My Mom’s text yesterday, “Do not drink the cider from cider mill unless it is pasteurized.”
Almost 30 weeks into my second pregnancy, I’m overly aware of foods I can/cannot eat, “I know. Can Jack drink it?”
“No kids until age 5.”
“Oops.”
We’d visited the apple orchard & cider mill two days ago. My two-year-old Jack soaked up all the activities, including the cider. Luckily it only caused a tiny bout of soft stool. So far.
Throughout Jack’s first year, our pediatrician guided our timeline on serving foods. With monthly visits, it was hard to miss exciting new allowances. I was positive the doc approved all foods at his one-year check up. Maybe it was just honey and fish? Who could remember? The newfound food restriction had me worried. What else should he avoid?
My Mom, a registered dietitian specializing in child nutrition & health, had stocked my bookcase with feeding guides, diet restrictions and sample menus when I was pregnant with Jack. I had fine-combed & thumbed them regularly that first year. Evidently I still needed to be referencing them.
Worried about another slip-up, I researched common foods to still avoid. Here’s my findings (Feeding guides & helpful tips will be featured at a later date):
Birth – 4 Months: Breast milk and formula ONLY.
4 – 6 Months: When your pediatrician says baby is the appropriate weight and gives the okay to start foods, begin with semi-liquid or iron-fortified cereal. Followed by pureed fruits & veggies.
6 – 8 Months: The fun months of food. Here are some common choking foods to avoid until the little one is an expert at chomping solids:
Whole nuts, seeds
Popcorn
Snack chips
Pretzels
Raw carrot, celery
Raw green beans
Cherry, grape tomatoes
Raisins
Whole berries, grapes
Marshmallows
Peanut butter, nut butters
When It's Time to Introduce…
Juice: 6 Months. The AAP says six months is the earliest for pasteurized juice & kids shouldn’t have more than 6 oz. of juice a day before he/she is six years old. It’s also recommended not to fill a baby bottle with juice; it starts an unhealthy habit that’s hard to break.
Fish: 10 Months. Experts say a baby’s immune and digestive systems are under developed and may not accept fish well until 10 months old. Begin with white fish, which is easily digested and ranks low on the allergens list. Cold-water fish contain more Omega 3 fatty acids and have the least amount of mercury. Although, the AAP states that there is no evidence that introducing fish between 4 – 6 months determines whether babies will be allergic.
Shellfish: 3 Years. Shellfish, such as crab, lobster and shrimp, is one of the Top Eight allergenic foods. We’ve had another oops here – Jack loves shrimp and scallops.
Honey: 1 Year. Avoid it before then, even cooked in recipe. It can harbor bacteria that cause infant botulism, which can be fatal.
Peanuts, peanut butter: 3 Years/1 Year. Because peanuts are so high on the allergen list, the AAP recommends waiting until your child is three before introducing peanut butter. But, many other reputable sources say peanut butter can be a healthy addition to the diet when a child turns one. Gotta say, Jack loves the stuff. Eats it right off a spoon.
Peanut Oil may be safe for kids with allergies to peanuts, as long as it’s not cold-pressed, expelled or extruded peanut oil. Although, your child’s doctor should be consulted first. A friend of mine says her five-year-old - who has a peanut allergy - has been consuming peanut oil since she was two.
Cow’s milk, soymilk: 1 Year. Babies can’t digest the protein in cow’s milk and soy milk for the first year, such milks don’t have the nutrients babies need and milks have minerals in amounts that can damage baby kidneys.
Stick with whole milk until your toddler’s 2nd birthday. Most youngsters need the fat and calories of whole milk for growth & development.
Eggs: Yolk-8 Months/Whites-1 Year. Because egg whites are one of the leading allergens, many peditricians and experts believe waiting until a year to introduce them. The AAP states that introducing the entire egg before one-year doesn’t mean an allergy will develop.
Un-pasteurized apple cider: 5 Years. Unpasteurized cider, which is usually only sold at local orchards, can contain E-coli and bacteria that could cause serious illness.
My Resources:
Caring for Your Baby and Young Child, 5th Edition, American Academy of Pediatrics
The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network
Mayo Clinic
