Parentpedia

What Experts Say

Infant cereals are often one of your baby's first solid foods. Commercial infant cereals are specially processed into fine flakes, then precooked and dehydrated so they're easy to eat and digest. Available in different varieties, such as rice, barley, and oatmeal, infant cereals are fortified with vitamins and minerals, and iron. Infant cereals can also be made at home by blending grains into tiny flakes before cooking.

Though some advocate a mild fruit or vegetable for your baby's first solid, such as avocado or banana, many agree that her first cereal should be rice. Infant rice cereal is easy to digest and unlikely to trigger an allergic reaction. It's also easy to make thin and smooth for young babies who are just getting the hang of swallowing something other than breast milk or formula. What's more, fortified rice cereal contains iron, which babies need every day, beginning at about six months of age, when the amount they were born with starts running low.

The theory that adding cereal to your baby's feedings will fill her up -- and give you more time until the next feeding -- is discredited by some. William Sears, M.D., claims this strategy is generally unsuccessful, and might be troublesome in light of the fact that breastmilk and formula are more nutritious than cereal.

Tips for Starting Cereals

• Make sure your baby is developmentally ready. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends starting solid foods, including cereal, when your baby is 6 months old, but other experts note that some babies may be ready as early as 4 months of age. Before you offer infant cereal (or any solid) make sure she can sit well and control her head and neck, and that her tongue thrust and gag reflex are on the wane.
• Choose the right variety. Most parents start with rice cereal. After a week, and if there's no sign of a reaction, try barley or oatmeal. Wait until you've fed your baby each type of grain individually before offering a multigrain cereal.
• Wait on wheat. Most pediatricians advise waiting until 8 or 9 months of age, when the potential for an allergic reaction diminishes.
• Start soupy. Start with small amounts of cereal mixed with breast milk or formula so that the mixture is quite thin. Gradually decrease the liquid for a thicker consistency as your baby gets the hang of eating.
• Note your baby's cues. Expect more food on and around her than in her mouth for the first few feedings. Stop and try again the next day if she closes her mouth or turns away from the spoon.
• Make your own. Considering homemade baby cereal? Talk with your pediatrician first about whether your baby needs an iron supplement.