why can't you use any spices when making baby's first solids?

Question

When I start giving my son solids (he is not ready yet but I am just thinking about this) I thought I could just take some of what we eat and blend it/mash it and give it to him but they say you shouldn't use spices/salt, etc when they start solids...why is this? I would think it might get him used to the food we eat and how we like to eat it or is there some medical reason for this? And why does it have to be rice cereal, then veggies, etc. (in a certain order) why can't they eat a variety of foods to begin with?

When pregnant I ate what we normally eat, very flavorful and spicy food.

I am a first time mom so this is my first experience with all of this.

Answer 1

There is absolutley no need to avoid spices and normal foods -- we feed our 6 month old a variety of different foods, no baby food or jars or purees, just what we are eating, and she is fine with it, never had any upset tummy from anything we've eaten (and there have been quite a few different spices in there).

Rice cereals are not needed, and you don't need to worry about introducing foods in a certain order, just see what he likes.



"once your baby is happily accepting solid foods, then he may welcome certain spices (think aromatic, rather than hot), herbs and garlic in his meals. The addition of these seasonings is a healthy way to add some extra flavour - and a sprinkle of herbs or a dash of spice can turn a plain and uninspiring dish into something exciting that your baby may really enjoy!"

http://www.homemade-baby-food-recipes.com/can-babies-eat-spicy-food.html



"When the baby is starting to take solids at about six months of age, there is little difference what he starts with or the order foods are introduced. If the baby reaches for the potato on your plate, make sure it is not too hot, and let him have the potato. There is no need to go in any specific order, and there is no need for the baby to eat only one food for a certain period of time. Some exclusively breastfed babies dislike infant cereal when it is introduced at about six months of age. There is no need for concern and no need to persist if the baby doesn’t want the cereal. There is nothing magic or necessary about infant cereal. Offer your baby the foods that he is interested in. Allow the baby to enjoy food and do not worry exactly how much he actually takes at first. Much of it may end up in his hair and on the floor anyhow."

http://www.kellymom.com/newman/16starting_solid_foods.html



---EDIT --

No - never any choking, some gagging occasionally, but that's never an issue.

Say if we were eating potato's and brocolli, we would give her lumps of both, and she would gnaw on them.

Pasta and sause -- ditto.



Check it out -- http://babyledweaning.blogware.com/

Answer 2

The theory is that babies need bland food so it doesn't shock their little systems. Personally, I see no trouble with giving babies light spices, a little salt and some olive oil for flavor. You're right--you baby is used to these flavors from pregnancy and your milk. I gave my kids whatever I was eating. The little one loved garlic lime chicken. I wiped off a little of the seasoning for her. She's still crazy about garlic two years later.



If allergies aren't a big issue in your family, then don't worry about introducing one food at a time. Also, rice cereal is gross, unhealthy and overly processed. Skip it. Your baby will thank you. Just let your baby have access to your plate. When he is around six months old or older, he will swipe a piece of food and eat it properly.



Those really strict rules were invented for babies who started solids at only a few weeks old. Since you're going to wait out the highly allergic period, it's not such a big issue.



When I make tacos, I tear up the tortilla if I think baby can handle it. I make sure the meat is well chopped and put it on the high chair tray. Tacos are great because you have everything chopped up anyway. Give baby a spoonful of each topping. Tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, cheese shreds, avocado slices, whatever you like. I would wait on the chopped onions, but if he likes it, he likes it.



Shredded meats are great first foods. Westerners don't like to give babies meats, but they really are a good first food. Especially for a baby who nurses for nutrition. We always worry about their iron intake, so why not give meats?

Answer 3

Salt is only the really big no no in the land of spices, simply because their kidneys can't handle it. We actually have a very low need for sodium in our diets however many years ago they started adding iodine to table salt to prevent goiters and there were a couple generations that were encouraged to eat lots of salt. Hopefully we are learning that a well balanced diet does not need sodium, we get enough in the processed foods many of us eat.



As for the rest of the spices and flavourings, go for it. Just introduce one food at a time and if there is an allergic reaction to something that is spicy then you need to give baby each ingredient separately to figure out the source. (unless the reaction is severe!). My almost 9 month old loves BBQ sauce, plum sauce, garlic, pepper, cinnamon and whatever else we use.



In the beginning meats and hard veggies should be pureed. Once you have done allergy testing and are relatively comfortable that your child isn't going to react to things, then let them decide when they want to start self feeding. Once they start, they get good real fast at biting off just what they should. It took my son gagging just a few times by putting too much in his mouth before he stopped. Also the addition of some front teeth also help with the biting. The gums are hard enough to chew. I can hand my almost 9 month old son a whole piece of bread, bagel, English muffin, cookie, cracker, etc.. and he'll take bites of it. Although the softer the item the more of it gets played with as play dough LOL.



I make most of my son's food so what I did was the first batch was pureed, the second was left with some texture, the next batch had noticeable small lumps and now we are up to small chunks. It takes a lot longer to feed him chunky food but it's worth it and in fact if his lunch or dinner doesn't have chunks he gets upset. I had to add a crumbled cracker to his dinner the one night to get him to eat it! We've also had some good success with him eating with us and just dropping hunks on his tray and letting him at it. Homemade smoked meats, brown beans, Yorkshire pudding, French fries, etc... (we don't eat a lot of spicy foods, hubby gets heart burn too easy but baby loved the taste of my suicide chicken wings!).



You'll know if things are too spicy, baby will have a lot of gas, diarrhea and diaper rash. So introduce the different flavours slowly and if he can't tolerate them just yet, wait a couple months and try again. As baby matures they can eat a lot of different things. My son couldn't handle blueberries at 5 months, now he loves them.

Answer 4

I guess salt isn't good for anyone and it's probably best not to get a baby too hooked on it. If they never develop a taste for salty things, they won't have to worry about trying to give up salt later on in life.



I'd be interested to know what babies in India or Asian countries (for example Thailand) eat as their first foods, seeing as how those countries are known for their hot and spicy foods. I can't see people in those countries heading down to the supermarket to pick up a jar of some tasteless pap to feed their kids! Maybe the idea of starting off with cereal then veggies, etc, is just what we've been taught is right in the Western world and so we just do it without thinking.

Answer 5

Allergies to spices are not very common, and babies do actually have very sensitive taste buds so they don't need a lot of extra flavour. They definately don't need to acquire a taste for salt.

And no, you can totally skip the rice cereal. It really doesn't have much nutritional value and rice is a very ecologically unfriendly crop. Wait till six months, then just mash up potatoes, bananas, avocados, pears, yams, veggies, etc. The longer you wait till you start, the quicker you can introduce each food (esp. if food allergies are not an issue with you).

Answer 6

whether you do "baby led weaning" or you make your own blends/purees, there is NO REASON to leave out some spices!! Now I am not saying through loads of hot sauce in your food, but spices are fine to give them in moderation.



One of my daughters first foods was sweet potatoes. I diced them up into bite size pieces, tossed them in a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and parsley and roasted them in the oven. They were great soft, tender chunks for her to pick up and eat. At 14 months, this is still one of her favorite foods.



If you didn't want to feed chunks, and go w/ the blends/purees, but go ahead and add some spices!!



I did a bit of both, I started with homemade purees for a little bit and moved on to chunks when I was feeling more comfortable. My next child, I will probably do baby led weaning. I never did the rice wallpaper paste (cereal)



I wouldn't give a baby just learning how to eat taco meat. Start with tender veggies, fruits, and even bigger pieces of crusty bread to gnaw on. Babies first experiences with food are more to LEARN how to eat, then actually eat!



Google baby led weaning and you will see a bunch of sites about it.

If you want to make some of your own baby food, go to

www.wholesomebabyfood.com



Good luck with whatever you decide!

Answer 7

Because he could (and most likely is) sensitive to spices and flavorings. You could cause an allergic reaction - which could be very dangerous. Garlic alone could cause painful gas, so there's a good reason not to use it!

He will become used to the regular foods you eat when he is 2-3 yrs old and his system can handle it. It's not that hard for kids to adjust.



There are a lot of foods like Wheat, Eggs, Cheese, Honey, Peanuts and Dairy products that you have to wait for the right ages to try those - due to increased risk of allergy (some cause anaphalaxis).



Best Wishes!

Answer 8

Babies trained on table food that is spiced, can experience tummy troubles. Their delicate little systems just are not ready.

One of the issues is that children will develop a taste for salt and sweets if introduced in their foods.

If you want to teach your baby on table foods, if they can not feed themselves yet, then every thing should be strained, cooked with out salt, sugar and spices.

Just remember the simple one ingrediant foods are best. Take squash cassorole of instance. The sauce, cream and onions are just to much for the baby. But, when preparing it for the family, just set a side the portion for the baby.

There are cheap baby food purpee machines out there. Mine used to sit on the table, and was the size of a baby food jar.

While going through the possible food allergy stage, and introducing one food at a time is best. Just make sure you avoid things with additives, food dye, preservatives, sugar, spices, casin resins, BHT's, yeast, corn syrup, frutrose, whey, glutemate and the rest of the list.

Just stick to food in it's simpliest forms. Feeding a baby doesn't have to be expense or a trial evey meal. Of course, try the rice cereal first, then move on to strained veggies, fruits last. Our babies loved mashed sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, yams, green beans, and sweet peas. No seasonings, just strained, mashed and pureed. When they were big enough for finger foods, we used the same in small chunks and added cherrios, fruit, and slowly introduced meats.

Answer 9

Bring on the thumbs down...



Actually it is perfectly fine to give baby spicy foods, especially if you ate them while pregnant and continued to eat them while breastfeeding. Giving baby bland foods is a very American/Western concept. Do you think they give babies rice cereal in Mexico or India, no they give them the same things that they eat.



Keep the salt down and only introduce baby to one food at a time, but it is perfectly fine to give baby spicy foods. It will start them out on the right track and keep them from developing the habit of only eating bland and sugar laden foods later in life. If you notice your baby having a reaction to spicy foods, then switch to bland. Otherwise, why not give baby what you are eating?

Answer 10

Honestly there is no reason that you can't. We are one of the few countries who start their babies off on bland food. The main reason we do this is to make sure baby doesn't have any allergies. Once you are sure that your child is not allergic to a food by introducing it by itself there is no reason why you can't introduce spices and seasoning and table food.

http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/tipcurry.htm

Answer 11

Because their tiny bodies are not developed enough to eat that stuff. Thats why you add food slowly that way their bodies have time to make the adjustment to the new items. And to see if their are any food interaction that would cause an allergic reaction, if you go adding to many foods at one time you won't know what caused the problem.

Answer 12

Little ones taste buds are very sensitive for the spices and their little belly's can't handle them yet. Start with cereals first then you go yellow and orange veggies then green. Then go to fruit. But only one new veggie every 3-4 days to make sure your baby is allergic to anything. I make my own baby food if you need ideas on how let me know.

Answer 13

baby's digestive track is not use to spices plus the unknown allergy factor. Do it right and start bland working up the food chain.

Answer 14

because you dont know if they are allergic to these spices.