It can be scary giving your baby food for the first time. Even the words ‘weaning a baby’ – what does it mean? Are they ready? What should they eat? Lots of questions run through your head. Baby rice mixed up with breast or formula milk provides the first meals. I thought baby rice would look like ordinary rice or tapioca, but no, it looked like creamy slop, and totally unappetizing.  It was a good start though. I was eager to move onto something else, but took it easy and waited until I though he was ready. To be honest I wasn’t sure just what he should eat. Pureed fruit and veg suited him for a while, but there are a few rules about what they shouldn’t eat.

So, weaning your baby is not as scary as it might seem. Just remember a few simple rules of what you shouldn’t give them to eat. Hopefully below explains why some foods are not suitable for your young baby.

Sugar

Why not?

• Sugary food can lead to tooth decay, both in babies and small children.

What to do.

• Only add sugar if it is really necessary. If your baby has not had sugary food, they will not miss it.
• Don’t encourage a sweet tooth.

Other info

• Sweets, ice cream and so on are not recommended for babies under 1 year old.

Honey

Why not?

• Occasionally honey can contain bacteria that produces toxins in babies intestines. This can cause infant botulism.

What to do.

• Never give your baby, under 1 year old any honey.

Other info

• Honey can also encourage a sweet tooth and lead to tooth decay, so it is best avoided.

Some helpful books when weaning your baby:

Salt

Why not?

• A baby’s kidneys can’t cope with salt.

What to do.

• Don’t add any salt to food you give your baby.
• Check the labels on food you buy, like cheese, sausages, bacon – they are often high in salt.

Sodium or salt??

• Food labels often list sodium not salt. 1g of salt is less than 0.4g of sodium.
• Babies under 1 year should have less than 1g of salt per day, so check labels carefully.

Other info

• Baby food isn’t allowed to contain salt
• Foods you buy that you eat too, like cooking sauces, can be high in salt, so while it is good that your baby is eating the same food as you, watch how much salt they are getting.

Nuts

Why not?

• Nuts can cause choking in children under five.

What to do.

• Don’t give any whole nuts, including peanuts, (see below) to children under five

Also

• Peanut allergy can be life threatening. Children from families with a history of allergy are most at risk from peanut allergy.

These tips may help reduce the risk of your baby developing peanut allergy: avoid eating peanuts or peanut products while you are breastfeeding, or pregnant

• don’t give your child any peanuts, or foods containing peanuts, peanut (groundnut) oil
• or peanut butter, until they are at least three years old
• read food labels carefully if in doubt, avoid the product

Low-fat, low-calorie and high-fibre

Why not?

• Unlike adults who are often told low fat and low calorie food is good, babies need fat. It gives them energy, and gives them vitamins only found in fat.
• High fibre products like bran enriched cereals stop babies from absorbing important minerals like calcium and iron. Babies stomachs are tiny so they need to get lots of nutrients vitamins and calories from a small amount of food, and not bulk up on fibre.

What to do.

• Choose full-fat dairy products (fromage frais, yoghurt, milk, chese).
• Avoid brown rice, wholemeal pasta bran enriched breakfast cereals until your baby is older

Fish

Why not?

• Some fish can contain mercury, which can affect your baby’s immune system.
• Raw shellfish can cause food poisoning

What to do.

• Avoid shark, swordfish or marlin.
• Avoid raw shellfish.

Other

• Fish can be very good though, see article on foods that are good for baby!
• Fish, especially oily fish, is recommended by all kinds of experts to be part of a healthy diet. Everyone – children and adults, are recommended to eat at least two portions of fish every week, and one of them should be oily fish.  Fresh fish such as salmon, trout, cod and haddock, tinned fish such as sardines and pilchards, as well as fish products such as fish fingers and fish cakes are all nutritious foods for young children.
• Avoid giving fish tinned in brine to babies, as it is higher in salt than fish tinned in oil or springwater.

Eggs

Why not

• Eggs are high up on the list of foods that can cause allergies
• The risk of salmonella from improperly cooked eggs

What to do

• Don’t give raw or lightly cooked eggs to babies.
• Eggs can be given to babies over 12 months old, make sure both the white and yolk are solid.
• Just the egg yolk can be given to your baby from 7-10 months old.
• As your baby gets older she will start to eat more and more of the same food as you, but you still need to watch out for levels of salt and sugar, and a young child still needs full fat versions of dairy produce.

Some helpful books when weaning your baby:

Other related articles
Easy kids recipes – Fruit snacks for kids
Easy kids recipes – Vegetable snacks for kids
What food and drink should I avoid when pregnant?