do i have to use baby rice?

[worksforaliving]

hi,
starting to wean dd. do i have to use baby rice, which sounds kind of yucky to me and expensive...can i use real rice mixed with breast milk? if so, do i have to mash it up or something? never bought baby rice so don't know what it looks like.
sorry if this sounds a bit ignorant..

Alot of people on here hate baby rice... not sure what alternatives to use though - im doing baby led weaning, so DSs first feeds was steamed/boiled carrot sticks. It really cheap and easy to do...

No, don't need to use baby rice I used semolina rice for ds but generally just to add to things - his first food was (I think) pureed apple (again, just cooked up a dessert apple and pureed it, no need to buy stuff).

Potato makes a good starchy alternative to rice IMO. I agree, baby rice is an unnecessary expense.

would much prefer to use mashed potato. mixed with some breastmilk..ok for first food? BTW have tried some mashed banana which she seemed to enjoy...

Yes, that would be fine

thanks mioau,
just out of interest - how did you use semolina flour? i have some in the cupboard for making bread....do you just add milk or do you have to cook it or something?

oops, just reread your post. you used semolina rice. still, whats the difference and how do you use it?

Just cooked it up as per the instructions iirc. Actually I think it might have been ground rice - just cooked up a wee bit in a pan when I needed it.

mixture of semolina and sieved banana goes down very well in our house

Both dd and I got bored of baby rice very quickly and swiftly moved on to fruit/veg.

Glad I saw this thread - have been thinking the same thing. Haven't weaned ds yet but he's coming up to 24 weeks so it will be soon - I keep saying to people that I don't want to give him baby rice and getting [shocked]looks - like it's compulsory or something! Was thinking about steamed carrot sticks to start with so good to see that's what you gave your ds, quootie!

I never did, well tried it twice both times the boy was screaming during the night and after every feed for about 3 days so decided it didn't suit him, the things he liked to start with was mainly carrot and sweet potato. we started on purees but now switched to BLW.

You don't have to use baby rice, but I think the reason it is often suggested as a first food is that it basically makes 'thick milk' so that your baby has a familiar taste but a different texture. Rice is also very easy to digest. But plenty of babies will happily go straight to fruit or veg for their first solid.

thanks fluffy. that makes sense. have been giving dd mashed banana for the past 3 days and she seems very happy with it so am going to try mashed potato soon and see how she goes. she also had a go sucking on my apple core which she found interesting.
fun fun fun

I'm a great believer in feeding babies small, squishy versions of what you like... would you like a paste of milk and flour?? Isn't that a recipe for glue

Don't be scared of flavour - both my dds are very keen on olives, humous, any veg, blue cheese, curry - just pace them on texture as it takes a while to figure out lumps and stuff.

dd1 is 5y and dd2 is 11m and both happily try anything - as long as they know they have the option to not like it!

yes indeed. we tried some mashed up pear this morning which was rejected forcefully. so we went back to banana. whaddya think about mango?

Mango is a wonderful fruit... but a lot of work. Tried pots of mango??

Beware all banana diet... v binding...

I thought the same about the baby rice tried it for the first time today and don't think it went down too well (smelt disgusting too!) so tried banana and DS loved it! Was so proud as first time on anything other than milk (sad how we change our ideas of what is exciting when we become mothers!) Can't wait to try other veg, fruit etc. now think i'll leave the baby rice at the back of the cupboard!