It’s time to introduce your baby to solid foods, but oftentimes, this exciting development in your little one’s eating routine can be clouded by a myriad of questions. What cereal should you choose? What should you mix the cereal with? What should the consistency of the cereal be? At My Organic Formula, we understand you may have a lot of questions about the solid food phase of feeding, and hope the following tips will make the phase smooth for you and your baby.
Choosing the Right Baby Cereal
Baby cereals may be fortified with iron, vitamins, minerals, and in some cases, formula. When selecting a cereal, convenience is often a deciding factor. Cereals containing baby formula are usually mixed with water and cereals without formula are typically mixed with breastmilk or formula.
If you choose to feed your baby a cereal that does not contain formula, we recommend mixing the cereal with the liquid your baby is used to. For example: if you primarily breastfeed, mix your cereal with breastmilk.
Please keep in mind: all of the cereals we offer (even the cereals containing formula) can be mixed with breastmilk or formula.
Achieving the Perfect Cereal Consistency
When first introducing your baby to solid foods, we recommend mixing 1Tbsp. of cereal with 4-5 Tbsp. of breastmilk, formula or water. You don’t need to heat the cereal before serving, but you should heat your breastmilk or formula as you normally do before adding it to the cereal. If you are using water to thin your cereal, boil and cool the water first before mixing it into the cereal.
When first starting your baby on solids, it’s best to make the cereal a thinner consistency. Once your baby is comfortable with his new feeding option, it’s fine to increase or decrease the liquids based on your baby’s preference. Just remember, thicker foods can pose a chocking risk to young babies!
Setting Your Baby up for Success
Once you’ve prepared your organic baby cereal, it’s time to feed your little guy or gal. It’s not uncommon for a baby to seem “put off” by the experience of tasting new foods, but with a few simple steps, you can set your baby up for success!
To make sure your baby isn’t too hungry or fussy, offer formula or breastmilk first before giving him cereal. Also, feed your little one cereal during a time of the day when you don’t have to rush and you can sit him upright in a highchair or infant seat. Let your baby explore his new food by placing a dab of cereal in front of him so he can familiarize himself with the smell and texture. After he’s done exploring, grab his attention by holding a spoonful of cereal about 12 inches from his face and slowly bring the spoon to his mouth. If his first reaction to the baby cereal was not good, that’s ok! Try feeding him another spoonful and see how he reacts. If your baby seems upset by the experience, try again another time.
Organic, Chemical Free Baby Cereals
No matter what cereal of ours you choose or what liquid you choose to mix it with, the process of feeding your baby cereal should be a time of exploration and fun for you both. My Organic Formula offers you a way to introduce organic, chemical free cereals into your baby’s feeding routine so they can continue to develop the right way – the healthy way.