Expert: ruth kraft - 12/9/2009

Question
Hi..I have a month old baby who is a big for his age.  He was born 9.1 lbs and 21inches long.  Recently at doctors office he weighed 12.8 and 23.5 inches.  my question is...he seems to be hungry after feeding him.  At night he wakes up twice for feedings.  Doctor told me to add a little cereal in his bottle before bedtime so he can sleep a little longer during the night.  Now he is feeding 5  to 6 oz.  I try to only give him 5oz because I feel like I am over feeding him.  How much is too much? and how much cereal is appropriate for the night feeding?  My doctor told me 1tsp per oz.  He seems fussy/gassy...should I give hime rice or barley cereal?
~D

Answer
It sounds like you have a very well nursed baby :) already gained 3 pounds since birth! WHOOO HOOOOOO !

It is VERY normal and actually desired for a baby  to wake up every 3 hours, no matter the sixe at 1 month old. even at 2 months old.  So waking a couple times at night is not alarming to me.

I cannot tell you to go against what your doctor has told you, but in my history and working even with special needs kids and nursing, putting cereal in a bottle is VERY damaging. It is SO bad for them and the muscles in their mouths and can cause speech issues long term. So that is a BIG no no. not only that, its too hard for them to digest. The academy of pediatrics reccomends that you nurse EXCLUSVLY for 6 months. and reccomend NO FOOD until at least 6 months. So no amount of cereal is appropriate for night time. ever.

secondly, cereal has NO nutrition. so yoru filling your baby up on nothing, when it needs to be growing. He was big at birth , so he needs more anyway. Denying him food so he can sleep longer isnt the best way to handle things. Feeding him would be. There is also no study that says that breastmilk and cereal will help a baby sleep longer. its a myth over all. If it happens its a fluke. Denying the baby nutritious food will come back later and be a bad thing.

If he is fussy and gassy, nurse him more form your breast, not a bottle. If you are pumping 5 ounces, then you should easily be able to nurse the baby and that alone will help with fussiness and gas.

I hope that helped!