Alternative to baby rice?

[blamber]

I am going to start weaning my baby at six months, doing a combination of spoon feeding and self-feeding. Lots of weaning books mention using baby rice as a first food, but I want to avoid this (been reading about arsenic in it). So are there any alternatives I can use?

I saw some baby porridge by aptamil in the shops, but that is for 7+ months. Or is just starting with veg, such as carrot, sweet potato etc. good enough and I can skip the baby rice or alternative as a first meal entirely?

I did baby led weaning so started with whatever. Although I'm pretty sure it was banana as I remember there being a 'banana test'. You're right, baby rice is a total waste of time.

We did have some baby porridge stuff for breakfast. A bit like ready break but could make it up cold.

You can definetly skip the baby rice its grim stuff.

We are starting to wean DC2, and so far he has had fingers of toast, fingers of crumpet, brocoli florets, steamed carrot sticks, strips of cooked chicken, oats so simple porridge, yoghurts, and apple segments.

Starting at six months means they can have anythig except whole nuts (choking) and honey (unsuitable for under ones).

At 6 months babies can get started with most things.

If you're keen to go the purée route then start with puréed veg, look at Annabel Karmel for ideas.

We went for the baby led weaning route and started with steamed and roast sticks of veg.

Banana, carrot, sweet potato, cucumber, broccoli and parsnip all very popular here.
We never opened the free box of baby rice.

If you start at 6 months, other than honey, and anything that could be a choking hazard they can have anything as long as you also keep an eye on the salt content. My DS's first meal was homemade veggie curry. We used ready brek for breakfast.

At 6 months you can absolutely skip the baby rice and just give pretty much any food that you are having as a family as long as there is no added salt/ sugar etc.,.
We went the BLW route so skipped purées completely too

And I really wouldn't bother with purees at 6 months, even if you're not BLW. I hated BLW but I didn't do any puree either - just went straight to soft lumpy normal foods mashed with a fork.

People originally gave baby rice as they were starting weaning before babies' digestive systems were really ready for it, so they had to give very bland foods. It's a cultural thing that we still give it, there's no need to.

As you are planning to wait till your baby's digestive system is actually ready to start digesting food, no need to go anywhere near baby rice.

You can choose to do baby-led weaning or purees. Again no need to do purees, it's cultural rather than something you need to do - you can if you want, but you can give your baby solid foods too if you like.

If you're considering BLW at all, i recommend this book

Thanks everyone! That makes sense!