A friend of mine is a lactation consultant (ie, she knows more about feeding babies than the Dr's do - although I'm not sure about formulas because mine were all breast fed) but she advises that 6 months is the absolute minimum age for solids or anything else except breast or formula milk. It is even recommended to wait longer than that if possible (hers didn't eat solids for 8 months and they were all big hungry kids). She said anything before that (6 months) is just basically poisoning their system as their bodies can't  process out the toxins like ours can. Definitely no juice, and I would go as far as to say, as someone else did: wait for them to ask for it! I have a 12 yr old a 5 yr old and a 3 yr old and even now I only allow them juice at the weekend and then only one drink! Too much sugar - and they are old enough to eat the whole piece of fruit which is much better for them. When your bub is old enough to eat solids she will be able to eat mashed fruit then and should not need juice.

I would continue to do the thickened formula until the Drs tell you to stop. Here in the states the child has to pass a Modified Marium Swallow Study on ALL thickness and thins prior to being allowed to do thins.

Why are you using the thickened fluids?? If it is only for Reflux and not for swallowing issues, I'd talk to the DRs and see if you can lessen the thickness of the fluid and see how things go.

I most certainly would NOT go apple juice on a  reflux kid...read ALL labels carefully. Many kids juices have apple hiddne in them and that's not a good thing for a kids who has reflux. Pear juice would be your best bet. I've also heard that White grape juice isn't too bad. But pear is by far the least acidic and the first choice.

I would only do so under gp or peadi advice. i know of some one whos 2 year old is still on special formula for reflux. also I would only give water to a baby and no juice. too much sugars.

forgot to say she is on thickened formula for silent reflux

 No need to give her apple juice (or any juice) till they ask for it. (so not till they are about 2-3 hehe) When she starts eating (round 6 months) give her water. Altho being in Australia if it gets really hot you can give her a tiny bit of water to keep her flueds up, but mostly they just need formula untill 6 months :)

When my daughter was 9 months I gave her watered down pear juice cause she wasnt drinking water, then my mum had a sippy cup and she put water in it, she drank it! So I "borrowed" permantly the sippy cup and now she just has water and milk to drink :)

16 weeks old is still young, enjoy just doing just formula till 6 months then enjoy giving her yummy food :) and try to avoid the juice ;)

Is your baby on thickened formula for a specific reason?  You should only be changing the formula/water ratio if you have been instructed to do so by your doctor or post natal carer.  Babies do not require ANY juice in their diet, in fact neither do toddlers.  Juice has an extremely high concentrate of natural sugar compared to the equivalent amount of fruit. 

Until 6months, you should only be feeding your baby on breastmilk or formula unless you receive medical advice to introduce solids or you may feel that it is time a few weeks earlier if you have a particularly hungry baby. 

I strongly suggest that you speak to your GP, or whoever is assisting you in the care of your baby and get all of these details clarified and ask them for a fact sheet.  Normally you should have been provided with all of this information when your baby was born or discharged from hospital or at least at your first clinic visit. 

you could remove her from thinkened formula now as she is able to solids now and she can have watered down juice now as she is 16 weeks