Oatmeal

[shelliz]

My dd just turned 6 months today. I prepared pureed zucchini for her and she seemed to like it. I had dd on rice cereal for about a month prior. I am curious what the benefits are to oatmeal over the rice cerea. Is is o.k. to start the oatmeal now or do I need to wait until she gets a bit more experienced eating solids.  ALso, does anyone have any experience w/ the bannana flavored rice cereal?

Thanks for any advice!

Shelby

[RachelC]

Shelby,
I believe the oatmeal is healthier, and the rice cereal can be constipating.  You may introduce (baby) oatmeal as you would any new food, waitng 3-4 days between.  I would intro bananas by themselves before the rice with bananas (dd loves that, we use it when she finishes her "regular, prepared" meal and she's still hungry).
HTH
~Rachel

[shelliz]

Good idea....thank you!

[home alone]

I was told by my ped to start with rice because it has less chance allergic reaction & gentler.  Though my lo seem to prefer oatmeal.

[*Natasha*]

I am assuming it is the same in the UK and US as it is in Australia but rice cereal has alot of added iron and vitamins which babies need around 6 months as the amount in breastmilk and formula isn't enough for them. I have always given the baby cereals we have the Heinz brand for 4months,6months and 9months. The 6 months have more variety as they have banana multigrain and first museli and custard. Then the 9months ones have muesli and apple and apricot porriage which are the two i give my DD and she loves it. I have also given weetbix but will stick to the baby cereals until around 12months so DD gets all the extra iron and vitamins in them as DD isn't a big formula drinker.

[LŠuren]

Baby rice is advised as a starter to solids because of it bland taste, it is really designed to be made up fairly runny (still drips of the spoon) and so babies get used to the new texture. It can then be used to thicken up other purees such as apple or pear or zucchini/courgette because they are fairly runny, again as first tastes. Baby rice has little or no calorific value to it, formula still has more calories.

I use Oatmeal only in the morning as a breakfast.

[shelliz]

I began rice ceral about a month ago w/ my dd.  I began veggies two days ago and I didn't know if oatmeal would be better than rice cereal to serve w/ meals. After I introduce the oatmeal by itself...can I serve the oatmeal w/ fruit/veggies or is it better to be fed alone? What have you all done w/ your lo's?

[ryan's mum]

i personally would never start introducing solids with baby rice again ! it is soo constipating . i never mixed veg with oatmeal but i did add fruit purees

[shelliz]

 That is good to know for any children I have in the future. Fortunately it didn't constipate my dd at all. As a matter of fact she poops 2-3 times a day since birth!  I hear of babies going 3-7 days w/o pooping...nope, not my dd!  I wonder why so many pedi's recommend starting w/ rice cereal? Luckily I never had the problem w/ rice cereal.