Is it ok to start on Oats Cereal instead of rice???

Hi DS,

I suppose oats is asked to be introduced later for gluten issues. For both my kids oats was the first cereal that i introduced at 5 1/2 months and had no issues.

Latha

 

Latha,

What is gluten?? Have not heard of it.Am concerned as i give my daughter oats cereal too as she many times does not like rice alone.

suji

 

Gluten is simply a form of protein present in wheat, oats etc., Gluten in wheat is what helps in bread texture Some are allergic to gluten in the sense, I suppose, they can't digest that particular protein...

DS,

I'm not sure about giving it to a 4 months old? Sorry to ask this but why do you want to introduce cereals this early? If at all you want to start solids at 4 months begin first with simple veg or fruit purees and then around 6 months start cereals. That's the recommendation. I started giving cereals (oats, then millet, now wheat is also in it) only around 8 months (may be few days earlier).. until then it was simple pureed veges, fruits first one at a time, then a combo.

Latha

 

Dhivya - Oats actually dont contain more than traces of gluten and are generally considered very hypo-allergenic (unlike wheat/barley/rye). The issue of gluten intolerance is anyway not one seen often in those of Indian origin - its much more common in Caucasians. So my opinion - you can start oats if you want to. In general the recommendation is to start solids after 6 months but this varies from baby to baby because there are babies who seem to need solids earlier or later. There are no rules or recommendations about starting fruits/veggies first (maybe it is in Germany Latha but it isnt a universal rule as far as I know), cereals are just as good first foods (rice/ragi/oats) as anything else - its a matter of personal preference. Oatmeal Baby Food Recipes and Oatmeal for Homemade Baby Food, Age for Introducing and Feeding Baby Oatmeal for more info.

Vanathi.

 

Thanks for the info Vanathi.

Dhivya, With my first one, we gave oatmeal cereal first instead of rice - I used Gerber single grain oatmeal and would mix it with BM. This was around 6 months.

 

Dhivya,

My girl is 6 months by tommorrow.I started with rice cereal as first solid food around 4.5 months.Her pedi. asked to start with only rice cereal bcoz it is less allergenic than others. I'm giving her oatmeal cereal for the past 2 weeks. Its Earth's best organic oatmeal cereal which recommends to go beyond the rice cereal.HTH.

Pinky.

 

Yup, absolutely. I started my baby with oatmeal when he was 6 months old. We hardly used rice as it is constipating. I used to buy the brown rice cereal for the few times we used rice. Oatmeal is just fine! Rice is the traditional weaning food and that is why it is usually suggested.