What can my 8 month old not eat?
In this brief guide, we will answer the question, “what can my 8 month old not eat?”. We also discussed why you shouldn’t be feeding these to your 8 month old.
What can my 8 month old not eat?
Your 8 month old must not eat honey, shellfish, sugar and chocolates, processed meat, store-bought fruit juices, cow’s milk.
Let’s look at why you shouldn’t be giving these foods to your 8 month old.
Honey
Honey is a natural sweetener. However, it is possible that it contains the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, which generates the toxin botulinum, which can cause drowsiness, weaken muscles, and cause constipation in infants. Your baby will display indicators of discomfort and dizziness the entire time.
The virus is uncommon, but it does harm children under the age of one, which is why you should wait until your child’s first birthday to feed him honey.
Shellfish
Many adults, as well as kids, have allergies to shellfish. It is better to wait until your baby is at least one year old before you feed him shellfish.
Fish like cod and flounder is a good place to start. Limit how often you feed fish to your 8 month old; once a week is best. To avoid any allergies, it is strongly advised that you consult a pediatrician before starting any seafood.
Sugar
Sugar should not be included in your baby’s diet until he or she is one year old. Sugar can impact his or her appetite and cause a diet disruption. If sugar is introduced to your baby’s diet early on, he or she may develop a resistance to breast milk. This is mainly related to a liking for flavor. As a result, it’s best to hold off on adding sugar to your baby’s diet.
You can start with natural sweeteners like honey when your child is a year old and gradually progress to sugar, but you limit sugar to avoid child obesity.
Chocolate contains caffeine. Chocolate is one of the most dangerous foods for babies. Chocolate also contains a lot of sugar, which is not ideal for your kid until he or she reaches the age of a year, after which it may be given in moderation.
Processed meat
You can give poultry and lean beef to your 8 month old in small amounts. Two varieties of meat that should be avoided are hotdogs and bacon.
Hotdogs: Hotdogs can cause choking. It is not advised to give them to babies under the age of four. They can be thinly sliced or minced after they are old enough.
Bacon: If you’re going to give your kid bacon, wait till after their first birthday. It contains synthetic nitrates as well as potential carcinogens. It is typically regarded as harmful and should only be served on rare occasions.
Fruit juice
Many store-bought fruit juices contain added sugar. Homemade fruit juice is also not recommended for 8 month old babies. This is because giving additional fluids will limit the amount of formula and breast milk your baby can drink.
If you want to give your kid something other than breast milk or infant formula, give them a little water.
Cow’s milk
You can give a small amount of cow’s milk and dairy products to your 8 month old baby. But never use it as a substitute for breast milk and formula.
Until your child turns one, stick to breast milk or formula as the main liquid food. Cow’s milk contains proteins and enzymes that a child under the age of one may not be able to digest. Some babies can also be lactose intolerant. They can get sick from cow’s milk. Cow’s milk, unlike breast milk or formula, does not provide all of the nutrients that a developing infant requires.
How do I make food safe to eat for my 8 month old?
Don’t feed large pieces of food to your 8 month old
To avoid choking, start your 8 month old on solid foods with pea-sized items. Vegetables should be chopped and cooked softly, and fruits should be sliced into quarters or mashed. Meats and cheese should also be shredded or chopped into extremely small bits.
Avoid sticky food
Don’t give sticky food like jellies and marshmallows to your 8 month old. Sticky food can get lodged in the child’s throat and cause choking.
Avoid small hard food
A newborn should not be given whole food like entire grapes, nuts, popcorn, corn, raisins, dried fruits, seeds, or any other small, hard food. They’re all choking dangers that can get stuck in your baby’s throat. Any fruits you give your infant should be chopped and smashed. Smashed bananas and mangoes are a good place to start.
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we answered the question, “what can my 8 month old not eat?”. We also discussed why you shouldn’t be feeding these to your 8 month old.