re: Night feedings..........help!!!!!!

Quoting Kaleighshaleigh:" "

MYTH No. 1: Feeding your baby more milk at night or putting cereal in her bottle will help her sleep longer.


TRUTH: In studies, babies fed rice cereal in their bottle slept no better or longer than those who didn't, reports pediatrician William Sears, MD, author of The Baby Sleep Book: The Complete Guide to a Good Night's Rest for the Whole Family (Little Brown, 2005). In fact, a common cause of night waking is indigestion. "If you put babies to bed with a too-full tummy, they're going to feel bloated and gassy and sleep poorly," Dr. Sears says.
BETTER BET: Try adding extra feedings during the late afternoon and early evening. Your goal is still to feed "on cue," but more nourishment during the day can gently encourage better sleep at night.

Just because it hasnt harmed one of your kids that you know of doesn't mean it couldn't of done some damage. There isnt a single credible article out there that advises cereal in a bottle (at any age) as a good thing short or a medical condition like AR.

Quoting Kaleighshaleigh:" I started this with all three of my boys at around 8 months and it worked wonderfully without any of ... [snip!] ... my children. The OP can choose to try it or ignore it. She simply asked for advice and I told her what worked for my children."

Modern Dr's suggest that this is not safe. Just because somthing works dose not mean it is safe. Things like rubbing rum or whisky on a babies gums will work to help with teething discomfort but that dose not mean that they are safe to do.

Quoting applelove:" Modern Dr's suggest that this is not safe. Just because somthing works dose not mean it is safe. Things ... [snip!] ... rum or whisky on a babies gums will work to help with teething discomfort but that dose not mean that they are safe to do."

Right. Plus some of the effects are not seen until much later in life. Allergies, obesity, digestive issues.

Quoting Jennybananna:" MYTH No. 1: Feeding your baby more milk at night or putting cereal in her bottle will help her sleep ... [snip!] ... credible article out there that advises cereal in a bottle (at any age) as a good thing short or a medical condition like AR. "

I appreciate your research, but I can assure you that regardless of the article you stated I have three examples that prove that rice in their bottles did indeed help them sleep longer. And as far as your concern over rice and formula causing damage to my children let me put your mind at ease. My older children are now 10 and 7 years old and I can assure you that putting cereal in their bottle has done no damage. They are both extremely healthy, and athletic and taking gifted classes at school.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Take me as I am:</b>" Thanks ladies. I know he goes thru alot, there is waste in what I make but not much. Sippy will be going to bed with us tonight. Thanks again have a great night everyone"</blockquote>




He may also be waking for feelings as its interesting.
Make the night feeds as Boeing as possible:
No talking. No eye contact. Think "robot".
If he doesn't take well to less formula, start watering it down more and more each night.

And, as others have said, he will benefit from less formula.
Consider taking all bottles away except for the last bedtime bottle.
We did this and our LO drank soooo much when she saw her bottle that she had a full belly and slept until 5 am.

Good luck.

Quoting Kaleighshaleigh:" I appreciate your research, but I can assure you that regardless of the article you stated I have three ... [snip!] ... cereal in their bottle has done no damage. They are both extremely healthy, and athletic and taking gifted classes at school. "

Congrats you seem to not of harmed YOUR children but those are very real risks and I dont why anyone would take the risks. Babies wake at night for a reason. I think its dumb to suggest someone do something that could put the kids at risks just because you thought your sleep was more important.

Quoting applelove:" Modern Dr's suggest that this is not safe. Just because somthing works dose not mean it is safe. Things ... [snip!] ... rum or whisky on a babies gums will work to help with teething discomfort but that dose not mean that they are safe to do."

Not safe for what reason? What is the issue that you are having? Is it that rice cereal is unsafe or that drinking it out of the bottle is unsafe? I'm curious, because the instructions on the box of rice cereal state to mix it with breast milk or formula.

If choking is the unsafe part that you are speaking of, then do you still take issue with it if the child doesn't choke while drinking? I stated earlier the issues already mentioned by you ladies were not and have not been an issue with my children, and my mother did the same with me and I have no health issues as all.

Quoting Kaleighshaleigh:" Not safe for what reason? What is the issue that you are having? Is it that rice cereal is unsafe or ... [snip!] ... were not and have not been an issue with my children, and my mother did the same with me and I have no health issues as all."

1) Issues yes thats its in a bottle
2) Rice cereal is pointless and offers no nutritional value. There are much better things to feed your child.
3) Putting cereal in your childs bottle just to try and get them to STTN is no different then someone giving their child benadryl or other medication to get them to sleep. I think its lazy parenting. Kids wake at night for a reason and will STTN when they are physically ready.

Quoting Jennybananna:" Congrats you seem to not of harmed YOUR children but those are very real risks and I dont why anyone ... [snip!] ... dumb to suggest someone do something that could "

"...put the kids at risks just because you thought your sleep was more important."
Wow...that rudeness was unnecessary. I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you are one of those people that aren't capable of having an adult discussion without getting ugly. Please tell me what the risk is that you are so worried about. As I asked before is your problem with Rice cereal mixed with formula or feeding it out of the bottle? I think it's pretty common sense that if you feed your child something and they begin to choke, then you stop, but if choking isn't an issue then please tell me what risks are you talking about?

Quoting Kaleighshaleigh:" "...put the kids at risks just because you thought your sleep was more important." Wow...that rudeness ... [snip!] ... and they begin to choke, then you stop, but if choking isn't an issue then please tell me what risks are you talking about? "

Ive already listed them. It can lead to overeating which can lead to obesity, food allergies, ect. I can link you to tons of articles and studies that show its bad. Can you find one current study or article saying its good?

Quoting Jennybananna:" 1) Issues yes thats its in a bottle 2) Rice cereal is pointless and offers no nutritional value. There ... [snip!] ... get them to sleep. I think its lazy parenting. Kids wake at night for a reason and will STTN when they are physically ready. "

1) Issues yes thats its in a bottle --
Okay...so if the child drinks without choking then what is the difference between giving rice cereal in a bowl and rice cereal in a bottle?

2) Rice cereal is pointless and offers no nutritional value. There are much better things to feed your child.
You are right, so I don't think putting 2 table spoons of rice cereal a day in my child's evening bottle has any affect at all on the numerous other nutritional meals that he gets during the day.


3) Putting cereal in your childs bottle just to try and get them to STTN is no different then someone giving their child benadryl or other
medication to get them to sleep
It's a HUGE difference. I'm not drugging my child. I'm simply giving him two table spoons of rice cereal. Geeze you're starting to get a bit ridiculous.

. I think its lazy parenting. -
I think you're being silly.

Kids wake at night for a reason and will STTN when they are physically ready.
Yes...they wake at night for a reason and that reason is because they are hungry, but the rice cereal that I put in their bottles keeps their little bellies full all night long, and they sleep wonderfully.

But in all that you've typed I didn't see anything stating why it isn't safe if choking is an issue. Did I miss it?

Quoting Kaleighshaleigh:" I appreciate your research, but I can assure you that regardless of the article you stated I have three ... [snip!] ... cereal in their bottle has done no damage. They are both extremely healthy, and athletic and taking gifted classes at school. "

I do not want to go around and round with you on this. If you want to do things that all Drs will say DO NOT DO because it can cause choking that is fine. But you should not suggest it to other mothers who might not know any better.

Just because you kids are in gifted classes dose not mean what you did was a good or safe thing and that people should do it. My LO is also very smart and advanced for his age, and I took opiates the whole time I was pregnant. Dose that mean everyone should take opiates during their pregnancies, just because it worked out well for me?

Medicine has come very far and there is no reason to parent from the "old wives tales" any more. We now have science that can prove what types of things are best for children.

Quoting Jennybananna:" Ive already listed them. It can lead to overeating which can lead to obesity, food allergies, ect. I ... [snip!] ... I can link you to tons of articles and studies that show its bad. Can you find one current study or article saying its good? "

You said that the bottle was the issue and that doesn't have anything to do with obesity, food allergies, etc. ...so...is it Rice cereal that you have a problem with?

Quoting applelove:" I do not want to go around and round with you on this. If you want to do things that all Drs will say ... [snip!] ... to parent from the "old wives tales" any more. We now have science that can prove what types of things are best for children. "

"all Drs will say DO NOT DO because it can cause choking"

But if the mother tries it and there is no choking issue, then what is the problem? Surely you don't think a mother will leave her child alone with the bottle, and not notice the choking. I think a mother has more sense than that.I also think a mother has enough sense to stop if the child chokes when drinking it, but if the child doesn't choke when drinking it, then I can only assume that you take issue with Rice Cereal. Is that the case? Because drinking from a bottle doesn't cause Obesity and food allergies as you have stated.

oops I just realized it was the other girl that mentioned the allergies and things.

Quoting Kaleighshaleigh:" You said that the bottle was the issue and that doesn't have anything to do with obesity, food allergies, etc. ...so...is it Rice cereal that you have a problem with?"

Oh FFS I already said that. But yes putting it in a bottle not rice cereal alone is what cause the overeating. Do some research seriously. Kid waking at night because they are hungry is also what helps reduce the risks of SIDS. And yes I feel giving your kid something that could potential harm them simply so they sleep and you can is LAZY PARENTING. Dont want to wake up with your kid and feed them when they are hungry then dont have kids. They need the formula/bm not rice cereal. By skipping feedings they would of essentially had you are depriving them or nutrion. Im seriously done going back and forth. Do some research and when you can argue with facts and studies that show rice cereal is harmless we can talk. Until then do what you want with your kids but dont suggest others do it with theirs. Its like saying my kid didnt die not being in a car seat so dont put yours in one.