Cereal with milk at 6 months?

[NuzzleandScratch]

Dd2 will be 6 months on 24th Jan, so just starting to plan weaning. With dd1, I faffed about expressing bm & bought 'baby' cereals. I now realise this was a waste of money, & I'd rather not faff about with that damn breast pump! So my question is, how soon after starting weaning is it ok to introduce cereal? And it's ok to put full fat cow's milk on it isn't it? I was thinking of giving her Oatibix/Weetabix. This would be ok wouldn't it? I was reading the nutritional information on each earlier today, & it seems that whilst the Oatibix is lower in salt, the Weetabix contains some iron, which I suppose might be helpful. (I'm over thinking this aren't I?!). Anyway, what cereal do you give your babies? I just want to keep things simple!

[Indith]

It is fine to put a little milk on it.

I give cereal fairly early on really, not every day. We vary fruit, toast, cereal, porridge etc for our 10 month old.

I might give half a wheetabix dampened with milk so he can still pick it up himself or a handful of cheerios or something. If it isn't salt in them then it is sugar but wheetabix etc not too bad and they don't eat much so as long as you vary it and don't add salf/sugar to other foods they have that day then it relaly isn't an issue. NOt like you are talking about giving frosties .

[NuzzleandScratch]

Thanks, that's helpful. I was planning to give some fruit with the cereal too, varying the fruit each day. Dd1 loves her toast, so I guess we'll introduce that fairly soon anyway. Good point that we're talking about relatively low levels of sugar/salt anyway!

[dishwashervodkaanddietirnbru]

ready brek/porridge have no added salt/sugar and can be mixed with fruit for extra flavour

[FredFredGeorge]

Consider just giving things like yoghurt and fruit (plain natural yoghurt) or similar, no need to go too hardcore with cereal!

[Indith]

remember bread has loads of salt in and we don't tend to stress about that she is fine yo just munch on a banana though some days, no need to push carbs every breakfast. also scrambled egg takes no time to cook or pancakes at the weekend all salt and sugar free.

[NuzzleandScratch]

Thanks all.

Fredfredgeorge, do you think it's best to leave cereal for a bit then? I'm in no particular hurry, but there's no history of allergies or intolerances.

You're right of course Indith, & I totally agree that variety is best. I'm determined for dd2 to be a better eater than dd1, who at 2.9 will not eat fruit & veg at all! (although she would when she was younger, so perhaps toddlers do their own thing regardless!).

[FredFredGeorge]

NuzzleandScratch It's not for allergies or anything, and I think you should give it - but carbs are the least important major nutrient for baby, and because of that I think giving them as fruit and veg ahead of cereal.

So a high fat/protein breakfast - egg, yoghurt etc. - is a good option, but variety is good, so occasionally cereals, other times egg etc. Just don't get hung up on duplicating an adults breakfast, babies do have different needs.

[NuzzleandScratch]

Thanks, that does make sense. I've read endlessly about this stuff for dd1, but somehow find myself feeling clueless about doing it second time round, only 2 and a bit years later! You're right about not duplicating an adult breakfast, and I suppose cereals are filling without necessarily being a great source of nutrients.

[sleeplessinderbyshire]

my DD is 6 months. She started with baby porridge (because we started weaning before six month and you are supposed to avoid gluten til then) but it is foul She now has either fruit puree, yoghurt and fruit or readybrek with fruit puree every morning as well as chomping on fingers of toast or bits of bagel but she is a bit fan of feeding herself with a spoon rather than actually eating toast at the moment

[NuzzleandScratch]

Thanks Sleepless, that sounds like a good variety.