Weaning From Breastfeeding - 3 More Food Substances to Avoid, For Now (Part 3)

This article is a continuation of my other 2 articles (also of the same titles). Now, you may be asking, I understand that information about weaning from breastfeeding is important, but why is this very long?"

Yes, weaning/breastfeeding information is important. But mothers, especially the new ones, only have other people to rely on for such information. Knowing what you can and cannot give your baby during the solid food stage is VERY IMPORTANT so as to give the food that will not cause any allergic or medical reaction in your child. (Please see the first part of this article to understand why.)

Listed below are the last 3 foods that no baby should ever have a taste of ... well, at least until well after they turned 1-year-old:

- Wheat and whole-grain products. There are conflicting statements with regards to this type of food. But should you decide to give your baby any food with wheat content, then you should be gradual in giving this as it can lead him to gluten intolerance. According to Wikipedia, celiac (or coeliac) disease is simply put, a disorder of the small intestine which affects the absorption of food that may start from middle infancy up. The symptoms may include chronic (or won't-go-away) diarrhea, a bloated abdomen, fatigue and failure to thrive (failure to gain weight and or stunted growth in some children). It is also a cause of genetics. If a member of your family (extended or immediate) has this disease, then chances are, your baby is more likely to have it. Do not put him at risk. Whole-grain on the other hand, is hard for both babies and toddlers to digest. Their digestive systems are still developing at this point so this may make the child's stomach hurt due to diarrhea.

- Fried and smoked food. Like whole-grain, fried or smoked foods may be a little too much on a baby's stomach. These may be hard to digest, and might make it difficult for them to defecate.

- Sugar and artificial sweeteners. Avoid sugar, particularly the white variety as this may cause early dental cavities to your little one's teeth. In addition, it may cause obesity and possible diabetes as sugar in cakes, cookies and other snacks are highly addictive, especially for kids. Artificial sweeteners are a bit new. There is not much information about their substances, so since these are unfamiliar, it is better not to use them. (Honestly, I have never heard of a mother who uses artificial sweeteners for her child's meal.)

And again (as I have said time and time again), for any baby diet change, it is best to consult your pediatrician. I'm pretty sure you would want what's best for your baby. So avoid these foods for at least your baby's first year. If you plan on giving him any of these in the future, do it little by little, and observe if there are any negative reactions from your baby which would warrant your stopping that feeding.