The official advice on when babies can eat porridge It's best to wait until your baby is around 6 months old before offering them any solid food. After this time your baby can sit up to support themselves and swallow solid foods more safely, without the risk of choking.
Start to introduce soft foods at 6 months when your baby needs more energy and nutrients than your milk alone can provide. At 6 months, start giving your baby just two to three spoonfuls of soft food, such as porridge, mashed fruits or vegetables, twice a day.
Firstly, if you want to offer your baby baby rice or baby porridge as their first food, that's absolutely fine to do! They do offer nutrition in the way of vitamins and minerals, and they can help parents who may be a little more anxious at the start of their weaning journey.
You can use traditional whole oats or the more refined quick oats. You can use any milk of your choice. Babies benefit from whole cows milk, breast or formula until age 2 then if they are eating well you can switch to semi-skimmed milk.
At 6 months, babies can start eating porridge. You can make baby oatmeal cereal by grinding rolled oats in a food processor or make the regular porridge and then blend it into a smoother texture.
Babies are generally ready for weaning at about six months. You can introduce Weetabix after the first taste of vegetables or fruit. Typically most babies are introduced to breakfast at about 6.5 months.
The NHS advises that you can feed your baby cereals, like Weetabix, from around six months old onwards.
Baby porridge vs regular porridge
Many brands sell 'baby porridge' designed specially for little ones. This is usually made using ground oats instead of whole oats, so it has a smoother consistency than regular porridge. You don't have to stick to porridge designed specially for babies, though.
Weetabix Note: baby must be over six months before they can have a wheat based cereal. Add fruit, yoghurt or milk.
Barley is loaded with nutrients and make great food for babies because of its smooth texture. This barley porridge is prepared with homemade barley cereal, apple, and banana to have a natural sweetness. Be sure to feed your baby with barely in moderation if your family has no history of allergy to gluten.
To make the porridge simply add one part oats to two parts of your babies usual milk (breast milk, formula or cows milk all work fine) and gently heat it in a saucepan, stirring regularly until the milk has absorbed.
waiting until around 6 months gives your baby time to develop so they can cope fully with solid foods – this includes solid foods made into purées, cereals and baby rice added to milk. your baby will be more able to feed themselves.
6 to 9 months old: Offer full-fat (whole milk), pasteurized, plain yogurt. Greek yogurt is perfect for this age and will be easiest for babies to self-feed. Let baby scoop up the yogurt with their hands and/or eat from a pre-loaded spoon (passing the spoon in the air will make it easier for baby to grab).
Place the oats, milk + spice in a small saucepan + bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the oats are soft. Purée with the banana in a food processor, or using a hand blender, until smooth, adding extra milk if necessary.
Breakfast for a younger baby (6 to 8 months)
Grain: Iron-fortified, whole-grain infant cereal is a popular first grain. At 6 months, a typical daily portion of infant cereal mixed with breast milk or formula might be 2 to 3 tablespoons, increasing to 4 to 8 tablespoons (1/4 to 1/2 cup) by 8 months.
When can I introduce toast to my baby? Now, you may be wondering if and when toast is a safe food to introduce to your baby. Toast can be introduced at around 6 months of age, or at the time when it's safe to introduce solids to your baby.
When can babies eat bread? Bread may be introduced as soon as a baby is ready to start solids, which is generally around 6 months of age. Note: Bread often contains common allergens like dairy, egg, sesame, soy, tree nut, and wheat so introduce with care.
You can introduce eggs to your baby around the same time you introduce solid foods, which is around 6 months old. In the beginning, however, you'll want to start with very soft or pureed foods (which can include whole grain infant cereals) before you progress to offering more textured foods.
Sometimes when you are feeding your baby you will see that the food begins to “go runny”. This is because the baby's saliva enzymes, which get into the food via the spoon, break down the starch in the food. This then makes the food go runny which is why it seems to be "waterlogged".
Which milk is best with baby porridge? You can use breast milk, your baby's formula, or introduce your baby to whole cow's milk or fortified soya milk. Plant-based alternatives such as almond or oat milk are low in protein, calories and iodine.
Baby cereal basics.
Don't serve it from a bottle. Instead, help your baby sit upright and offer the cereal with a small spoon once or twice a day after a bottle- or breast-feeding. Start by serving one or two teaspoons.