Can I give my 8 month old coconut milk?

[Comtessa]

Okay, this might be a REALLY stupid question, but I honestly don't know! I gave DD a few tastes of coconut milk last week (obviously hadn't given this much thought at that point, but I was making curry with the baby on my hip and offered her a spoonful) and she LOVED it. It's got tons of good fats in it and tastes yummy, so I'd love to mix it with her food to up the calorie content (she's a skinny baby and could use all the help she can get).

But, Mom says coconut is a nut (and therefore a high-allergy food that should be avoided for the first year). I thought coconut was a fruit (and therefore fair game for infants). Help! (I sound ridiculous even to myself. Honestly, should I already know this?)

She didn't show any reaction to the "tastes" I gave her, and we don't have any family history of allergies, but should I hold off anyway? Anybody else give coconut milk to their LO?

[GoestoShow]

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Edited by GoestoShow - 1/4/11 at 9:01am

[crunchy_mommy]

Well I don't follow the allergy guidelines (they keep changing them every year anyway) --- but I gave my DS foods with coconut milk in them at 8 months (and still do now)... he loves my Indian potato-squash soup & curried veggies with coconut milk!! I don't know that I'd give it to him straight up, just to drink, because I am weird about drinks... which is a separate issue... but basically you'd just want to make sure she is getting enough breastmilk (or formula?) and not filling up on the coconut milk. From an allergy standpoint it shouldn't be an issue though. Anyway, coconut IS a fruit, not a true nut. So you're safe from all standpoints I think.

[Auraji]

DD is 8 months too and I give her coconut milk yogurt all the time. She LOVES it. I have food allergies (not to coconut though) and I've never seen a reaction to ANY food I've given her. I say go for it.

[lovepiggie]

Originally Posted by Auraji

DD is 8 months too and I give her coconut milk yogurt all the time. She LOVES it. I have food allergies (not to coconut though) and I've never seen a reaction to ANY food I've given her. I say go for it.

Coconut milk yogurt? Does that have no dairy/soy in it? I'm looking for a yummy alternative for me/baby

[Auraji]

Originally Posted by lovepiggie

Coconut milk yogurt? Does that have no dairy/soy in it? I'm looking for a yummy alternative for me/baby

No dairy and no soy!

http://www.soydelicious.com/products...ut_yogurt.html

It's really really yummy.

[emmaegbert]

well, you'd know by now if she'd had a reaction, so I don't see why not. I've not been feeding it straight up to baby, but she's been having it in things for a while now (she's also 8m)

[lovepiggie]

Originally Posted by Auraji

No dairy and no soy!

http://www.soydelicious.com/products...ut_yogurt.html

It's really really yummy.

That looks wonderful! I love their coconut ice cream I just called my local Planet Organic and asked them to order some in for me!

[JessBB]

9 mo ds2 loves to self-feed little chunks and slivers of refrigerated coconut oil. Yum!

[Auraji]

Originally Posted by lovepiggie

That looks wonderful! I love their coconut ice cream I just called my local Planet Organic and asked them to order some in for me!

I recently discover it and it's my most favorite yogurt now. I always see their ice cream at the store, but havent tried it. Im gonna get myself some next time Im there. I hope you both enjoy it

[AustinMom]

my son (after not being able to BF, and found allergic to all infant formulas) was on hempmilk since 8 mo old. Our Ped checked it out and saidit was good. We went to a pediatric nutrtitionish, and she ran an pediatric hospital, and they gave coconut milk to all the infants with GI/allergies issues. She recommended I have him on that with hempmilk, as it has a lot more sat. fat than hempmilk.

I would say it's fine, especially at 8 mo as nutrition at that point mainly comes from food and/or BM

[Britishmum]

From what I recall when researching foods for my highly allergic child, coconut is classified as an allergen by the FDA, but actually, very very few people are allergic to it, unlike the number who are nut-allergic.

I would caution you -and everyone else - though, to not trust to the fact that there are no allergies in your family when giving your child new foods. We have absolutely zero food allergies in our family, but my 15 mo old son turned out to be anaphylactic to many foods. Luckily we found out through skin contact to peanut and got him tested. If he'd ingested even a tiny morsel of peanut that day he would have died. Thank God he only got a smear on his skin, which was frightening enough.

I know many other people who have had this same experience, with no allergy history whatsoever. So, be careful, and watch your child very closely when you introduce new foods. Personally, I'd introduce the big allergens outside ER in the car. I'm sure most other people would think me crazy to recommend that, but I learned the lesson by hard experience.