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Weaning

Find weaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Weaning forum. Use our child development calendar for more information.

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Original poster

Baby rice if BF

18 replies

Wishfulmakeupping · 28/04/2016 07:47

Can I make it with water or cows milk? I won't be able to express enough to make it with bm.
Or should I buy a tub of formula to make it with that? Tia

OP posts:

arandomname · 28/04/2016 07:54

What age is your baby?

We didn't use baby rice at all.

It's really bland stuff with not a lot of nutritional content that was invented because people used to be advised to start weaning their babies before their bodies were ready for it, so very bland foods were given because they were less difficult for the baby to tolerate.

People still give it now IMO because it's become a cultural thing, we think it's what babies should have when it's not really the best option.

So my advice would be to forget the baby rice. If your baby is 6 months, do some research on baby led weaning and pureeing and decide which approach suits you, then either offer finger foods, or purees made from fresh ingredients - or shop bought ones if you prefer.

If your baby is younger keep on breastfeeding, it's way more nutritious than baby rice!

BikeRunSki · 28/04/2016 07:57

Or you could just not give it?

arandomname · 28/04/2016 07:57

The mumsnet page on weaning has a lot of good advice

www.mumsnet.com/babies/weaning

WellErrr · 28/04/2016 07:59

Baby rice is crap.

There's nothing good nutritionally in it, and plenty of nasty additives.

How old is your baby?

WhyBird2k · 28/04/2016 08:05

Hi OP

You can use either cow's milk or formula. I gave up pumping for it and just added cow's milk because its ok to use cow's milk as an "addition", like in sauces.

Maybe ask your HV which is better nutritionally but i do agree that baby rice is very much like cardboard and it made my DD constipated!

Eminybob · 28/04/2016 08:07

You really don't need to give you baby baby rice, baby porridge or any other "baby foods"
It's so much easier to just give them whatever you're having. And cheaper too.
Like a pp has said, these type of foods were designed for giving to a baby before they are really ready to start weaning. Now the advice is to wait until 6 months then just normal food is fine. (With the obvious exceptions - honey, whole nuts etc)

Original poster

Wishfulmakeupping · 28/04/2016 08:37

Thanks all ds is a couple of weeks off 6 months. I have an older dd who did finger foods etc from 6 months but wanted to try something like baby rice that I can get ds to eat he's hungry but concide that finger foods are easier in some ways.

OP posts:

arandomname · 29/04/2016 09:30

When your baby's 6 months how about porridge? Similar consistency to baby rice but so much better for you, porridge is great!

You could mash in stuff like banana or blueberries.

Or like you say go for finger foods again.

Either is better than baby rice.

arandomname · 29/04/2016 09:32

Or even better like the poster above say just give a bit if what you're having, that's a great idea and the easiest of all.

Some babies love to just gum bits of meat for example. It might look like they're not getting much out if it but they'll be getting iron, which they need.

AndTakeYourPenguinWithYou · 29/04/2016 11:01

There's nothing good nutritionally in it, and plenty of nasty additives

This is bullshit, please ignore. Why do mothers comment with rubbish designed to make other mothers feel bad?

Cow and Gate baby rice: Ingredients

Baby-grade Rice (99.999%), Thiamin (Vitamin B1) (0.001%)

Aptamil Organic baby rice ingredients:
Organic rice (99.999%), Thiamin (Vitamin B1) (0.001%).

Hipp Organic: Ingredients
Rice Flour* (100%), Thiamin (Vitamin B1).

*Organic

Rosa · 29/04/2016 11:08

I used formula as diddn't have enough Bm. In Italy its almost obligatory... ( along with vitamin d drops) grated apple , mashed banana. Plus they suggest you introduce foods gradually instead of going straight for the thai curry !

arandomname · 29/04/2016 11:18

Yes baby rice is made with rice. But is white rice a good first food for babies? Not really.

Here's some food for thought (no pun intended!)

Nine good reasons not to use baby rice

AndTakeYourPenguinWithYou · 29/04/2016 11:28

Very poor quality article.

arandomname · 29/04/2016 11:44

Well yes, apologies I must admit I'm posting with DC climbing on me so I didn't have time to find something scientific and Ower reviewed, which is why I only said it was "food for thought".

It gives some examples of why people might not think white rice is the best first food.

arandomname · 29/04/2016 11:45

*peer reviewed not Ower!

WellErrr · 29/04/2016 11:47

Penguin it's more to do with the pretty nasty chemicals used in the production and preservation process.

It's not bullshit.

AndTakeYourPenguinWithYou · 29/04/2016 11:48

It is though.
What nasty chemicals and how will effect anyone who consumes them?
You said there were nasty additives. There are not.

arandomname · 29/04/2016 13:13

This article is from 2008, I haven't had time to find out what happened next, but this is the NHS responding to reports that a third of baby rice had arsenic in it. It takes the reports seriously and recommends urgent action.

Arsenic in baby rice

It's not an additive, it gets in the rice as the fields are flooded, and it seemed to be present in doses higher than food safety standards would allow.

As I said I've not looked up what happened next so no idea if this is the same still or not.

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