Raw Fruit Ok for Baby?

There is a great book called Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron (I think that is her last name...) but it has tons of info and age appropriate food ideas.
Take Care,
J.

I've been using a book called Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron as a guideline to what foods are good at particular ages. I haven't followed everything, but she recommends at 6 months that babies can have raw mild fruits such as pears, papaya, and mango. My son didn't have any problem with them. At 8 months, she recommends introducing melons (cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon) along with kiwi, peeled and quartered grapes, apricot, plums, at least for the fruits. Our pediatrician didn't feel we needed to be hyper vigilant about what when, as no one does it exactly the same. I just always follow the 4 day wait rule -- introduce one new food every 4 days and watch for any reactions.

Note: You should know, if you don't already, that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you DO NOT home prepare beets, turnips, carrots, collard greens, or spinach. These foods can contain large amounts of nitrates, which can cause an unusual type of anemia in young infants. Baby food companies screen their food sources for it, but you can't know the nitrate levels in the foods you buy to prepare yourself. I asked my pediatrician when I could begin to make these foods myself. He suggested making sure to use organics and that it would probably be okay around 1 year.

34 year old stay at home mom 4 month old baby with second (wonderful) husband and 3 older children who also adore their new little sister! I'm not sure if I can help but I just started pureeing fruits and freezing them (I just started her on Cereal no fruits yet) and I never gave cooking them a thought...I really dont think it is necessary...what I do know is that cooking things such as veggies actually reduces the nutrients that are in them (obviously babies can't eat raw veggies)but I would think that the less we have to cook the better. Hope this helps!

i used organic fruits and vegetables for my son, and all I did was thoroughly wash them all before preparing them..

:o) raw fruits is ok for baby. i feed my son raw fruits as long wash the fruits and i mashed or puree the fruit first :o) like other advices below :o) i am glad u feed ur son organic food.. GO ORGANIC!

M lil one has loved fresh fruit since he was able to chew on his mesh feeder. Those things are FANTASTIC. I do not think fuit has to be cooked? but know I am curious so I am going to look on the internet...just for future info. Try the mesh chwer/feeder thingy...it is awesome...lol
Good Luck

Hi Leslie,
My second child's first meal was an apple at just under 6 months. He literally grabbed it out of my hand and tried gnawing on it (guess he was ready!). I popped a piece in a mesh baby feeder and let him enjoy. I LOVED those feeders, as you can put chunks inside with no fear of choking, and when they are teething, you can pop a piece of frozen friut (mine loved watermelon) to help them soothe.

http://store.babycenter.com/product/code/3925.do

Enjoy those fresh veggies and fruits!

Yes raw food is fine for a baby just be sure to wash it first. I made all of my sons baby food and never had any problems.

As long as the pear and canteloupe are very ripe - you should be just fine! Like the other poster said, you can add water as well to thin it out. Fruits like apple you definitely want to steam/cook a little before pureeing.

I'm making organic, homemade baby food as well and am using the book "Super Baby Food" by Ruth Yaron as a guide. Raw pears are ok between 6-7 months, cantaloupe around 8 months. Raw mashed bananas are fantastic, too!
After I steam and puree the food, I put it in ice cube trays and (after frozen) transfer the cubes into a ziplock bag and store in the freezer. Good luck!

I'm not sure, but I would either check out Annabel Karmel's books or website or call the phone nurse at your pediatrician's office. Have fun with you new little one and your older ones too!

It is fine, but remember to introduce them one at a time and over several days between. Add enough water to make it smooth and you should be all set.

I would "soften" the fruit first either in a pan with some juice or in a steamer and them mash or puree depending on the child. I made all my kid's babyfood, as well. A wonderful gift to give a baby...if you are a good cook, that is : )

Hi L.,
I have also been making foods for my 8 month old. I have found the book, SUPER BABY FOOD by Ruth Yaron to be especially helpful. The book has a helpful chart on when to introduce what food and cooked vs. raw. It suggests that pears be cooked for the beginning eater, but at 6 months it's ok to offer pears raw. I have actually sliced them, frozen them on a cookie sheet and then cubed them (less messy and a soothing treat for a teething baby!) I have also done mangoes this way. Cantaloupe is suggested for babies 8 months or older in her book. That is actually one of our next foods! Good luck!

I've heard that the reason for cooking the fruits, as opposed to serving them raw, is that it makes it easier for the baby to digest. Avacado and bananas do not need to be cooked, though. Hope this was helpful!

It is hard to imagine that raw would not be ok when you start to think that every culture in the world feeds their babies differently. I bet lots of babies get raw (and lots get cooked) and they all do fine. As for the introduce one a week thing, I have also read that that really doesn't matter so much. Babies get rashes all the time from everything from food to detergent to viruses and trying to link them to a particular food is an exercise in futility. And especially if you are still nursing, the components in breastmilk help a baby digest the foods you give them.

I am getting ready to start amking food for my second after having fun doing it for my first. One thing my first loved was a mush I made out of dried fruit. I'd take apricots or prunes (unsulferated) and simmer them with a little water until they got real soft. Then I'd run the whole thing through the blender and pour it into a zip lock baggie. It would be like hot fudge going in and freeze into a really thivk ice cream sort of consistency. I'd spoon feed it frozen to my son in the summer and when he was teething. He loved it.

Hi L.-
The only real reason is probably texture. Raw pears and apples can be harder for wee ones to gum and swallow... If you cook them first so they're a little mooshy, they are less of a choking hazard. But if you're just blending them raw, that should be OK, just check the texure first.

I can't remmeber - but the book "Super Baby Food Book" has all the answers you need! (OK - I just looked it up for you, and it says raw pears are OK for babies 6 months and older, wait till 8 months for the cantaloupe.
Good luck!
E.

I am making my daughter's food as well. There is a great website: www.wholesomebabyfood.com. I have been using this as my guide for all of her food.

Good luck:)

I think the best book on starting solids is Dr. Sears The Baby Book. Those two chapters are worth the price of the book.

Having started solids four times my basic rule of thumb was that if I mush it between two of my fingers then baby would be able to mush it between her back gums. I made great use of my box greater.

Have fun and thank goodness that this period does not last very long. We all used to get so tired of everything being cooked to a faretheewell.

A.

My son had quite a few teeth at 6 months at could chew very very soft things, we have given him very soft (ripe) cantalop, in small peices, bananas, never tried avacodo. With pears I would find very ripe pears amd maybe smoosh them a little bit, making it easier for you baby to chew. I would also try seedless watermelon, peaches, and the like Don't do any hard fruits, like apples and be careful around berries too. My friends 7 month old choked on a blueberry before. I would just make sure that you introduce the food slowly (no more than one new food in a 24-48 hour period), so that if an allergic reaction starts up you'll know from which food. I don't see any reason why they should have to be cooked.

I will tell you that at 2 1/2, with a full set of teeth, my son still can't eat raw carrots, he rushes, doesn't chew them up like he should, then throws them up about 5 minutes later. My friends daughter (who choked on the blueberry) is very slow and deliberate and can eat raw baby carrots just fine. A lot will depend on the child. Just stay with the baby when s/he eats, in case of choking and take your cues from the baby. If they are fine with it, then you should be to (lol to a point, my son would live off cake if he was allowed to!)

Its fine....my daughter survived....

L.,
I also made all of my daughters food, and the only reason for cooking the fruit first is to make it softer. If you use the mesh feeder or let the fruit ripen to the soft point you'll be perfectly fine! I also would cook and mash veggies and freeze them in ice cube trays and store them in the freezer bags, so a months worth of baby food would take me about an hour to make. It's great to hear of other mom's making home-made organic food! My mother-in-law tried to feed my daughter the jar stuff and she spit it right out :) guess the home-made stuff is better! :) Good luck!

I think you're fine. Just remember that even fruit where you don't eat the peel needs to be washed thoroughly cause you can contaminate the inside when you cut through the outside. Keep up the good work!

Hi L., raw cantelope was the first finger food i gave my babe, and she loved it!!! i just diced it, and then squished it a little. She eats raw soft pears too, peeled of course.