What is the point of rice cereal ?

Question

What is the point of giving ur baby rice cereal if there are no nutrients in it for the baby? Correct me if I am wrong, but from what I am reading online there is no good nutrients in it for the baby. I also read that it’s a choking hazard and puts on unnecessary weight gain and contributes to obesity later in life. So what is the point? What good does it do? I’m curious to know if there’s a certain reason for it ?

Answer

10000000000% NO POINT. What you read is absolutely correct. 
The iron thats in it does NOT properly absorb in the body, unlike real foods with natural iron.

Answer

I give my daughter a small amount of rice cereal mixed with puree to get her used to something other than milk, I've been told it's mainly used to start the weaning process rather than a replacement

Answer

Absolutely no point.  Baby can get what they need from other foods.  The iron in rice cereal doesn’t absorb into the body as well the iron in breastmilk and rice cereals can have arsenic in them.  The recommendation to start with iron fortified rice cereal started based on formula fed babies needs rather than an understanding of iron in breastmilk.  I’ve never given my kids rice cereal.  We’ve gone straight to mushy easy to chew foods.

Answer

Rice cereal was originally intended on getting your baby used to something that isn't milk but is very bland. However, pediatricians well most of them are recommending that you go right to oatmeal as at 6 months old babies begin to require iron and oatmeal is iron-fortified. A lot of moms skip over cereals completely but my pediatrician recommended I offer oatmeal starting at 6 months for the iron and blandness.

Answer

Choose oatmeal or barley cereal instead

Answer

I think the chocking hazard part is because people used to put it in their bottle hoping it would fill them up and make them sleep longer. Pediatricians are warning people not to do this. 
And you are correct, there’s no nutritional value. I have a oatmeal, millet, and quinoa cereal I give my baby girl that is supposed to be good for her. I also give her purred squash (she loves acorn squash baked with cinnamon) also sweet potato mixed with a little meat, purred avocado, various purred veggies, etc.
I don’t know if you are interested in making your own purée but if you are, there’s a super handy tool for mashing up food called skip and hop, it looks like an oversized garlic press, it’s AMAZING for the first few months starting solids! You can get it at target and it’s an entire food storage kit.

Answer

I skipped it for those reasons and started her on pureed veggies

Answer

My mom's friend who is a NICU doctor said that Oatmeal cereal is better for them. I trust her cause she is like one of the top doctors in Nashville now.

Answer

My Dr. literally told me it’s “cheap practice” since they don’t get much in their mouths at first.... not a good enough reason for me to feed something to my kid IMO

Answer

Infant cereals are fortified with iron which is necessary for infants 6 months of age and older.

What is the point of rice cereal ?

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