Introducing Pasta into Infants' Diet

If you feel you need to introduce it, I would use rice pasta. Grains in general are difficult to digest, but rice is easiest. Also, there's no real need to introduce pasta - very little nutritional value - better to fill baby's diet with nutrient-dense foods like proteins and veggies.

Hi A.,
With both my kids I used to(and still do)cook small pasta then add a can of chicken broth. I started out with pastina. They still love it and they're 4 & 6. Good luck ~ D.

For general nutrition as well as relief from constipation, I would think you would want to introduce more whole grains - whole wheat pasta, brown rice, and so on. White rice is something that is part of the "BRAT" diet when they have diarrhea - "bananas, rice, applesauce, toast". Why not try mixing half brown rice and half white rice first, then gradually switch to all brown? I save the water from steamed vegetables, and use that to make rice - start the brown rice since it takes longer and then add the white rice about halfway through the cooking time. Start with the total amount of water you will need even though it's twice what the brown rice will absorb - if you add more water and the white rice halfway thru, it will stop the cooking until the water boils.

Since she hasn't had pasta yet, I would start with the whole wheat. I think the curlier shapes are easier for them to pick up so try rotini or anything with lines on it - I think it's called "regate" - like penne regate or ziti regate.

Have you tried whole wheat bread? Again - the fiber will prevent constipation. I use it for French Toast and add extra protein powder to the egg batter. I add cinnamon to the batter - it's good for you and it gives a nice flavor, reducing the need for a lot of syrup. Added nutrition will help everyone, especially a small baby.

Just make the switches slowly - don't go immediately to all whole grain if she isn't used to it. Let her system gear up for it! But if you never introduce white flour and white grains, you don't have to then switch them off it!

My 10 month old has no problems with pasta, he's been eating it for a couple of months now and I've done both white and whole wheat. As for styles of pasta, I started with the ditalini so he could just eat it on his own. My older son would still let me spoon feed him, and liked the pastina as a starter. But, my 10 month old now will eat anything we eat so he's had most all styles of pasta and has had it with tomato sauce and garlic and oil ;). I know when I talked to my Ped. at 8 months (my son hated to be fed), they recommended soft pasta as a finger food. Good luck and I'm sure she'll love it.

Hello,
I buy an ABC pasta from Whole foods. They are very tiny & colorful because they use all kinds of veggies in it too. I just went to see the brand but I dumped the whole box in a canning jar. Good luck

Hi A.,

I started with pastina. Small stars that cook up quickly and can be added to anything! My son loved it! Some days I mix in just olive oil and parmesean cheese-easy and delicious. If constipation is an issue, slip it in some prunes, my first child had the same issue . . . when your child gets older, start with pasta she can pick up with her hands. Wagon wheels and fusilli were two favorites in my house . . . have fun!

As long as you've had no wheat issues thus far and since you've had a constipation issue, I would try the Barilla plus or store brand equivalent. It has extra nutrients, Omega 3 and fiber which should help the other problem. As far as taste, my kids haven't noticed the difference. I would do something like penne or ziti, easier to eat than stringy spaghetti, pasta can be a healthy choice, like all things in moderation but might help put a little weight on your little peanut! Good luck and happy eating

If you are concerned about allergy development, you may want to delay wheat a bit longer. I started with whole grain rice pasta (different finger food noodle varieties) and put off regular wheat pasta until my little ones were about a year. I agree with the other response that you can use a variety of toppings... even when I use it as finger food, I coat it with parm (great calcium source) and garlic powder. Enjoy!

Hi A.,
Pasta is great for self feeding. I strongly recommend AGAINST wheat pasta for a while. It isn't as nutritious as we have been programmed to think and actually, quinoa is the most nutritious grain and has complete protien too. A much superior choice and you can get it at some grocery stores as well as health food stores. It comes in different shapes too. Or you can start with rice pasta which will be better for baby than wheat anyway. Wheat is one of the top 10 allergens so the longer you can wait the better. Good luck and have fun! This is a great age!

I went straight for wheat pasta with my daughter, when she was about 10-11 months old. It's more nutritious, and it's what we eat anyway. I was not concerned about allergies. You can try it for a couple of weeks and see what happens. I do cook it a minute or two longer than recommended because it's a little tougher. I also cut it down into smaller pieces.

Pasta is a great staple for babies and kids because you can do so much with it. Give her both kinds, white and wheat, and I guarantee she will like both if she is a good eater. You can even put a little olive oil and cheese on it to avoid the red sauce mess if you want! If she struggles with constipation, you may want to go for wheat because it has so much fiber. One of the major brands of pasta (the kind escapes me now) makes a "mini" version of their regular types that are really easy for kids to eat! Have fun with it! By the way, I'm a teacher too and SO very ready for holiday break!!! Enjoy!

Hi there,
My daughter has food allergies, so options are limited for her. SHE LOVES PASTA. I started with overcooked elbows that I would cut in half, and she would feed them to herself. I just give her the regular pasta, although sometimes I'll give her wheat if that is what we are having.

Good luck!!

Pastina is a good way to start. You can buy organic pastina at Whole Foods (Earth's Best brand) in the baby food section. They also sell conventional pastina. My daughter has been so-so about it because of the grainy texture, but I found by putting butter and/or a little sauce and making it soupier, it helped.

A.,

Like you I had a pre-term emergency C-Section. My daughter was catch up in the cord -around her neck and it was strangling her. Anyway she is now 10-1/2 months and doing well just small as well. We introduced pastina and she loves it. I didn't go with the wheat since we have a wheat allergy in my husbands family. My family calls pastina 'Italian baby food'. We cook the pastina, drain it put it back in the pot and add a little butter and an egg and cook that. If you haven't given your daughter an egg you can just add the egg yolk -great protein for her. It's the white that they might be allergic to. But I just cook the egg well enough and we haven't had any issues.
However, if your daughter has teeth maybe she could eat ziti or something else too. My daughter is still toothless at the moment.
Another grain to try is couscous and Quinoa. You can get Quinoa at Trader Joe's. It's really good and very nutritious.
Also we have cooked rice with low sodium chicken broth instead of water and added a shredded carrot and cut up peas and my daughter likes this as well.

Good luck,
L. M

Hi A.,
We didn't start table food until our baby was 12 months, but if your little girl is doing well so far, I say go for it! The same way you & your family prefer whole wheat bread & pasta, I think you should offer her the same things as you eat.
By the way, we also have a constipated little boy. A little bit of Karo syrup or prune juice in his milk always does the trick!
Good luck,
R.

Wheat is one of the top 8 food allergies so you should hold off until atleast a year. I would go with peaches and pears if constipation is an issue with your little girl bananas, apples, and rice are among some of the foods that add to constipation and you can always give her a little prunes too. If you are looking for finger foods to give her cut up some fruit and veggies they are great to start with.

You should definetly see if she likes brown rice, and offer that instead of the white rice. Its whole grain, and more nutritious.
As far as pasta goes, I started my son on whole wheat pasta but since I dont really like the flavor, I would often cook one kind of pasta for my son, and regular pasta for us...it was a pain. Then I discovered Barilla PLus...it has extra protein and omega threes and tastes almost like regular pasta...we all love it. It is pricey, about $2 a box, but even if you use 1 box per week, that is only about $4 dollars more per month....definetly worth it!

Hi A.,
I give my 12mo whole wheat couscous. If you're not familiar with it, it's teeny little pasta. It's great because you cook it by just pouring boiling water over it and letting it sit 5 minutes. My son loves it! I mix in pureed peas or carrots and a little cheese. Due to your baby's constipation issues I'd definitely stick with the whole wheat, high fiber pastas.

Hi A.!

My son loves regular and wheat speggetti. I buy the Thin Speggetti. He loves to touch and and put it in his mouth. My son also had constipation problems. I would give him prune juice in a bottle or light Karo suyrup in his bottle. Works really well.

Merry Christmas