We all want what’s best for our children, but even the most well-intentioned moms make mistakes that put their babies’ health at risk. One way you could potentially harm your baby is by giving them food that their bodies just aren’t ready for. Here’s a list of common foods that you should avoid feeding your baby.
1. Cow’s milk
Cow’s milk isn’t an appropriate replacement for breast milk and formula because it’s harder for your baby to digest. Some babies’ intestinal linings are slow to mature, and though lactose intolerance is rare in infants, the allergic proteins can seep through the irritated intestinal lining into the bloodstream and cause an allergic reaction which can range from a runny nose to a rash or even ear infections.
There is also very little iron in cow’s milk, so iron-deficiency anemia can be another problem. If the baby is allergic to cow’s milk, the irritated intestines can bleed into the baby’s stools.
2. Very sticky, hard foods and other choking hazards.
This includes popcorn, marshmallows, hard candies, hard raw veggies, grapes, and nuts. For a complete list of foods that are choking hazards, read this story: “These foods are choking hazards for your toddler.”
Photo: Shutterstock
3. Honey
Never give your baby honey before he’s a year old. Honey sometimes contains a spore of a bacterium called clostridium or botulinum that can cause botulism—a rare form of food poisoning—in babies. Symptoms include constipation, listlessness, and a lack of appetite.
Honey can also damage emerging teeth and may also encourage a sweet tooth.
Click to the next page to find out about other foods you shouldn’t feed your baby.
4. Caffeinated drinks.
We’re talking soda and iced tea. Not because caffeine stunts growth (that’s nothing but an old wives’ tale), but because it’s hard enough as it is to get kids to go to sleep!
5. Fruit juice.
You should only give juice to infants who can drink from a cup. Too much fruit juice can lessen your baby’s appetite for breast milk, formula, or other more substantial foods. Fruit juice can also lead to problems with baby teeth. High amounts of fruit juice can also lead to diarrhea.
Photo: Shutterstock
6. Unpasteurized cheese.
Unpasteurized cheese can contain listeria, which can lead to food poisoning. Cheeses using pasteurized milk, however, is considered safe for babies.
7. Seafood and certain kinds of fish.
If seafood allergies run in your family, avoid shellfish, shrimp, lobster, crab, and so forth. You should also avoid feeding your baby certain kinds of fish that have high mercury levels. For more information on safe and unsafe fish, read this article: “A guide to eating fish while pregnant” (it’s also applicable to children).
READ: 8 Dangerous foods you probably have lying around your kitchen
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