Nowadays—and pretty much since always in the United States—we know pablum as any kind of infant cereal, or a baby’s first introduction to the world of solid foods. It’s made of processed grains, most commonly rice but also barley or oats. It’s hypoallergenic, easy to digest, and can be served as a solid food when mixed with breastmilk or formula. Since pablum can also be thinned out in a baby’s bottle (with a larger nipple) for drinking, many parents wonder when they can start giving it to their baby. Here’s everything you need to know.
What is Pablum?
Usually, pablum is made of only one type of highly-processed grain so your baby can digest it without any GI upset or allergic reactions. Many types of pablum are fortified with important vitamins and nutrients, like iron, calcium, and B vitamins. As your baby grows, you may also choose to give them pablum made from other types of grain, like millet, quinoa, wheat flour, and rye flour.
When Can I Start Giving It to My Baby?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), most babies are ready to start solid foods between four and six months of age. Your baby may be ready if they:
can hold their head up unassistedshow an interest in food (by reaching for food in sight or opening their mouths when a spoon is brought near)don’t immediately spit food out of their mouth
That said, there’s no rush; the AAP also recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life. Once your baby has doubled their birth weight, you can begin feeding them solids, but you don’t have to wait until then.
What Are the Advantages?
You don’t have to give your baby pablum at any time, either as a first food or later down the line after other foods have been introduced. There’s nothing in single-grain cereals that your baby can’t get in breast milk, formula, or other solid foods. But there are some advantages to offering pablum as an early food to your baby. Older generations grew up believing that putting rice cereal in a baby’s bottle at four months old would help the baby sleep better at night, but sleep is a developmental milestone so this actually doesn’t make much of a difference. However, adding a teaspoon or two of rice cereal to a bottle may help babies who are troubled by excessive spitting or regurgitation. Talk to your doctor if you think your baby has a medical need for cereal in their bottle.
What Are the Disadvantages?
There are a few reasons to be cautious about giving your baby pablum as an early solid food. If it’s added to a bottle, it could be a choking hazard for some babies, and if you add too much, it could significantly reduce the amount of formula or breast milk needed for your baby’s nutrition. The AAP has also advised parents to vary the types of single-grain cereal given to babies because rice contains arsenic, an element that can be dangerous in high concentrations. If possible, it’s better to offer your baby oat, barley, or multigrain cereal, limiting or diluting the amount of rice cereal you give them.
What Should I Look For When I Buy It?
Although many brands of infant cereal come in organic varieties, there’s no clear consensus on whether or not organic pablum is better than non-organic. This is a family-by-family choice. Beyond that, try to choose cereals that are nutrient-dense, such as ones containing whole grains like millet or quinoa, and fortified with vitamins and minerals, especially iron. Depending on your baby’s needs, you may want to consider buying pablum that offers a few other features as well.
If you’re worried about pesticides, you might want to choose an organic, non-GMO pablum like Gerber Organic Rice Cereal or Earth’s Best Organic Rice Cereal. If your baby has a sensitive tummy, you might want to choose an infant cereal containing probiotics, like Gerber DHA & Probiotic Oatmeal Cereal. If you’re concerned about the arsenic in rice, you might want to choose pablum made with whole grains or alternative grains like Earth’s Best Organic Whole Grain Multi-Grain Cereal or Beech-Nut Stage 1 Organic Oatmeal Cereal. If your older baby likes a lot of flavors, you might want to choose an infant cereal made with fruit pieces or natural flavoring, like Gerber Lil’ Bits Oatmeal Banana Strawberry Baby Cereal or WutsupBaby Quinoa Cereal Pouches with Carrot.
