Ms. Mary Silva
Specializing in feeding and nutrition.
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 Ask Mary Silva
When to Introduce Yogurt into an Infant's Diet | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Ms. Silva,
Hi. I have a million questions, but here's just one to start. I've been following the advice of most everyone not to introduce cow's milk until one year (my daughter is nine months). What confuses me is that people (including doctors) often refer to giving yogurt to babies before one year. Is there something in yogurt that makes it not have the same allergenic effect as regular milk?— No Cows in Brooklyn, New York | | | ANSWER |
October 24, 2000 | | | Dear No Cows in Brooklyn,
You're right. This is confusing advice. The short answer is no, yogurt does not contain anything that would make it have a different allergenic effect than milk. The infant who is destined to develop a milk allergy will also do so if she consumes yogurt.
Parents are advised not to give cow's milk or cow's-milk-based products before an infant is around 12 months old for several reasons, including avoiding the risk of developing a milk-protein allergy. As an infant's gastrointestinal tract matures, this vulnerability decreases, so unless there's a family history of allergies, cow's milk is thought to be acceptable after six months of age as far as the allergy front is concerned. However, even after six months of age, infants drinking cow's milk are still at risk for acquiring anemia because they might not get enough iron. So, bottom line: Wait until your baby is close to her first birthday before starting to give her cow's-milk-based products, including yogurt.
— by Mary Silva, M.S., R.D. |
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