn't seem to bother her at all. Thanks for your advice with this. This is all new to me as this is ,y first baby. I am trying to soak up as much info as I can from you experienced mommies.

I have been giving my 4 month old cereal since she was about 10 weeks. I just put 6 oz of formula in her bottle and then take the scoop I use for the formula and put ONE of those in with her formula....I only do this at night and she sleeps thru the night. I think it just keeps her more satisfied and she doesn't get hungry during the night. I know people may say not to do this, but it works for me and we have had no adverse side effects from the cereal. She seems to like it and I like getting plenty of sleep at night!

I've been giving my baby cereal in his nightly bottle since 5 weeks. I just warm his bottle, then add the cereal and shake it. He started sleeping much better, but it took a few days. He's 8 weeks old and he goes down at 8 gets up at 2a.m to eat and goes back down until around 5-6 a.m. sometimes he sleeps through the 2 a.m feeding. As for constipation I was concerned he would get it and bought apple juice to thin down and give him, but he has never been constipated since we started cereal. It's weird because he was constipated before we started giving it to him.

I forgot to add. I don't split his nipple, I just used the medium flow nipple for his cereal bottle instead of the slow.

id like to add a question with the same concern.....My son is only 2 weeks old and i was told to put just a pinch in his bottle at night so he can sleep longer. I wont do this because he is only 2 weeks old. My question is when should i start? and is two weeks too young for a pinch of cereal? When did you start?

Hi Shelly, I am not sure but the youngest I heard of was 5 weeks. I would not do it at all if it were just for my daughter to sleep longer. I am only doing it because it was prescribed by a stomach specialist and a ped. I would as the ped. if I were you just to be on the safe side. 2 weeks sounds pretty young.

i agree with you YC, thanks for your input on this. I will wait this one out, but i am a tired mommy during the day from my sleepless nights :)

Oh SHelly I know just how you feel. I am the same way. I hear it gets better with time. Do you have help? My boyfriend and I take shifts during the night. I have her from 8:00-12 and he stays up with her from 12:00-4:00am that way we both get 4 hours of uniteruppted sleep.

Hi Shelly I think 2 weeks is too young for cereal. Hang in there sleep will come soon :)