- 1). Evaluate the infants' readiness. An infant may be ready to start cereal between four to six months of age, can sit up unassisted, shows interest in food, watches people eat carefully, grabs for food when people are eating, and seems hungry for something in addition to breast milk or formula.
- 2). Purchase a single grain rice cereal. According to Ask Dr. Sears, "Rice is the most intestinal-friendly grain because it is gluten-free, low in protein, and high in carbohydrates."
- 3). Prepare the infant cereal. Infant cereal can be prepared using water, breast milk or formula. At first, only prepare a tablespoon or two of cereal. Add enough liquid to make the cereal thin and soup like. As the infant becomes more familiar with the cereal, the amount served can be increased and the texture can be made thicker.
- 4). Place the infant in an appropriate feeding chair. Infants should be fed while sitting in an upright position. A highchair with a 5-point harness is a good feeding chair option as the harness will help keep the child restrained and upright during feeding time. Feeding an infant can be a messy endeavor. Place a bib on the infant to help protect his clothing.
- 5). Offer the infant a small amount of cereal. Place a small amount of cereal on a soft-tipped infant spoon. Gently place the spoon at the infant's lips and allow the infant to taste the food off of the spoon, rather than placing the spoon inside of the infant's mouth.
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