Question: I know I shouldn't start most solid foods until my baby is six months old. But there is a bunch of stuff I have to avoid until he turns one or two, right?
Answer: Not necessarily. Once upon a time, we told parents to wait to introduce many foods until at least age 1 (peanuts, strawberries, eggs and cow’s milk for example.) The thought behind this was that waiting until later to introduce such foods, might prevent food allergies. Well, in case you hadn't heard, a couple years ago, these recommendations by the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) were changed. Why were they changed? It was not that we found that introducing these foods sooner prevented allergies (though there is some evidence leaning this way). But after reviewing the research, the AAP didn’t find any evidence that delaying introduction to such foods beyond 6 months prevents the development of allergies either. There were other recommendations pertaining to children at high risk for developing allergies—namely that for such children, exclusive breastfeeding or use of hydrolyzed formulas in the first four months might prevent eczema, cow’s milk allergy and wheezing in childhood.
There is still one food off limits—Honey! Never give this to a child under the age of one because of the risk of Botulism, a potentially serious infection.
I know I’m loving these new recommendations for Drummer. He’s a big fan of a little PB on a spoon and it's an easy way for me to get a little extra protein/good fat in his diet. Since he's under doctor's orders to gain a little weight, eggs and PB are quite useful. So if you've got a little one six months or older, make sure to talk to your pediatrician or family doc about the new ways you have to entertain your baby's palate. :)
**Always check with your doctor to make sure your own families' allergy history doesn't alter these recommendations at all.**
Go here for a more detailed report.
