Avocado question

[3Ps]

My LO is over 7 months old and has MSPI (cutting out a whole bunch of allergenic foods from my diet didn't help her while I was breastfeeding so milk and soy are just the initial guesses, really) and has been on Neocate since month 6.  We have introduced solids to her slowly but surely, starting with those less likely to cause allergic reactions (e.g., sweet potatos, cooked carrots, pears, peaches, squashes).  I would like to introduce avocados to her, but didn't know if I needed to steam it first to cook it, or if I can give it to her raw.  It seems like with a lot of vegetables and fruits, you give the cooked versions first.  Any thoughts would be appreciated.  Thank you.

[RachelC]

We just opened it up and mashed it! 

[deb]

Ditto! - and you can make guacamole out of it or buy some once you know if the ingredients are OK. Both my girls LOVED LOVED LOVED the stuff, and as a bonus, the fat in avocados is GOOD fat! (good for grownups too! )

[deb]

BTW, don't forget green veggies! They can be mixed with the ones you're already using too! I used to mix pureed broccoli w/guacamole and call it "brocco-mole!"

[momtonb&ab]

we did the same, mashed it up and now add a bit of lemon and garlic - just a bit, and they LOVE it on toast!

[thawley]

My son is also MSPI and has many other food intolerances.  He actually tolerated avocado really well.  Like the others I just scooped it out and mashed it.  He didn't love the taste but ate it.  The next time I added some pear and he liked it more.  I found it to be among the better foods for his sensitive stomach. 

[laurenhendo]

Hey there other Mums!
Just had a quick question, specifically for you Thawley. For those of you who have a bub with a sensitive tummy and MPI or other intolerances, did any of you find that your lo didn't tolerate banana's well? If not, what were there fruits and vegies that your lo did tolerate well?
We have been struggling with my lo's sensitive tummy since we started solids. So far she can have pears, peaches, apples and avocados, but for some reason she can't seem to tolerate bananas that well... she waskes up early from naps or if given at night, very frequent night waking and moans in her sleep. Same with cereal.
Arrgh im pulling my heair out trying to figure out what to try her on next!
She is 7 months in can you were wondering.
Thanks
LH

[EllenS]

My lo does not have food intolerances (thank goodness!) , but she did have trouble with bananas at first - I think they can just be hard to digest.  I know that they are binding when green, and loosening when ripe - or vice versa, I can't remember - anyway, they can have a very strong effect on the guts, even without an intolerance per se.

Now she is 11 months and will eat a whole banana at one sitting, no problems.

Avocados were one of her first foods, just raw, she loved it.  I do know a woman who is allergic to avocado, though (they make her mouth go all tingly), so they CAN be allergenic.

[thawley]

We've been taking it really slow on the solids so he hasn't had much more than your LO.  He seems to struggle with squash.  He's not allergic but they seem to be hard on his stomach.  We've tried sweet potatoes, carrots, pears, prunes, peas, applesauce, and bananas.  We found the same thing with bananas.  He's not allergic but does seem to have some stomach trouble afterwards.  We tried cereal but it didn't go well so we skipped it and went on to fruits and veggies.  Rice cereal constipated him and he did not tolerate oatmeal.  I'm with you that I find it tough to find enough variety in his diet.

[laurenhendo]

It sure is hard when they have sensitive little tummies! Oh well, she still loves her milk, so at least the most important part of her diet is not affected. The solids are still not the most important part i guess, but she seems to get bored of the same old fruits and veg hehehe Our local supermarket has a range of allergenic products e.g gluten free, egg free, soy free, milk free custard powder. I thought i might try some of that to mix with her fruit, just to taste a bit different.
Thanks!
LH

[deb]

For cereal sensitivities or digestion difficulties, might try barley or millet in rice and oatmeal aren't doing the trick. There are different amounts of different proteins in different grains. It may also make a difference whether the rice is processed white rice or brown.

BTW, an awesome book for information on getting into solids is Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron. She doesn't talk much about meat as she's vegetarian, but the information she does give on so many other fruits, veg, and grains is more than enough to work with.

[laurenhendo]

Thanks heaps deb, i will keep on the lookout for those cereals. I gave her just some plain cooked brown rice this morning, mashed up with a fork, and so far so good, she had a lovely morning nap... hope we are on to a winner!

LH

[lovedtodeath]

I was going to mention that. Good idea. Baby cereals are processed and have added iron, so using plain grains is a good idea to try.

[eilla05]

Just mash with fork and feed.

FYI I remember someone posting on another board that if your baby is allergic to bananas or you have a allergy to nuts you should avoid avocado until they are older as they are from the same family.

[hunnybunny]

We tried avocado today for the first time! She LOVED IT! I just opened it,mashed it with fork and added a small amount of formula to it.