why did my doc say this?

I don't plan on giving cereal, at least not as a first and regular food. I'm really not sure what I plan on giving first. I was thinking of just getting a food processer and pureeing (I know that is spelled wrong) veggies and fruits for my daughter.

Its been so long since I had a baby that I need to read up on the subject, but I don't see what the big appeal is about baby cereal. Maybe if there is an organic version I would give it to her for the iron content. There are lots of veggies that are high in iron too (dark green ones), maybe mention those to your ped. and see if they would work. It seems they have more nutritional value than gerber rice cereal.

I'll keep an eye on this thread and see if I can learn more about the cereal thing too

you all are wonderfully helpful! My ped was pissing me off a bit today. Telling me not to make my baby food etc, when everything in the jar was just as good, if not better because the FDA has higher standards for baby food. whatever! I plan on making all of my DD's food, and will just totally skip that nasty cereal.

There are times, when I feel that I know more than my ped!

My baby's first food was avacado mixed with breastmilk.

Rice cereal is formulated for formula-fed babies, who do not the same kind of nutritional needs as breastfed babies (Ie. FF'd need more because formula is so deficient).
While there is more iron in formula and cereal, it is artificial, and not readily absorbed. Out of 12g of iron in formula, only around 10% is absorbed. Out of 1-2 in breastmilk, almost 100% is absorbed. It also reacts differently in the body then artificial iron supplementation does. In the end, breastfed babies get more iron.

A breastfed baby also has iron stores from birth that last well into the first year, for some even past. A BF'd baby doesn't even need solids at six months, and can survive on solely breastmilk for a lot longer.
Rice Cereal is essentially empty of any real value, and would probably do more to constipate a BF'd baby then help them in any way...

If you want to start your infant on iron-rich foods, why not try leafy greens instead? There are plenty of other, easily attainable and healthier options for iron then rice cereal.

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/vitamins/iron.html Kellymom has a good article, although her numbers are a little off from what I remember...

Some babies do need more iron than is present in breastmilk sometime during the first year. Depending on baby's iron stores at birth, baby can get plenty iron from breastmilk alone from 6-12 mos, usually. Increasing iron in the mom's diet does not significantly increase iron in breastmilk.
Cereal is certainly not the only, or even the best source of iron for infants old enough to eat solids. Meat can be introduced early on, or beans.
My little dd was exclusively breastfed for 7 mos, but was anemic by 8 mos. She also had her cord cut nearly immediately after birth, so I think that might have had something to do with her not having as much iron stores as she could have. My ped (my partner, actually) wanted me to give her an iron supplement, but we were able to raise her hemoglobin by encouraging her to eat iron-rich foods, instead, and when she was rechecked at 9 mos her hemoglobin was nearly normal, and at 12 mos it was normal. She always preferred finger foods, and a favorite iron-rich food for her was chicken breast. I would put a boneless chicken breast in a small corningware with about a 1/2" of vit. C fortified apple juice and bake it in the oven until it was very soft, then cut it into small bits for her. She also loved halved kidney beans.
I can't believe the doc thinks jarred food is better than making your own from real food! The FDA doesn't make sure baby foods are healthier. They regulate what you claim on the label, but they don't make sure the best, fresh produce is used, or anything like that. I'd much rather pick out my babies food directly!

DD was ff and I still didn't give her any cereal till she'd been introduced to and loved lots of different veggies. Her first cereal was oatmel and not the baby kind. She is one of the healthiest kids I know and still eats oatmeal for breakfast nearly every day