https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 22 Apr 2026 20:27:40 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-937747 Wed, 17 Jul 2013 08:01:07 +0000 Mrsbells 937747@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We didnt start with cereal either. My ped said starting with cereal was the norm when babies started solids earlier around 4 months and was just for practice. These days that the recommendation to start solids is around 6 months most babies are ready to eat veggies and fruits </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-937735 Wed, 17 Jul 2013 07:59:01 +0000 blackbird 937735@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What'd your ped say, mrs. blue? I'm also not keen on starting cereal (although people have asked me if she's had it yet...um, no, she's 3 months old) and the vitamin argument seemed moot with formula (plus cereal is notorious for constipating babies...). I'm thinking we'll just go straight to veggies or meat. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-937666 Wed, 17 Jul 2013 07:43:04 +0000 mediagirl 937666@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would think it's easy? </p> <p>I didn't start with it, I started with mashed up banana and avocado. We did some homemade purees and some jar. Honestly, my baby didn't care what she ate, as long as we fed her. She was like a baby bird, mouth wide open, "feed me! Feed me!" :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-937653 Wed, 17 Jul 2013 07:40:49 +0000 Mrs. Blue 937653@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Sketchbook: haha! I can only hope everyone will remember their southern manners when they find out we've decided to skip it! Right now, they all just think we're waiting until their older. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-936743 Tue, 16 Jul 2013 18:43:28 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 936743@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Blue: lol you live in the south like me! Everyone was so into us doing cereal. They were aghast when we waited until six months and introduced veggies first. Lol! But their southern politeness forced them to hold their tongue....! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-927697 Fri, 12 Jul 2013 16:24:36 +0000 Mrs. Blue 927697@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for all the input! I can see the argument for additional iron and vitamins, but our boys are exclusively on formula now, which is already fortified with iron, etc. I'm going to ask my ped his opinion and I"m willing to hear him out, but DH and I are pretty sure we are just going to skip this entirely when it comes time for solids. </p> <p>@cmomma17: I had never heard that either until Hellobee, but it makes me feel way more excited about introducing solids. I've seen too many families struggle and struggle to get their infants to eat a certain amount. It made me way more relaxed to be able to know that their main source of nutrition will be their bottles and whatever solids they eat are just (1) bonus nutrition and (2) an opportunity to learn and explore the world of "real" food. :) Also, I am DREADING our families reactions to our refusal to start with cereal since they've been asking literally since they were 3-weeks old when we are going to start them on cereal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-926046 Fri, 12 Jul 2013 08:44:09 +0000 cmomma17 926046@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had never heard "food before one is just for fun" before this thread, and I love it! That makes me feel more relaxed.<br /> I want to start my LO with banana or avocado probably. I told my sister I might skip cereal and jarred baby food and she looked at me like I was insane. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-926041 Fri, 12 Jul 2013 08:42:20 +0000 looch 926041@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son was formula fed and on a special formula specific to age, so for example, there was one for babies under 6 months. I noticed he wasn't satisfied with the amount of formula he was getting and it isn't recommended to switch to the 6-12 month until babies reach 6 months, so our choice was really only to supplement. I started with carrots, which my MIL recommended, but my son just didn't take to them. So I moved to fruit, but my son still wasn't satisfied. I tried oatmeal with fruit and we had a winning combination. He was 5 months of age. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-926023 Fri, 12 Jul 2013 08:38:52 +0000 regberadaisy 926023@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@rattles: I'm just afraid of the recent findings of arsenic in some boxed rice cereals? And it's so easy to grind my own since brown rice is something I keep in bulk at home anyway. Another thing is we try to eliminate as much "processed" foods as possible. ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-923916 Thu, 11 Jul 2013 17:36:36 +0000 sarac 923916@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am seriously opposed to feeding cereal for any reason beyond thickening for reflux. So, I'm trying to play the devil's advocate here and come up with a good reason in spite of that - but I'm coming up short. The allergy stuff has been disproved. Plenty of things have an easy texture for a baby. I just can't think of a single reason beyond 'it has always been done that way, so we just keep doing it'. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-923609 Thu, 11 Jul 2013 16:01:22 +0000 rattles 923609@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: what's the nutritional benefit of self-ground brown rice as opposed to boxed in your mind? I make all of LO's food and had considered doing the same with rice, but if the only reason my ped suggested it at all was the supplemental vitamins, I'm not sure it's worth bothering with making it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-921238 Thu, 11 Jul 2013 07:02:49 +0000 edelweiss 921238@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>we do BLW at home and at daycare he gets a mixture of fortified oatmeal cereal, puree, tahini (random, i know) and formula. LO is almost 6 months. i wanted the cereal to give a little bulk to his diet because his appetite was really ratcheting up at the time. not sure when to drop it though and just do purees...i haven't thought about it too carefully and will ask our pediatrician at his 6-month appointment. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-921203 Thu, 11 Jul 2013 06:31:00 +0000 regberadaisy 921203@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Iron is a moot point if your baby is on formula.</p> <p>My ped never reco to start with cereal. The only argument I might see some validity to is reduced allergy risk but the who's to say your baby won't be allergic to that grain?</p> <p>Personally I see no nutritional benefits to starting with cereal especially boxed cereal. If you must I reco grinding your own brown rice and doing that in lieu of buying boxed cereal.</p> <p>Food before one is just for fun and their nutrition should still be coming primarily from formula or breast milk!</p> <p>I started with homemade purées then slowly transitioned to chunkier purées then primarily BLW by 7 months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-921170 Thu, 11 Jul 2013 04:38:02 +0000 Mrs. Polish 921170@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was super against cereal. He hasn't had any from a spoon but I did start it in his bottle at the recommendation of his pedi for reflux. I started with oatmeal. I was more interested in BLW, but I'm also interested in not having spit up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-921130 Thu, 11 Jul 2013 01:41:23 +0000 birdofafeather 921130@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Gah, my whole reply got eaten but we started with avocado and puréed zucchini. Here's some sites to research: <a href="http://www.westonaprice.org/childrens-health/nourishing-a-growing-baby" rel="nofollow">http://www.westonaprice.org/childrens-health/nourishing-a-growing-baby</a></p> <p><a href="http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/" rel="nofollow">http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-921101 Thu, 11 Jul 2013 00:36:03 +0000 littlepenguin 921101@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What I've been told is that baby's primary nutrition for the first year is going to be breast milk/formula. Starting with solids is about experiencing their food and just introducing them to different tastes and textures. </p> <p>Rice cereal on it's own doesn't provide much nutritional value, oatmeal or other whole grain is better. Also if you choose an iron fortified cereal can help provide an additional source of iron, especially since their iron reserve from in utero is starting to be depleted. </p> <p>Our plan is to stay primarily on milk. When DS hits six months we will probably start with a small amount of cereal. As for other solids, we plan to let him try them out (less than a table spoon) since he's not really getting nourishment from it. We will work our way up from there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-921052 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 23:04:53 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 921052@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Weagle: yes for sure! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-921050 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 23:04:39 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 921050@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Proud to be cereal free! Formula has plenty o iron, and BF does also (my doc told me I might become anemic if I didn't watch my intake, but I would pass all my available iron to my BM). I know too many carboholic kids so I decided to opt out of the whole cereal thing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-921043 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 22:49:17 +0000 Weagle 921043@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We didn't start with cereal, but really your kiddos will be fine whether you do that or fruit/veggie purées first. Food before one is just for fun. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-921035 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 22:40:32 +0000 meganmp 921035@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ditto to everyone who said things about the vitamins. We just mixed it with other foods, but the kiddos still get some every day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-921029 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 22:34:36 +0000 googly-eyes 921029@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@aprk: lol don't worry I was expecting a mess but was caught off guard with how messy the first feedings were! I hate mixing cereal up but my pedi still wants us to give it to her til she's ONE. This is the only questionable thing about her but that's for another thread...</p> <p>@coacheswife123: our pedi said she tried all the baby formulas, cereals, etc and it does taste bitter/gross. But they don't know anything else and they eat it. Dd didnt like the rice so much but she's ok w oatmeal. I mix it with fruit now though! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-921015 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 22:21:42 +0000 pl0508 921015@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My ped was very laid back about starting solids and said we could start with whatever we wanted ! So - we started with purées simply because rice cereal seems like it would taste so yucky ! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-921013 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 22:21:02 +0000 aprk 921013@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@googly-eyes: haha shows you what I know! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-921011 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 22:19:32 +0000 googly-eyes 921011@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@aprk: actually you dilute it so much it's more messy than the other purées IMO! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-921009 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 22:18:15 +0000 dolphin 921009@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My doc straight out said its a BAD idea to not start with rice or oatmeal cereal for the reasons the other moms stated above. I didn't listen though. I felt like I did enough research on my own that I felt comfortable starting with fruits and veggies.</p> <p>@rattles: we did bananas as first food too! She was not a fan. Haha! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-921001 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 22:12:20 +0000 travelgirl1 921001@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We didn't do it but the reasoning our doctor gave for starting with it is that the texture is similar to breast milk so it makes the transition easier. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-920956 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 21:43:15 +0000 rattles 920956@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our ped suggested it as a staple because it was fortified with all her vitamins and such. We did banana as her first food, and I'm not too worried about the vitamins while breastfeeding, but that was his reasoning. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-920954 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 21:42:35 +0000 aprk 920954@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I haven't done it since A is still too young, but my guess is that's it "easy" and fairly mess free. I don't really know of any health benefits though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-920951 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 21:41:14 +0000 googly-eyes 920951@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Reduced allergy risk + iron. At least that's what the pedi said... And I tend to listen to her! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/make-a-case-for-starting-with-baby-cereals#post-920935 Wed, 10 Jul 2013 21:34:24 +0000 Mrs. Blue 920935@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I know starting with rice cereal, etc. is the traditional approach, but I'm not really sure what the benefit of it is. I know baby led weaning is really popular here, and we may do that or a combination. But, if we start/do purees, is there any benefit to starting with cereals over a veggie or fruit purée. </p> <p>If you starts with cereal, what were the pros and would you do it again if you had another child? </p>