I Am Scared About Choking And Allergies While Weaning. What Should I Do?

When you are preparing for weaning your baby, it is both daunting and exciting. Allergies are a big concern during the initial weaning phase. How to identify what foods are your baby allergic to? What foods will cause life-threatening allergic reactions? You will be relieved to know that majority of babies do not have allergic reactions to food but in case you are wondering if your baby is one of the very few, then read this article till the end.

1. Your baby is likely to have an allergy in case the baby’s siblings or parents have any regardless of whether it is asthma, hay fever, food allergy, or eczema.
2. Studies have shown that babies who have been breastfed for the first six months exclusively have lesser chances of developing allergies.
3. There is no restriction in the diet of a breastfeeding mother as they don’t trigger any changes.
4. If you or the baby’s father or sibling has an allergic reaction then the chances of the baby having a similar allergy are pretty high.
5. If your baby’s close relatives do not have any allergies like asthma, hay fever eczema, or food allergies then you can start weaning your baby the normal way.
6. You can start by reducing the number of times you breastfeed your baby by one. Then introduce sippy cups and bowls with purees and cereal inside.
7. Make sure your purees include all the necessary nutrients and supplements which is required for your baby to grow and develop. A growing baby will require proteins, iron, vitamins, and energy-dense solid foods to have a steady growth rate.
8. You can start by pureeing the vegetables and crushing the fruits. Do not just go for one food item, make a habit of introducing new solid foods to your baby so that he or she doesn’t grow up to be a picky eater.
9. Dieticians recommend new mothers introduce the popular allergic foods between the age of 4 months and 1 year. In case you don’t then your baby might have a higher chance of becoming allergic to those allergic food items.
10. Start by providing eggs and peanuts to your baby. Keep a note of all the foods that you have been putting in front of your baby.
11. To be prepared for an emergency, purchase a bottle of antihistamine just in case your baby is having an allergic reaction.
12. There are some more popular allergen foods like tree nuts, sesame, wheat, fish including seafood.
13. If you do not want to start weaning your baby without consulting an allergen specialist doctor then you are welcome to do that too. An allergen specialist will recommend a bunch of allergen tests which will help the specialist to identify the food items your baby is allergic to among others.
14. Allergic reactions can be both immediate and delayed. The most common symptoms of an allergic reaction are vomiting, rashes, swelling in the mouth, sneezing and wheezing, and even shortness of breath. These are all immediate symptoms that will show during an allegoric reaction.
15. There are delayed reactions like eczema, diarrhea, vomiting, an itchy nose, and even stuffiness. Poor height and weight gain can also be delayed symptoms of an allergic reaction.
16. Food allergies can be avoided by avoiding the foods which cause allergies. Visit a dietician to get a meal chart that includes the alternative food items that will allow your baby to get the necessary nutrition.
17. Babies will be allergic to wheat, eggs, soy, peanuts, sea fishes or even milk will require special diets which will include alternative foot items which will provide the same kind of nutrition.
18. A dietician will also help you by catering to your worries and doubts and will provide your baby with a nourishing diet chart.

Conclusion

If you are worried about your baby’s allergens, then do research and consult a specialist.

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