When to give LO rice cereal?

Helmink0804 · June 2014

I've looked on-line and read some people started they're LO's on rice cereal as little as 1.5 months and some 3 months. Have any of you started with rice cereal yet? Or STMs when did you start your older LOs on it?

Of course I'll ask her pedi before doing so, but just asking out of being curious.

chillypenguin · June 2014

In the bottle or to feed with a spoon? We didn't start solids until 6 months with DD1. From what I remember, the general recommendation was 4-6 months I believe, but I'm not 100% sure.

danabsd · June 2014

It's typical to start around 4 months. We do not do Rice Cereal or Oatmeal. Neither have any nutritional value to a baby that young. Nor are they necessary for growth and development.

We do BLW starting at 6 months, but that is not for everyone.

chknma · June 2014

We also did BLW around 6 months and skipped the cereal/puréed foods

usernewname · June 2014

kitchencolors said:
6 months is when babies can start solids.

If a baby is being fed rice cereal before then, it's for medical reasons (reflux).

This. I plan on BLW too. I would give rice cereal for dinner to keep them full at night to sleep longer. But that's at 6 months.

Helmink0804 · June 2014

What's BLW?

usernewname · June 2014

Baby led weaning. Basically it bypasses purées and you give a child real food (eg a piece of banana or steamed carrot) for them to learn how to swallow and chew.

spinsoffresonance · June 2014

Never. DD1 never had it. Her first food was banana on her 6m birthday. We started solids (did BLW) at 6m , will do it again with this one.

Helmink0804 · June 2014

Thanks @florassecret‌ for explaining!

bumpuser9353653 · June 2014

6 months. Everyone I know that tried rice cereal said their LO hated it (my kid included). We introduced oatmeal at 6 months and made our own purees. But I might be interested in trying BLW this time around.

kalette · June 2014

We started DD on banana around 5/6 months.

Jlokuta0308 · June 2014

My baby is four weeks tomorrow and we started rice cereal in the formula due to reflux last week. It's a very weak mixture just enough the add some volume to breastmilk so it diesnt cause LO any pain. He's doing great with it.

Kris2011RN · June 2014

We started DS around 4 months. This time we will be waiting till DD is 6 months, and we'll probably do BLW as well

bumpuser10194737 · June 2014

My pediatrician says 6 months, and after reading up on them we don't do cereals. I start with vegetables first.

KBowen715 · June 2014

6 months until their digestive systems are mature enough to handle any form of solids.

Also, rice cereal does not have any nutritional value by itself. It is best to introduce veggies and fruit purée, one a week.

KBowen715 · June 2014

@Mamarazziof3‌ - ha! Same time, same info. Great minds think alike.

Helmink0804 · June 2014

Thanks ladies for all the feed back. I figure my pedi will tell when to start her. I was just curious when that time would be around.

Junebug060609 · June 2014

Jlokuta0308 said:
My baby is four weeks tomorrow and we started rice cereal in the formula due to reflux last week. It's a very weak mixture just enough the add some volume to breastmilk so it diesnt cause LO any pain. He's doing great with it.

Was this at the rec of a pedi?

usernewname · June 2014

I think it's common to add rice cereal for those babes with reflex.

jenb_99 · June 2014

@florassecret said:
I think it's common to add rice cereal for those babes with reflex.

@Junebug060609‌ Yep, very common. I don't know if they still exist, but at one time there were even formulas with rice already added. They carried an "AR" designation and were specifically for babies with reflux.

sthomas1222 · June 2014

KBowen715 said:

6 months until their digestive systems are mature enough to handle any form of solids. Also, rice cereal does not have any nutritional value by itself. It is best to introduce veggies and fruit purée, one a week.

This. 4 months is no longer the recommendation even though many peds still give the go ahead for it. And just an fyi, for reflux if you're breastfeeding/pumping adding rice cereal does zero good. Breastmilk has an enzyme that quickly breaks down carbohydrates resulting in minimal to no thickening.

danabsd · June 2014

florassecret said:

kitchencolors said:
6 months is when babies can start solids.

If a baby is being fed rice cereal before then, it's for medical reasons (reflux).
This. I plan on BLW too. I would give rice cereal for dinner to keep them full at night to sleep longer. But that's at 6 months.

Unless your 6 month old can feed themselves rice ceral that's not BLW.

danabsd · June 2014

Helmink0804 said:
Thanks ladies for all the feed back. I figure my pedi will tell when to start her. I was just curious when that time would be around.

Meh. I think you should do your research and not always rely on your pedis recommendations. My pedi is wonderful but he would recommend rice ceral at 4 months and turning the car seat at 12. Both things I decided against after I did my own research.

usernewname · June 2014

danabsd said:

florassecret said:

kitchencolors said:
6 months is when babies can start solids.

If a baby is being fed rice cereal before then, it's for medical reasons (reflux).
This. I plan on BLW too. I would give rice cereal for dinner to keep them full at night to sleep longer. But that's at 6 months.
Unless your 6 month old can feed themselves rice ceral that's not BLW.

True. But they need nutrition from food sources as BLW is exploration at first. I meant as in addition to BLW.

mrt · June 2014

My pedi recommended we start solids at 4.5 months as he was eating over 40 oz of formula per day.

danabsd · June 2014

florassecret said:

6 months is when babies can start solids.

If a baby is being fed rice cereal before then, it's for medical reasons (reflux).
This. I plan on BLW too. I would give rice cereal for dinner to keep them full at night to sleep longer. But that's at 6 months.
Unless your 6 month old can feed themselves rice ceral that's not BLW.
True. But they need nutrition from food sources as BLW is exploration at first. I meant as in addition to BLW.

False. True BLW in conjunction with BM and/or Formula provides all the nutrition baby needs. I highly recommend anyone considering BLW gettin' their read on in advance.

https://www.amazon.com/Baby-Led-Weaning-Essential-Introducing-Confident/dp/161519021X

usernewname · June 2014

Guess I need to reread that book lol. I'm just going off what a friend did.

runningyogimama · June 2014

florassecret said:

danabsd said:

florassecret said:

kitchencolors said:
6 months is when babies can start solids.

If a baby is being fed rice cereal before then, it's for medical reasons (reflux).
This. I plan on BLW too. I would give rice cereal for dinner to keep them full at night to sleep longer. But that's at 6 months.
Unless your 6 month old can feed themselves rice ceral that's not BLW.
True. But they need nutrition from food sources as BLW is exploration at first. I meant as in addition to BLW.

A 6 month old (or up to a year) gets all of the nutrition they need from BM or formula. Food is for learning. "Food before 1 is just for fun."

Jlokuta0308 · June 2014

My early introduction of rice cereal was at the recommendation of my pediatrician. As well as keeping baby upright and prescription Zantac.

Hallil · June 2014

Neva!!!! I kid, well...no, personally my kids won't have it. DD1 we did BLW after 6 months, plans are the same for DD2. No cereals here, I say do your research, ask your Pedi, then do a bit more research and then decide.

jsaffer01 · June 2014

For a FTM just lurking and not really able to provide my own opinions, this is a great read. It gives me different options to explore and research. And figure out what works best for my family.

pistolpackinmomma · June 2014

Junebug060609 said:

Jlokuta0308 said:
My baby is four weeks tomorrow and we started rice cereal in the formula due to reflux last week. It's a very weak mixture just enough the add some volume to breastmilk so it diesnt cause LO any pain. He's doing great with it.
Was this at the rec of a pedi?

Not the OP but with DS1 we started rice in the bottles at 5 ish weeks because of reflux and it was 100% at the advice of the pedi. We couldn't do the AR formula because he had MSPI and needed special formula.

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