Introducing new foods into your baby's diet can be a little daunting for a parent. You want to be sure that your child eats healthy and is well-nourished by eating what's best for him or her. Corn, with its sweet taste, seems to be the logical choice as the vegetable that would please your baby most. You may be surprised to find that it's one of the last foods you should bring into your baby's meal time.
Most pediatricians and dietitians agree that a baby under the age of 12 months should not be fed corn, especially not fresh corn right off the cob. The kernels can be very difficult for a baby to swallow, often leading to choking or gagging; and corn is also hard for an underdeveloped digestive system to handle. Waiting until the baby has passed her first birthday gives the digestive system time to become stronger and more able to digest a variety of foods, including corn.
When your child reaches that first year milestone, you may want to see if your baby can eat corn. Creamed corn is often recommended at first, as it lowers the risk of choking and will be much easier on her digestive tract. You can also puree the corn; if you've got fresh corn off the cob, just blend it up in the food processor and it should be fine to feed to your baby. Give small bites and watch for any sort of allergic reaction to the corn.
Corn is a common allergen and can trigger an allergic reaction in any baby under a year old. This is especially true when there is a family history of food allergies or if anyone in the family suffers from hay fever or asthma. If food allergies are part of your family history, your pediatrician may suggest that you wait even longer than the recommended year before trying to introduce corn into the baby's diet.
Once you do decide it's time to feed your baby corn, look for signs of allergic reaction such as rashes, stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. In extreme cases there can be wheezing, swelling about the face and of the tongue and even anaphylactic shock. Contact your pediatrician if you suspect feeding your baby corn as caused any kind of reaction.
Dealing with a corn allergy is no easy task, as corn is in a huge number of foods that are quite common in everyday life. There aren't labeling regulations as are required for foods that contain peanuts or milk so it makes it very difficult to know what products contain corn and will bring on an allergic reaction that may require medical attention. It's much easier to simply avoid corn for that first year.
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