Rice, Oatmeal, Barley

Updated on May 07, 2010
C.R. asks from Buffalo Grove, IL
15 answers

What the correct order and how long should you leave the baby on each. My daughter is 5 months old and has been on rice for about a month. I just don't know if I should switch her to one of the other ones yet. Any help would be appreciated! : )

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J.V.

answers from Chicago on

My 5 month old son has had oatmeal a few times, and then I gave him some banana and avocado. I'm going to introduce squash tomorrow, and start him on a multigrain cereal. Since they revoked all the "rules" on allergies in the last few years, I just ignore their advice and introduce foods early in the day. I wouldn't sweat it.

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

ask your Pediatrician.
There are "single grain" cereals, and multi-grain or whole grain cereals.
In the beginning, single grain cereals are recommended, because of their digestion development... etc., and it is easier to digest.

Also, you should still be breastfeeding on-demand... or Formula on-demand if giving formula.
For the 1st year of life, breastmilk/Formula is a baby's PRIMARY source of nutrition, not solids and not other liquids.

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M.J.

answers from Chicago on

It has been a long time since my kids were babies, but they always started out on rice cereal. However, what I don't understand is why aren't you talking about this with your pediatrician? when my kids(21 and 15) were babies, I followed the doctors orders with what foods, and when to give them. I would start there if I were you. good luck and enjoy your baby!

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L.H.

answers from Chicago on

You only have to wait 3 - 5 days before changing from one food to another (to make sure the baby is not alergic to the food). So if you have had your baby on rice for a month that is plenty long...go ahead and introduce oatmeal and a week after introduce barley. After that you can start the same schedule with vege's and then fruits. Good luck!

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R.M.

answers from Nashville on

You don't have to do any of them, they say now. My doctor had recommended rice to start, and then move on to fruits and veggies. I did rice for 2 weeks, then oatmeal for 2, because I went to visit a friend out of town and she had oatmeal. I stuck with single grain until I had individually introduced the different grains. We didn't do plain cereal much after starting veggies. I would mix cereal with fruit for him for breakfast once we got further along, and use it to thicken stuff that was too thin for my son's taste. But as long as you are introducing single foods with the 3 or 4 day wait rule, you should be fine to change them around. My son preferred oatmeal to rice once he'd had both.

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M.F.

answers from Phoenix on

We started our daugher on rice cereal first, then moved to oatmeal, then barley. We did rice for about 2-3 weeks, starting super thin and working up to the point where it was super thick and clumpy, then we did just oatmeal for about 5 days, then just barley for 5 days. After that, we alternated daily and by 6 months she was eating cereal twice a day. Good luck!

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L.M.

answers from New York on

Things change over the years, but 13 years ago for cereal it was rice, oatmeal, and then barley. However, they started on rice cereal, then I gradually introduced vegetables and fruits. Only one new food every 3 or 4 days. For the first year, the main source of nutrition is breast milk or formula.

To be sure, check with your peditrician.

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S.H.

answers from Chicago on

Are pediatrician asked us to do rice first and then oatmeal. I never did do barley.

S.

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R.B.

answers from Chicago on

I beleive she is old enough for a small amount, but I don't think there is any special order....Just as long as your baby can digest the food and it is mixed well within her cereal.

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S.C.

answers from Chicago on

We couldn't stay on rice that long and switched to barley and oatmeal pretty quickly. (4 months) Rice was too binding for my son.

It's the wheat you want to hold off on until later.

At 5 months we introduced veggies too.

There is some research about allergies and the introduction of complex proteins too early in the diet (wheat). If you are worried about that it would be something to look into.

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M.K.

answers from Stationed Overseas on

I started with rice and then oat and then barley. Eventually dropped the rice because my daughter liked the others better. I would check with your peditrician to see if they have any preference as well as check the ingredients of the other cereals. I believe one of them has wheat and if I remember correctly wheat is not recommended before the age of one.

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S.K.

answers from Chicago on

I think that you need to space them out a week or two because you want to make sure that the baby does not have any allergies to any specific item so if or when the baby does, you will be able to identify it. Start with rice cereal. Then oatmeal and barley.

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J.K.

answers from Phoenix on

I didn't realize there was a special order. I didn't introduce food that young and I stayed on rice for awhile. I don't think I did the barley and oatmeal... they were older so I just did regular food. Congratulations to you!

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C.K.

answers from Chicago on

I started with Barley and then oatmeal. I never did rice because of the risk of constipation. No set time frame.

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J.O.

answers from Chicago on

There is no specific time line that I know of. My daughter and son never ate the oatmeal and barely. I just kept them on rice cereal. The only really important thing to remember is when you introduce them do one at a time and don't introduce any other new foods when you do. This will make it easier to notice any type of allergic reaction.

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