All that cereal does is keep the infant satiated for a longer period of time than milk alone. So in that sense, if the infant does not feel hungry, he will not wake up. However, all infants are different so the best thing to do is try it and see how it goes with your infant. I feel it is essential that parents judge each techniques efficiency based on their child's reaction to it rather than what the majority says.

Whether or not an infant will sleep longer better nights on cereal one may never know. However, it is NOT recommended that babies begin cereal before 4 months old. A recent study shows that those who are started on cereal before 4 months and after six months of age have a 2.5% greater chance of developing type 1 diabetes (Americanbaby magazine). Also, an infants belly does not start to mature and get ready for any other food other than formula/breastmilk UNTIL 4 months of age. Feeding a baby cereal before 4 months can also develop into obesity and food alergies. I think it is very important that drs start to emphasize this to their patients, too many parents today are starting their babies on cereal at young ages just to get some rest at night. I don't think ANY baby sleeps through the night "good" untill they are well adapted into their environments. Chances are when your baby wakes at night, he/she just wants some hugs and cuddles to reassure him that he is safe, and of course a bottle at that time will make his belly full. My daughter started to sleep through nights when she was approx 2.5 months with nothing in her belly other than pure Formula. I started my baby on cereal at 5 months, just in the middle of the recommended 4-6 months. Each month after I started my child on a different food, 1 month was fruits, 1 month was veggies, we are now tackling the gross meats! ick :) It is verrrrrrrry important to introduce your child at new foods at the reommended ages and to take it slowly, your babie's health will thank you later.

I've been told that some people say it does help baby and some say it doesn't help baby sleep better. My daughter slept through the night from the day we brought her home. She's now 9 yrs old and sleeps very well still. My son is 13 months old and slept through the night at 2 months. The same night I gave him very thinned out rice cereal. It may be just a coincidence but he still sleeps very well. He's not obese, likes everything we've ever introduced to him at the appropiate ages and is doing very well. I might say 2 months is a bit early for cereal, but he was hungry and formula just wasn't filling him up. He was hungry, and was crying for somthing to fill up his tummy. After that he wasn't hungry as often and sure turned out to be a happy little man. If I had a third child, which I'm NOT I would probably start cereal at 3 or 4 months.

It did with my son. He couldn't sleep through the night ever, a very hungry baby. I think I started about 3 months, maybe 4 at the most. Now he's 15!

No cereal before 4 months old--but, once a child is on solids, remember that what children eat affects how they sleep. Here are some guidelines: "One of the keys to a restful night's sleep is to get your brain calmed rather than revved up. Some foods contribute to restful sleep; other foods keep you awake. We call them sleepers and wakers. Sleepers are tryptophan-containing foods, because tryptophan is the amino acid that the body uses to make serotonin, the neurotransmitter that slows down nerve traffic so your brain isn't so busy. Wakers are foods that stimulate neurochemicals that perk up the brain. Tryptophan is a precursor of the sleep-inducing substances serotonin and melatonin. This means tryptophan is the raw material that the brain uses to build these relaxing neurotransmitters. Making more tryptophan available, either by eating foods that contain this substance or by seeing to it that more tryptophan gets to the brain, will help to make you sleepy. On the other hand, nutrients that make tryptophan less available can disturb sleep. Eating carbohydrates with tryptophan-containing foods makes this calming amino acid more available to the brain. A high carbohydrate meal stimulates the release of insulin, which helps clear from the bloodstream those amino acids that compete with tryptophan, allowing more of this natural sleep-inducing amino acid to enter the brain and manufacture sleep- inducing substances, such as serotonin and melatonin. Eating a high-protein meal without accompanying carbohydrates may keep you awake, since protein-rich foods also contain the amino acid, tyrosine, which perks up the brain."

It depends on what is waking baby from sleep. If it is a wet diaper, habit, or reason other than hunger, then no amount of cereal will help. Babies frequently wake during the night and need to learn to go back to sleep. If hunger is the reason baby wakes, and baby's digestive system is developed enough to handle cereal (about 4 months) then it might help. Good luck.

I think that it did help my son sleep longer. Feeding him every two hours was driving him and myself crazy. He started eating cereal out of a spoon at 6 weeks old. He is now 7 years of age, no health problems, or not over weight. Now I'm haveing a hard time talking to my sister-in-law who believes everything on the web she reads. Sometimes experience comes first, because her husband was feed early too and he is healthy 7 foot tall man.

If the baby is 4 months old or more (assuming a full-term birth) then it could be of some benefit. It did seem to help my kids sleep, but it's best to try a tiny bit of cereal during the early part of the day to see what kind of reaction the baby has. Some get constipated, some break out if there's an allergy. If a tiny bit is ok, try a teaspoon at night for a few nights, then if everything seems fine, move up to two teaspoons.

In my opinion, yes. My cheldren slept through the night when they were about 3 weeks old. Reason was I gave them a tablespoon of cereal before bed time. Did any of them develope diabetis? NO! Were they heavier and gain weight more rapidly, yes. They did not have any problems at all, and it was so much easier when you get a full nights sleep to take care of babies. Babies are now 3 or 4 months and not sleeping through the night, I pity those mothers.

It worked wonders on both of my sons.