You will notice that your baby will be more eager to sample or try out some foods from your plate as he grows. Similarly, you will also be eager to add or introduce a variety of foods to his diet as well. However, it is very important to note that not all foods are safe for your child. Some foods are not good for your child’s still developing digestive system while a few others pose a chocking hazard. Read on to learn the foods that babies should avid in different stage if their life.
Foods Babies Should Avoid: Birth to 4 to 6 Months
For the first six months, it is advised that you avoid feeding your child on all foods and beverages with an exception of breast milk.
Foods Babies Should Avoid: 4 to 12 Months
1. Cow’s Milk and Soy Milk
It is advised that you stick with formula milk or breast milk until your child celebrates their first birthday. This is because your baby cannot digest the protein contained in soy milk and cow’s milk for the first year. Another reason why soy or cow’s milk should be avoided is that it lacks all the nutrients that your baby needs and contains minerals in large amounts that can damage your child’s kidneys.
2. Honey
Honey can harbor spores of clostridium botulinum, which causes botulism. The intestines of an adult can prevent the spores from growing. However in a baby, the spores can grow and produce toxins that are life threatening.
3. Choking Foods to Avoid
| Foods | Why It Should Be Avoided |
|---|---|
| Small hard foods |
Hard candies, nuts, cough drops and popcorn are foods that can cause choking. Although seeds cannot choke a child, they can get stuck in the child’s airway and cause an infection. |
| Large chunks |
A chunk of food that is larger than a pea can get stuck in a child’s throat. Vegetables like celery, green beans and carrots should be shredded or cooked and cut up. Shred or cut meats and cheese into very small pieces. For fruits like tomatoes, cherry and grapes, it is advised that you cut them into pea size pieces before serving them. |
| Peanut butter |
Since peanut butter and other nut butters are sticky they can be hard for your child to swallow |
| Soft and sticky food |
Soft foods like jelly, marshmallows and gummy candy can get lodged in the throat of your child. |
Foods Babies Should Avoid: 12 to 24 Months
1. Low Fat Milk
Most children in this age group need calories and fat. They help with their growth and development and can be gotten from whole milk. You can start giving your child low fat milk when they turn two, and don’t have any growth problems. If your child is at risk of heart disease and obesity, it is recommended that you start using low fat milk before the age of two.
2. Choking Hazards That Should Be Avoided
- Chunks of food that are larger than a pea can get stuck in your child’s throat.
- Small foods that are hard should also be avoided. Such foods are like nuts, popcorns and cough drops. All these foods are potential choking hazards.
- Soft, sticky foods are also potential choking hazards that should be avoided. Such foods include marshmallows, chewing gum and jelly.
- Seeds also fall in this category as they can get stuck in the child’s airway.
Foods Babies Should Avoid: 24 t0 36 Months
Choking hazards: At this age, your child is becoming a more competent eater. However, there are high chances that your child can still choke. It is, therefore, very important that you continue to avoid the choking hazards that are listed above. You should also discourage your child from eating while walking and eating in the car.
Foods Babies Should Avoid: 3 to 5 Years
Choking hazards: At this stage, you should still be in the look out for pieces of food that he could choke on. It is advised that you go on cutting his food into small and reasonable pieces. This is especially so for things like pieces of hot dog and grapes that could completely block the airway of your child.
Watch out for Food Allergens
Doctors recommend that you wait until your child is one year or older before you introduce solid foods, which are common allergens. This is especially so with children who are at a risk of developing allergies. However, the American Academy of pediatrics, (AAP) has changed all this. This is because studies show that feeding your child on solid foods does not help in preventing allergies from developing.
It is a wise idea to gradually introduce new foods to your baby. After every new menu, it is advised that you wait for several days so as to make sure that your baby does not react badly to it. If you believe that your baby is likely to have food allergies, especially if allergies run in your family, or your baby has moderate severe eczema, check with your child doctor to determine the best strategy for introducing allergy causing foods.
There are more than 160 different types of foods that are known to cause allergic reactions. Approximately, five percent of children and four percent of adults have food allergies. Below is a list of foods that cause food allergies:
- Eggs
- Milk
- Tree nuts (e.g. almonds, pecans, wale nuts)
- Peanuts
- Wheat
- Soybeans
- Shellfish (e.g. lobster, crab, shrimp)
- Fish
If your child does have a food allergy, then it is very likely that it is one of the above foods that your child is allergic to. If you are suspecting that your child has a food allergy, talk to your child’s doctor to determine the right course of action.