Feeding my baby rice cereal for the first time

When Can You Start Feeding a Baby Rice Cereal? Safety and More

If you ask for advice on the best time to start feeding your baby rice cereal, the responses may be all over the place. Some people might suggest feeding a baby rice cereal starting at 6 months, whereas others might suggest as young as only 2 or 3 months old.

But just because someone else gives their baby rice cereal early doesn’t mean that you should do the same. For advice, the best place to go is to your own pediatrician — they’re the authority on your baby’s health. In the meantime, here’s what other experts recommend.

Updated recommendations

New guidelines caution that rice cereal shouldn’t be the only solid given. So the old practice of starting only iron-fortified rice cereal at about 6 months is no longer recommended.

For the first few months of life, you’ll feed your baby exclusively with breast milk or formula. Anything other than breast milk or formula is considered a solid food. So when deciding the right time to start your baby on rice cereal, you should follow the same guidelines for starting a baby on solid foods.

Some people argue that rice cereal is an exception to the guidelines — perhaps because of the ability of rice cereal to dissolve in (and “thicken”) breast milk or formula when added in small quantities.

Yet, rice cereal is a solid food. Babies aren’t ready for solid foods until they’re about 6 months old.

Since every baby is different, it’s important to look for signs that your baby is actually ready to start eating rice cereal before serving it.

You should hold off feeding a baby solid food until they have control of their neck and head. Your little one will need to be upright while eating, so they should be able to sit in a highchair.

Most importantly, don’t give a baby rice cereal until they have the oral skills to move solid food from the front of their mouth to the back. This skill doesn’t typically develop until at least 4 months old. Until then, your baby’s tongue will push out any food that enters their mouth.

Another telltale sign that your baby may be ready for solid food is when they express an interest in your food. If you’re eating in their presence, they might try to grab your food — or lean in toward food with their open mouth (have your camera ready!).

For the most part, you shouldn’t give a baby rice cereal before the recommended guidelines. Even though the extrusion reflex — that automatic reflex that causes a baby’s tongue to push food forward — can provide some protection before they’re ready, offering solid food too early can still pose a choking or aspiration risk.

Giving a baby rice cereal — or other solid foods — too early may also increase a baby’s risk of having obesity.

But when they’re ready, rice cereal can be a great starter food, among others.

After several months of only consuming breast milk or formula, some babies have difficulty adjusting to solid foods.

To start the introduction process, mix 1 to 2 tablespoons of iron-fortified rice cereal with 4 to 6 tablespoons of formula, breast milk, or water. Some people mix rice cereal with fruit juice, too. But this isn’t recommended because fruit juice doesn’t offer health benefits and is very high in sugar.

Spoon feed an iron-fortified rice cereal to your baby. (It’s important that babies get enough iron once they start solid foods.) But don’t be surprised if it takes a couple of feedings for your baby to get the hang of eating this way. You can nurse or bottle feed first, and then end feedings with rice cereal.

Doctors used to recommend rice cereal as a “first food.” But now we know that age-appropriate foods can be introduced in any order, and rice cereal shouldn’t be the only solid given for very long due to arsenic exposure, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

You can introduce other jar or puréed foods like fruits and vegetables before or after you introduce rice cereal. And do include other iron-fortified, single-grain cereals besides rice. Variety is the spice of life — even for baby!

When introducing new solid foods to your baby, do so one at a time. This way, you can detect any potential food allergies or sensitivities early. For example, after you feed your baby peas for the first time, wait 3 to 5 days before introducing carrots.

You might have heard of adding rice cereal to a bottle to thicken breast milk or formula. This, however, isn’t recommended unless your pediatrician says it’s OK.

If your baby has episodes of acid reflux, your doctor might advise this method to thicken the milk and try to prevent regurgitation. But this is rare.

Starting a baby on solid food is a major milestone, but you shouldn’t introduce rice cereal too early. Doing so poses a few different risks. So wait until your baby is about 6 months, and look specifically for signs that they’re ready for solids.

When in doubt, talk it out — with your pediatrician. They’re a goldmine of information, and best of all, they know your baby’s health better than anyone else, including Dr. Google.

When Can You Start Feeding a Baby Rice Cereal? Safety and More

Updated recommendations

New guidelines caution that rice cereal shouldn’t be the only solid given. So the old practice of starting only iron-fortified rice cereal at about 6 months is no longer recommended.

Yet, rice cereal is a solid food. Babies aren’t ready for solid foods until they’re about 6 months old.

Since every baby is different, it’s important to look for signs that your baby is actually ready to start eating rice cereal before serving it.

You should hold off feeding a baby solid food until they have control of their neck and head. Your little one will need to be upright while eating, so they should be able to sit in a highchair.

Giving a baby rice cereal — or other solid foods — too early may also increase a baby’s risk of having obesity.

But when they’re ready, rice cereal can be a great starter food, among others.

After several months of only consuming breast milk or formula, some babies have difficulty adjusting to solid foods.

You might have heard of adding rice cereal to a bottle to thicken breast milk or formula. This, however, isn’t recommended unless your pediatrician says it’s OK.

If your baby has episodes of acid reflux, your doctor might advise this method to thicken the milk and try to prevent regurgitation. But this is rare.

When in doubt, talk it out — with your pediatrician. They’re a goldmine of information, and best of all, they know your baby’s health better than anyone else, including Dr. Google.

What kind of porridge to choose for the first feeding | How to introduce porridge: how to cook, properly breed porridge for the first feeding

Your baby is growing up, getting stronger, gaining weight, and now there comes a moment when feeding only breast milk or formula is not enough for the full development of the crumbs. It's time to introduce complementary foods into your baby's diet. The question arises - where to start? Your pediatrician should answer it.

Today we’ll talk about how to properly introduce complementary foods with cereals. Let's talk about how to breed porridge, which one is better to choose for the first feeding, and how homemade porridge differs from store-bought. nine0003

Cereals for children up to one year old

Porridge contains all the necessary set of trace elements, is perfectly absorbed, and has a beneficial effect on the digestive system.

Usually, cereals begin to be introduced into the diet of a baby at the age of six months. If the child is bottle-fed, it is permissible to start earlier, at 4-5 months. These are only approximate dates, in fact, everything is individual. It is necessary to take into account the pace of development of the child, his readiness for adult food and the tendency to allergic reactions. nine0003

Complementary foods with cereals are recommended for children who are not gaining weight well. Most likely, the baby simply does not have enough calories. In any case, before starting complementary foods, a pediatrician should be consulted. He will help you choose porridge, tell you in what quantities and how often to feed her child.

It is important that the first porridge be:

Industrial production . Not only because the raw materials are sterilized and undergo rigorous quality control. But also because at home it is difficult to achieve such a degree of grinding cereals, as cereal manufacturers do. For example, Materna porridges consist of delicate cereal flakes, which form an absolutely homogeneous mass when brewed. If desired, they can be diluted to a thick mixture and offered to the baby to drink from a bottle. nine0021
Single component . To track down the cause of an allergic reaction if it occurs.

Dairy or non-dairy: with which cereals does the first weaning start

Pediatricians recommend starting complementary foods with dairy-free gluten-free cereals. Gluten is a fairly heavy vegetable protein for digestion by a child's body. Its use can lead to allergies. Dairy-free cereals can be diluted with breast milk or your own milk formula to make them more nutritious and taste more familiar to the baby. nine0003

The first gluten-free cereals include: corn, rice and buckwheat.

How to switch from dairy-free to milk porridge

If no allergic reactions occur within 4-7 weeks from the start of complementary foods and dairy-free cereals are well absorbed, you can start offering milk cereals for children up to a year old to the baby, their energy value is much higher.

How to properly organize feeding with cereals

For the first acquaintance, you need to cook a five percent porridge, which means that for five grams of dry porridge there should be 100 mg of water. The resulting consistency will be ideal for a child who is not yet able to chew and swallow thick food. nine0003

The best time to feed is the morning meal. So you will have time to track the baby's reaction to a new product: if there are any allergies or stool disorders.

For feeding, a baby spoon made of safe material for the baby's delicate gums or a regular teaspoon is used.

As a first test, it is enough to give the child about half a tablespoon of liquid porridge. The kid should try out a new product, get used to the change in texture and taste. nine0003

Make sure the porridge is not too cold or hot, and does not contain lumps.

After porridge feeding, feed your baby his usual food - breast milk or formula.

Increase the volume of a serving of porridge only when you are sure that the baby eats it with pleasure, and he does not experience unwanted reactions.

Every day, increase the amount of porridge per spoon until the serving is 150 g for a six-month-old baby, 160-170 g for a child aged 7-8 months and 170-180 g for an age of 8-9months. Closer to the year, the serving volume will be about 200 g. And the five percent porridge is replaced by a thicker, ten percent one.

We remind you that these are only general recommendations, and the development of each child is individual and the dosage may differ from that described above. It is important not to change cereals at the beginning of complementary foods, your baby should get used to one cereal, and only after a successful debut, you can offer the next one - not earlier than in two weeks.

If you start experimenting ahead of time and give your child a different porridge every day, in case of an allergy, it will be very difficult for you to understand what exactly the child's body reacted to. nine0003

The child does not eat porridge

Toddlers refuse porridge for various reasons.

Don't like the taste or texture.
It happens that children who started complementary foods with fruits and vegetables do not eat porridge, because their taste is very different and not so bright. Try adding an already familiar apple or broccoli to a new porridge. In addition, a child may not like the taste of some cereal today, but in a couple of weeks he will eat it with pleasure. Set this mess aside for a while and try again later. nine0021
The porridge is too hot or too cold.
Check food temperature on the inside of your wrist. If you do not feel cold or hot, then the temperature is optimal.
The child is not yet hungry. Set the plate aside for half an hour and then try again.

The main advice to parents is not to despair, and offer the same porridge many times in different combinations.

What kind of porridge to introduce first into complementary foods

Be sure to ask your pediatrician for advice on which cereal to give your baby first. After all, all kids are different.

The main types of cereals recommended for consistent introduction into the child's diet:

Buckwheat porridge . It is considered indispensable in the diet of the child. Contains vitamins B1 and B2, iron, magnesium, protein.
Rice porridge . Contrary to the common misconception of many parents, baby rice porridge will not cause constipation because it does not contain crushed rice. For the manufacture of these cereals, rice flour is used, which has a beneficial effect on the digestion of the child and is rich in healthy dietary fiber. nine0021
Corn porridge . Such porridge is a leader among other cereals in terms of the content of potassium in its composition. Also contains a large amount of protein, iron and fiber.
Oatmeal . No other cereal compares to oatmeal in terms of fat and fiber content. In addition, oatmeal is rich in vegetable protein and calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamins B1, B2, PP. Oatmeal is introduced last of all the described cereals, because it is very rare, but there is an allergy. nine0021

The Materna product line includes dairy-free and milk porridges for children from 6 months. All cereals do not contain salt and sugar and are made from cereals and fruits grown in Israel specifically for baby food.

Rice porridge - Encyclopedia Baby food

Victoria Levchuk©

Rice porridge is ideal for the first complementary foods, as it does not contain gluten.

Rice is different, so you can find on sale long-grained, medium-grained, round-grained, and rice also differs in color: white, brown, wild or black, yellowish. The most ideal option for usefulness for baby food is brown rice, which retains the shell of the cereal, which is the benefit. But you can use any kind of rice for baby food.

Brown rice and any other rice are unlikely to cause allergic reactions, the absence of gluten contributes to this. Nutritious and versatile, brown rice can be paired with any meal your child loves. nine0003

Brown rice is an unpolished, minimally processed rice that is brown in color and has a slight nutty flavor.

Brown rice is more nutritious than white rice. This is because it is unrefined and the natural shell is preserved. Brown rice on the Russian market is a little more expensive than regular white rice, but it's worth it. Moreover, you can cook rice flour for baby porridge at home without industrial additives, which will reduce the risk of allergic reactions. nine0003

Table of contents:

Rice in the form of porridge can be introduced into complementary foods for a child from 4 months of age. However, it is necessary to remember the WHO recommendation to introduce complementary foods at the age of 6 months.

The second step in starting complementary foods is to identify the first type of complementary food and the first product (see here). Usually mothers have a choice between cereals and vegetables, if there is a lack of weight, then, most likely, cereals are introduced into the baby's diet. But buckwheat and rice are considered the first complementary foods. Most often, buckwheat is chosen as the first porridge, since the child's stool most likely will not change. But rice porridge strengthens, it is ideal as a therapeutic diet for diarrhea. nine0003

But it should not be discarded and can be introduced as the first complementary food, as it is easily digested, coats the stomach, helps to remove toxins from the body, and is often recommended for unstable stools and frequent spitting up. It is also necessary to note the nutritional value of rice, with its low calorie content, which is useful for overweight. Rice also helps the body meet the need for complex carbohydrates, which are then used to build muscle mass and feel full for a long time. nine0003

Rice is introduced into complementary foods like any new product, it is necessary to withstand the first 4-7 days to monitor the reaction of the child's body to a new product. Usually, butter is introduced along with porridge, so if a child is about 7 months old and porridge is introduced, then butter must also be introduced, also as a new product. With an undesirable reaction of the child's body in the form of worsening stools, rashes, etc. consult a doctor and stop giving rice.

How to select and store rice

It is best to choose local varieties of rice, as they travel less from seller to buyer. Our Krasnodar rice is ideal for baby food. Moreover, there is brown rice of Russian production, but you need to look for it. It will be difficult to choose rice, since there are more than 150 types, and it also differs in the way it is processed: polished, unpolished, steamed. nine0003

Therefore, mothers usually use rice, which the whole family eats for a long time. You can, of course, buy brown rice for your beloved baby, but this is decided individually with the pediatrician and at the family council.

When choosing rice, you should pay attention to the appearance of cereals, which should be the same size throughout the package. If it is long-grain rice, then round-grain rice should not be found in the package. It is also worth checking for the presence of larvae, insects, checking the GOST sign and making sure that the rice does not smell of anything nasty. nine0003

Whole grains can be stored for 12 to 18 months in a dry, cool, dark place. If the temperature becomes extremely warm in the house, you can store the grains in the refrigerator. However, do not forget to look at the expiration date on the package.

Cooked rice is stored for no more than three days, for a child it is worth preparing a new porridge every time.

Ground whole grains such as rice flour should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Flour can be stored in a cool, dry place, but should be checked frequently. nine0003

When the grain is ground, the natural oils found in rice can become rancid if left unrefrigerated. When buying any type of ground whole grain, it's best to buy a smaller amount to ensure it's used quickly and completely before it goes rancid.

By the way, brown rice should be stored in the refrigerator, and preferably in the freezer. If such rice is stored in the kitchen at above zero temperatures, then the oils begin to oxidize, which makes brown rice harmful. nine0113

Freezing rice or rice porridge

Freezing rice porridge does not behave very well, namely it becomes too soft and tasteless, therefore, it is best to freeze multi-ingredient dishes where there is very little rice porridge. Boiled rice is better than frozen rice porridge. Here's how food behaves after freezing.

Complementary food preparation: Rice

You can use a rice cooker, slow cooker, steamer and just a pot of water to cook rice porridge. Usually, rice in its pure form is not very suitable as the first complementary food, because after cooking it, whipping it into a homogeneous mass with a blender and other devices turns out badly, only a plastic grater will help, but it will take a lot of time. Therefore, rice must be prepared for the preparation of baby food. You need to pass it several times through a regular cereal mill, which is not difficult to buy in any store. Someday I will write a review of two mills that I have at home, one Soviet, the other modern. It turns out ordinary rice flour, from which it is easiest to cook children's rice porridge. nine0003

Approximately ¼ cup of rice flour uses 1-2 cups of water, depending on the final consistency and the child's preference. Next, rice flour is poured into boiled water, everything is whipped with a whisk to get rid of lumps. Then everything is cooked over low heat until cooked, see the recipe here.

I think everyone knows how to cook whole grain white rice, but remember, wash in several waters, you can soak for 1 hour, simmer for the first time, stirring until the rice is ready. nine0003

There is another original way to cook rice, but it is worth trying to understand whether it suits you or not.

Wash rice, boil water, add rice, cook at a boil for 1 minute, then turn off the heat, close the lid and leave to cool or reach for 5-10 minutes, until cooked. You will get fluffy rice.

Brown rice cooks a little differently because it is more firm. It is best to soak brown rice overnight in cold water, then wash it thoroughly in new water in the morning, pour new cold water over it. Boil for about 10 minutes, then rinse again with cold water, pour again and cook for 15 minutes. And then you need the rice to reach, so we remove it from the fire and wrap it in a blanket. nine0003

We would like to remind you that children should not be introduced to sugar and salt until they are one year old.

The difference between brown and white rice

The difference between brown and white rice is not only in color. A whole grain of rice has several layers. Only the topmost layer, the husk, is removed to make what we call brown rice. This process is the least damaging to the nutritional value of the rice and avoids the unnecessary loss of nutrients that occurs with further processing of the grain. nine0003

If brown rice is further milled to remove the bran and most of the germ layer, the result will be white rice, rice that has lost more nutrients.

However, the rice is still unpolished and is polished to make the white rice we are used to seeing. Polishing removes the aleurone layer of the grains, filled with essential fats. Because these fats are highly susceptible to oxidation when exposed to air, this layer is removed through a refining process to extend the shelf life of the product. nine0003

The resulting white rice is simply a refined starch that is largely stripped of its original nutrients.

How often should I give rice?

If the child is prone to constipation, a pediatrician should be consulted, as the product is too useful to be abandoned forever, it may be worth introducing it later into the child's diet or feeding rice porridge only 1 time per week.

If the child is healthy, then we still monitor the stool while rice porridge is introduced into the diet, then when other products are introduced, when the child’s menu expands significantly, rice porridge or rice should be given 2-3 times a week as part of various dishes, not only like porridge for breakfast.