Tag: baby
Introducing Your Baby to Dairy
Nutritionally, babies need breastmilk or infant formula until they are one year old. From the age of six months full-fat cow’s milk can be used in cooking and with baby’s breakfast cereals and cow’s milk can be introduced as a main drink from the age of 12 months.
Dairy is an important part of your child’s diet providing essential nutrients such as calcium. When you start weaning your baby at around six months of age you can begin to slowly introduce a variety of foods.
Dairy can be given to baby from the age of six months in the form of cheese but avoid giving blue cheese or soft unpasteurised cheese, such as Camembert and Brie, until your baby is at least one year old. Blue cheese and unpasteurised cheese contain live bacteria which carries the risk of food poisoning.
Yoghurt is a good source of dairy for baby and can be given from the age of six months.
Allergies to Cow’s Milk
Some babies are allergic to cow’s milk so it is important when weaning your baby to introduce foods one at a time over a few days to check for any allergic reactions. You should seek urgent medical help if you think your baby is having an allergic reaction.
A food allergy is when the immune system reacts to a certain food protein resulting in a physical reaction which can occur immediately or within three days.
If your child has cow’s milk allergy the symptoms will start when cow’s milk is introduced into their diet. Symptoms of cow’s milk allergy could result in diarrhoea, vomiting, skin rashes, stomach cramps and difficulty breathing. In rare cases cow’s milk allergy can cause anaphylaxis.
Cow’s milk allergy is a common food allergy in children and most children who have this allergy grow out of it by the age of three, although it is estimated that 20 per cent of adults will continue to have cow’s milk allergy.
Alternatives
Aside from cow’s milk products there are many food sources that contain high levels of calcium. So if your child does have an allergy to dairy products you can still make sure your child’s diet is rich in calcium. Some good sources of calcium rich foods include sesame seeds, sardines canned in oil, spring greens, tofu, watercress and kale.
Lydia Oliver – Nutritional Advisor Only Best For Baby
This article was published in the September 2013 edition of Mummy and Me Magazine.
I offer one to one nutrition programmes for breastfeeding, post pregnancy weight loss, weaning, weight management and health. Contact me.
Bibetta Ultrabib
I first wrote about Bibetta Bibs when Imogen was almost 12 months old and weaning was in full swing. Fast forward a year and I have a toddler who can eat soup without any spills. But there are still occasions when a bib is one of the best inventions known to parents, especially when it’s a Bibetta Ultrabib.
We’ve had Imogen’s Bibetta Ultrabib for over a year and it’s in incredible shape. You wouldn’t know its age and that it’s been washed in the washing machine approximately 156 times (it comes out stain free every time). Not bad for an investment of around £5.
Imogen eating an ice cream and wearing her Bibetta Ultrabib.
Last week I bought a new Bibetta Ultrabib for when Imogen’s original bib is in the wash. Bibetta Bibs have won many awards. You can buy them in a selection of colours and sizes (plus choose an Ultrabib with or without sleeves) from Kiddicare.
Afternoon Tea with Annabel Karmel
Last Saturday I was invited to attend the launch of Annabel Karmel’s new App Annabel’s Essential Guide to Feeding Your Baby & Toddler at the Apple iStore in Regent Street.
The event was hosted by TV and radio presenter Jenni Falconer. Annabel talked about being a mother, coping with fussy eaters and how she began writing recipe books. Her career takes her all over the world as she continues to educate and encourage millions of parents on how to create simple and healthy meals for baby, toddler and child.
Annabel gave a demo of her new App which includes 200 healthy recipe ideas, handy meal planners that you can personalise to suit your family, a shopping list feature and videos showing how to prepare food. This App ensures you’ll never be stuck for ideas at mealtimes. There’s a handy section on Tips and Advice covering everything from foods for babies and toddlers to allergies and batch cooking.
Since Imogen was a baby I’ve read the range of Annabel Karmel Books
I met a wonderful group of bloggers at this event and after the launch we all sauntered in the London sun to 5th View in Piccadilly to have afternoon tea with Annabel Karmel and her lovely team.
