Is it really important to feed cereal?

Tatyana11 · May 2010

My 8 months LO hates cereal and will only eat it if I really really try to make him eat it. He likes Stage 2 veggies and meat/veggies combinations and eats them with no problem. Should I make him eat cereal? Is it really necessary to feed cereal or can it be skipped? Does anyone else's LO hate cereal but eats Stage 2 food and likes it?

LiebeMama · May 2010

Good question. My friend thinks my LO is constipated because of cereal. My doctor already told us to stop with the rice cereal, but we can do all the others. I don't know if its really necessary, but If its healthy, why not?

dragon_chica · May 2010

You mean rice cereal? Rice cereal doesn't have any nutritional value and by 8 months he doesn't need it. What about oatmeal or brown rice? Those are good for the fiber.

BrittKav · May 2010

We skipped cereal altogether. It has no real nutritional value, it's just to help babies get used to the texture of solids.

LeannaBanana512 · May 2010

I left cereal out for a long time. My doc said there isn't anything nutritionwise about it. DS likes it now because it gives the purees more texture so I've started adding it again. I wouldn't worry about leaving it out.

MattysGirl81 · May 2010

Cereal is definitely not necessary. It was DS's first food, but he never really liked it. Even my pedi said that he skipped cereal entirely with his kids. If I need to thicken up a puree I use oatmeal - tastes better and doesn't have the constipation issue.

jolis_petits_bijoux · May 2010

Not at that age. DS was over cereal by 8 or 9mos too. There are other ways they can get starches.. toast and a mashed potato are two of DS' favorites.

Lizard2022 · May 2010

We skipped baby cereal completely and DS is still alive. Stick out tongue

It has no nutritional value, can constipate babies and they absorb more iron from iron rich foods. IMO it isn't important at all.

kellyperk85 · May 2010

I think the only reason that cereal would still be important at this age is if you are still EBFing because there is iron in it. Other than that, I think it's pointless.

Tatyana11 · May 2010

I am so glad to hear that cereal is not necessary! We tried Rice cereal, Oatmeal, Barley, mixed cereal and Wheat and he just hates all of it. Now I can stop battling my LO for every spoon! We are in the process of switching pedi (long story), so thats why I presently do not have a pedi that I trust whom I was able to ask this question. Thank you so much everyone!

LiebeMama · May 2010

My DS likes Barley. I tried some myself and its not too shabby. But hey, at least now I know its not something important that he should have every day.

smilelari · May 2010

It's not necessary. A lot of people like to give it for the iron, but if you FF, the formula is iron fortified, and if you BF breast milk has less iron but the iron in the milk is extremely well absorbed, so additional iron is generally not needed for either FF or BF babies. Our pedi wanted DS to get some additional iron at this point but suggests meat over cereal as a good source.

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