Baby Cereal

Baby cereal, not a thumb rule, should be started generally after first six months of breast or formula milk feeding.  During the initial 4 to 6 months milk is only the only food that baby’s mouth and digestive system can handle.  Baby’s cannot swallow solid food due to their tongue-thrust reflex of sucking milk from a nipple, which would simply push out the food.  Starting of early baby cereals  may play a greater role in developing food allergies along with abdominal discomfort and the most common problem of constipation.

Increase in physical activities makes them more hungry and developmentally making them ready for starting baby cereals.  Every child is unique and his / her development requirements may vary, and should be considered only after consulting a pediatrician. Please look out for the following signs that may help you in starting baby cereals:
1. Head is in control.
2. Can sit with support or alone.
3. Shows interest in solid food or watches you with eagerness while having your food.
4. Increased appetite – Hungry after drinking approximately 32 ounces of milk.
5. Weighs double the birth weight or at least 13 pounds.
6. Has overcome the tongue-thrust reflex.
Keeping the above signs in mind, you may introduce baby cereal to your child. Start with few spoons of rice cereal, as it is nutritious and easy to digest, then oat and barley cereals.  Wheat and mixed cereals may be tried later, as they can cause food allergies and require a strong digestive system.  Kindly remember to start a baby cereal at a time, keeping track of your baby’s action and reaction to each cereal.  Baby’s require extra iron for proper growth, hence baby cereal with fortified iron are good.  You can get premixed baby cereal or you can prepare your own cereal.  Initially the cereal should be liquid enough, so that it is easy for your baby to swallow and as your baby’s swallowing improves, gradually you can increase the thickness of the cereal.

When you start baby cereal to your baby, their bowel movements may change.  The normal changes, you may see in the stools, will be of different color, as of the baby cereal or solid food.  It may have a strong odor.  Please keep a vigil, if your baby’s stool contain blood, develops constipation or diarrhea, do consult a pediatrician immediately.
Following are some tips that may help you feeding baby cereal:
1. Expect a mess while feeding baby cereal.
2. Sits up with proper support, to prevent choking hazard.
3. Give way to explore the food by touch and smell.
4. Talk with baby, make him open mouth showing him how to.
5. Pat and encourage for every successful feed.
6. Tell how good the food is.
7. Keep a watch if your baby’s done with eating baby cereal:
a. May close his mouth tightly.
b. Lean away.
c. Shakes head.
d. Pushes away food with hand.
e. Throws out food from mouth.  Don’t be alarmed if baby does it at the first few feeds, as its normal reaction to taste
and texture.

Happy baby cereal feeding.