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Talkback: Essential weaning guide

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  • Hi Blackkat. Thanks for your comments. We always welcome feedback, both negative and positive.

    To answer your point about sponsorship first. BabyExpert is an independent site: we aren't owned by any baby brands. (If you check out the 'footer' at the bottom of this page, you'll see we're part of Immediate Media, a company that also publishes Radio Times and Gardeners' World). The info and advice we publish is written by real mums and checked by experts. Our Weaning Villages pages are sponsored by Heinz but the folks at Heinz had no influence on the content of those pages - that's always part of the deal when we accept any sponsorship. It's hugely important to us that our users can trust that our content is genuinely impartial.

    We take your point about baby rice (it is a bit like wallpaper paste, isn't it?) but we know many mums find it a useful first food because you can mix it with breast (or formula) milk - so giving it a taste your baby is alreay familiar with.

    We also hear you loud and clear on the Baby Led Weaning front (my third son is an enthusiastic veteran BLWer). If you take a look through the other BX Weaning Village pages, you'll see there is plenty of advice on BLW: have a look here (http://www.babyexpert.com/baby/weaning/what-is-baby-led-weaning/8124.html) and (http://www.babyexpert.com/baby/weaning/when-can-i-start-baby-led-weaning/8214.html) here for a start.

    Do let us know what you think!
  • I agree that baby rice is bland, but I think it helps introduce little ones that something else other than milk can go in their mouth. so it's a gentle introduction to food. Also, I found baby rice very useful when I was making purées. I would add baby rice if the purée I had made was too thin and to bulk it up. For example, it was useful to thicken apple and pear, berry purées or mint and pea purée.
  • Thanks for clearing it up about the sponsorship it's good to know. I see there are a few other articles about BLW but I'm surprised that in this particular article you state that you should start with baby rice which you don't need to do if you're giving real food. I'm also not sure that it's safe practice to sit a baby on your lap to feed them as they need to be kept upright to eat as being reclined can be dangerous.

    Harjeet, baby rice is fine if you're going down the traditional weaning route but for those of us who do BLW it's pointless as we're giving real food with taste & texture rather than purees.
  • I can't believe that you are only suggesting offering baby rice as a first food. It's very bland & has virtually no calorific or nutrient value. Must be a website sponsored by a baby food company!!

    If you're able to wait until 6 months start with Baby Led Weaning and avoid 'baby food' & just give real food. As long as you don't give honey, runny eggs or whole nuts you can give any food. Although it's recommended not to give too much processed food (if at all) & don't add salt to meals. My daughter has only ever eaten the same food as us as we eat as a family (from 25 weeks) & her 1st meal was grilled chicken strips, baby sweetcorn and long stemmed broccoli. Very much tastier than baby rice!!!
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