Thursday, September 27, 2012

Here Baby, have some steak!

There was an article in the newspaper, the Toronto Star, this week stating that Health Canada has changed its stance on baby's first food. Previously, they recommended that babies start with a bland infant rice cereal. They are now recommending that at 6 months, babies should receive meat or a meat substitute as their first food.

The reason. Iron.

I blogged about baby's first food quite a while back. For a baby who does not have any health concerns, like anemia (low iron), my opinion is to start with fruits and vegetables. A vegetable like sweet potato or butternut squash is going to be easy on a baby's developing digestive system. It is slightly sweet, like breast milk, and is packed with nutrients. Meat, on the other hand, puts an adult's digestive system to work for many hours. Imagine your 6-month old's body digesting a steak. Granted, that's not entirely true because Health Canada recommends pureeing that steak.

Back to their reasoning for recommending meat and meat substitutes. Iron. A baby is born with iron stores courtesy of that kind lady who carried him/her. For most babies, there is no concern about iron levels until the second half of their first year. A baby's iron stores start to diminish (not disappear entirely!) at the 6 month mark. This doesn't mean that baby is iron deficient, it just means that he/she needs to start eating some iron-rich foods. It is also important to note that if Mom's iron levels are sufficient and she is still breastfeeding, baby is receiving iron in that way. While the amount of iron in a steak is far greater than the amount in breast milk, breast milk's iron is far more absorbable.

I'm not opposed to giving a baby meat, but I do not agree with it being given as a first food. I believe that meat should be giving to infants closer to the age of one. My girls began eating non-meat protein, such as beans and legumes, at about 9 months old. They tried chicken and tofu at about 11ish months.

Green vegetables, such as kale and spinach, are fantastic and very absorbable sources of iron. Add some fresh lemon to your greens because the vitamin C will help your body absorb the iron better.

I recently started giving the girls organic nettle tea (a herbal tea) with raw, local honey and a bit of fresh lemon. My reason will have to wait for another post :) However, I bring it up now because nettle tea is a fantastic source or iron and has been used as a natural remedy for anemia (low iron). So, if you do suffer from low iron, it might be something to consider*.

Personally, I feel like Health Canada's new guidelines might scare new parents into giving their 6-month old a ribeye or risk having an anemic child. In the 6-12 month period, breast milk or formula should be baby's primary nutrition source. If baby's diet is supplemented with lots of nutrient-rich foods, there is no reason that meat can't be introduced at closer to a year.

*Disclaimer: The information included on this blog is for informational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Prior to beginning any alternative treatment, please seek the advice of a naturopathic doctor. 


11 comments:

  1. Ian (age 3) is anemic so I'm really interested in hearing more about nettle tea (and any other ideas you have about getting iron into him.) :) He's not much of a meat-eater, so we've switched him to soy milk because it has iron, and we give him cereal with lots of iron (he loves cereal), and he eats eggs and raisins. I'm always looking for more ideas for iron. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I started making the girls juices with mostly veggies. The other day I did one with a TON of spinach, half a banana (for sweetness) and a few blackberries. I then added water and a few ice cubes and blended it with a hand blender (because I don't have a real one). They love it! Does Ian like beans? I will also make the girls black bean patties. They usually contain veggies and lots of spices. Would he eat something like that? And finally, I have a great recipe for tofu-spinach patties. Let me know if that appeals.

      Delete
  2. The Bean had low iron (maybe anemia, I can't remember now) as a young infant and I remember being surprised when our peditrician recommended meat as one of his first foods. I can't remember the age we first gave it to him, but I do remember it was on the younger side. Interesting to hear that nettle tea is high in iron. We'll have to look into that. The Bean loves taking sips (or gulps!) of our tea, so it might be a good way to get some extra iron into him, even though he's since been cleared for anemia. (It might be good for Jen and I to look into too, as we've been told we have anemia/ low iron respectively.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If you guys are considering getting a tea, I would recommend going to Thuna on the Danforth, near the Carrot. It is a herb-only store. The guy there is unbelievably knowledgeable. He has made me many teas (including one to help a nasty cold that I got while pregnant).

      Delete
    2. I used to get the best sore-throat tea from there (back in the days when I lived with two smokers and had throat infection after throat infection). I should make note to stop by the next time we're in the area.

      Delete
  3. Your comment about iron in breastmilk is interesting to me & I am sure that Health canada & the American Acadamy of Pediatrics has completely different opinions but anyways...
    My boys were anemic around the 2 month mark, they were also 11 weeks premature, I asked about my breastmilk & me possibly being anemic do to a hemerage after the boys birth. I was tested & not anemic. However I was told that my iron was not transfered through breastmilk & they had to take a supplement & be monitored regularly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would have to respectfully disagree. Based on my research and speaking to professionals, iron does pass through breast milk. While it may pass in high quantities, the iron in breast milk is extremely absorbable, as I stated.

      I'm curious to know why they told you that iron doesn't pass through your breast milk but other nutrients do?

      Delete
    2. Who knows & maybe my memory is failing me :-/ It may have been more of a "could they have low iron because of me" question? It's hard to remember all the details with 3 & honestly the first few months were a blur :)

      Delete
  4. My midwife had me drinking nettle tea with honey when I was pregnant to help with iron. I never ended up needing any supplements despite some early (pre-tea) low iron measurements. I can't remember what else was in the tea blend now but it also had a lot of calcium. Amazing what a cuppa can do!

    Kelly

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It really is amazing. Herbal teas have been used for centuries. It's such a nice way to take "medicine."

      Delete
  5. Thanks for the info, Ashleigh. You have become a major resource for me in feeding Grace and as a first time mom, it is much appreciated! I've always read that meat should be introduced around the one year mark so that's what we intend to do. Something about the thought of feeding my 27-week old steak just doesn't sit right.

    ReplyDelete