giving a 3 week old rice cereal- does this sound right to you? - Page 4

[MaddisonYontz]

My son eats 8oz bottles at a time, he holds his head up on his own and opens his mouth for the spoon, every baby developes differently his tummy doesn't get up set he doesn't throw up and his poop is normal, I don't make him eat anything he doesn't want too. My doctor says introduce it slowly which I'm doing

[Bokonon]

Originally Posted by MaddisonYontz 

My son eats 8oz bottles at a time, he holds his head up on his own and opens his mouth for the spoon, every baby developes differently his tummy doesn't get up set he doesn't throw up and his poop is normal, I don't make him eat anything he doesn't want too. My doctor says introduce it slowly which I'm doing

I'm sorry, but that is way too much food for a baby that age.  It sounds like might be overfeeding him by giving him a huge bottle every time he fusses, and he can't stop the flow of liquid, so he gulps it all down.

Introducing solids on top of overfeeding formula at such a young age can have dire consequences for his lifelong health.  That kind of feeding can easily lead to childhood obesity and the risks that accompanies it, such as juvenile diabetes.  Pediatricians have very little training in nutrition, and I'm afraid if yours is saying that rice cereal at this age is ok, he's giving you outdated and dangerous advice.

[fruitfulmomma]

Is he able to sit up well on his own? That is a readiness sign. Holding up your head and opening your mouth are not. My kiddoes do that from birth. 

And how much he is eating is not a readiness sign either.If he is still hungry he needs more bottles. Applesauce, bananas, and rice are not appropriate fillers. They take away from his ability to fill up on nutritionally appropriate food.

Your doctor is advising you against all current research and guidelines for introduction to solids.

Damage to the gut is often silent for years.

[fruitfulmomma]

Is that too much? I have only breastfed so I don't really know how much 8oz is. Perhaps more frequent, smaller feedings would be in order then. I am so sick of hearing doctors tell moms to thicken their bottles or start solids because baby is hungry. Well, duh! Baby's tummy is small. He can only eat so much and then he digests it and is hungry again pretty quickly. Adding stuff that makes it harder/longer to digest may tide him over but that doesn't mean it is good for him.

[Bokonon]

Originally Posted by fruitfulmomma 

Is that too much? I have only breastfed so I don't really know how much 8oz is. Perhaps more frequent, smaller feedings would be in order then. I am so sick of hearing doctors tell moms to thicken their bottles or start solids because baby is hungry. Well, duh! Baby's tummy is small. He can only eat so much and then he digests it and is hungry again pretty quickly. Adding stuff that makes it harder/longer to digest may tide him over but that doesn't mean it is good for him.

If he's eating 8 oz. every 3 hours, that's 64 oz. a day.  A breastfed baby takes in an average of about 25oz.  With the caloric content being about the same, that baby is eating more than twice the calories every day as his breastfed counterpart.  Breastfed babies take in roughly the same amount regardless of age, but formula does not change with age, so formula-fed babies often take in more as they get older.  At about 5 weeks of age, if this baby is already taking in way more than would ever be recommended for a newborn, he is on track to be eating far more than he needs to for the rest of his life.

http://www.themedguru.com/articles/over-feeding-leads-childhood-obesity-study-86122123.html