Adding Spice with Rice: Introducing Rice Cereal to Babies

Ah! Those ‘Developmental Milestones’ in the early years…

Parents often look back wistfully, on those precious ‘First Times’. The first time their Baby said something. The time they took their first steps. Needless to say, the time they eat solid foods for the very first time, is another of those moments we will come to cherish over time.

In this article, you will see When to Introduce Rice Cereal and Other Baby Cereals to your Baby. You will learn everything there is to know about that Rice Cereal, including How to Feed Rice Cereal to your little one, and even Which Rice is Good for Babies! Read on, to know just when you can treat your little one to that Rice Cereal that will serve as the perfect ‘starting solid food’ for them!

Table of Contents:

• Introducing Solid Foods: When you can start feeding a Baby Rice Cereal
• Understanding What is Rice Cereal
• Introducing Cereal to Baby: How to feed Cerelac to Baby First Time
• Introducing Cereal to Baby: A Cool Baby Rice Cereal Recipe

Introducing Solid Foods: When you can start Feeding a baby Rice Cereal

Needless to say, you’re going to be a whole lot ‘tentative’ when thinking of introducing solid foods to your baby for the first time! That being said, the good news is as follows:

You can introduce Rice Cereal to your Baby as soon as they are 6 months old!

That being said, there are certain guidelines you want to follow, when getting them to indulge in that Rice Cereal for the first time.

1. They have Control of their Head and Neck

The last thing you want, after all, is to have your baby choke on that cereal!

Note: Parents must ensure that their little one is able to sit upright when they feed them.

2. They are able to Push the food in

Babies that are too small, tend to simply push the solid food that you offer them, right out of their mouths with their tongue. They must possess the capacity to move that food you give them, from the front of the mouth to the back.

3. They evince an Interest in your food

How do you know if your baby is ready for solid food? It’s easy – they ‘show’ it! If you ever see your baby trying to grab your food when you are near them, that might just be a sign that they are ready for that Rice Cereal, after all!

Understanding What is Rice Cereal

It might be a while before they start eating ‘Rice Krispies’, but that doesn’t mean they cannot indulge in some good old ‘Rice Cereal’!

In fact, Rice Cereal for Babies has been the traditional choice of ‘starting solid food’ for Babies, since ages. So, What is Rice Cereal? A Single-Grain Cereal, it can be purchased ‘premixed’ or even as a dry powder to which some liquid is added to create an oatmeal-like mixture.

Important Note: All parents must bear in mind that it is perfectly all right to feed your babies Rice Cereal, as long as you are not feeding them ‘only’ that. This is because of the high levels of ‘inorganic arsenic’ found in rice, that can cause health problems in the long run.

Bonus Information: If you have ever wondered ‘which’ Rice is Good for Babies, well, White Rice is a perfectly good option. That being said, ‘Brown Rice’ is considered especially good for Babies!

Introducing Cereal to Baby: How to Feed Cerelac to Baby First Time

Now comes the part you have all been waiting for. The ‘How’ of Introducing Cereal to your Baby! Truth be told, it is imperative that parents keep the following considerations in mind, when looking at How to Feed Cerelac to a Baby for the First time.

• Create a mixture of 1 tbsp Cerelac, and 4 tbsp breast milk or formula. The idea, of course, is to gradually wean them into the process of eating that Rice Cereal.
• As we have touched upon earlier, you want to get your baby to sit upright when you give them that cereal. Note: You want to give them only 1-2 tsp of the mixture once or twice a day, after their regular breast/bottle feed.
• Later, when your baby is easily able to ingest that ‘runny’ mixture, start giving them a ‘less liquidy’ mixture. Now is the time you can feed them more than twice a day.
• Add veggies and fruits. This is only when they are able to eat Cerelac comfortably, of course. Note: These must be added in the form of a smooth, blended ‘puree’.

Introducing Cereal to Baby: A Cool Baby Rice Cereal Recipe

Looking for a Cool Baby Rice Cereal Recipe? Here’s a really cool option to try!

Ingredients

• Brown Rice (preferably short-grain)
• Breast milk or formula
• A Pot of Water

Instructions

• Soak the rice for a couple of hours, to ensure it is cooked well.
• After draining and rinsing the soaked rice, add it to the pot of water to cook.
• Blend the cooked rice with the breast milk or formula, to make a fine puree.
• Serve it to Baby!

Most of us adults in India are used to a staple diet of Rice. The best part about Rice is, it’s nothing short of being ‘Comfort Food’. Get your little one to bask in the same ‘comfort’, by introducing them to Rice Cereal. That is, when they are old enough, of course!