When did your baby start rice cereal?

[wannabeprego]

When did your baby start eating rice cereal? How old were they and how much did they weigh? If they were preemies when did they start. How much rice cereal did you start out your baby on? Thanks in advance for the feed back girls!!

 

[NewAtThis13]

I started my daughter on it when she was 4 months old. She did very well and we started with literally like a tablespoon in the morning and evening and that was it, then once she got used to it and wanted more-which was within a couple days probably 1/4 cup and once we introduced fruits I would mix a little fruit in with it!

 

[bekah1757]

https://babygooroo.com/2013/11/rethinking-rice-cereal/

Here is a recent link about rice cereal. I know here recently the AAP changed there recommendations on giving babies rice cereal! Just wanted to show you!

 

[minties]

Yucky stuff. Sophie has never eaten any.

 

[LindsayLucas]

Yucky stuff. Sophie has never eaten any.

Seriously, was that necessary?


Anyways, we started Oatmeal cereal mixed with some formula a week ago. He gets it once a day. Our pedi told us to skip the rice cereal b/c of the arsenic levels in it. He weighs 17#, we mix 1tbsp oatmeal with 4-5tbsp formula. He eats a few spoonfuls.

 

[Zephram]

My LO has never had rice cereal. It is unnecessary. Straight to fruit, veg and meat at 6 months.

 

[meli1981]

Ill start on baby oatmeal because rice cereal can be constipating oh and at six months...i think its when they double their birth weight

 

[Mrs Bee]

We skipped rice cereal...didnt look like it had anything to offer... Doesn't look tasty either.... Alice's first food was puréed pumpkin at 5 months...it's only now at 7 months she's taken a real interest in food

 

[steph.]

I started at 5.5months and she was on the 50th centile. I started because the child health nurse said she was going to become anaemic being on only breast milk that long and needed the extra iron in the rice cereal, so i panicked and started it straight away. The consistency when mixing with milk has to be very runny initially. I then got over-excited about starting solids and within a couple of days I started giving her fruit and veg. Long story but I later came to realise that that nurse didnt know what she was talking about , and this time wont be starting anything until 6 months if baby is doing well on milk alone. I think with preemies you dont correct for age as their iron stores start to run out.

 

[lozzy21]

Dident bother with the stuff, looks like wall paper paste and tastes like crap. I went into weaning with the motto that if I would not eat it I wouldn't give it to her.

She was born at 35 weeks and we started weaning at 24 weeks on puréed veg and fruit. Pear and avocado was a favourite of hers.

 

[felix555]

Rice cereal? Never. I gave some porridge for a week and then started with vegetables at 6 months.

 

[TrixieLox]

I never came across the anti-rice cereal sentiment until I came on here. Loads of people I know start their babies on rice cereal (not that that makes it right but it seems to be a the accepted thing) and I'm always getting asked when she's going to get started on rice cereal. Funny how things you think are accepted turn out to be frowned on.

Is it better she just have another grain for cereal? In this weather, isn't it better she has a warm cereal rather than all fruit purees for breakfast?

Will need to ask our HV about it when I get her weighed tomorrow as was thinking of starting her on it soon (at 5 and half months).

 

[_Lexi_]

We skipped the baby rice. She had some banana baby porridge to start. 1tsp to 4tsps of water. After about a week we went straight to fruit and veg purees. Now we're just doing blw. Started just under 5 months on recommendation of our hv to see if it would help with her awful sleep. (Feeds every 2 hours day and night) it hasn't helped. She was early, but not really a preemie at 3 weeks early x

 

[lola_90]

We didn't bother, breastmilk or formula has more calories and fat than a tbsp or two of rice cereal.

Best to wait till six months and just up the milk intake

 

[felix555]

I also never realised baby rice is "bad"? Just never gave it to my LO because it doesn't taste nice ... well doesn't taste of anything.

 

[Athena]

I think baby rice cereal is not the same thing in different countries. It us a bit 'frowned upon' in uk but both my older children did have it as they were TW but that was 14 years ago. This time we will go down the BLW route and skip the cereal as would agree with pp that is does look pretty unappetising.

 

[AP]

Preemies are treated differently so it's best to seek advice from those in the know.

https://www.bliss.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Weaning.pdf

Hope this helps OP.

I've used rice with my preemie, but it was never tasty and i would add puree or use something else with more taste.

 

[Noo]

Never. It serves very little purpose and has no nutritional value. I'd wait till you can give more proper foods like fruit and veg. Baby oat cereals with milk is nicer than the rice though I'd start with something a little more nutritious nearer to 6 months. Both my babies were term babies though so I'd seek advice from your health visitor if your baby was born before 37 weeks.

 

[wannabeprego]

Thanks for all of the helpful advice, info and suggestions ladies!!

 

[Dream.dream]

Like to add babies can't physically diges grains before 6 months anyways as they dot have the enzyme for it so good first foods are actually meats or egg yolks since they need the iron

As for preemies you need to go by their adjusters age I believe and talk with the doctor first