From Baby to Toddler: Breakfast Cereals
Like most things in life, the transition to toddler food is a challenge but not impossible. Fortunately, your child doesn’t have to eat certain foods if he doesn’t want to — you do! But you have the power to make the transition fun and lead by example. First, try some baby-led weaning or try to give her a taste of Infant Cereal at Funch.
It’s almost always easier to breastfeed your child from the moment of birth, but these days, many moms must supplement with formula because of work demands or for other reasons. These babies are younger than one year old. If you’ve had a baby recently and are wondering what he should eat if he is not eating foods yet, here is a guide with ideas on making the transition easier.
Build interest
If you notice your toddler is not interested in the food, try switching to a multigrain version such as oatmeal, millet, and quinoa or infant Cereal at Funch. If they quit on that, again, do not worry. It might take many, many attempts before your child eats more than a few bites of new food. But keep trying! We learned in our feeding class that children don’t necessarily do anything out of pure hunger. For example, my oldest would eat a spoonful of the blandest porridge (oatmeal mixed with water) if he didn’t feel like he was getting enough attention from me during mealtimes.
Wait for hunger
A lot of people are under the impression that a newly weaned toddler should eat every four hours. In my experience, this is not true. My youngest eats every six to seven hours during the day and can go up to ten hours without eating at night. Unfortunately, this often leads people to believe that “he’s never full” or “she’s not eating enough.” And it can be challenging to get your toddler to eat regularly if he rejects certain foods or eats more than others.
Feed your baby when she shows signs of hunger, with a full breast. Do not get her to take a bottle unless she has refused a feeding from you. If you have done this, it is likely that the alternative, a bottle, will become associated with not having enough milk. This leads to where the milk comes from if you are not around — from the refrigerator. This means that the child cannot differentiate between when there is and when there isn’t enough milk.
Crush the flakes
Okay, I know. You are not supposed to crush the flakes because they will get soft and soggy. But, my toddler did not mind at all. What mattered to him was that he finally could get those little grains into his mouth without a huge flake hanging off his lips.
Flakes are one of the easiest ways to introduce solid foods to your baby, but it’s very important to prepare them properly. My first attempt at feeding my newborn flake cereal was a nightmare because I didn’t know how to crush her flakes without getting a toddler-sized mess.
They like sweet
If you are trying to get your toddler to eat new foods, make them taste yummy. If your child is old enough to feed herself, give her the spoon and let her try some of the food first. Sometimes having the scoop in our mouth or hands helps us identify if a food tastes good. I used this trick often when I was on baby-led weaning.
I used to be a bit of a purist. No chemicals, nothing in a jar, homemade food only. Then my child started to hate food and stop eating altogether. I would do anything in my power to encourage him to eat. After many failed attempts, I finally gave up and started buying sugar-laden processed cereal that tastes like candy (at least to my son). He now gobbles it up with gusto.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
