Why Are Parents So Against?

[MunchkinWrangler]

I'm old school, I did and do cereal. I never had any problems with it at all. I think it's important for iron as well. I only use it for breakfast and there are a few different kinds out there now. I have noticed the increase in patents shunning it but I strongly believe that it's the baby led weaners. So far, just got a new one, 9 months, has no idea how to shift food around in the mouth, even though I was told different and did better eating a puree. I'm starting to just think the opposite of what parents say. I strongly believe that by 9 months they should be moving on to table food but the weaners always seem to be behind and I take the time only because I have a small group. So far out of 3 families, this has been true.
And on a separate note, what the heck about kids hating veggies?!? "oh little one doesn't like it so we just do fruit. " Another vent for another day.

[daycarediva]

I avoid ANY baby cereal at all costs.

Despite what your pediatrician or WIC recommends babies have trouble digesting grains.

In order to digest grains, your body needs to make use of an enzyme called amylase. Amylase is the enzyme responsible for splitting starches. Babies don’t make amylase in large enough quantities to digest grains until after they are a year old at the earliest. Sometimes it can take up to two years. Newborns don’t produce amylase at all. Salivary amylase makes a small appearance at about 6 months old, but pancreatic amylase (what you need to actually digest grains) is not produced until molar teeth are fully developed! First molars usually don’t show up until 13-19 months old, on average.

Undigested grains wreak havoc on your baby’s intestinal lining. It can throw off the balance of bacteria in their gut and lead to lots of complications as they age including: food allergies, behavioral problems, mood issues, and more.

(read more here: http://www.foodrenegade.com/why-ditch-infant-cereals/)

The food program recommends infant cereal because like the dairy industry....money talks.

Yup. I didn't do cereal until my kids were older, and we went with mashed real food/homemade baby food. I BF for a year min with each, and we did fortified cereals as table top snacks.

We also introduced veggies first, at 6+ months, and waited for the sweet foods, like most fruits. All are great vegetable eaters. No iron deficiencies.

[laundrymom]

And on a separate note, what the heck about kids hating veggies?!? "oh little one doesn't like it so we just do fruit. " Another vent for another day.

Bwawahaha!!
I just sent video to my " won't eat veggies" mom today. Kid loves mine.

[MunchkinWrangler]

Bwawahaha!!
I just sent video to my " won't eat veggies" mom today. Kid loves mine.

I love how you get the look like you're trying to torture the kids with veggies. After a couple tries, the babies are smiling with veggies all over their face!

[Controlled Chaos]

I avoid ANY baby cereal at all costs.

Despite what your pediatrician or WIC recommends babies have trouble digesting grains.

In order to digest grains, your body needs to make use of an enzyme called amylase. Amylase is the enzyme responsible for splitting starches. Babies don’t make amylase in large enough quantities to digest grains until after they are a year old at the earliest. Sometimes it can take up to two years. Newborns don’t produce amylase at all. Salivary amylase makes a small appearance at about 6 months old, but pancreatic amylase (what you need to actually digest grains) is not produced until molar teeth are fully developed! First molars usually don’t show up until 13-19 months old, on average.

Undigested grains wreak havoc on your baby’s intestinal lining. It can throw off the balance of bacteria in their gut and lead to lots of complications as they age including: food allergies, behavioral problems, mood issues, and more.

(read more here: http://www.foodrenegade.com/why-ditch-infant-cereals/)

The food program recommends infant cereal because like the dairy industry....money talks.

[Unregistered]

I avoid ANY baby cereal at all costs.

Despite what your pediatrician or WIC recommends babies have trouble digesting grains.

In order to digest grains, your body needs to make use of an enzyme called amylase. Amylase is the enzyme responsible for splitting starches. Babies don’t make amylase in large enough quantities to digest grains until after they are a year old at the earliest. Sometimes it can take up to two years. Newborns don’t produce amylase at all. Salivary amylase makes a small appearance at about 6 months old, but pancreatic amylase (what you need to actually digest grains) is not produced until molar teeth are fully developed! First molars usually don’t show up until 13-19 months old, on average.

Undigested grains wreak havoc on your baby’s intestinal lining. It can throw off the balance of bacteria in their gut and lead to lots of complications as they age including: food allergies, behavioral problems, mood issues, and more.

(read more here: http://www.foodrenegade.com/why-ditch-infant-cereals/)

The food program recommends infant cereal because like the dairy industry....money talks.

I am so sick of the dairy industry! And yes it is the same, all about the $$...

I serve my babies the fruit or veg first then cereal.

[spedmommy4]

I avoid ANY baby cereal at all costs.

Despite what your pediatrician or WIC recommends babies have trouble digesting grains.

In order to digest grains, your body needs to make use of an enzyme called amylase. Amylase is the enzyme responsible for splitting starches. Babies don’t make amylase in large enough quantities to digest grains until after they are a year old at the earliest. Sometimes it can take up to two years. Newborns don’t produce amylase at all. Salivary amylase makes a small appearance at about 6 months old, but pancreatic amylase (what you need to actually digest grains) is not produced until molar teeth are fully developed! First molars usually don’t show up until 13-19 months old, on average.

Undigested grains wreak havoc on your baby’s intestinal lining. It can throw off the balance of bacteria in their gut and lead to lots of complications as they age including: food allergies, behavioral problems, mood issues, and more.

(read more here: http://www.foodrenegade.com/why-ditch-infant-cereals/)

The food program recommends infant cereal because like the dairy industry....money talks.

I always enjoy your posts BC.

I recently had an infant in care and could not believe the amount of juice and cereal recommended for infants. I have never had any parents take issue with it, but I did.

[Blackcat31]

I always enjoy your posts BC.

I recently had an infant in care and could not believe the amount of juice and cereal recommended for infants. I have never had any parents take issue with it, but I did.

As I journey through my own "food education" (my DH was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes a few years back) I am astounded at how much we simply take at face value without really knowing and understanding what real healthy food really is.

One of the "decisions" I need to make this year is whether or not I continue on with the food program. Their requirements are absolutely ridiculous and not even close to being a healthy, well balanced meals. Once I learned a bit about food sources, it became VERY clear who set the standards for what the food program approves and doesn't approve.

I am having a really hard time staying with the food program AND maintaining compliance as their recommendations just don't compute.


.....kind of like common core math ::

[AmyKidsCo]

I am having a really hard time staying with the food program AND maintaining compliance as their recommendations just don't compute.

I'm not a fan of rice cereal because it doesn't have much nutrition in it.

As far as the food program goes, the minimum amounts are what we have to OFFER, not what the child has to EAT. I make up the minimum amount of cereal, but if baby gets full from fruits/veggies before we get to the cereal...

[Sunchimes]

I've had 2 babies whose liquids had to be thickened with rice cereal because they aspirated. One was past 2 before he passed a swallow test for all liquids but water. He was about 2 1/2 before he passed a water test and we stopped adding cereal.

The other was tube fed, with constant offers of her special formula in a bottle, always thickened with rice cereal. When we finally started offering her food in an attempt to avoid oral aversion, it was cereal, rice, oatmeal, and mixed grains. But, in the end, we avoided aversion, and she can eat anything but really dry stuff, as long as it is pea size or smaller. She still chokes sometimes. Those cereals kept us off the awful path of aversion that so many tubies go through.

[Hunni Bee]

My daughter had a "spice tooth" from jump. She did not like cereals because they were bland...same with mashed potatoes, etc. I just threw out about 8 canisters of rice and oatmeal that had just been sitting because she never ate them.

I mostly used them when she was a little older to make a "smoothie pudding" - fruit, yogurt and cereal - which she loved.

[Blackcat31]

I'm not a fan of rice cereal because it doesn't have much nutrition in it.

As far as the food program goes, the minimum amounts are what we have to OFFER, not what the child has to EAT. I make up the minimum amount of cereal, but if baby gets full from fruits/veggies before we get to the cereal...

My main issue with the food program is the requirement of dairy and the enormous amount of grains they require.

I just can't "support" serving that amount of "filler".

While I love whole grains and know the importance of them in a healthy diet, what is really required for good health and digestion is no where near what the food program outlines.

[Thriftylady]

My main issue with the food program is the requirement of dairy and the enormous amount of grains they require.

I just can't "support" serving that amount of "filler".

While I love whole grains and know the importance of them in a healthy diet, what is really required for good health and digestion is no where near what the food program outlines.

I agree with you. I didn't have issue with food program back when I was on it. But when restarting daycare, after having been though diabetic classes, I can't believe they say they are seeing that "healthy" meals are provided. It is the same with school lunches (same program so of course), but DD will come home and tell me what was served and it about makes me fall over. It seems like ALL carbs some days. I mean they will pair peas as a veggie (which are all carbs), with potatoes and pasta of some sort. I would be on the higher tier if I signed up here, based on percentage in our school on free and reduced, but I want to feed the kids better than that.

Then we wonder why the kids won't eat "real" food. I am not even sure many people have a clue what "real" food is anymore.

[Leigh]

Remember, though, that children need more carbs than adults do. It is an important part of the diet. A low carb, diabetic diet for an adult is not appropriate for a healthy child.

[Blackcat31]

Remember, though, that children need more carbs than adults do. It is an important part of the diet. A low carb, diabetic diet for an adult is not appropriate for a healthy child.

That is true but the types of carbs (complex and simple) are not at all differentiated or defined and calling a piece of white bread with milk a healthy snack is laughable. I might as well serve a handful of Raisinetes and a diet coke and call it good.