Weaning From Breastfeeding - Foods to Avoid Before the 12th Month
When baby starts eating solids, it can be a very exciting time in your baby's life. He's very eager and very open to trying out new food. However, you must be cautious NOT to introduce him to foods that are known to be allergenic and even fatal.
If you have a family history of allergies, it is best to seek for advice from the baby’s pediatrician so that he can suggest alternatives to your baby’s diet. Allergies are usually genetic – whether it be asthma or allergies to certain foods.
If you don’t have a famiy history of food allergy, that is not a guarantee that your baby will not have allergies to certain foods. For instance, I have a 1 year old daughter who has a weird allergy to chocolate baby cereal. After eating it, she develops spots, much like mosquito bites, but she gets not more than 3, all red spots around the mouth. No history of allergies in the family, and yet, at 12 months, she had an adverse reaction to the coco-flavored food. So be very careful in introducing new food.
Follow the 4-day rule. Introduce one food at a time and feed it to baby for 4 days. If he doesn’t develop any form of allergies after 4 days, then it is safe to continue feeding him. If he develops a rash or any allergic reaction within 4 days, discontinue the feed and give him his usual cereal or baby food to flush out the new food. You can reintroduce the new food to baby when he is a few months older.
Here is a list of foods that you shouldn’t feed your baby for the first 12 months of life:
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Salt. Believe it or not, formula and even breast milk already have salt content. This just means that your baby doesn’t need additional salt on food. Too much salt can damage your baby’s kidneys, which are not yet fully developed. Early salt intake can also lead to diabetes in later years, so think twice before deciding on sprinkling some salt for his food to “taste”.
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Unpasteurized milk. Milk is heated in pasteurization; therefore, unpasteurized means unheated. Why should milk be pasteurized? Unheated milk becomes a breeding ground for bacteria, among them the deadly E.Coli. Unpasteurized milk would result in severe diarrhea for babies, which could lead to dehydration and even death if checked too late.
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Honey. Studies have once shown that honey may contain bacterial spores which may cause botulism. Though very rare, infant botulism can cause paralysis and death. If baby has “accidentally” been fed food with honey, be on the lookout for possible symptoms such as constipation, irritability, signs of weakness, loss of head control and lack of facial expressions. Bring baby to the emergency room or call 911 should you observe any of said symptoms.
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Fish, shellfish and eggs. Some fish have high mercury content and the introduction of these fish varieties should be delayed. Start him out on the least allergenic fishes like cod, haddock and sole. Shellfish contain certain allergens and is said to be one of the worst contributors of allergies from babyhood. Some experience egg allergies (although this usually depends on baby’s tolerance to eggs). If you have a family history of allergies, the chances of baby having early egg allergies is highly likely.
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Fried and smoked foods. They are delicious and even your baby will like them. Unfortunately, you may have to defer giving this to him at a later date as these types of foods would be a bit difficult to digest and might cause constipation.
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Wheat products. Fiber is good for the body – if you’re an adult. Babies should be given these gradually as feeding him too much of this in middle infancy can lead to possible gluten intolerance and celiac disease (a disorder of the small intestine that affects food absorption; can also be genetically inherited).
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Cow’s milk. Not all milk are best for baby; cow’s milk is one of them. This may make your baby lactose intolerant because it has milk proteins that are difficult to digest and absorb. Also, early introduction of cow’s milk to infants is said to lead to iron deficiency.
These are just some of the foods you must definitely avoid for now. But don’t worry. As your baby grows older, you will be able to let him try all the really great and beneficial foods that our world has to offer.
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