Avoid in first year

Can you give some guidelines about what foods should not be given to baby early on?

There is a list of foods which you should avoid during the first year of baby’s life.

– Honey – Honey can cause an infection in babies so should not be given during the first year. It is also not a good choice because of the risk of developing baby’s sweet tooth.

The following foods are not recommended during the first year because of the high risk of allergic reactions:

– egg whites

– chocolate

– cow’s milk

– tomatoes

– strawberries

– citrus fruits

– wheat

– Nuts – all nuts should be avoided during the first year because of the risk of nut allergy. An allergic reaction to nuts such as peanuts is potentially life threatening. If your doctor agrees that you baby can try peanut butter after age 1, then make sure it is the very smooth variety, and spread it thinly at first to ensure the baby does not choke.

Your doctor may allow you to try some of these foods towards the end of the first year, so it is worth asking his opinion.

Remember the rule is only to introduce a new food every 2-3 days (some doctors recommend waiting 5 days between each new introduction), so that you can be fully aware of any reaction that your baby may have to a new food.