Is there anyone NOT starting their LO on rice cereal ?

[@llli*TimsMom]

in our case, DS was/is eating the majority of their USDA-reimbursed meal, so i don't feel bad about them getting/wanting reimbursement for it. but it definitely seems like they are ACTING like they're making profit off it, esp in the rice cereal case.

The complicated part is that the USDA is not only reimbursing them for the cost of food but also for the cost of serving food. For babies under 7 months, they will pay the provider to feed the baby breastmilk. The rationalization is twofold: 1) there are costs associated with managing serving breastmilk properly, 2) if they paid for formula and not breastmilk, providers might push parents to use formula. The reimbursement rates are here: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/care/Pro...ents/Table.pdf. So, depending on the category and how many meals they serve, it could be a few dollars a day.
- Amy

[@llli*manitobamommy]

The complicated part is that the USDA is not only reimbursing them for the cost of food but also for the cost of serving food. For babies under 7 months, they will pay the provider to feed the baby breastmilk. The rationalization is twofold: 1) there are costs associated with managing serving breastmilk properly, 2) if they paid for formula and not breastmilk, providers might push parents to use formula. The reimbursement rates are here: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/care/Pro...ents/Table.pdf. So, depending on the category and how many meals they serve, it could be a few dollars a day.
- Amy

But I still don't get that, because presumably the amount of "reimbursement" should be equivalent to the cost (even if you use a loose definition of "cost" to include the effort of serving the food), otherwise it's not a reimbursement, but an incentive. So we're back to an incentive program to give babies rice cereal, which seems really poor to me, on a number of levels. I can sort of see the argument that giving it to some babies and not others is too complicated, but really??? Doesn't every daycare have to deal with some kids having allergies and other special needs anyway?

I don't think the daycares are to blame for the system, but it doesn't seem like the system REQUIRES them to buy in. And any daycare that's going to try to pressure me to let them give my kid food that I don't approve of just to make their lives a little simpler is not worthy of my respect.

[@llli*bf4life365]

Most of my mommy friends told me not to even bother with the rice cereal. I bought some anyway and it was a WASTE of money(not that it cost much). DD didn't like it at all and the couple times I did get her to eat it she ended up super fussy. So we just started giving her fruits and veggies and she loves them

[@llli*still.here]

I don't think the daycares are to blame for the system, but it doesn't seem like the system REQUIRES them to buy in. And any daycare that's going to try to pressure me to let them give my kid food that I don't approve of just to make their lives a little simpler is not worthy of my respect.

Well the ladies at my son's day care take care of about 30 kids of various ages all day long and still have time to give him the extra care and attention he needs with his health problems. So I do have massive respect for them. And I understand their need to mainstream care where they can to make things that much easier for them while at the same time maintaining rates that are affordable to people who can't afford to send their kids to daycares that DON'T get part of their funding from the state.

[@llli*dara]

I didnt do rice cereal for DD at all, she hardly if ever got any cereal as a baby. She HATED to be spoon fed, so I just did cut up avocado, banana, cooked black beans...food that was soft and mushy that she could feed herself.

[@llli*amygirl]

Rice Cereal should be banned, it has no nutritive value and no babies should be fed rice cereal. We are starting with fruits and veggies too around 6-7 months when DD is ready (can sit up on her own) and we aren't doing baby food or purees. Baby led weaning. I'm excited to try it in 6 weeks, but am sad my LO is growing up too fast!!