WEANING can be one of the most confusing parts of parenting – especially if it's your first child.
And things can be made even more difficult by the conflicting approaches to introducing babies to food.
While some mums and dads think that spoon-feeding their baby puréed or mashed up food, others prefer to go down the baby led weaning (BLW) route.
This involves offering your baby a variety of foods whole, or in strips or chunks, for them to explore and enjoy.
But when it comes to which weaning approach to follow, author, child nutritionist and weaning expert Charlotte Stirling-Reed advises parentsto consider it a “journey” for their little ones.
“It's not about getting it ‘right or wrong', but rather about experimenting and discovering what works best for your baby,” she tells Fabulous Online.
“Introducing solid foods to your baby is an exciting milestone, but it's crucial to know which foods to avoid ensuring your child's safety and health.”
Charlotte went on to share her list of the main foods to avoid giving kids under one or 18 months – as well as older ages too.
“It’s good to be mindful of these foods to avoid whilst enjoying the variety of foods that you CAN give your baby,” she continues.
Salt
She begins her rundown with salt.
“Babies don’t need salt in their diet and offering it early on could establish a bit of a preference for salty foods,” Charlotte explains.
“We know that high salt diets in adults can lead to high blood pressure.
“Additionally, the NHS suggests that babies’ kidneys are not mature enough to handle large amounts of salt.”
To steer clear of salt, avoid giving your baby foods such as bacon, sausages and crisps.
Sugar
Likewise, you should limit sugar in their diets.
“We know that early on in life, babies are establishing preferences for foods,” she says.
“Therefore adding it early in the diet may encourage a preference for sweet foods later in life.”
In addition, giving your baby added sugar can lead to tooth decay.
Three other foods to avoid giving your tot if they're under the age of one
Baby juice
“Babies don’t need anything for hydration other than milk and water,” weaning expert Charlotte Stirling-Reed explained.
“Baby juices will likely result in your baby not taking enough fluids from their milk and possibly may result in them refusing to drink water in the long run.”
Raisins
“These can be a bit of a choking hazard for babies and also because of the concentrated sugars, raisins aren’t great for tiny teeth,” Charlotte warned.
“Avoid giving them on their own to babies and toddlers, instead soak or chop them really well and add them to other foods such as cereals, porridge or baked goods.”
Chocolate
“This contains added sugars and so shouldn’t be offered to young babies,” Charlotte concluded.
“Avoid offering chocolate to young children until they are aware of it.”
“It's best to avoid foods with added sugar like cakes and biscuits and any sweet drinks, including fruit juice, for babies,” Charlotte says.
Honey
One of the main foods many parents know to avoid if their baby is under a year old is honey.
This is because it can contain “toxins which can lead to infant botulism, a serious but very rare illness”.
Even if your child is over one, you should remember that honey is an added sugar, so shouldn't be offered readily.
Cows milk
For drinks, you should avoid giving kids cow's milk as a main drink until they're older than one, because it doesn't have the right mix of nutrients.
“It can be used in small amounts in cookingor mixed with food from six months, but not as a main drink,” Charlotte explains.
Likewise, rice milk is not a suitable drink for babies, or any child under the age of five for that matter, as it can contain trace elements of arsenic.
Nuts
Nuts are another food to avoid – whether whole or peanuts – as they can pose a choking hazard or allergy risk.
It's not about getting it ‘right or wrong', but rather about experimenting and discovering what works best for your baby
Weaning pro Charlotte Stirling-Reed
“While crushed or ground nuts and smooth nut butters are safe from around six months (and actually great foods to include in your little one’s diet if you follow advice on how to safely introduce allergens), whole nuts should be avoided until your child is around four or five years of age,” Charlotte warned.
Undercooked or raw meat or fish
Perhaps more obviously, you should never give your baby undercooked or raw meat or fish, as they can “contain harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning”.
“Always ensure meat and fish are thoroughly cooked before offering them to your baby,” Charlotte added.
Eggs
And the same goes for raw or lightly cooked eggs, as they can carry salmonella.
“Only eggs with the British Lion Quality mark can be given lightly cooked or raw – but this would be after you’ve established no allergy to eggs by offering tiny amounts of cooked egg first,” Charlotte says.
“Other eggs should be cooked until both the white and yolk are solid before being given to baby.”
Unpasteurised dairy products
Finally, don't give your baby any unpasteurised dairy products, which includes cheeses such as brie, camembert, and blue-veined cheeses, as they can contain harmful bacteria like listeria.
“These should be avoided for young babies unless they are well-cooked,” Charlotte warned.
Charlotte will be speaking at The Baby Show when it returns to the NEC Birmingham from 9th to 11th May. Click herefor tickets and more information.
