Rice milk

[jenmcm]

At what age can we give our babies rice milk? I started to make rice cereal for my 6 1/2 mo old daughter and wanted to use rice milk instead of water so that it was creamier. I usually add some breast milk just before I serve it to her but obviously do not cook with it!

[PikkuMyy]

Rice milk is basically just rice and water, so if you are giving your baby rice, then it isn't any different, really.

[cathe]

Just check the ingredients -- you don't really want to be giving sweeteners or additives. I have a recipe for homemade rice milk if you're interested . . .

[veganf]

I've always offered a little bit of rice milk starting between 6-9 months old...in a cup, in oatmeal, etc.

[angelamariebee]

Originally Posted by cathe

Just check the ingredients -- you don't really want to be giving sweeteners or additives. I have a recipe for homemade rice milk if you're interested . . .

I'd be interested in that recipe, very much!

[cathe]

Brown Rice Milk
You won’t believe how easy it is to make your own rice milk. It is delicious warm as well as cold. Don't use honey as the sweetener if milk will be served to infant under 1 year old.

1/2 cup brown rice
8 cups water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup or more cold water
3 tablespoons brown rice syrup, maple syrup, agave nectar, or honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Place rice, 8 cups water, and salt in pan. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer 3 hours, or until rice is very soft. (You can also do this in a slow cooker overnight.)
In a blender, puree rice mixture with remaining ingredients. (You will have to do it in two batches.) Puree each batch 2 to 3 minutes, or until rice is completely liquefied. Add more water if a thinner consistency is desired. Keep refrigerated.

Makes about 6 cups

Note: A few drops of liquid stevia can be used to sweeten the milk instead of syrup or honey.

[NinasMommy]

ok, i guess i'm reviving an old thread, haha!

cathe, i love that you have a recipe for rice milk! please tell me i can make it with only the water and rice? it's for my 6 month old baby who's just starting on rice cereal, so obviously i don't want to add anything else.

 

Originally Posted by cathe 

Brown Rice Milk
You won’t believe how easy it is to make your own rice milk. It is delicious warm as well as cold. Don't use honey as the sweetener if milk will be served to infant under 1 year old.

1/2 cup brown rice
8 cups water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup or more cold water
3 tablespoons brown rice syrup, maple syrup, agave nectar, or honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Place rice, 8 cups water, and salt in pan. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer 3 hours, or until rice is very soft. (You can also do this in a slow cooker overnight.)
In a blender, puree rice mixture with remaining ingredients. (You will have to do it in two batches.) Puree each batch 2 to 3 minutes, or until rice is completely liquefied. Add more water if a thinner consistency is desired. Keep refrigerated.

Makes about 6 cups

Note: A few drops of liquid stevia can be used to sweeten the milk instead of syrup or honey.

[cathe]

Hi Ninasmommy,

For baby of 6 months, I would use just the rice and water -- omit the salt, sweetener, cinnamon, etc.   Or If you want some for the rest of the family, take some of the plain out for baby and then season the rest of batch for family use. 

[SundayCrepes]

I'm not sure why you want to give a 6 month old baby rice milk. They should be exclusively on breastmilk. Maybe a few solids if they are interested in tastes, but there is absolutely no health benefit to giving a baby rice milk. And probably a lot of reasons NOT to do it.

Here are some sites on baby led solids. It allows the baby to determine how much they are ready to handle (if at all) and avoids the cereal/puree phase that can cause so many problems in some babies.

http://www.borstvoeding.com/voedselintroductie/blw/engels.html

http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/babyledweaning.htm

And here is a whole book: http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Led-Weaning-Essential-Introducing-Confident/dp/161519021X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313906731&sr=8-1

[JudiAU]

Rice milk is not nutritious so I wouldn't recommend it for a baby, even as a "creamy" agent for cereal. And for that matter, commercial rice cereal doesn't have any nutrition either. Any whole foods will offer far more nutrition than rice. If you really want a cereal, Whomesome Baby Food has good instructions about making poridges. Basically, grind brown rice and cook.

Ripe banana or avadaco will add creaminess.

[NinasMommy]

SundayCrepes and judiAU,

I've been having a hard time expressing milk, so was looking for alternatives to mix with the whole grain rice cereal I have for LO... although from the sound of it, maybe I shouldn't even be feeding her rice cereal. I've been using Earth's Best and another organic brand, the name of which I forget.

Anyway, I somehow found the Natural Family Living workshops on MDC, and there's one on nutrition/food/etc, which was very informative. I'll also check out the links you posted, SundayCrepes... have patience with the unenlightened! lol

Cathe, thank you so much for the rice milk recipe! I'm excited to try it.

[SundayCrepes]

IF you want to mix something with cereal and you don't have enough breastmilk, use formula. Since my little one is adopted, I looked for formula info in case I couldn't provide her with enough breasatmilk (mine or donor.) Three years ago Babys Only Organic formula seemed the best (I got enough donor milk so never had to use formula.)

But really, skip the rice cereal and start with avocado. My son's first solids at 7.5 months (when he was initiating solids) was the potato and pea insides of a samosa at an Indian restaurant. He still loves eating there.