When it comes to first foods, mainstream advice is to feed your baby rice cereal. There are various reasons why this is a bad idea, starting with the fact that babies do not have sufficient amounts of the proper enzyme, called amylase, needed to break down grains in their tummies.
While infants do produce salivary amylase (source), their pancreases do not produce enough amylase for grains until their molar teeth are fully developed, which can sometimes take over two years (source). Because of this, improperly digested rice and other starchy foods will create inflammation in the already sensitive tummies of little humans, potentially leading to food allergies in childhood and autoimmune issues later in life. (source)
Another reason to avoid baby cereal: rice products have recently been found to contain arsenic, an element unsafe for human consumption in any quantity. (source) Finally, even if you baby could digest grains, there are far more important foods to focus on – foods that are nutrient-dense and essential to your baby's growth and development.
You may be shocked by the list of first foods below, but healthy traditional cultures worldwide have fed their babies like this for millennia. (source)
Three first foods your baby needs
1 – Bone broth
I know, I know. Bone broth sounds weird. Barbaric, even. But all we are talking about here is homemade soup stock – simple chicken or beef broth made by using bones like your mom or grandma may have done to make soup.
Unlike the store-bought variety, homemade broth is loaded with minerals, gelatin, and glycosaminoglycans (which include substances like chondroitin and glucosamine, keratin and hyaluronic acid and more). These nutrients help in the development and health of teeth, bones, hair, nails, and joints in babies and adults alike.
Bone broth is also a digestive elixir that helps the lining of a baby's digestive tract to mature and strengthen, preparing baby's tummy to digest more complicated foods down the road. You can learn an easy method to make chicken bone broth here. Then simply warm the broth to feed it to your baby on a spoon or offer her sips from a cup. Want the health benefits of bone broth, but don't want to make your own? Buy bone broth online here.
2 – Egg yolk
Babies need fat and cholesterol for proper brain and nervous system development, and egg yolks from pasture-raised hens provide fat and cholesterol as well as choline, amino acids, and vitamin A. While you may have heard that babies cannot digest protein, they do in fact have the proper digestive enzymes for most protein and fats that are similar to those in breast milk. (source)
To prepare the egg, either soft boil it and slice off the top, or cook it over-easy and slit the yolk with a sharp knife. Add a pinch of high quality sea salt (for essential minerals), and you can then spoon-feed the warm yolk to your baby.
Do not feed your baby egg whites as they can be allergenic, and the protein in this part of the egg is difficult for baby to digest. Very occasionally, a baby will spit up egg yolk. This is a sign that his or her digestion still needs more time to mature before introducing more solid foods. Stick with breast milk and bone broth, and attempt egg yolk again in a few weeks.
3 – Liver
After six months, you can begin adding small amounts of grated raw liver to the top of your baby's egg yolk. Nope, I'm not joking. Liver from grass fed cows is extremely high in vitamin A, a nutrient especially important in your baby's overall development. (source)
While we commonly think of orange foods like carrots and squash to be high in vitamin A, in fact, these foods contain carotene, a precursor to vitamin A. Carotene is poorly converted to vitamin A in babies and children, and because of this, should be consumed only in moderation. The only way to get sufficient vitamin A is through high-quality animal products, with liver being the very best source. (You can read more about Vitamin A here).
To prepare the liver, freeze it raw for at least 14 days to destroy any harmful microbes. Then using a fine plane grater, sprinkle about 1 teaspoon over your baby's egg yolk, and serve. Even if you find this unappealing, chances are good that your baby will love it!
So now you know what to feed your baby. You can learn about when to start solids here.
Got more baby food Qs?
How much do you feed your baby? When? And what about recipes or some kind of meal plan?
If you've got more questions about how to begin solids with your wee human, head over to First Foods and Beyond.
In her program, Megan Garcia shares tips on how to introduce solids, a 3-step meal plan that you can customize to fit what's in your fridge, a handful of nutrient-rich baby food recipes, and a DEEP look at probiotics. Click here to access the program now.
Are chicken livers from pastured chickens just as good, or should you only use beef livers?
Hi Amanda – Great question! I don’t know for sure, but I think they are both super nutritious as long as they come from a healthy source. Does anyone else have any input on this one? I’m going to post this question to Facebook and see what our peers think…
Chicken livers are fantastic! Some babies prefer them because the flavor is a bit more mild. 😀
Duck livers are much higher in vitamin A than chicken liver and is more gentler in taste.
I have read in Cure Teeth decay book that in 3.5 ounces
turkey liver has 75 000 IU
duck has 40 000 IU
beef has 35 000 IU
chicken only has 13 350 IU
is more really better?
curious……isn’t duck liver fatty because they overfeed the ducks cornmill to make the duck liver really fatty and really big? not only is it animal cruelty, cornmill feeds sounds like GMO, why are we feeding our baby such food?
Did I say Foie Gras? I did not-I think you need to google it. I just gave info on the amounts of vitamin A. I believe that it is very hard to get enough vit A from plant sources (betacarotene).
Weston Price foundation has a lot of great info on vitamin A, debunking myths, etc. see also how vitamin D is connected etc
http://www.westonaprice.org/fat-soluble-activators/vitamin-a-saga
i didn’t really mean to challenge what you said, no need to get defensive. i actually meant this as a general question to the board, not sure why it fell under this thread. and i am genuinely curious about duck liver because i did buy a whole lot thinking i will make it for my 8m….but is there really a difference between duck liver and foie gras?
Hi Joyce! Duck liver is different than when ducks are fed for foie gras. This is for regularly raised ducks, not the nastiness done to ducks for foie gras. Hope this helps!
thanks so much for your reply! but when i see duck liver in the store, how do i know if it’s the regular duck liver that you are referring to or the foie gras? and is foie gras nasty because of how they feed them or what they feed them?
I really liked three of them;I’m also interested in fish eggs as a first food to the infants and I was wondering what you think about it.
Hi Shannon – I think fish eggs are a wonderful, nutrient-dense food for babies. As long as the fish has come for clean waters, I think it’s a go!
Great post! Is serving liver the same as serving cod liver oil, in that the vitamins are fat soluble and can be stored by our bodies, so you don’t have to fret about giving it to them every single day (I’m successful about 3 days a week)?
Shannon, we’ve given fish eggs (salty peas) to our girls from about 8 mos. on (they’re 14mos), and they love them. They’re perfect for helping them develop the pincer method, too! I bought a pack of 2 from Vital Choice and we haven’t even made it through the first pack, and I give it to them 3-4x per week. It’s a big upfront cost, but ends up being very economical.
Hi Megan – Yes. You will get the same benefits from liver and cod liver oil as long as the oil is not heat treated.
how much cod liver oil to feed 6 month old baby vs one year old?
a teaspoon of clo would suffice for a small child.. I´m from Iceland and we have premium quality fish oils readily available for affordable prices in our local grocery stores and they are used for many properties.. foremost for their vitamin D potency, since we are often deficient in this vitamin during cold, dark 8 months of winter, when there´s about 2-6 hours of light per day.. Don´t worry, the other 4 are nice and bright 🙂
thanks for you’re reply!
so if we get a lot of sun i should give the baby a smaller dose? and if i give it to her and chase it after warm milk does it kill the vitamins in there?
Hi Joyce, you can read about how much cod liver oil you need here:
http://holisticsquid.com/how-much-cod-liver-oil-do-i-need/
great! thanks!
I have noticed that when I give my child who is six months old fermented cod liver oil, he chokes and coughs when I have given it to him. He has only had it twice and that freaked me out.
What do you think of avocado? That was one of my daughters’ first foods. (I skipped the rice cereal altogether – it was my mama instinct that told me so!)
Megan:
I’d love to hear more about introducing caviar to ur twins;first time mama here.Did u mash it?Did u mix with anything?Also,I thought once u open up the can,u have to finish it all .Can u keep the left over caviar at the fridge ,if so how long?
Thnx
Good Chicken Broth Rocks! I usually add a bay leaf, parsley and some whole peppercorns along with the celery, carrot and onion. The inclusion of vinegar is interesting; does that help break down the bones or something? By the way Emily, I’m trying to persuade the kids that we need to eat one of our roosters. Sadly they are not up for it at the moment …. perhaps you would like him.
Why do you need to eat one of your roosters?
Mommypotamus – Do you know?
The nutrition profiles between the two are different but I don’t see why you couldn’t use chicken livers.
From what I have read liver from pastured chickens is just as good and tastier!!! I cannot do beef liver..too bitter for me. You should still follow the 2 week frozen rule.
Why do people refer to chickens as pastured? Chickens cannot just be pastured. Their diet has to be supplemented. I have chickens and I feed them organic corn and soy free feed. They are also free range all day. I have just never understood the term “pastured” when referring to chickens…
They probably mean that the chicken gets out in the pasture. Some if not most conv chickens never step outside. Chickens need sun and bugs to make healthy eggs.
I grew up only eating chicken livers-chopped liver is a major Jewish comfort food! The real yiddish recipe includes plenty of schmaltz and crisped chicken skin from the rendering of the chicken skin for the fat or schmaltz. It also includes hard boiled eggs and onions-I can’t think of a more nutrient dense recipe than that! I have had to learn to like beef liver…it tastes a lot stronger to me. Made some calves liver the other night and that was really good (much milder).
I cannot eat chicken to egg no matter if i get it from a pastured/organic/ soy free/corn free farmer (they still feed it grain) I have a bad reaction (though i am very sensitive). If you soak beef liver in milk or lemon juice it helps reduce the taste. thats my input!
@Erica Gorham, I think pastured refers to the fact that they’ve at least had access to and likely ate grass and bugs. Free range doesn’t suffice since chickens that live on a large dirt floor and ONLY eat chicken feed can be called free range. And from what I understand, the grass and bugs increase the nutritional value of both the eggs and the meat quite a bit.
I believe if the chickens livers are from grub/grass-fed free-range chickens, it is just as good as grass-fed beef liver. We soak our grass-feed beef liver in milk for 1/2 hour prior to cooking and it makes all the difference in the world. Sounds strange (it did to me the first time it was suggested to me) but it really does cut the taste significantly.
I believe if the chickens livers are from grub/grass-fed free-range chickens, it is just as good as grass-fed beef liver. We soak our grass-feed beef liver in milk for 1/2 hour prior to cooking and it makes all the difference in the world. Sounds strange (it did to me the first time it was suggested to me) but it really does cut the taste significantly.
Yeah I think the only issue would ne if the chickens are fed soy. Most feeds contain soy even organic ones.
Chicken livers contain more iron and folic acid than beef liver, but less vitamin A. Whether or not it would be ‘just as good’ from a nutritional standpoint would depend on what you were looking at. Definitely a nutritious food though!
if i get more access to pig livers can i feed it to my 6 month old? seems like there is a lot of talks about chicken duck goose and cow livers but not much about pig livers?
I don’t know if there is an age restriction but few people eat pig liver so it isn’t mentioned as much. Always get your pig liver from pigs raised on organic feed and living outside on pasture or in wooded glens. This greatly enhances the nutrition and the taste. We raise our own pigs and my sons enjoy eating the liver at least once a week. It has a much milder taste than beef liver even if the pigs consumed large amounts of grass. If my sons had to pick a favorite it would be rabbit liver which they also get pretty often because we raise rabbits. I have always served it cooked medium well rather than raw just because we like it that way. Cooked in a cast iron pan with some butter is very tasty and mashes up really easy for the little ones just learning to chew.
Hi Joyce, thanks for your question. Like Andrea says below, if you can get pig livers from pastured pigs, then you can go ahead and offer this to your baby.
so, if i have access to pig livers but not pastured pigs, then i should just skip livers all together? or should i still offer her a some? i haven’t checked the supermarkets we may be able to buy some frozen ones but i doubt pastured sources, the only fresh ones i see are pig….
also, say i do get access to pastured livers, how much to serve to a 6 month old?
Fascinating to know that pancreatic amylase is not sufficient until the arrival of a child’s 1st molars. I was just noting the developmental differences in my child pre and post-molar eruption, which seem to have vastly improved. While the disappearance of teething pain might account for much of it. I also always thought that there were digestive-related functions involved with this. This sheds light on so many things. Thank you!
If you follow the source, the abstract says that the serum (blood) amylase level “reached the normal adult level by approximately 8 months of age”. The low level of serum amylase due to a deficiency of the pancreatic-type isoamylase was only in newborns and young infants. If a child’s serum amylase level is low until his first molars come in, then he is not standard and needs to be examined.
Don’t livers of any kind contain filtered toxins?
what’s the “2 week frozen rule?”
I just can’t do any organs. I know they’re supposed to be better, but I just can’t do it!
I’m with you Bianca!
Kelly Barrett: NO! In a healthy animal, no toxins stay in the liver, they are filtered out through the urine or fecal matter.
Only fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the liver.
sorry very stupid question here, i read this a lot but what exactly is a fat soluble vitamins, why do we need to care about them?
Rachel Ann Turk – You’re welcome!
Shaunna – If you are eating raw liver, you should freeze it for two weeks before consuming to destroy any potential pathogens.
Erica Gorham – My understanding is that ‘pastured’ differentiates chickens from ‘free-range’ or ‘cage-free’ definitions because the latter two are raised indoors whereas ‘pastured’ means they were outdoors, even if they have had supplemental feed. Chicken farmers can call their chickens and eggs ‘free range’ even if they only live in a shed eating only chicken feed with a small door as access to outside that they never use.
Erica Gorham – My response is above, but it wouldn’t let me tag you…
I love eating organ foods since I grew up eating them,but my problem is that I cant find a reliable surce to buy any
.So I take Dr. Ron’s Organ Delight!
My son is almost 2 and this is how I started him on solids. Only I put the egg yolk in his bottle of breastmilk, along with a 1/4 tsp of FCLO, and I used chicken livers.
I heard this argument many years ago that babies are not equipped to digest grains, and subsequently didn’t feed any to my babies. But why is it that in many grain based traditional societies, gruel is a common weaning food? Is there something science has missed, or are these societies just ill informed?
@Josefina – I suspect that has a lot to do with the age of weaning in those societies. Traditional cultures typically breastfed babies anywhere from 2-6 years, so it makes sense that they were pretty lax about when solids were introduced. It is my understanding that babies are ready for some grains when their molars come in – I’m not sure that cultures held this understanding but it is a possibility.
Another consideration is that breastmilk appears to be protective against potential negative effects of grains. New studies indicate that breastfeeding longer, especially during the time of gluten introduction, can reduce the risk of celiac disease (http://www.bestforbabes.org/science-you-can-use-worried-about-celiac-disease-new-analysis-says-longer-breastfeeding-especially-at-time-of-gluten-introduction-reduces-risk#)
Good point. I did some googling around, and it appears that semisolids are introduced rather early in traditional societies, often before age 1, typically around 4 months. It seems common to introduce whatever staple is consumed by the adults, but traditionally, the gruel is fermented, and that may also account for enhanced digestibility in the absence of the particular enzyme.
While protein and micronutrients are crucial for healthy growth, I think calories are needed in the largest quantity, and that may be why traditional cultures offer weaning foods that are high in calories but low in micronutrients (those vitamins and minerals are supplied by breastmilk for quite a while longer still).
Hello,
I really wish I would have done a lot more research before I feed my baby. Indeed he was ready to eat however he had a very bad reaction to baby rice cereal and oatmeal which brought on an auto immune disease. After the fact , I have read rice cereal & oatmeal are indigestible. It is very dangerous and I too am trying to spread the word.
Thank you for this post. I wish I had seen it sooner.
At what age can you start the bone broth?
Hi Ashley – It depends on the child, but if you are just looking to do a ‘normal’ transition to ‘solids’ I would start at 5-6 months. For babies with eczema and digestive allergies, you can begin with broth much earlier to help heal their digestive system. The homemade hypoallergenic formula recommended by the Weston Price Foundation uses bone broth, and this can be used for newborns in place of commercial formula.
My son 3 months old and suffering from milk protein allergy that has damaged the lining of his stomach due to prolonged exposure. Would it be safe to introduce bone broth at 3 months?
Hi Chelsea, thank you for your question. The Western Price Foundation recommends homemade formula with a bone broth base for babies with milk allergy so with that in mind, you may want to consider using the homemade formula for a more complete nutritional profile. Hope this helps!
My 6 month old cannot tolerate ANY dairy in my diet (he’s exclusively breast fed). So I’ve done my best to be dairy free (accidents happen when eating out). Because of his milk protein allergy should I follow a different path or do anything additional?
Hi Tiffaney, Try to start with FCLO, and lots of broth. The best is to try to eliminate it as best as you can for now and to try and improve both your and your baby’s gut health. xoxo Emily
When animal products say they’re “grass-fed” or “pastured” do they also need to be organic? I just get confused with all the different terms and what they mean. My husband bought Egglands Best Organic eggs, and I looked on the website and it says they are cage free and have outdoor time, but it didn’t specifically say pastured, so I’m not sure if I should feed them to my baby. Also I grew up in a house that was terrified of raw eggs and undercooked meat (“No snitching the cookie dough! You can die!” was my mom’s mantra!) so I have a bit of fear inside me about serving runny yolk to my precious baby or raw liver. Do I have anything to worry about? Is the liver still nutritious if I cook it? Thank you!
Hi Tanya – This is a good reason to “know your farmers” as much as possible – then you can ask them directly how their animals are raised. When that’s not an option, it is good to look for both grass fed/pastured AND organic since there’s a good chance that the animals are not 100% forage fed. If you know the farming practices, true pasture raised animals do not necessarily need to be ‘organic’.
As for the eggs, you can find the rating of specific brands of eggs on this great report:
http://www.cornucopia.org/organic-egg-scorecard/ The Eggland’s Best Organic don’t get a good rating, so I would seek out one that does.
When you are eating high quality food, the rawness shouldn’t be an issue, as long as you properly store it. With the egg yolks for babies, you cook them just not enough to solidify it. With the liver, the extended freezing kills any harmful microbes. Hope this helps!
So my boy is 10.5 months and is eating really well at this point. We are still breastfeeding, but it’s probably only half his calories, and he eats two big meals a day, including whole eggs (started with just yolks), liver, grass-fed beef, fruits, veggies. My question is about bone broth. I’ve tried bone broth with him since 6 months old, and every time he gets rashy cheeks, really red and inflamed. I’ve tried again every couple of weeks, and always the same reaction. Any ideas about this? It’s the same with chicken or beef bone broth, and our bones are almost always grass-fed/pastured/organic.
Hi Janna – If he’s sensitive to it, just hold off for now. He will probably be fine in a few months, a year at max.
Gracie Mae, my 6mo, has just started solids because she was getting so hungry in the middle of the night. We started with the yolks from a 4 1/2 minute egg and have moved on to a mashed hard-cooked egg mixed with breast milk. Yay for protein & fat! She’s back to sleeping through the night and you couldn’t ask for a happier or healthier baby!
🙂
This is great info. Expecting another little one and baby 3 opened my eyes about grains. (She is still sensitive to them at 2.5 years. It’s been a major paradigm shift these past few years.)
Hello,
Wondering how often to give the liver, only once a week or more than this?
Hi Morgan – It’s such a small amount grated onto the egg that you could offer it every time you offer egg. Even daily shouldn’t be a problem.
Hi Emily thanks for the great info! I love reading your blog! I have a 6 month old little boy
and I just started feeding him solid food. All nutrient dense WAPF foods. He is doing well except for a RA
Rash on his head that looks like eczema, and flares up and becomes itchy at night. He had it before I started him on solids though. I ordered your ebook the eczema cure today but cannot download it to my phone to read. The only thing I get when it loads is a two page explanition of raw milk in Colorado. ?????please let me know how I can successfully download your book. I really need to read it soon to get his eczeczema under control before it gets any worse. Thanks! Acacia
Hi Acacia – If you haven’t figured out the download yet, please email [support at holisticsquid dot com]. Thanks!
As far as feeding your baby the liver is concerned, do you literally take the liver frozen out of the freezer and scrape off bits of it onto the egg yolk? No need to defrost/cook??
Yes. It warms slightly when it comes in contact with the cooked egg.
Thank you!! I’ll have to try this.
Can someone tell me exactly what I need to buy and how to prepare bone broth?
Thanks
Hi Sara, thanks for your question. You can read my post about making broth here: http://holisticsquid.com/making-chicken-bone-broth-from-basic-to-adventurous/.
Hi! I’m so glad I came across this article when I did. My baby boy is 5 1/2 mos and I just recently started feeding him organic brown rice cereal but after reading this I’m definitely going to stop, thank you for the heads up 🙂 but just curious I know it says to feed the liver to your little one when they’re 6 mos is it ok to start the bone broth before 6 mos?
Hi Brittany, thank you for your question. 6 months is just a basic guideline as each baby will be ready for these foods in their own time. You can definitely start bone broth and egg yolks for your 5 1/2 month old, and the liver would actually be fine too.
Okay, so this may be a stupid question, but I have never cooked or eaten liver……After it has been frozen for 2 weeks, does the liver then need to be cooked then grated onto the egg yolk? Or does it really go onto it raw? Thanks!
Hi Tiff, thanks for your question. It really is fine to grate the raw liver onto the egg yolk. It’s easier to do this while it is still frozen, so no need to defrost even. Hope this helps!
Hi Emily, do you know if there are any risks for Salmonella when giving baby the egg yolk runny? And do you know if you can store some of the yolk if not all eaten at once? Many thanks!
Hi Eva, thanks for the question. The egg should be cooked, just still runny. That said, you should always choose eggs from pasture-raised hens or, second best, free-range organic. I wouldn’t store part of a single yolk, though. If you have any left over, add it to another egg or two and have it for breakfast – Mama needs to eat too!
Thank you for this article! I’m sad to say that my 11 mo old has an egg allergy, so I’m unable to feed him pastured yolks anymore. 🙁 I feel like he’s really missing out in a superfood, and I’m wondering if you have any suggestions for other foods with similar nutritional value (great fats!). He still nurses A LOT and I take FCLO but haven’t given it directly to him. He also has a dairy intolerance that he seems to be outgrowing (haven’t fed him dairy but have been reintroducing it via breast milk and he’s doing great). Thanks in advance!
Hi Sarah, thanks for your question! I’d definitely start the FCLO, and do lots of broth and liver. My kids liked oysters and clams until they got old enough to get grossed out. Fish roe is another great superfood. Good luck!
Hi, I am wondering if there is an egg scorecard chart for Australia? I have a5 1/2 month old I started feeding him mashed banana, then introduced avocado, pear, apple and kale. He started getting constipated so I cut everything right back again and started with banana, tried beans he spewed. I’ve tried prunes. Is there any foods you think will help that I haven’t tried already? Will eggs constipated him more? I am just trying to find the right eggs, we have organic at the supermarket but I am very skeptical of ‘organic’ it doesn’t necessarily mean its good for you.
I just started giving my 17 month old oatmeal pretty much most days for the past 3-4 weeks. I’m now so upset that it is doing damage. Is there any way to reverse this? I already have a horrible leaky gut issue and have read that it can be passed on while pregnant. I just want to make sure he doesn’t have the same food intolerances that I have. Please let me know if anyone has any ideas to undo the damage I have done. Is quinoa ok at this age since it’s a seed and not a grain??
We use child-led weaning but would like to incorporate these foods with the next baby. Any ideas how to do so? Bone broth ice cubes? Chunks of liver? I’m cringing at the idea of letting her feed herself egg yolk but I’m not going back to spoon feeding!
Just realized that bone broth is only broth so she could just drink it 🙂
Hello,
At what age do you recommend starting these 3 foods?
I have a question about feeding raw liver to anyone let alone a baby. Many things survive freezing temperatures and I do not know why eating raw liver even frozen would be safe.
Could you please share the sources that say eating raw liver that has been frozen for two weeks is completely safe?
Thanks so much.
hi emily, i have a question separate from this topic but i really need advice….before i learned about weston price foundation last week, my understanding is that goats milk is far more superior than cows milk given that its much easier to digest for a baby’s tummy. now that weston price foundation supporters are advocating cows milk, i just want to know, are they saying cow’s milk is good, or its the best? is it a great source of nutrients but not necessarily better than goats milk or its universally the best option?
i live in taiwan and it’s illegal to sell raw milk for some reason, i was pretty shocked to find out, nonetheless i was wondering if it’s ok to start feeling my 6 month old baby the next best thing i can find in taiwan – grass fed whole milk?
any help is greatly appreciated!
Sorry can I ask the obvious question? Why doesnt doctor mention it?
i’ve read in other places that warn about not eating too much liver for baby, how much can we feed them anyways?
http://www.naturalnews.com/038591_iron_deficiency_supplements_infants.html
most recent studies in sweden saying no more than 3 teaspoons of liver meat for babies per week, what do you think?
Per my Ped., My 9mo was in the 11th percentile in weight and needs to fatten up, and if course told to guve cereal or oatmeal. I have told I havent fed her any but my Peds. said she was also concerned for her getting enough iron. Your article doesnt really go over what to do for iron, since not getting the fortified cereals. Would you pkease run through what a day would look like for a 9month old to get its iron without grains?
My understanding is my breastmilk has about 50% of her daily allowance, then factor in 2 jars of baby food at 4% each with geletin powder,and I think my little one would still be at a deficiet of 30% a fay?
I appreciate any feedback!
i need help! i got some duck liver thinking to make for my 8m baby……but then all of the sudden remembered something i read a long time ago….……isn’t duck liver fatty because they overfeed the ducks corn mill to make the duck liver really fatty and really big? not only is it animal cruelty, cornmill feeds sounds like GMO, so should we be feeding our baby such food?
how much raw liver should i give my baby on a daily/weekly basis? i have read that vit a can be toxic and i give him cod liver oil also which is high in vit a.
Hi Celeste, here’s more information on Vitamin A Toxicity you may find useful: http://holisticsquid.com/vitamin-a-and-pregnancy/
Do you think beef bone broth is ok or does it have to be chicken?
Hi Virg, thanks for the question. Beef bone broth would probably be fine but most people find it is easier to get used to chicken broth first.
trying to find the science behind the freezing liver 2 wk thing. what pathogens are actually being killed off? parasites maybe but ??
Accomplish who you are a beginner and want to stop it
and llet it go. We net 10-15 fish a day, or 6 litres at most in a full day- and the fish must be alive to
weigh in. They’ve got a number of the engineers who
are fishermen. These disorders have caused stress in my family’s fishing rod tip lives, but it takes lots more skill.
I’ve just started feeding egg yolk and raw chicken livers to my 6.5 month. Is this an everyday food?
Thanks
At what age do you recommend introducing bone broth?
Thank you so much for this post! Question about the liver: Do you grind the liver when it is still frozen, or do you thaw it first?
Hi Sierra – Thanks for your question! I grate the frozen liver on the cooked eggs. Hope that helps 🙂
I have 3 boys ages 9,4 and 2. My first son I fed as our culture traditionally feeds babies (grains, baby cereal, organic veg and fruit) After reading Nourishing Tradions cookbook I fed my other two foods mentioned in the article and left grains out completely. They started on egg yolk and primarily ate that with a homemade stew I made from bone broth, organic meat and veggies (puréed) everyday until atleast a year. As well as some unsweetened yogurt.
I have to say that I noticed a very significant difference in how much more quickly the younger two developed especially with their speech. As well, they seemed to have a much greater immune function which has held up to this day even though they don’t continue to eat this way. Also, my oldest struggled with eczema and allergies which was a non issue with the other two. I am convinced it was the food as I did nothing else different with all 3.
Hello Emily,
Just curious if this ebook covers steps on how to baby led wean or if there’s another book or source you recommend? Thanks!
Hi Rachel – I believe so, but you can email the author to find out for sure.
Hello!
I gave my first baby bone broth at 6 months…lots of it! She had digestive issues…it helped immensely.
Any thoughts on giving it to a two month old? He has digestive issues as well, reflux and is very colicky. Maybe an ounce or two a day?
Hi AJ – Yes, simply warm the broth to feed it to your baby on a spoon or offer her sips from a cup. Hope that helps!
Thank you for sharing this.
I wish I had read your post a year ago so that my daughter wouldn’t had suffer from her cavities.
She’s almost 22 months old, having 4 cavities on her top front teeth. I didn’t notice her first cavity until she’s 14 months old.
I started giving her fermented cod liver oil every day and put her on a grain free diet.
Hi Emily,
My daughter is in the lower percentile for weight so I have been giving her eggs, avocado, and coconut oil daily (and adding in other foods). She is still nursing but I’m just wondering how much solids I should be giving her daily and if it’s okay to feed her alot of the same foods everyday in order to get the healthy fats into her diet?
Hi Kristen,
Thank you for your question. This really does depend on the individual child. Follow her lead on how much she wants as far as how much you give her. It’s perfectly okay to give similar foods regularly and add variety as you continue.
Hope this helps.
All of us ( I’m the youngest of 3) were weaned on mashed (reconstituted) dried apricots. Delicious! 😀 I’ve read about the above-mentioned “super foods” in “Nourishing Traditions”. That’s what I’m going to start any of my future children on, I think. 🙂
Can anyone tell my why use raw liver vs cooked for baby? Thanks!
Hi Mary, thanks for your question. This is because the B vitamins are more bio available in raw liver than in cooked.
Hi,
Shouldn’t i COOK the beef liver to feed my 8 month old baby?… Please let me know in detail…
Hi Julie, no you do not need to cook the liver. It is best consumed raw.
I’m currently reading Super Nutrition for Babies and then starting researching online and found this site. Wish I would have started my baby on bone broth much sooner since she suffers from GERD/reflux. 🙁 anyways she’s 6 months in 2 days and we are staying with bone broth tomorrow. How much should I let her drink? I know if she stops then that’s it but if she doesn’t what is too much? Also I’ve had milk supply issues in the past, will this affect her breastfeeding at all?
Hi Danielle, if you have milk supply issues, start with a little each day and increase as she seems to want more. As with any new introduction in diet, you should just start with a teaspoon or two. Each child is different so I can’t say what is too much. Hope that helps.
Hi, does cooking the liver or hardboiling the egg kill the nutrients?? I am not completely comfortable feeding raw or undercooked eggs and meat to my baby. Thanks
My son is four months old and I’m n favor of your first foods…..how exactly do I introduce broth? Dropper? Bottle? Amount?
Hi Laura, you could certainly try with a dropper or a spoon. I would however, suggest waiting until he starts to show interest in food.
Hi I have a 15 month old who is a very picky eater and refuses eggs altogether, especially if its runny, even when she was much younger. Any ideas how to feed her the yolk?
Also any other ways to feed liver to a toddler?
Hi Mah, if your child is refusing eggs after many repeated efforts to introduce it, I would look at other proteins to introduce that she is receptive to.
Love your posts and especially this one for me at the moment. Is there a reason to give them runny yolk versus a hard-boiled yolk?? Thank you!
Hi Lindsee,
It’s easier as a first food for them to swallow. Once your little one becomes more proficient with the different tastes and textures, hard-boiled yolk would be fine.
xoxo
Emily
Does anyone know if duck yolk is ok? I have access to a lot of duck eggs but not many chicken eggs. Thanks 🙂
So you don’t cook the liver? Just grate it finely into egg yolk?
Hi there ! Thanks for the broth recipe. I plan on starting tonight. I am a first time broth maker and this will be my baby’s first food as well. I have a few questions. 1. The general recommendation is to introduce one food at a time to a baby starting solids, when I cook the chicken with carrots, celery, vinegar, aren’t I really introducing multiple foods at a time? Obviously I would not feed my baby chunks of these veges, but the enzymes still make their way into the broth yes? And what is the advantage or disadvantage of using/not using them in the broth making process? 2. I’ve read that carrots are a high nitrate vegetable and shouldn’t be fed to children under 6 months of age. I suppose the question is the same as the first- what are advantages/disadvantages to using them? Thanks for any insight!
Hi Jessi, the extra veg is used for flavor so you’re getting the minerals and vitamins without actually consuming the vegetable. So you wouldn’t be introducing the food until they eat the other vegetables. It’s totally a matter of preference. First foods should only be introduced when the baby is ready to start which is normally after 6 months. xoxo Emily