Baby rice

[5678hfdtu]

Why are so many people against it? What are the pros and cons?

I'm weaning my lo and have some ellas kitchen banana baby rice which he has from time to time and absolutely loves but have seen a lot of people saying bad things

@PeanutButterFalcon that is rice drinks, didn't think that was baby rice? As you add your own milk to baby rice

[quote 5678hfdtu]@PeanutButterFalcon that is rice drinks, didn't think that was baby rice? As you add your own milk to baby rice [/quote]
You get that it's the "rice" part that is the problem, not the milk, right?

You seem really set on carrying on giving it tbh

OP baby rice is fine in moderation, as you describe. I have 3 DCs. I always had a box in the cupboard for when they were weaning, like you say for when you’ve fed them what you’ve cooked / prepared and they want something else to eat. If it’s every few days as a top up to the normal food you’re giving it’s not going to be a problem. The NHS guidance on weaning does state it can be given as first foods, alongside other things.

People will argue there’s no way they’d give it to their baby if they wouldn’t eat it themselves. Fair enough. But I would definitely not drink a bottle of breast milk, yet I bf my babies for a total of 5.5 years across all 3 of them. We don’t have the same tastes as our babies. Babies are exploring new tastes and textures at the moment. I’m not sure if I ever got through more than a box or two of the stuff with any of mine, as their tastes quickly develop and move on from it, but in the first month or two it’s a handy stand by.

@Letsallscreamatthesistene

You seem really set on carrying on giving it tbh

Just trying to get to the bottom of it that's all, intrigued

@Ohalrightthen I'm just going on what the nhs website is telling me. Rice milk is in a different form to the thicker baby rice. If you read the entire thing it tells you

@daisydalrymple

OP baby rice is fine in moderation, as you describe. I have 3 DCs. I always had a box in the cupboard for when they were weaning, like you say for when you’ve fed them what you’ve cooked / prepared and they want something else to eat. If it’s every few days as a top up to the normal food you’re giving it’s not going to be a problem. The NHS guidance on weaning does state it can be given as first foods, alongside other things.

People will argue there’s no way they’d give it to their baby if they wouldn’t eat it themselves. Fair enough. But I would definitely not drink a bottle of breast milk, yet I bf my babies for a total of 5.5 years across all 3 of them. We don’t have the same tastes as our babies. Babies are exploring new tastes and textures at the moment. I’m not sure if I ever got through more than a box or two of the stuff with any of mine, as their tastes quickly develop and move on from it, but in the first month or two it’s a handy stand by.

It's so handy! He's not long started weaning but he can eat so much, he just keeps going and going. Sometimes I haven't defrosted enough veg mixes so it's quick and easy to make up and he loves the banana flavour. But like you say I think as he progresses onto different textures it will be a thing of the past. After this packet is done I'll probably buy porridge to be fair

Ella is that you?!

I really dont get this thread. There is nothing to 'get to to bottom of'. Baby rice just isnt better than regular fruits and veg. Its a pretty useless source of nutrition. Its used by some parents at the start of weaning to introduce the idea of a texture that isnt milk. Thats it. If you want to keep giving it instead of real food, fine. If you want to go for something more nutritious, fine. You have read the NHS website. The facts are there. I really dont understand what you are trying to get out of this thread, or prove?

@PeanutButterFalcon

To add I assumed as you said weaning it was a baby not a toddler as mentioned in your post

He is a baby. Just added the part about 1-4.5 years olds having rice milk as a substitute to other milk to include everything they say. Hence rice MILK being different to baby rice. It is not recommended as a substitute for formula or breast milk (obviously). But they do not say that baby rice while weaning is not recommended due to arsenic content. They infact say the opposite, that no study has been able to show the low arsenic content can cause babies any harm.

@MummaBear4321

I really dont get this thread. There is nothing to 'get to to bottom of'. Baby rice just isnt better than regular fruits and veg. Its a pretty useless source of nutrition. Its used by some parents at the start of weaning to introduce the idea of a texture that isnt milk. Thats it. If you want to keep giving it instead of real food, fine. If you want to go for something more nutritious, fine. You have read the NHS website. The facts are there. I really dont understand what you are trying to get out of this thread, or prove?

If there's arsenic in it!!😂 why am I not allowed to have a conversation about it bloody hell

Or rather if it's harmful

Literally no point in this platform if people have an issue with posters putting there points forward and discussing things. If you don't wanna read it or have no interest, go look at other threads

It’s gloop. If you’re weaning at 6 months + then you don’t need to feed them gloop because they can cope with much more interesting things. Adults can eat gruel but it’s not in my top 100 foods.

There is arsenic in it. That's why I didn't give my son any baby rice. That and it's pretty bloody pointless. Have you ever seen white chicks? Where they say about mamas breast milk being old and like powder?
I imagine my son spitting out the baby rice like the picture attached if I attempted to feed it to him.

But ....you arent having a conversation. You asked for the pros and cons and for people's opinions, people mostly gave you cons because that is their opinion, you then counteracted those cons by just saying people were basically wrong, which indicated that you didnt really want their opinions in the first place as you think your opinion is correct. Its the strangest 'conversation', in that its pointless. The point of mumsnet is people come and HELP others with their questions. You dont want help. You just started this thread so you could tell people who dont like baby rice that they are wrong.

Its pointless. You arent looking for help or advice. You are just looking for a debate when there pretty much is no debate to be had.

Read their reviews of the research that says baby rice may contain unsafe levels of arsenic. They say further investigation is required but haven’t said no — the HV and pediatrician I spoke to when getting advice about weaning DS suggested leaving out processed rice products altogether and sticking to white rice from low-arsenic soils (eg USA, India). Arsenic in high-arsenic soils as found in East Asia could potentially be one of the factors in explaining the higher levels of pediatric cancers there as compared to India despite similar levels of pollution.

Op you seem a little on the defensive that’s all - you asked a question and people have answered. You do
Not seem to like the responses.
Of course you can give baby rice it’s a bit blah but it’s fine - It’s your baby

I did a lot of research in this because I know of babies who have been harmed by eating too much rice that wasn’t washed correctly. It causes a number of things like failure to thrive, IQ issues, and growth issues. Admittedly the babies I knew were all born in Bangladesh to fairy poor families who later moved to the UK but it terrified me.

The best way to wash rice to get rid of arsenic is the traditional Indian / Asian way - ie wash it 7 times, soak it for at least 30 mins, boil it in loads more water than needed, then tipping that water out. But that gets rid of what little nutrients rice has too. So might as well give healthier grains. Oats, dried lentils, quinoa, etc are all healthier.

How old is your baby?

I gave DD baby rice and then tried baby porridge (like ready brek but more overpriced ) She was way keener on the porridge and I could see why, it had more substance and taste to it.

I don’t think it’s toxic, it’s more that you don’t want babies filling up on pap without nutrients and then refusing more nutritious food or milk because they are full or because they’ve got used to that taste. The odd bit isn’t a big deal.

Gave it to my DH 22 years ago, weaned at 3 months
Much different advice now, I certainty wouldn't give it to her now if she was that age.

@MummaBear4321

But ....you arent having a conversation. You asked for the pros and cons and for people's opinions, people mostly gave you cons because that is their opinion, you then counteracted those cons by just saying people were basically wrong, which indicated that you didnt really want their opinions in the first place as you think your opinion is correct. Its the strangest 'conversation', in that its pointless. The point of mumsnet is people come and HELP others with their questions. You dont want help. You just started this thread so you could tell people who dont like baby rice that they are wrong.

Its pointless. You arent looking for help or advice. You are just looking for a debate when there pretty much is no debate to be had.

Okay👍🏼 sorry for not using mumsnet how you wanted me to

@GrumpyHoonMain

I did a lot of research in this because I know of babies who have been harmed by eating too much rice that wasn’t washed correctly. It causes a number of things like failure to thrive, IQ issues, and growth issues. Admittedly the babies I knew were all born in Bangladesh to fairy poor families who later moved to the UK but it terrified me.

The best way to wash rice to get rid of arsenic is the traditional Indian / Asian way - ie wash it 7 times, soak it for at least 30 mins, boil it in loads more water than needed, then tipping that water out. But that gets rid of what little nutrients rice has too. So might as well give healthier grains. Oats, dried lentils, quinoa, etc are all healthier.

That's why I like the ellas kitchen one as it's predominantly quinoa :) May as well move onto porridge after this packet is done!

@AnneLovesGilbert

How old is your baby?

7 months, started weaning at 5.5 months on HV advice