How to Promote Optimal Gut Health in Your Infant

We have food allergies in my side of the family, so I've been particular about what the babe eats so far, basically mommy-milk or water. But at 10-1/2 months I decided she could start with some low-allergen veggies that have been well cooked for her 4 tiny teeth to be able to chew. Our state, Montana, does not have much of an organics section! We don't buy organic for ourselves most of the time (but Horizon milk is only a tiny bit more than regular milk so we do buy organic cow milk) but she's so little that I'll try and give her organics as long as possible. We bought some carrots, beets, apples yams, red potatoes and beef and cooked them in our big pot with some water, first the veggies together, then 'meat and potatoes' and then put them in canning jars to freeze. Much easier than canning and no worry about chemicals leaching into the foods.

In an attempt to avoid food allergies that I have (dairy, fresh fruits and veggies, nuts) I've decided to be super cautious in our approach to solids. Until our baby was 10-1/2 months old she only had human milk and water.

There is conflicting evidence about when to start solid foods (ie, other than breastmilk) in infants and how that can contribute to their overall health. I've chosen to take the cautious approach, my reasoning is that breastmilk is all that children need until they are a year, and even the AAP states that before a year any solids are for 'experimentation and pleasure' and most of their calories should come from human milk. Seeing that baby's systems are still developing, I look at breastmilk as being pre-digested food that is just perfect for their bodies. It is nutrient dense and the perfect balance of fats, protein, and carbohydrates.

But since they do need to eat regular food eventually, I decided to start off with low allergen foods. Beets, carrots, yams, apples, potatoes, and beef were what we started off with. Avoiding high allergen foods is essential, as the gut is not completely closed off and some of the tiny particles of those foods can go into the blood stream, triggering an allergic response that can set the child up for a life-long allergy.

In addition to that, the precedence of gastrointestinal troubles in the medical reports that I type up has made me wonder about whether we (as in general Americans) are doing something wrong in terms of how we start our children out on food. I looked more into it, and it appears that children do not develop enough Amylase to properly digest grains until around the age of 2! If we are feeding our children large quantities of things that they cannot fully digest, it is no wonder that they are growing up to have problems!

In addition to that, the more I've read about chemical additives in food, the more I am reluctant to allow any to creep into my young child's diet. I'm sure that when she is older eventually she will get a cookie with hydrogenated oil, or a popsicle with Yellow 05, but for now I will avoid what goes into her precious system. The Feingold diet is something to look into, it isn't any weird diet, it is just about feeding your children real food that comes from real food sources, not a factory.

Lastly, contrary to the popular American belief, it is important for children to breastfeed for at least 24 months as often as they would like. This allows them to access the wonderful nutritive properties of breastmilk during their most intense growing and developing phase.

Our outline for starting solids to avoid food allergies is as follows:

Only breast milk for 4-6 months

Introduce a cup of water around 4-6 months, for pleasure and help with hydration if the weather is hot

Close to a year, and after the appearance of teeth, the ability to sit unassisted, and obvious interest, introduce low allergen foods

Avoid all grains, nuts, non-human milk, corn, soy, and artificial flavors until age 2

Breastfeed as long as is mutually acceptable to mother and child, a minimum of 24 months

Choose organic whenever possible

Avoid chemical additives as long as possible