[LittleLlama]

One of the things I love about MDC is that people are passionate because they know their stuff! So I've been doing a bit of reading and am conflicted about which should be the first food to try out oatmeal or rice.<br><br>
On one hand the rice is "easier" on baby but then if I'm going to be giving him something other than breastmilk, I want it to be nutritionally useful. What are your thoughts?<br><br>
(DS is almost 6 months)

 

[lovebugmama]

Well, the real controversy is whether to feed grains of any kind or not. Any grain is hard for humans to digest unless it is first sprouted. Even sprouted, many experts advise against grains until children reach one year. We did not give our babies any grains at all until they were well over 1 and eating table food. If you are familiar at all with Nourishing Traditions, that was the basis for my research. I found that baby cereals offer almost nothing nutritionally and are only really fillers.<br><br>
Our first foods were mild veggies and fruits. Our babies didn't much like food until they were old enough to eat table food. They consumed very little food until over 1 and thrived on their mainly breastmilk diet.

 

[celestialdreamer]

<div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">
<div>Originally Posted by <strong>lovebugmama</strong></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">Well, the real controversy is whether to feed grains of any kind or not. Any grain is hard for humans to digest unless it is first sprouted. Even sprouted, many experts advise against grains until children reach one year. We did not give our babies any grains at all until they were well over 1 and eating table food. If you are familiar at all with Nourishing Traditions, that was the basis for my research. I found that baby cereals offer almost nothing nutritionally and are only really fillers.<br><br>
Our first foods were mild veggies and fruits. Our babies didn't much like food until they were old enough to eat table food. They consumed very little food until over 1 and thrived on their mainly breastmilk diet.</div>
</td>
</tr></table></div>
<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/yeahthat.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="yeah that">: DD's first food was sweet potatoes <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/orngbiggrin.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="orange big grin"> She didn't really eat solids regularly until she was 9 months old or so. I don't plan on giving ds grains at all until he is well over a year, and then only sprouted and probably not wheat at all (just realized dd is sensitive to wheat).

 

[crittersmom]

Go with veggies or fruit.If you are thinking about the cereals because of iron you can give your baby meats or beans.Neither one of my boys liked any of the cereals and my oldest refused them.

 

[mom2PJS]

They've said it all already<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/innocent.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="shy">

 

[Apwannabe]

my kids first foods were sweet potatoes and avacado.

 

[rmzbm]

Go w/ fruits & veggies. Banana & sweet potato are always my 1st choices. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">

 

[earthmama369]

We did avocado, then sweet potato, then banana as first foods. They're more nutritionally dense than grains and easier to digest. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">

 

[98741]

Well, as you hear the consenses is no grain. I am pretty new to MDC and natural living and all that and I started dd on rice cereal b/c that is what doc said. I wish I hadn't. She became constipated and I am sensitive to grains (NOT allergic) and feel it is probably best to avoid. I do sometimes give her oatmeal for some variety and she seems to handle this better. I give squash, sweet potato, pears, and applesauce. I recommend starting with things like these and if you do give cereal then mix it with breast milk or sometimes I add it if the pears seem extra runny or something. I don't recommend bananas because those also bind poor little dd but she may just be sensitive....

 

[JillyD]

We did fruits to - avocado then sweet potato. We did try oats but she had a reaction to it so i wouldn't recommend oats.

 

[ElektroChik]

We chose to introduce bananas first, avocados second, and sweet potatoes third. We gave her rice fourth and she was over seven month old by this time.

 

[98741]

Well, as you hear, the consenses is no grain. I am pretty new to MDC and natural living and all that and I started dd on rice cereal b/c that is what doc said. I wish I hadn't. She became constipated and I am sensitive to grains (NOT allergic) and feel it is probably best to avoid. I do sometimes give her oatmeal for some variety and she seems to handle this better. I give squash, sweet potato, pears, and applesauce. I recommend starting with things like these and if you do give cereal then mix it with breast milk or sometimes I add it if the pears seem extra runny or something. I don't recommend bananas because those also bind poor little dd but she may just be sensitive....

 

[98741]

Sorry, don't know how I managed to post this twice!

 

[JBaxter]

sweet potato squash apples & pears were our first. We tried banana's but those have my kiddos HORRIBLE belly pains until about 10 months old.

 

[FreeSpiritMama]

Ditto the others, go with fruits or veggies. We did sweet potato then butternut squash as DS1s first food.

 

[la mamita]

we did lentils and rice as a first food. DS has never had a problem digesting grains. we did do mainly fruits and veggies for his first month or two on solids, and then switched to table food (which includes all the food groups, obviously). we definitely didn't wait until over a year for grains! that seems a little excessive, if there are no food allergies.

 

[marlee]

I introduced foods squash and yams at 9 months but dd really didn't eat anything until 11 months. Avacado was her first food she really ate. Now we are still introducing more fruits and vegetables so I see no need to introduce grains. My dd is 1 year now.<br>
A current favorite is pear. Other intro's include spinach, grapefruit, sweet potatoe, potatoe, broccoli, apple, and kiwi.<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/thumb.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="thumbs up"><br><br>
Allergies do run in the family.

 

[Hayes]

LLL recommends<br>
Avacado<br>
Banana<br>
Sweet potato<br>
as first foods. they are smooshy, have lots of vitamins, and low chances of an allergic reaction. Besides, they taste LOTS better than rice cereal.

 

[LittleLlama]

See, this is why I ask you guys <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/love.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="love"><br>
I think We'll do avocado since it's like chocolate to me!

 

[MamaRabbit]

Thank you all for some great info! (Now I have ammunition for playgroup <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol">)