Formula W/cereal?

I suggest just using water. It really wont make that much difference.

My advice would be to make your cereal with half Breast milk and half formula untill you find a formula that your child does well with.

"K"
A SAHM with 3 children 7,5,3.

Whatever you decide (your dr may also have recommendations and samples when you go for you 6 mth checkup), as your baby continues on solids he/she will be nursing less. It would be a good time to get a better pump and freeze wht you can. Your supply is based on demand, so if you slow down on the nursing you will produce less unless you pump when you know it is a time that will be eliminated due to the added meals. It does not require much to mix the small amount of rice that your baby can eat at this stage. The had part is making sure your baby is getting enough iron (usually that brown stinky liquid that stains) and doesn't become anemic by 1.
Seriously, i didn't figure out the real difference in pump qualities until my 3rd child, makes a huge difference. (good technique for manual expression can be quite effective as well)

My pediatrician said that research has shown that white grape juice or apple juice helps the baby absorb more of the iron in the cereal.

I just use water and my little one loves it. Formula made him constipated.

Soy formula is what I used when I had to add something other than breast milk. Your pediatrician may have thoughts on this, especially if your baby has any health problems or a family history of allergies.

Are you using a really good breast pump? Last I knew, the pumps are not FDA regulated, and so there is a wide variation in suction and comfort. I can't speak for other pumps but a few years ago when I was pumping every day I had a Medela Pump in Style, both electric and manual, and they worked so much better than other pumps I used. Are you well hydrated? Relaxed? There is so much to pumping. It's really a complex physiological response. Certain foods will increase your supply, like oatmeal. You can probably google other supply increasing ideas. La Leche League may have some helpful suggestions.

My advice would be to see if you can pump more, and add what seems right to you in the meantime. Good Luck! You are doing the best thing for your baby! Great Job nursing !!

I use Baby Bellies brown rice organic cereal. I do pump and freeze for my daughter, but for her cereal i just use a little bit of water. I made some baby food for her as well (steamed some vegetables, put them in the food processor with some breast milk or water until they got to the consistency of baby food and froze them in ice cube trays. when i feed her, i just defrost a couple of cubes) and mix the cereal with the baby food and water until it gets to a consistency that she can handle.

I agree with EC add apple jucie or the like....if formula is an option both my children did fantastic with any of the Nestle(Carnation) Good Start formulas.

Yah, mix the rice cereal with purified water and forget the formula. Other solids that work well for first-timers include mashed avocado, pureed vegetables (greens are best to start with) and mashed fruit (be careful not to start with the sweet stuff or baby will NOT be happy about the veggies later.) Good luck!

Have you ever tried pumping AND breastfeeding at the same time? I do this because I have trouble getting much milk without the babies "help" to let-down.

Hi D.,

I know it can be scary when trying new things with your little baby. The first year of both my boys life, I constantly was on edge; always wanting to do the right thing. That's what us moms do. I nursed both my boys too. If you are nursing your baby will still get everything he needs, using formula or water to mix cereal will be fine. I used water only when I made rice cereal, both my boys loved it Best of luck.

Be extremely careful with formulas. READ THE LABELS. And understand what you are reading. Babies don't need a bunch of sugar (or high fructose corn syrup) - and unfortunately formula can be one of the least "good" products in the grocery store. You might want to visit the Health Ranger's website for more insight - naturalnews.com - he actually had a contest once where people went into the store to find the products with the most "bad" ingredients and baby formula "won". Try plain water in the cereal. Water is essential hydration and thus to health and it won't cause any problems the way formula can. If baby doesn't like it try a little pure watered-down fruit juice. Start your baby off to a healthy life by being educated about what you feed it - don't be brainwashed by corporate and commercial America.

Hi D.,
I just put a little bit of water in with my kids' cereal when they were starting out with solids. I don't see why you need to add milk/formula to it if you're still breastfeeding. I do agree with most advice out there that says not to give them any regular milk (which would be in most formulas) until they are at least 6 months or even a year, as it can make them more susceptible to allergies.
Good luck!
Shirl H.

Have you thought about using water then? I would rather just use water than give my baby formula...JMO

You could try mixing it with water or apple juice, or just mix it with babyfood like applesauce or pears

Try mixing it with part breast milk and part water, or juice (apple or pear baby juice)

You can also mix the cereal with juice.

I started my 4 months old on formula from the beginning because breastfeeding didnt work out. I suggest Enfamil brand, but use the oe in the gold/yellow colored can. I think it is Enfamil with Iron. I found that my little one tends to get constipated with that, so I switched him to the Enfamil Gentle formula and he did much better. Before I switched him, I tried giving him one ounce of pear or prune juice per day. It helped, but not enough. I then switched to the Parents Choice brand that is comparable to the Enfamil. Good luck.

Hi D.,
You can use water or apple juice, but you should try the rice cereal with water first. If you use the juice and there's an allergic reaction, you won't know if it's the juice or the cereal. At La Leche League, of which I'm a leader, they recommend not starting with cereal (which is sometimes hard to digest with all those additives), but instead start with ripe bananas. A baby should only start solids when he or she is able to feed him/herself, even if they only get a little bit in their mouths and the rest goes in the hair, on the floor, etc. Starting with soft fruit and vegetables (such as bananas, avocados, ripe melon, mangoes, sweet potatoes, etc.) in small but graspable chunks gives both you and baby a lot of independence. Plus it's a lot more nutritious and yummier than plain rice cereal. Yuck! I don't know about you, but I'd much rather have a banana than plain rice cereal. What would you rather eat?

My husband was eager to "help" feed the babies so we started on cereal at about 5 months as well (I would have gladly solely breastfed forever, but schools kind of frown on you breatfeeding at recess...ha ha?).

I could never and I mean never make the darn pump work so I was just a 24/7 diner for my children. I didn't want to use formula of any kind (and my kids wouldn't touch it anyway, have you smelled the stuff?).

So, long story short...we used water to mix in the cereal. Husband got to spoon feed, I got to breastfeed and everyone was happy. Water isn't the most nutritional choice, but your breast milk is the primary source of food anyway.

Hi D.,

I had similar trouble when I started my son on cereal. We use Similac (the brand our lactation consultant recommended using if we had to supplement), or occassionally Enfamil - whichever is on sale. Either way, we buy one that has DHA in it.

Good luck!
T.

Maybe try skipping on the cereal and trying other good first foods like avocado or mango so the milk isn't the issue. Goat's milk is also a nice alternative that is better assimilated by the human body and is closer to mother's milk. Good luck! S.

My daughter was used to breast milk, so when I had to give her some formula, she would throw it up. Soy Milk was the best on her tummy. It is easier for them to digest than the regular stuff. I have heard from other mothers that breast fed that their children had issues with the regular stuff too. I used Similac but I'm not really sure any one brand is better than the other.
Good luck

I understand that pumping doesn't always work out, but maybe you could try a different pump. With my first child, I had the Avent hand pump and it was not the greatest. It took forever to get much out, but this time around I used the Medela Pump in Style-- an electric. It was SO much more comfortable and I was able to get the extra milk I needed for mixing cereal.

http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/products/breast-pump...

You could try mixing the rice with a little fruit juice or water. If you decide to use formula, you might try signing up at some formula websites. When I was pregnant I signed up for a few. I received several sample canisters of formula in the mail for FREE along with great coupon offers for $4 and $10 off. With my first son, I had to wean him from breastfeeding and switch to formula because I got pregnant again. I used Enfamil and he liked it a lot after the first week of getting used to it.

https://www.enfamil.com/app/iwp/ConsumerRegisterLoadConse...
http://similac.com/signup-similac
http://www.verybestbaby.com/Public/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=/...

why not mix the cereal with juice? the vitamin C in the juice will help your baby absorb the iron in the cereal...if you are concerned about giving her juice, mix it 1/2 and 1/2 with water...also the cereal is pretty bland and will taste much better with the juice

Well, since it's only going into his cereal, I wouldn't sweat the decision too much. Breastfeeding is ideal, but formula is certainly not evil and ANY brand is way better for your baby than plain water. Think of it as more of a multi-vitamin in this case.

Perhaps something that's advertised as "gentle" would be preferable if your little one has a sensitive stomach. And buy the smaller cans since you probably won't be going through it too quickly and you have to use it within 30 days of opening. Other than that, go with the cheapest since they all have the same ingredients anyway...just look on the back label. And whatever you pick, stick with it for a while. Changing brands too frequently can cause digestive problems.

I have formula fed both my children since birth. I used Enfamil products with my first and I am using Similac with my second because that works better with her acid reflux. We bought extra large containers of Enfamil at Costco and extra large containers of Similac Soy at Sams Club. That is definitely the way to go if you are looking to save money. If you are only buying formula to use with cereal, I would consider the Nestle Good Start brand. It is just as good as the others, but cheaper. If you are only using to formula for cereal, you may want to consider getting ready-to-feed formulas that are already mixed. This will save you time and you can just pour the desired amount in your cereal just like you would have with breast milk. No mixing! However, these are just a little more expensive.

This is of course a personal opinion, but my daughter drinks 32-40 oz of formula a day (she is a hungry girl) so I just mix her oatmeal with water now and then add the fruit. I also feel that most of the brands out there are almost identical. You can't really go wrong with any of them. I would choose what is the most practical and least expensive.

Hi D.! I was in the same boat when my daughter turned 6 months and we started solids. I had only nursed and was really nervous to use anything other than breast milk to mix with the rice cereal. And formula seemed against what I was trying to accomplish! We ended up mixing the rice cereal with water. It was the most cost effective way and she loved it.

We did start supplementing with formula when she was around 9 months old. We used the Enfamil Lipil and then Enfamil Next Step Lipil (that we still use and she is 14 months!).

Good Luck!

Hi D.,

I used Enfamil formula to substitute while nursing, as I went back to work 11 days after I had my now, 17 month old daughter, last year. I also used Enfamil in her Gerber oatmeal cereal, as oatmeal sustained her better than the rice cereal, she enjoyed the taste of the oatmeal more and the Enfamil added a little sweetness as well!

Good luck!

Just use water then switch to using a fruit or veggie. it will not make much difference. all you need is a little any way. save your milk for nursing.

I thought the Enfamil gentlease was a great transition formula for my daughter. She adjusted to it really good and still breastfeed well.

I am a mother to a 2 yr old and an 8 month old. Both were breast fed and when it came time to supplimenting with formula....I tried them all. Everything was rejected by both babies as well as making them gassy except Nestle Good Start. Both took to this formula right away and never had any problems with digestion!

I use Enfamil Lipil. But you should ask your pediatrician. Especially if your baby is prone to allergies,has digestive issues, etc.

I always used water (hot out of the tap for flouride) and my son loved it... he was a formula fed baby too! Sometimes I would throw a little powder on top before I mixed it but usually I forgot and it was just water.

I began using formula for both my daughters cereal to also help them get used to the formula taste for when I needed them to take a bottle (I couldn't pump anything). What I learned was start with the small cans of formula. They may like one more than another or may not be able to tolerate something in one of them, causing you to need to switch to another brand. Both of my girls seemed to do best on the Nestle Good Start, but I tried them all. You can also go to the websites of the formula makers and usually get really good coupons. Hope you find something that works for you!

D.,
I commend you for breast feeding, it can be a hard and yet such rewarding experience for you and your baby. As far as the best milk to use as a suppliment, I would say trust your gut. your baby may be alergic to heavens knows what out there, I nursed all three of my happy children who are now 16,11 and 9. I had to trust my heart when it came to my kids, which gave me a piece of mind very few mothers had that I knew.

No one can tell you better than your instincts can tell you about what is best for your baby.

So please confidently trust your heart and if you can... stick with the natural stuff, your own milk. Focus on producing more milk by learning how to encourage your bodies production. If not you'll just get a good feeling about what to buy, if all else fails taiste it if your body rejects it then it safe to say your childs will also.

Relax your doing great!

Any formula is fine, as long as they don't have allergies and need a soy formula. It's really not that hard...mix the cereal and feed it to them. Very easy. Not understanding the "intimidation" thing...