Do you give your baby added sugar?

[doireallyneedaname]

Hi all. I have a 9 month old who has been weaning since 6 months.

Until now he has a wide variety of foods including different fruits, but I haven’t given him anything at all with any added sugar as I know it’s not recommended until over the age of one.

The thing is, I’m seeing more and more mums giving their babies the odd chocolate biscuit and their baby absolutely loving it, that I feel I’m depriving my baby of some of the simple joys.

So I’m curious. Would you let your 9 month old have an occasional treat like that?

My DD is 18 months and I followed a BLW approach, I basically just gave and give now whatever I'm eating. So if I was having a biscuit I'd give her a bit too
I didn't and don't worry too much but I'm just careful her diet is balanced and everything in moderation, by her eating the same as me it's helped me eat better too being mindful of her diet if that makes sense?

My DD is 10 months. I let her try a little of anything I am eating so yes she has had the occasional treat (one or two chips, a little corner of a biscuit chipped off, etc). But if you feel happier not giving your little boy anything with sugar until he’s one then that’s probably better, it just suits me to share my food rather than make specific things for her.

It makes sense and sounds right to me, MaltedMilk.

Thanks, yes that does make sense.

We don’t eat the same meals because I eat a very low carb / fat diet, so if I give him something it’s made specifically for him.

DS hasn't really had much added sugar. He had a bit of cake yesterday as it was his birthday. I'm aiming to not have any food "off limits".

Not really. She had a bit of my bday cake and her own but other than that not really yet. Don't really see the point until they know what it is and want it. (I won't deprive her of chocolate etc when she is older!)

Yeah, I don’t want any food off limits in the long run but diabetes is rife in my family (hasn’t got me yet) and whilst I want him to enjoy all the tasty things in life I don’t want to have him demanding chocolate and sweets. I mean I’m sure he will anyway, but I really like the idea of him being brought up thinking fruit is a treat etc. He’s my first though so I really have no idea how it will pan out!

I dont think my son had any sweets until he was two. But generally he ate what we did, though I did make loads of pureed veg for him initially.

No food is off limits in our house at all. Our children are DSS7 and DS2. Both eat a varied diet including fresh fruit and vegetables. The older one in particular asks for extra sometimes but even the 2 year old will eat his fruit before the rest of his breakfast. My DS has had chocolate crisps biscuits sweets and cakes since he started weaning. He asks for smarties if I pull up at the petrol station 😳 tbf I keep a tube in my door pocket and dole out 2-3 after I've been in to pay.
He never gets a sugar high, it's not seen as a treat or reward, just part of eating.
The only food rule is no pudding if you eat no dinner. Very little dinner and pudding will be fruit nut cake.

My dc ate normal food by that age including dessert. My mother introduced them to banana and custard around 6 months, thanks mum. Food rules are guidelines, a biscuit, apple pie or ice cream won't hurt as long as it's a treat. I did avoid sugary drinks (milk sugar aside) until dm decided that nesquik might go down well after which they wouldn't take milk (they were extended breastfed so it was only when I was out that they had cup milk.

DD is 15m and hasn't had any added sugar, I just don't see the need at this age. She doesn't eat huge amounts and LOVES veg/fruit/baby crisps /cheese etc so wouldn't want to ruin that. She does have a sugary baby yoghurt rather than plain because, like me, can't stand the bitterness of it otherwise.

She does eat what I consider shite at nursery though, not sweets as such but they do have a lot of chicken nuggets and jelly etc so I try to be healthier at home to balance it.

Honestly don't feel like your denying him things. We have DS a little white chocolate and he didn't like it, he'd rather have a banana. The main thing I'm trying to avoid is the connection between food and feelings that runs deep in my family. We celebrate with food, we commiserate with food and its lead to weight problems for most of us. However at the end of the day we can only do our best.

No sugar for DC1 until gone 3, nothing for DC2 until 2nd bday

My view is there is no need. Their tiny brand new taste buds don't need extra sweetness.

You say no food off limits, I'm sure some things were? Whichever way, for me added sugar is an, admittedly fairly minor in the scheme of things, evil which a small child can do without as long as possible.

It is addictive, why out that on them now? Give them their first choc at 2.5 when they'll enjoy it way more.

Any in case anyone wants to play the deny it now they'll binge when older card, I was denied it as a kid as we're my brothers and none of us have sweet teeth now in our 40s, so that certainly isn't always true

I didn't give DS much, if any, sugar before one because he had no concept of it but I am pretty relaxed now and there are zero restrictions. I don't offer sugar as a bribe/reward/treat but it's just there if he wants it with no judgement attached. Often he doesn't want and would rather eat fruit or bread and cheese which is fine too. I am firmly of the belief that restriction leads to binges.

Baby’s dad feels the same as in there’s just no “need” at the moment. To be honest if I hadn’t seen these other babies LOVING it I wouldn’t be thinking about this now.

I promised myself no sweet treats until one but then ds was at a birthday party (10 months old) and I just caved in and gave him some cake! He loved it so much! He's 2 now and has a pretty good diet I think. Weekly sweet treat from the bakery and other than that I really do try to restrict sugar & he's not fussy.

@doireallyneedaname

Baby’s dad feels the same as in there’s just no “need” at the moment. To be honest if I hadn’t seen these other babies LOVING it I wouldn’t be thinking about this now.

I think babies are generally just excited about food - DS is at his absolute happiest when there is a bowl of raspberries in front of him.

I didn’t. We later (toddler age) found out for his kidney condition it was best to avoid it anyway, so he still doesn’t have added sugar. I do no added sugar bakes etc and to make it fair the rest of the family don’t have it either. We’re fine with it and don’t miss it. As a baby I didn’t see it as needed and actual felt it normalised over sweet tastes more than was useful. It’s all personal though - it’s fine to do whatever you’re happy with within healthy limits.

No added sugar here. Not even baby biscuits that are sweetened with apple juice and the like - I just don't think there's any need for them to have any sweetened food 🤷‍♀️ there's no nutritional benefit.

DD started having sweet stuff when she was about 2.5 (didn't make her wait that long for stuff sweetened with fruit! So she'd had banana cake etc). Will try to do the same with DS but it's trickier if he's going to see her eating stuff obviously - certainly nothing before 1 though, he's 11 months and still just a little baby, can't imagine giving him a chocolate digestive to tuck into.

DD is nearly 3 and I haven't given her anything with added sugar yet. Diabetes is rife my family too( like you, it hasn't got me yet) so I am trying to get away with not giving her anything with added sugar as much as I can. I am sure once she starts school it will be unavoidable.

No added sweet stuff until about 18 months when she grabbed my spoon and nicked the cake I was eating in a cafe! We do limited amounts so we'll bake a treat once a fortnight or so and she can have some of that, we might share a cookie in a cafe at the weekend (pre lockdown obviously!), cake at birthday parties but I don't give things like juice or squash.

I never added sugar to cereal or anything like that, but dc probably had the odd biscuit or piece of cake.

Moderation is key.

First child had a lot less than the second. Easy with one to just eat my cake behind their back, but with two they see their sibling eating and want it. They have both gone through fussy stages and now eat well, so no idea if it had an effect or not.

I don’t plan on giving sugar where possible whilst he’s small but wouldn’t really stop him if we are out and someone else offers ie at Xmas or similar.

Mine goes nuts whenever we open the fridge because she knows she gets yoghurt or fruit which is adorable. We've given her birthday cake and ice cream but as random one offs rather than a regular thing. This approach seems to be healthier both in terms of her normal diet and in terms of not being overly restrictive and storing up problems for later than they want the forbidden (not)fruit!