4 Ways to Choose the Best Cereal for Babies

Once your baby nears six months of age, he or she may be ready to advance from a formula-only or exclusively breastfed diet. The addition of cereal to your baby's diet is the next step in the introduction to a variety of foods. If you have already visited the baby aisle in your local supermarket, chances are that you have noticed quite a variety of different types of cereal to choose from. Knowing how to select the best cereal for baby is important to most parents, and with a few helpful tips, you will be better equipped with the knowledge needed to determine which cereal may be the most beneficial for your baby.

Steps

Be Sure Your Baby is Ready

1. Look for increased head control in your baby. Before he can safely advance on to cereal, he needs to be able to hold his head upright during feedings. This is an important safety measure and is crucial in preventing choking.
2. Make sure your baby is able to sit upright.
   • It is okay if your little one cannot sit upright without assistance, and the use of a supportive seat is perfectly acceptable, as long as baby can maintain the upright position he is placed in.
   • If baby slouches down in the seat, flops his head and body to one side or just cannot maintain a sitting position, he is at an increased risk of choking on solid foods.
   • Use your best judgment and position him so that he remains as vertical as possible during feeding.
3. Watch for the disappearance of the tongue thrust reflex. Before your baby is ready to move on to solid foods, you may notice that his tongue has the natural ability to automatically push food right out of his mouth rather than swallow. If this happens when you introduce cereal, wait a few days and try offering cereal again.
4. Take notice of your baby's weight gain. If your baby has just about doubled his birth weight by the time he is close to six months old, it is a good indicator that he is ready to begin solid foods.

Tips

• Consult your doctor if you are unsure when to begin to introduce solids to your baby's diet.

Warnings

• Never add cereal to your baby's bottle, this is not necessary and can pose a choking hazard.
• Never use cereal as the only basis of nutrition for your growing child.
• Never offer cereal to a baby under 6 months of age without doing so under the direction of your pediatrician.

Things You'll Need

• Sturdy place for baby to sit during feedings such as high chair or adjustable feeding seat
• Small bowl
• Plastic or coated baby spoon
• Cereal
• Breast milk, formula or water to prepare the cereal
• Bib