If I give baby 2nd foods cereals, do I still need to give her rice cereal?

Question

My daughter is 7 1/2 mo and we will be starting 2nd foods this weekend. Her doctor had told us to give her rice cereal 2x a day. Once we start the 2nd foods, do I still need to give her rice cereal if i give her a 2nd foods cereal (Mixed Cereal with Applesauce & Bananas, Oatmeal with Applesauce & Bananas,Oatmeal & Pears with Cinnamon, Rice Cereal with Applesauce) for breakfast? Isn't the main purpose of the rice cereal a starter food adn to provide iron? Does seh need it if she is formula fed?

Answer 1

As long as she is getting enough of the grains in the other food, there should be no reason to feed her the rice cereal seperately =)

Answer 2

There is no need for the rice cereal to begin with.  So yes, take that out of her diet, it has no nutrients in it!  It's mostly a filler.

Answer 3

If you go to heinzbaby.com you can print off a meal plan for a step 2 baby (and step 3 when she gets older). I've been following it and it says to keep giving them variety which does include rice cereal and all the step one foods as well. It's a real great menu and I plan to continue to use it once he's step 3 (two more days lol)

My son is also formula fed.

Answer 4

She doesn't need rice cereal at all. Especially if she's formula fed, she is getting plenty of iron in her formula -- and iron is the ONLY nutrient in rice cereal.

IMO, if you're going to give her rice cereal (or oatmeal) , I would use the dry stuff. The cereal in jars is much more expensive, and no better or more convenient. If you want to add fruit to it, you could add some babyfood fruit after you mix up the cereal.

Answer 5

The purpose of the cereal is to provide iron.  I always sprinkled some into the actual baby food every time both of my boys ate.  They wouldn't eat the cereal by itself after I gave them actual baby food.  She would still need it even if she is formula fed.

Answer 6

They say that the jared cereal does not have the same nutritional effect (iron) as the boxed (powdered stuff). I believe I found that info on the information that WIC gave me.

I would continue with the regular cereal and add fruit to it.

Answer 7

No, she doesn't need it.  You can move up to oatmeal.  My son only had rice cereal twice and was constipated for the 1st time ever when he did.  We never had that problem after starting the oatmeal.

Answer 8

My son's Dr also told me too give him cereal twice a day. But as long as you give her any kind of cereal twice a day it is fine. Any cereal is a good source for iron. So you got it all right. I am not really sure about the formula. If your Dr knows that she is formula fed, and he still suggested that she has cereal twice a day, maybe the formula doesn't have enough iron. My son is breast fed and there is no iron in breast milk. Maybe you can call your Dr and just ask . You rather be safe, because too much iron can be harmful.

Answer 9

my daughter is 7 months old. i started her on stage 2 foods when she turned 6 months. and she eats cereal and bottle when she wakes up jar of food at lunch and she eats cereal before bed time and another jar at dinner time. as well as a 6 oz bottle every 5 hours!

it seems like alot but her dr told me that she is growing and she needs to be eating that much,

Hope this helps !!