Night feedings are a fact of life during the first three months of your baby's life. It isn't until around 3 months that she'll begin taking fewer night feedings and giving you back your full night's rest. Fewer feedings before this point can result in malnutrition, but babies aren't capable of digesting thickened formulas until around 4 months, according to MayoClinic.com. When your doctor determines your baby is ready to digest thicker formulas, you can begin adding cereal to her bottle to encourage her to sleep longer before waking up hungry.
Step 1
Feed your baby normally throughout the day. Reserve thickened milk for the bedtime feeding.
Step 2
Prepare your baby's bottle as if you were feeding regular milk. Pump milk into a bottle if you normally breastfeed.
Step 3
Measure out the amount of cereal recommended by your doctor for one serving. Read the package instructions to determine the serving size if your doctor did not make a recommendation.
Step 4
Slowly pour half the cereal into the bottle. Shake to combine and check for consistency. Make sure the cereal isn't so thick that it clogs the nipple opening and prevents your baby from drinking the mixture.
Step 5
Add more cereal one spoonful at a time, shake and recheck for consistency until you've reached your desired thickness. Add more formula if your cereal is too thick.
Tips and Warnings
- Consult your doctor to make sure your baby is developmentally ready to experience fewer feedings and to digest cereal. Talk to your doctor about any sleep difficulties your baby may be having to determine if there's an underlying cause at fault besides hunger. The amount of cereal you use will depend on the type and amount of milk you feed your baby as well as the type of cereal. Breast milk is thinner and generally requires more cereal to thicken it.
- Wait until your baby is at least 4 months old before attempting to thicken her formula.
