Christmas Day foods your baby shouldn’t have …
Yes, it’s Christmas day, and this is the time when everyone throws caution aside and just try to enjoy themselves. After all, Christmas Day comes but once a year! And even your little ones will catch on to the excitement.
But come tomorrow, he may have a terrible stomach ache, or even a baby hangover if you’re not careful of what you allow him to try.
Professor Joseph Frederick of the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of the West Indies says there is no reason why your child should not enjoy Christmas, as long as food handling is done in a safe way.
“As long as the food is safe, then it can be consumed by the child. However, be careful of the small child swallowing big pieces of meat,” he cautioned. He explained that this could result in the child choking, and portions should therefore be closely monitored by an adult.
Other tips:
*He also cautioned against giving the child sorrel with a high alcoholic proportion.
“The child should not be given rum or any other alcoholic beverages.” So if you have children, go light on the alcohol in the sorrel drink. This is not healthy.
*Professor Frederick noted that even though Christmas cake is made with some amount of wine, the quantity is not too much to prevent the child from having it. However, though your child is able to have Christmas cakes, avoid giving him too much. Even if the alcohol level is low, remember the level of sugar involved. This can keep your child hyperactive all day and you know what that means! A small slice may do, just to make him feel a part of the festivities.
… And foods pregnant women should avoid
Eating a range of wholesome and nutritious foods during pregnancy is one of the most important things that women can do to ensure the normal development and growth of the foetus, and it can help to prevent prematurity and low birth weight. For the mother, good nutrition helps to prevent anaemia, infection, difficult labour, and poor wound healing.
Even moreso at Christmas time.
“Pregnant mothers should not drink alcoholic beverages during this time,” Professor Frederick reminds. “This includes sorrel, depending on the amount of alcohol it contains.”
When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, the drug travels through her bloodstream and into the placenta. The placenta provides nutrients to the foetus during pregnancy, and it will also transfer harmful substances taken by the mother. That means that when mom has a glass of wine, her baby has a glass of wine, too.
Even moderate alcohol consumption during pregnancy may contribute to early miscarriage. Too much sweet should also be avoided. However, Christmas cake should be alright.
Here are a few more tips from babycentre.co.uk
* Snacks: Women in families where there is a history of allergic conditions should avoid peanuts while they are pregnant. You would therefore be wise to avoid them if you, your baby’s father or one of your previous children has had eczema, asthma, hayfever or any allergic response (rashes, itches, bumps) to eating food such as strawberries, shellfish or peanuts. Some experts believe that the initial sensitisation to peanut allergies may occur during pregnancy, when a tiny amount of the peanut protein crosses the placenta. So pass on the peanuts.
* Dinner: Take care to make sure that if you are cooking a large bird like turkey, that the meat is cooked properly. Make sure you follow the instructions about the length of time and temperature required. This is because of the risk of salmonella infection. There is also a risk that undercooked meat could contain a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis, an infection usually harmless to adults but which can cause serious problems for an unborn baby.
