rice vs oat cereal

[carybear]

Okay so I get why they say to start on rice vs oats, but EVERY baby I have ever seen started on Rice gets consitpated like no other.  So why not start on Oatmeal instead?  Anybody do this and have any problems?

[Hester]

The reaon why rice cereal was recommended as THE first food is because "we" used to start solids at 4 months. At 4 months the intestines of babies are just not capable of digesting anything stronger yet. Now most mom's keep nursing/bottle feeding for 6 months and then start solids. Then the intestines are more developed and the "need" for rice cereal isn't so important anymore.
I started my 6 mo old baby on rice, but because of constipation switched to oat and barley within the week and he does much better...
I threw out the rice...

Hester

[Caroline-Charlies Mummy]

I try to dissude anyone from using rice - it caused no end of problems here, poor ds

There's nothing to say you have to start on a cereal. After I threw out the rice, we went straight onto pureed pears, then pureed sweet potatoes, then never looked back. He LOVED the pears, and they're pretty easy on the digestive system.

[calebs mommy]

I started with oatmeal because my son was on Enfamil AR formula that had rice starch in it to help with reflux.  I figured he didn't need rice cereal to cause constipation, so why not just start with oatmeal.  No problems here.  If you want to go ahead and try oatmeal, then go for it!

[TDR'smom]

Tyler also started on rice, but we quickly switched to Oatmeal.  No problems.  I think it tastes better too??

[wfabby]

I don't personally think it matters.  We started on rice and didn't have any problems with constipation, but within a very short amount of time, I started switching every other day to an organic oatmeal.  I also started adding fruit puree to both cereals for variety.