Weaning Breastfed Babies – Foods to Avoid on the 6th Month of Life

Whether you like it or not, your baby is eventually meant to wean. Breastfeeding may have given him the time of his life – literally, since breast milk has given him life for the past 6 months. It has given him the ability to ward off sickness and infections almost easily. But the time comes when weaning is not an option anymore but a necessity, especially if he reaches his half year without any hitches.

Most babies can eat anything. But there are some foods which should definitely be avoided, especially if you or your partner (or the baby’s dad) has a “rich” family history of allergies and respiratory problems. Unfortunately for baby, allergies can be inherited and may be attributed to a lineage of itches and sniffles.

Here then, is a compiled list of foods that your baby should definitely avoid in his first 12 months of life:

-          Honey, corn and maple syrup. These may contain bacterial spores which may lead to infant botulism – a very rare but extremely debilitating disease that attacks the body’s defenses, leaving a baby paralyzed from the neck down, sometimes even leading to infant death. The disease is so serious that it is highly recommended not to give your baby these products until he reaches 1 year of age.

-          Nuts. Whole nuts should always be avoided for two specific reasons: one, babies may develop allergies to it (especially peanuts), and two, it may become a choking hazard, especially since babies are just starting to develop teeth and can’t really chew too hard substances yet.

-          Cow’s milk. At about 9 months, babies can be given small amounts of dairy products, but never cow’s milk, especially skimmed and low-fat milk products. Your baby needs fat to grow some muscle and helps stimulate brain development, and skimmed milk loses most of baby’s needed nutrients in the processing stage, especially calories which babies need for him to grow better. Also, these supply too much potassium, milk protein (which most babies find difficult to digest and absorb), and sodium – something your baby needs for proper nutrition. Cow’s milk lacks the necessary vitamin E, iron and essential fatty acids. It can even give your baby a tummy ache or too much gas.

The list ends here but there are a lot of foods that should be avoided before he reaches the first year. It will be up to you and (sometimes) your doctor to have a keen eye in observing and preparing what you think may be right for your child.

Baby Allergies- What to Do when your Child Suffers an Attack

toms will involve the child suffering from mild discomfort due to the swelling of the ears, tongue, mouth and skin. Also, itchy rashes start appearing on the skin. It might even cause slight breathing problems in some children. The child can suffer from breathing problems, vomiting and diarrhea. Severe allergic reactions can even threaten life. Therefore allergies must be checked as soon as they are discovered lest it becomes severe.

In case one of your familiy members has an allergy to particular types of food, it is likely that your child will inherit such properties. There might be cases where the baby has no evident problem with any food item in the beginning but later they start developing allergic responses. Here is a list of a few items that can cause food allergies in children.

• Peanuts
• Fish
• Eggs
• Shellfish
• Milk
• Tree nuts

If you suspect that your baby is allergic to some substance, call the local emergency number as soon symptoms start appearing.

Never forget, it is always better to be safe than sorry and the earlier you identify an allergy, the easier it becomes to save you from it. Get your baby’s pediatrician to prepare a plan for the proper management of allergic attacks. The doctor can also prescribe some medicines that will treat the allergy.

Timely detection will help prevent many discomforts.

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