wheat, tofu/soy, and babies?

[nukuspot]

I want DD to have a varied diet of solids for taste, textural, and nutrient health. She is BF but solids are becoming more and more exciting to her and I don't want to hold her back by my own food restrictions.

I am gluten and soy free--I am sensitive to both. But I do not want DD to have to restrict her diet when she is older like I do, so I hope she can eat them. I don't want to not give them to her just because I can't have them, KWIM?

I just started giving her things with gluten (at 9 months) as in whole organic oats for oatmeal that are not GF. No problems. She's never had any food sensitivity that I have seen. SO soon I would like to try soy and also whole wheat. I was thinking whole wheat pasta because it would be fun for her to pick up and play with and maybe tofu for the soy? How does that sound?

Now, if I do give tofu, how do you "prepare" it for the LO? Since I don't eat it I don't know. I thought about just giving it to her in little raw cubes, but maybe there is a better way?

Forgive me if these questions sound silly but I'm such a newbie at baby feeding....Thanks!

[babygirlie]

It can take awhile to develop pain from gluten. What happens is your immune suspects an invader and attacks it slicing and dicing your intestines which then scab over and do not allow vitamins in. It's a big deal. It may take awhile for her to develop pain and then you may not relate it to her.

My doctor recommended keeping her gf for as long as I can or want and I do not want her growing up in the hellish painful childhood I had to. It didn't becomes supremely painful in my memory until I was like 10.

I don't understand why dr's dont just automatically do the blood test here.

[Mya's Mommy]

You may want to check out this website: www.enterolab.com
It is a lab that can do gluten sensitivity testing for your baby. My husband is gluten sensitive, so I do not plan to introduce gluten to my DD until after 1 year old and then I will have her tested (you have to have gluten in your system to check for it).
As for the tofu, make sure it is organic and not genetically modified (Non GMO). You can give raw (rinse well first), but it will not have any flavour that way. You could saute some ginger and crumble some tofu into it and stirfry.

[nukuspot]

Oh, I should explain. I don't have celiac. I am just sensitive to gluten as in my digestive system hurts (I get nauseous) from it. But it developed in my adulthood. I was fine with it as a child.

[Blueone]

I'm in the same boat. I have 4 food allergies (soy dairy peanuts eggwhites) and a gluten intolerance/maybe celiacs? I get major stomach cramps and constipation (sorry, TMI). I have a cousin that has celiacs and they didn't test me until I had been gluten free for a year for some strange reason so the results weren't very trustworthy.

I introduced some wheat (small bit of toast) to my son and he got really really constipated and gassy. I talked to some other moms who have celiacs and one said their doctor mentioned to watch for extreme constipation and gas because that could be a sign of gluten intolerance and/or celiacs.

As for soy, I don't have that in this house. I get migraines and break out in a rash when I eat it or even come in contact with it through lotion or soap. My husband will occasionally bring in some veggie meat so maybe I'll let my son try it the next time it's around (usually only Thanksgiving and Christmas). Otherwise I don't cook with it.

I've heard to introduce foods that family members are allergic to very slowly. We went back to gluten free food with my son and he's fine now. I might try again when he's 9 months, but I'm mostly planning on waiting until he's 1, even with soy and all the others. I'd rather be safe than sorry. I don't want him to have all my allergies.

[cristeen]

You can't prevent her having future problems with these foods. If she's going to have them, she's going to have them. I don't understand the thinking that by giving her these things now you're preventing her from having problems down the road...

Because you have a problem with gluten, I'd keep her away from it for now. Evidence shows that babies can't digest grains until after 12 months anyway. And soy isn't something that I'd introduce at all, regardless of whether or not you have an issue with it. Soy ingestion has been linked with premature menses and early puberty in girls - not to mention the potential for PCOS linkage.

[Blueone]

Originally Posted by cristeen

You can't prevent her having future problems with these foods. If she's going to have them, she's going to have them. I don't understand the thinking that by giving her these things now you're preventing her from having problems down the road...

I've heard that it does and that it doesn't. I think for me delaying it is just convenient because when they are older their tummies might be able to handle food better. Just like you said grains aren't really able to be handled until they are 12 months.

I'm just doing what a doctor recommended. They have said that if there are no food allergies in the family that it doesn't matter when they are introduced, but if there are allergies it's best to delay those foods.

[nukuspot]

Originally Posted by cristeen

You can't prevent her having future problems with these foods. If she's going to have them, she's going to have them. I don't understand the thinking that by giving her these things now you're preventing her from having problems down the road...

Because you have a problem with gluten, I'd keep her away from it for now. Evidence shows that babies can't digest grains until after 12 months anyway. And soy isn't something that I'd introduce at all, regardless of whether or not you have an issue with it. Soy ingestion has been linked with premature menses and early puberty in girls - not to mention the potential for PCOS linkage.

It was because of a study someone posted here a few months ago that said that waiting too long to introduce allergenic foods to babies could actually cause them to develop sensitivity to those same foods. That's why I was thinking of not waiting on these foods.

Also, I hear this around "evidence shows that babies can't digest grains until ____ months." (Usually 12 months but I have heard 2 years and 3 years) and I can't find any evidence based studies that show this. I read it in "Nourishing Traditions" and while I love 99% of that book, there are a few things in there that I question. I agree totally that grains should not be first baby foods. I gave DD only fruits, veggies, egg yolks, and meats until 9 months, then slowly added some grains and yogurt. But now that she's had some grains (brown rice, oats, millet, quinoa---which is a seed but still sort of a grain-ish thing) and does fine with them, I didn't see any reason to not try more. So if I was to see that evidence you speak about delaying grains until one year I would be happy. Do you have a link?

[hakeber]

I can't help you on the other issues, but one way my DS liked tofu was cut into strips (the firm variety of course) and fried in a little bit of oil until crispy and brown on the edges. As he got older I would marinate the tofu in garlic ginger and chiles...he loved spicey food back then.

With the soft tofu you can scramble it in a pan like scrambled eggs, add scallions for color and flavor, or make a tofu pudding, which ds loved.

[Laur318]

i think you should talk with a naturpathic nutritionist you can consult online if you cant find any, but try your health food store, they should know of one.

[kismetbaby]

I've been wondering the same myself, since DS seems to have a dairy sensitivity (he is EBF for now) and my mom has celiac (and a sister has egg allergy). I will certainly keep him away from dairy till after 12 months, not sure yet if I will wait that long for wheat and soy. I don't have any problems giving grains to little eaters in general. . .but with celiac in the family I don't know. And soy I am feeling really cautious about. The only soy food I would consider is organic tofu and later on miso. (In its fermented forms like tofu, miso, and tempeh soy is more digestible.) Personally, I think the real problem isn't with soy (as Asian cultures have been eating it for centuries), but the overprocessing and GM soy that we get in the US.

As for how to serve it--for a babe I would just make tiny cubes of it "raw". It's great finger food. It is rather bland, but then again, so is a lot of baby food and personally I wouldn't want to add salt or introduce heated oils (as in pan frying it) to a babe. I've been eating it this way since I was little and I love raw tofu to this day.

[Penny4Them]

On the wheat subject, last month I contacted a research nurse that is working w/ Dr. Fasano (a leading Celiac doctor) at Mucosal Biology Research Center in MD. She e-mailed me and said there is no scientific research supporting when best to intrduce wheat (or other glutens). But she did say that Swedish Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Pediatrics seem to agree that introducing gluten while still breastfeeding is best.

Gluten sens runs in my family (me and 7yo dd) so I plan to give 8 mo ds wheat while still bfing, probably in next month or so. I don't think there is a right or wrong way to do t, so just go with your instincts and BF for as long as you can.
Penny

[Comtessa]

If you want to try soy foods, you might want to start with fermented soy like miso or tempeh; these are a bit easier on the system than raw tofu and are healthier.

I love cooking up a bunch of plain brown rice and/or lentils and mixing in a tablespoon of miso paste right before serving. Tempeh can be pan-fried or toasted.