How to Choose the Best Cereal for Your Baby

Babies should get all of their nutrients from breast milk or formula for the first 6 months of life, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Breast milk is best, but both nursing and formula-fed babies should wait until their 6-month birthday to eat solids. After that, you can give watered down and soft foods to your baby, but breast milk or formula should continue to be the primary source of nutrition until the age of 12 months. Traditionally, cereal is a baby's first solid food.

Instructions

    • 1

      Choose a single grain cereal. Rice is the most popular, according to WebMD, but you may also choose oatmeal or barley.

    • 2

      Select a cereal that is fortified with iron. A baby's natural stores of iron start to become depleted by 6 months of age, according to WebMD. Choosing an iron-fortified cereal is especially important if you are breastfeeding, because formula contains more iron than breast milk. The iron in breast milk, however, is more easily absorbed by the baby's digestive system.

    • 3

      Pick a cereal made with organic grains. This ensures that no pesticides were used on the grains.

    • 4

      Start with dry cereal. Although some cereals come premixed, your baby is more likely to eat the cereal it if it tastes familiar. You can mix dry cereals with formula or breast milk and thin it to a consistency that is acceptable to your baby.

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