Is it Safe for My Baby to Eat Eggs?

July 19, 2019

Eggs can be a wonderful source of nutrients for growth and development, but the question is when is it a good time to introduce eggs to your little one? Eggs are a common allergen and I probably would have steered clear of eggs for the first year of Aylee’s life had it not been for a Mommy Group session I attended when she was a baby. Experts now recommend that common allergenic foods be offered around six months of age, while guided of course by the infant’s cues and readiness to start on solids.* Tip: Experts agree that introducing whole cooked eggs may actually help prevent the chance of your baby developing an egg allergy! The benefits of infants eating eggs include:

• Eggs are a nutrient-rich food and include phosphorous, iron, zinc, vitamins A, B6, B12, folic acid, pantothenic acid, choline, thiamin, protein, and riboflavin
• The texture is enjoyed by the majority of infants and requires little chewing 
• Cooked eggs are easily digested* 
  

Tidbit for your Tiny One

Here’s a little something I learned while speaking to a dietician recently…many websites state that eggs are a good source of iron, but did you know this is only partially true? First, you must eat the whole egg because the whites do not contain iron. Second, you need help transporting the iron from the yolk in order to benefit from the iron that eggs contain. This is usually done with Vitamin C from orange juice. No wonder many people have orange juice with their Sunday breakfast! However, if you are looking to eggs as a source of iron for your baby—especially around 6-months-old when their iron stores start to deplete—it may be best to get iron from other sources such as meat or meat alternatives. It is NOT recommended for babies to have juice at this developmental stage.* 

Watch out for allergies!

Okay, so let’s say you’re all set to try eggs with your baby…what is the best way to start? Most experts agree to introduce one new food at a time, and check for signs of allergies over a period of 3-4 days. It will be easier to isolate any foods that may cause a reaction if you follow this rule. If your baby seems to be doing well on  eggs, continue offering it a few times a week to maintain their tolerance.  If you do feel your baby is showing signs of a reaction, seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Here’s a couple of things to keep in mind:

• Starting babies on eggs around 6-months-old can actually help prevent an allergy
• Introduce one food at a time and watch for signs of an allergic reaction
• Make sure they are cooked—infants should not consume raw eggs as their immune system continues to develop 
• Eggs are nutrient-rich and are recommended as a possible complementary food for babies around 6-months-old

The following recipe poem is an excerpt from our first book Recipes for Growing Me ~6 months:

We hope we’ve contributed something beneficial to your baby’s diet, and remember….don’t hog the blog! Share with new Moms today!

Have a bloomin’ day,
Sarah & Karen

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*Bibliography:

Abrams, EM; Hilderbad, K; Blair, B; Chan, ES. Paediatric Child Health (2019) Feb; 24 (1); 56-57. Timing of introduction of allergenic solids for infants at high risk

eggs.ca (2019) Egg Farmers of Canada

https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/iron-supplements-orange-juice-5766.html

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Bonus: Want to learn more from baby’s first cookbook? Use code BLOGHOG to enjoy 15% OFF your purchase of Recipes for Growing Me ~6 months!

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