Started slowly weaning - ideas please for potentially allergic baby!

[lechatnoir]

DS2 has ezcema and whilst we originally thought it was a cows milk allergy, have since discovered that he's not but still have to be careful when weaning as he could well have other allergies. The Consultant rattled off a huge long list of foods to avoid and suggested we follow the 4 day rule which is fine, but I'm struggling with what exactly he can have at this stage that he can feed himself (BLW - tried spoon feeding not keen) . So far he's had & enjoyed:
apple
pear
broccoli
cauliflower
melon
rice pasta/cakes

Anyone have a list of what order to introduce foods or can reel off a few suggestions?>
LCN

oh, and if I want to use oil for cooking something like butternut squash or potato chips, does the oil count as a new food for the purposes of the 4 day rule? And would olive oil be one food, sunflower oil another & veg oil another etc? I guess so but be grateful for confirmation.

I was very cautious like you with DD1 (anaphylactic allergy to dairy and eggs), but currently weaning DD2 in a much more relaxed fashion.

To answer your questions - no, I wouldn't count oil as a 'new' food. And you just need to be careful when introducing potential allergens - eg wheat, soya, dairy, egg, strawberries, nuts, and also honey. To be honest, as you can see from this board, it is possible to be allergic to so many things (e.g. celery, kiwi, potatoes!) - I would just be careful of the more common ones as I mention and not worry too much.

There is little agreement on whether delaying introduction of potential allergens actually makes any difference to developing an allergy (rather than delaying you noticing the allergy is there). So as long as you just take note of any unusual reactions, and can remember what they might have eat to cause that, I wouldn't worry too much.

I'm not sure what the 4 day rule is.... not heard that one before for older babies? I know that when people used to wean before 6 months, they introduced a new food only every few days - but if you're doing BLW then presumably your DS is older than 6 months, in which case you needn't be so cautious I would think?

The list I was given in order of likelihood of reacting is:
least likely
apple, pear etc
root veg
wheat oats
chicken/ turkey
lamb
pork/beef
fish
citrus fruits
tomatoes
strawberries/ raspberries
marmite, honey
Most likely to react - cows milk, eggs, soya, sesame, kiwi, nuts, peanuts, shellfish

Its all very confusing and the advice is mixed but this is what I am using for a guide. Its a good idea to do the 4 day thing so that you do know what they have reacted to. I would treat cooking oil as a new food.
Good luck! Its a bummer isn't it!!

This is a great weaning book which has some guidelines of what to introduce when.

Broadly - from recollection:
9 months: Add potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, seeds, oats and other non wheat gluten cereal, corn, soya
12 months: Wheat, egg, dairy, citrus fruit
2 years: strawberries, shellfish
5 years: Whole nuts,

www.amazon.co.uk/Optimum-Nutrition-Babies-Young-Children/dp/0749926228/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8 &s=books&qid=1263076078&sr=1-1

Also, you could try muscle resistance testing, described in my other posts today, to test tolerence without having to introduce it.

Good Luck.