Oatmeal is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals necessary for the proper development of the child. Dishes from it can be prepared in different ways - depending on the preferences of the baby. The article is devoted to the question of how old oatmeal porridge will be for babies.

From what age can oatmeal be given for complementary foods?

If after 6 months of the baby’s life, mommy notices that the child begins to sit stably and his chewing skills improve, it means that it is time to introduce complementary foods from solid foods such as oatmeal. The grown-up baby is able to move food in the mouth and swallow without problems during a meal.

Did you know? Doctors often recommend eating oatmeal to people prone to mood swings, spleen, and depression. This is due to the presence of B vitamins in the product, with regular use acting as a sedative.

These signs may include the ability to: lift on your hands while lying on your tummy, turn your head left or right, sit with little support from your parent's arms, back of a chair, or pillow.

If the baby does not want to take food in his mouth or is constantly turning away from the spoon, this suggests that while he is not ready for feeding. At this age, babies progress quickly, so try again in a few days.

What is beneficial for the health of the child

Usually the first solid food that children under one year old receive is rice flakes, which are well digested in small tummies. Oatmeal follows rice. This mild cereal porridge with a light, natural, sweet taste fits quickly into the infant's diet., and is usually not accompanied by unpleasant side effects. Along with relieving constipation, oatmeal contains many vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, C, B1 and B2, niacin, folate, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and many others.

It is advisable for infants to start consuming iron-containing foods around the age of 6 months when their internal reserves of this mineral begin to deplete. Iron is essential for the healthy growth and development of a small organism. Oatmeal contains 2.11 mg of iron per cup, which covers the daily need for 11 mg of the substance for children from 7 to 12 months.

In oatmeal there are:

• ironhelping the baby’s body to fight bacteria and viruses;
• calciuminvolved in the construction of bone tissue;
• magnesium, its deficiency can cause sleep problems, hyperactivity, urinary incontinence and the development of caries;
• seleniumresponsible for the functioning of the immune system;
• phosphorusimportant for the full functioning of the nervous system and the condition of the bones;
• vitamin B1affecting the functioning of muscles and nervous system;
• vitamin b6providing the correct condition of the muscles, heart and nervous system.

How to choose cereal for cereal when buying

Today, many varieties of processed oats are sold: hercules, flake flakes, extra. Hercules flakes are least pre-steamed, so they need to be cooked for a long time. They retain the greatest amount of nutrients.

The remaining types of oatmeal are also rich in vitamins and minerals, and differ from each other only in the degree of splitting into fractions.. Moms should remember: the less time it takes to prepare the product, the higher its glycemic index (an indicator of blood sugar).

Important! It is undesirable to buy instant dry mixes with modified milk. This is pre-processed and artificially supplemented food, which means the worst possible option for feeding babies.

How to cook porridge for a child

Oatmeal for infants is prepared in much the same way as for adults, except that it is added to breast milk or a liquid mixture usual for the child to feed. This helps children who are just starting to take solid food, perceive it as something familiar.

Cereal cereals, such as oatmeal, are an ideal way to convert babies to solid foods.. In this case, the mother can track any reaction or allergy to the product.

Many young mothers are convinced that cereal on water will not be useful to the child. But this is not always true. First of all, if the baby is breast-fed, then he absolutely does not need cow, goat or any other milk.

Recipes for the smallest

Oatmeal for infants is cooked, as well as cereal porridge, but has a special additive. In a pan, mix half a cup of oat oat flour (flour) with 1 1⁄2 cup cold water. Bring to a boil, then cover and boil over very low heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. When all the water is absorbed, the container is removed from the fire.

In a slightly cooled dish, add from 3 to 5 tbsp. tablespoons of breast milk or the prepared milk mixture. A familiar aroma will help the baby take a new meal.

Did you know? Oat flakes can be used not only as food for the whole family, but also as an absorber of unpleasant odors in the refrigerator. To do this, it is enough to install a small open container with dry oatmeal in the chamber.

Cooking Whole Flakes

Whole oatmeal is made from steamed and pressed grains. For their preparation, it takes from 30 to 40 minutes, unlike instant cereals, consisting of small fractions. As a rule, they are cooked over low heat, stirring occasionally so that the dish does not burn.

If the mother considers it necessary to improve the taste of porridge, she can add to it: mashed fruits, sugar, salt or oil. As a liquid for cooking, you can use milk, water, or a mixture of both in various proportions.

On the water

A lighter and healthier version of baby food is oatmeal, boiled in water. Its preparation is identical to oatmeal porridge, but instead of flour, hercules flakes are used. One and a half measures of liquid are taken for each cup of product, mixed, and boiled for about half an hour. The readiness of the dish is indicated by the softness of the flattened grains. After that add 20-30 g of butter, a little sugar and a grain of salt.

If the oatmeal is too thick, and the child has problems moving food in the mouth or swallowing, you can beat it in a blender and get a smoothie. To make the dish tastier, you can add a little apple or banana puree to it.

In milk

Milk flakes are cooked for 30–40 minutes, boiling over very low heat. In the porridge removed from the stove, you can add mashed fruits, such as an apple or a banana. It is important to consider the occurrence of a possible allergic reaction, therefore, for the first time, a fruit supplement should be minimal, not more than 10 g per serving.

You should not add fresh fruit at a time when milk oatmeal is still boiled. This can cause the milk to clot. In addition, after heat treatment, the fruit will lose useful minerals and vitamins.

Porridge for babies should have a slightly liquid consistency and be warm.

Oat broth

A decoction of oats is used to feed babies left without breastfeeding. They replace one of the techniques of artificial nutrient mixture.

On the forums you can read that some mothers feed babies with oatmeal broth starting from 2 months, but pediatricians do not recommend cereals to children under 6 months. This is due to the fact that it is quite difficult for a very small child to process such food, and there is always a risk of an allergy to oats.

In practice, it was found that on oatmeal broth crumbs usually quickly recover. Eating this food can help underweight babies.. It is possible to introduce the product into the diet of infants only after consulting with a pediatrician.

Preparing a decoction is simple, for this 1 tbsp. a spoonful of hercules is mixed with a glass of boiled water, brought to a boil and boiled for half an hour. The cooled mixture is filtered through a fine sieve. The dish is ready, you can add a little sugar or butter to it if you wish.

Feeding Features

Although an allergy to oatmeal is rare, it is not completely excluded. Whenever a new complementary food is introduced into the children's diet, the mother should follow up on a possible reaction that may appear within a few minutes or hours after eating. In case of small manifestations, such as urticaria, it is worth calling the pediatrician to the baby. More serious manifestations require an immediate emergency call.

Important! By including oatmeal in your child’s diet, you can detect gluten intolerance or even celiac disease, which is an autoimmune disease that affects the intestines. Symptoms of these problems may resemble allergy symptoms, including bloating, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Allergy symptoms may include:

• sudden redness of the skin;
• rash;
• urticaria;
• swelling on the face, tongue and lips;
• labored breathing;
• sudden wheezing;
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• loss of consciousness.

Oatmeal is nutritious and rich in trace elements and vitamins, which are very useful for the growing body of children. But since pediatricians still have not reached a consensus on how old babies can use this cereal, it is better for young mothers not to experiment. You should consult with a pediatrician who has been observing a child from birth, and only then gradually introduce oatmeal.