The top 10 no no’s for your baby

As eager as your baby may be to try new things, there are a few things that babies should avoid eating and doing – at least until they are older than six months. We count down the top 10 no-no’s for babies.

1. Babies should avoid eating a lot of salt since it is bad for their kidneys. Avoid adding salt to your baby’s meals or boiling water, and avoid using stock cubes or gravy, which are often rich in salt.
2. Don’t give your baby fruit juice. Fruit juice isn’t much better than sugar water because it contains calories but no fat, protein, calcium, zinc, vitamin D, or fibre that babies require.
3. Shellfish that is raw or lightly cooked, such as mussels, clams, and oysters, might increase the risk of food poisoning and should not be given to babies.
4. Whole nuts and peanuts should not be given to children under the age of five because they can choke. Nuts and peanuts can be given to babies older than 6 months, as long as they are crushed, ground, or a smooth nut or peanut butter.
5. Avoid applying sunscreen to a baby until at least six months, as its skin is extremely sensitive.
6. Never give honey to a baby less than one-year-old. The immature gastrointestinal tract cannot handle the botulism spores in honey, and will produce botulism toxins, which can be fatal.
7. Never put anything around a baby’s neck, as this may lead to strangulation.
8. A baby should never sleep on its stomach, as this is a major risk factor in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
9. Don’t use a jogging stroller until the baby is at least 6 months old.
10. Don’t let your baby play in the kitchen. Appliances may not appear harmful, but they can pose serious dangers to babies, especially when they are learning to crawl. Babies can pull appliances down, or crawl into open appliances (like dishwashers and washing machines).