Food NOT to give for baby under ONE YEAR OLD

Your baby has reached six months, and it is time for him to undertake solid food. Each baby is completely different, thus there's no telling however your baby can go for this new experience. They may need a while to get accustomed to completely different textures and tastes or they could eat up right away.

Why isn't milk enough any more?
At six months, your baby starts to need additional nutrients, specifically iron, from food. However he still needs breastmilk or formula milk as well, and can do till a baby a year old.

During your baby's 1st six months, his digestive and immune systems are bit by bit gaining strength. Your baby's body is currently able to process solid foods. the very fact that he is physically prepared means that he's less likely to have a reaction to something he is consumed.

Before six months, there are several foods that are not appropriate for your baby. These include gluten (which is found in grains), cow's milk and eggs.

What NOT to give my baby if they are below a year?

There are some foods and ingredients your baby should not have till he is one.

These includes:

1. Salt

Your baby's kidneys can't cope with salt yet. It's best not to encourage a liking for it, anyway. Don't blend adult ready-meals for your baby. Ready meals contain high levels of salt.

2. Honey

Even if he has a cough, your baby shouldn't have honey until he's one. Very occasionally, it can contain a type of bacteria that can be toxic to a baby's intestines.
    
3. Sugar

Try sweetening desserts with mashed banana or a purée of stewed dried fruit. Or you could use expressed breastmilk or formula milk.
    
4. Artificial sweeteners

Diet drinks or squashes containing artificial sweeteners are not suitable for your baby. They are not nutritious and can encourage a sweet tooth.
    
5. Whole nuts

These are a choking hazard.
    
6. Certain fish

Your baby should not have shark, swordfish and marlin. These may contain traces of mercury.
    
7. Tea or coffee

Don't be tempted to add a little tea to your baby's bottle to warm his milk. The tannin in tea may prevent him from absorbing the iron in his food properly. Any caffeinated drink is unsuitable for your baby.
    
8. Low-fat foods

Low-calorie spreads, yogurts and reduced-fat cheeses aren't right for your baby. Always offer your baby the full-fat versions. He needs the calories.

9. Some vegetables

Cooked and pureed (or even offered raw), some common vegetables such as beets, spinach, fennel, collard greens and lettuce contain levels of nitrates too high for your baby to process.

Babies under a year old don’t have strong enough stomach acids to break down the nitrates, which block the blood’s ability to transport oxygen. This can lead to dangerously low levels of oxygen, known as Blue Baby Syndrome.

Some foods carry a risk of food poisoning. To be on the safe side, don't give your baby:

1. Soft, mould-ripened cheeses, such as brie or camembert.

2. Raw or undercooked shellfish.

3. Soft-boiled or raw eggs, unless they have a red British Lion Quality stamp. British Lion eggs have a very low risk of carrying salmonella bacteria, which can cause food poisoning.

4. Liver pate

Thank you for reading and have a lovely day! ;)

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