types and brands of cereals

M

mummybee

Registered User
My baby, 7 months, is allergic (mouth rashes / eczema all over body) to several foods hence I have to be extra careful of the solids I introduce. Wonder if anyone can help me with these questions:

(1) One of the things she doens't react to is the Heinz Rice Cereal which I bought from Australia and understandably I want to continue giving her the same thing. Would the Heinz rice cereal sold in HK the same with that in Australia? I am most worried that the cereal, processed in different countries, may contain traces of ingredients that she may react to, eg wheat, soy etc. Also I heard of the recent news that Heinz Rice Cereal in HK has been linked with genetically-modified rice. Any thoughts on this?

(2) I am thinking of replacing the rice cereal with chinese rice coogee. Is the latter as nutritious, given the commercial cereal is fortified with iron and other vitamins?

(3) I have been told that chinese herbal shops sell a particular ground rice mixed with selected herbs specially formulated for babies. Anyone heard of this and if so, where can I buy it?

(4) When should I introduce meat (and which meat?) to her? I am holding out as I am so worried she is going to react to the proteins in meat.

(5) Whole grain rice has been heavily advertised to be more nutritious than refined rice. Is whole grain too much for babies digestive tract?

Thanks in advance for your help!!!
 
I'm only replying on some items based on stuff i've read about, so please take this with a grain of salt. I'm just starting solids with my 6mth old so i'm probably as new as you in terms of maturity.

(2) I think replacing with chinese rice congee is ok, since that's what my pediatrician has recommended as well if the baby doesn't take well to rice cereal. mine is taking to cereal sometimes, i'm guessing that she doesn't seem to be a big fan of the taste. so i am considering switching to congee to try it out as well.

(3) i'm not sure which particular one you're talking about but those herbal things should be available from the branded Chinese herbal stores like Yu Yan Sang. they are in most of the big malls now, i know there's one in Telford Garden (Kowloon Bay), but they have stores all over HK. i get most of my herbal supplies from there, the branded shops might be slightly more expensive than your neighborhood chinese herbal store, but you get better reassurance on the quality, especially if you're relying on their recommendations. so would recommend that you go to those. they would also be able to recommend if you tell them your situation.
we're Chinese but with these things, i always double check with my pediatrician as well to make sure they are ok from western medicine perspective.
(4) i've read somewhre that meat shouldn't be introduced until after 12mths? i might be wrong, but should double check on websites and books.

good luck.
 
Hi.
(1) The Heinz rice cereal you see in HK is made in China. Given that your baby has eczema and rashes already I would not get the one produced here. Have you tried Healthy Times? my baby is 6.5mo and tested 4.8 on his Ige when he was born. (I was told a number between 0-1 is normal)..he's been taking it well. it's organic and it's brown rice.

(2) I think it may not be as nutritious in terms of minerals. but you can always ask your ped whether you should give your baby a vitamin supplement and iron drops. Have you read this book from the US called Super Baby Book? There is a chapter on making homemade congee.. if you can't find a copy you can email me. I will get you the recipe. (private messaging)

hope it helps.
cindy
 
How I feed my 10 month old

Hello ladies,

I'm the mum of a 10month old baby who eats lots of things now and who is so bored with milk that I have to add things in it to make him drink (and still he doesnt drink so much although I only give him milk in the morning & in the evening...)

I tried all the cereals sold at Parknshop & BumbstoBabe but he got bored with all of them pretty quick. I finally asked my mum to send me from France (they do some with honey, with vanilla, with chocolate and so fare it works good: He eats more than he has for weeks but still not the "right" amount of milk he is "suppose" to have at this age (they say 500ml of milk, he is fare...)

Mumybee, you seem to give you little one lots of rice stuff, is it ok? Doesnt it constipate her a little bit (Heinz Rice cereal sure did that to my son). My doctor told me to mix his milk with fruits (a bit of banana or apple mixes with his bottle gives a great taste) have you tried this fruits yet?

I started solid foods at 5. I started with carrots (kept on carrot for a while) and as he didn't really want to be spoon-feeded I started putting a little then a little more them much more, etc in his milk bottle. Each time I put more carrot I put less milk (but still the same amout of water) and then I put the same mixure in a plate ans fed himl with spoon (but still a little milk). This phase lasted for a big month. After carrots I gave him zuccini then pumkin, spinachs, brocolis, leeks, always with a little bit of potatoe or pastas or rice.
I started meat at 6 month with some chicken first and then minced beef that I mixed with the vegetables, I'm not even sure he realised first that I had added something ! I started some fish (only salmon wich is the fish who shows the less numbers of allergies for babies) at 8 months, he loves it. For dessert I give him apple-banana, apple, apple-banana-strawburry, apricot all made-home.
As he is allergic to egg I havent given him egg-base food, I wait for him to be 2 years old so we can see if he is really allergis...

Hope this post wasnt too long / boring but I thought it would be nice to know one method so you can figure what you want your method to be !

Take care,
Alexandra
 
Thanks, everyone, for replying.

Cindy, I have heard about the Super Baby Food book, though I can't find it in HK bookshops. Will try Amazon.

Alexandra, your post is not boring at all. really appreciate the useful information. I do give a lot of rice stuff since that is one "safe" food she can take. She used to get constipation, but ok now when I add pear or apple. I am yet to try banana. didn't want to give her raw food yet, I guess.

Also I use rice as a "base" and add vegetables like carrots, pumpkin, zucchini, avocado. I have stopped giving her sweet potato and potato, as I am suspecting they may be the cause of her mouth eczema. i read somewhere that the peels of potato may induce oral allergy syndrome. Yet to be confirmed though - anyone having the same experience?

I am going to introduce chicken and later salmon (yeah, also been told this is the "least allergenic" fish) when she is 8 months old.

thanks again...
 
mummybee

F(1) Do u try the brand name 'Organix'? I give it to my baby and she loves it.

(2) I am thinking of replacing the rice cereal with chinese rice coogee. Is the latter as nutritious, given the commercial cereal is fortified with iron and other vitamins?

u need to put some meat to the congee because it is not as nuturious than rice cereal.

(4) When should I introduce meat (and which meat?) to her? I am holding out as I am so worried she is going to react to the proteins in meat.

The best thing to start with fish or vegetables like Tofu.
 
Mummybee,

I feel for you, my son suffers from eczema since he was two weeks old, so a lot of the what to feed him dilemna was hard for me as well.

My son's allergist gave me the following guidelines on how and when to feed my son.

wait until 1 year old to feed: eggs, fruits with seeds (bananas, strawberries, etc.), citrus (though my son still has reaction on the mouth w/ that at 3 yrs old)
wait until 2 years old to feed: fish
wait until 3 years old to feed: shellfish, nuts, chocolates

He also recommended using Cetaphil cleanser & cream to use all over & wash his clothes with Dreft detergent and do not use fabric softener.

My son had bad reaction on rice cereal (looked like a racoon with the rashes), however, responded well to the oat cereal. For meat, the doctor recommended turkey & lamb to start with because they have least allergens, however, my son had reaction to the lamb, so even doctors can be mistaken.

Since moving to HK, we've tried to incorporate more "normal" diet for my son, but I have to admit, I shipped a lot of his food/formula over to start me with since I did not want to be stressed about looking for his food & dealing with the move at the same time. Once we settled down, then we started to look at local alternatives.

Good luck with everything.
 
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