Is there anything i SHOULDN'T give my 6.5 month old?

[sushistar]

We're doing mainly finger foods, some mushy stuff fed by spoon. He's had all fruits and veg that we eat, some bits of fish, rice, pasta, porridge, cous cous, bread, pitta, humous, philadelphia, cheddar, boiled eggs. And cows milk on his porridge, but he gets breastfed on demand the rest of the time.

I note many people have rules about eggs, wheat, gluten, dairy etc - the only things I avoid with him are salt and sugary foods. Some of my NCT friends have given me very doubtful looks when I've given him bread or cheese.

Is there anything in the above list he really shouldn't be eating? I'm a bit confused with this whole thing - I don't want to make him poorly, but I don't want a load of pointless rules about what he can/can't eat!

Apparently they reckon not to give them strawberries and kiwi fruits until a year old.

or honey

As he's still very young I would be careful with bread and cheese because they are quite salty. I would only give him philadelphia not cheddar.

a cigar and a pint of guiness

Ah, I knew about the honey. So:

Minimal salt, no artifically sugary foods like biscuits, no honey.

Solo, what's the reasons behind the 'no kiwi' rule? DS already had strawberries...

Margo!

Minimal salt
Minimal sugar
No honey
No alcohol!

Emkana he would usually have m,ainly fruit or veg with bread or pitta maybe every other day as finger foods. Cheese about once a week. D'you reckon that's too salty?

There just seem to be so many rules!!

like this Margo?

Oh, I didn't know that solo, I've been giving ds strawberries and kiwi since he was about 8mo.

It's so COMPLICATED!!

Well pita bread is extremely salty so I wouldn't give it really to such a young baby, try to find bread with as little salt as possible.

Cheddar I woudlnt' give at all at this age.

They are supposed to have less than 1 g of salt a day at this age.

I gave mine wholemeal bread I think, not white bread. No strawberries or kiwis but I'm allergic to them so I don't have them in the house. No honey or runny eggs or peanuts. He had houmous and philly but largely fruit and veg.

Now I'm really confused - In the NHS birth to five book my HV gave me it suggests pitta as a 'first finger food' but maybe they assume you'll give finger foods older than 6 months...

I heard it was to do with allergies. Strawberries too...I don't know if it was a ' don't give them strawberries/kiwi, they might develope an allergy' or ' don't give them strawberries/kiwi, they could be allergic'. Info was from HV in post natal group, so your HV ought to be able to give you appropriate info.

My HV is a maniac who thinks her job is undermine breastfeeding and repeat the smae information loudly and slowly, regardless of whether is actually answers your query or not.

I havn't seen that strawberry/kiwi thing written anywhere - I would be doubtful if it's cos he 'might be allergic', cos surely he could be allergic to ANYTHING? We are a very un-allergicy family, so I think the risks are low...

I must admit, I have a fab HV, and I didn't try Dd on these fruits at so young an age...I wonder how they ' choose' these particular fruits as opposed to banana's and applesvery odd!

There is a much higher incidence of allergy to strawberries and kiwi fruit than apples and bananas which is why some people avoid them. If there is no history of allergic reaction in your family, then by all means try them.

The advice over here (Luxembourg) is to avoid egg until they are a year old as it is a common allergy. Also avoid smoked meats or fish.

When is it safe to feed my baby.....?

The above website says most things are ok from 6 months apart from honey and whole nuts. I would say bread and cheese are fine in small amounts and if your lo has had strawberries already then they are fine with them too.

Yeah the strawberries/kiwi thing is just that they are common allergens, so you might want to be wary if you have a family history of allergies. No family history here so I just went ahead and gave them to DD but watched closely for any reaction.

seafood isn't recommended till a year, but DD has been loving prawns since she was about 9mo. she had bread from 9mo as well, but only because I have coeliac disease so I just wanted to err on the side of caution.

have a look at Aitch's Blog

Seona, that was an interesting link...
Basically it says everything is fine except:
honey
whole nuts (choking risk - but peanut butter is fine)
tea
goats milk and goats cheese (unpasturised)
soft ripened cheese like brie
shellfish

Bread is fine but too much wholemeal is bad apparently!

goodness, i only have wholemeal!

yes don't overdo it on the fibre as it makes them constipated.

Ok, I'm happy now. Giving anything I please bar list above. Tonight - cauliflower and broccoli cheesy bake (no salt) and new potatoes. :0) Makes life easy when he can just eat what we have!

strawberries is incase they are allergic my nephew came out in awfull rash when he had some strawberry sauce out of nieces muller fruit corner. now he is older he is fine with them! i have never heard anything about kiwi though