Newborns SAD vs. Raw

[dreamrawalwz]

This just randomly poped into my head today. I know that htey say those that are pregnent shouldn't have caffine, soda, ect. (i'mt not sure the definites, but that's what I've heard). Since the baby receives nutrition through the mother's breast milk wouldn't the child be affected by what the mother eats? I know if the child is reacting negatively and the mother removes milk from her diet that the child stops reacting...Anyway, is a child born to a raw or high raw mother much better off in the beginning than a child born to a SAD eater? What are your opinions? Will the child's taste buds develope differently? Will they gravitate more towards the natural state of foods rather than the cooked veggies and processed foods? I know some is contributed to what the mother feeds the child after breast feeding, but maybe there's some play to the breast feeding before you wean them off. Do you think the affect of cooked baby foods gets the children hooked on cooked foods instead of making fresh raw baby food at home? Just some random things my brain thinks about for no reason lol...sorry if it was a bit jumpy!

[juliebove]

Caffeine doesn't have to be eliminated during pregnancy, nor do sodas, however they do suggest to limit caffeine and cut out certain artificial sweeteners like saccharine because it crosses the placenta. Aspartame and Splenda are considered safe, but it does depend on who you talk to. Some Drs. and dieticians are more strict than others. Certain raw things should be avoided during pregnancy because food poisoning during pregnancy could be very harmul and possibly fatal. I remember a case of a woman dying shortly after giving birth because she had gotten Listeria from eating raw, unpasturized cheese. During this same time period, there was an outbreak of food poisoning from prepared fruit salad. Unpasturized fruit and vegetable juices should not be consumed unless you are certain that they were prepared in pristine conditions because they can cause food poisoning. Other things like raw meat and certain fish, cooked or uncooked should be avoided. But those would not be an issue on a vegan diet.

As for milk, pregnant women do not need to drink it. A woman will produce milk whether she is drinking milk or not. I haven't had any milk since I was a kid. I was thought to be lactose intolerant. Turns out it was an actual allergy. I didn't produce enough milk but that was due to a thyroid problem. Not because I wasn't drinking milk.

There are a lot of misconceptions regarding pregnancy, breastfeeding and food. I took a class on breastfeeding and the woman running it addressed the issue of certain spices and foods like garlic and onions. She said there was no need to avoid these things in most cases. Why? She said each culture has its own type of cuisine. Somewhere in the world, people are eating these things on a regular basis and those women do not stop eating those things because they are pregnant or nursing. And the babies do not suffer.

Now they say (but I didn't hear this back when my daughter was a baby) that we should avoid highly allergenic foods both during pregnancy and breast feeding. Peanuts are one such food. I ate a lot of peanut butter then. My daughter has a peanut allergy. She is also allergic to wheat, gluten, dairy, soy, eggs and bananas.

Oddly, bananas are one of the first foods recommended for babies because they are soft, sweet and easy to eat. But banana allergies are on the rise and I don't know why. I suspect those will soon be added to the list of things not to give to a baby in the first year. The age in which babies are started on solid food is controversial. Some do not get any until thier first year. I started my daughter on rice cereal at 3 months. She was severely underweight and was throwing up all the time. We didn't know about her allergies then. I can see now why she was throwing up. I couldn't produce nearly enough milk for her and had to supplement with formula. But no matter the formula, she was allergic to it! Poor thing. The Dr. just had me keep switching from formula to formula. One kind made her consitpated. Another kind ran right through her. Still another kind made her throw up. And then there were the odd rashes and the non stop crying. All related to allergies. The list of possible allergens that should not be given to children under the age of one will vary depending on the source but it usually includes wheat, cow's milk, eggs and peanuts.

Foods should be introduced one at a time and one food will usually be given for a week so the parent can check for an allergic reaction. If any is noted, that food is stopped and possibly started up again at a much later date. At this point in time, the foods being given are not so much for the sake of nutrition but to prepare the child in how to eat solid foods and to see which foods can safely be eaten. If the child is given several foods mixed together or a plate of assorted foods and then does have a reaction, you have no way of knowing what caused it.

As for food allergies, there are two different kinds. One is immediate. This can be the life threatening kind. If you eat an almond and your throat begins to close up, it's pretty easy to determine the cause. But if your allergies are like what my daughter and I have, you do not get the symptoms right away. If I eat a bite of egg, I will be violently ill about 16 hours later. Then if I'm foolish enough to eat another bite of egg after I feel better, the next reaction will come about 30 minutes later. With my daughter, her reactions are coming more quickly once we got everything cleared out of her system. But prior to cleaning out her system, the reactions were coming somewhere around 12 to 16 hours later. And because she is allergic to so many things, we did not make the connection of food and allergies.

When the baby starts on food, it needs to be soft and require no chewing because most babies will have no teeth or only a few teeth at this age. My daughter was different. Not only did she have all of her teeth by a year, she learned to chew early on. Choking is a real hazard because children have such narrow throats and they don't quite know the motions of chewing and swallowing yet. Normally they move from soft food to finely minced food. But not my kid! Oh no. She'd grab up garnish of raw kale from plates. She grab whole carrots. Whole apples and wolf them right down. I just gave up and let her have whatever she wanted so long as it was healthy. But some foods pose a real choking hazard. Like grapes. Because of thier shape, they can get stuck in the throat. So they should always be cut in half.

My daughter is almost 8 now. She is not totally raw nor has she ever been. But she does love some raw vegetables like cucumbers, baby carrots, radishes and green onions. She likes some sprouts and some fruit. She does not eat the same foods that other kids eat because of her allergies.

[Lay-Lay]

I just watched a report on the news the other day where they said that it has been proven that what a mother eats shapes not only a childs future taste buds, but also health and that pregnant women for a healthy baby and future adult chould try to incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables in their diet. Yeah! Well, when I get pregnant I will let you know and I will keep you posted because it is my goal to concieve raw and have a ALL raw pregnancy/breast feeding. I am sooo looking forward to the whole experience. My husband is a SAD eater and "so called" hate veggie's, so we will see how my raw pregnancy effects our childrens eating.

[dreamrawalwz]

Juliebove - wow, what a long response! I was just saying what I heard about the caffine in my life. As for the milk I didn't mean to say they "needed" it...just that as a fact IF they drink it and the child has a reaction...referring to how much and what the mother eats can affect the child druing breast feeding. I have many food allergies and intolerances so I know where you're coming from on that and I understand. Poor baby...luckily my allergies didn't pop up until I was a teen (or, at least not as severe I guess). I guess I was just wondering what the health difference between a raw baby (with a raw mother during preganacy) to a SAD child with a SAD mother would be. Would there be a large difference between eating a raw mashed banana concoction made at home or a jar of banana gerber lol?

iloverawfoods - i wish you luck for your future pregnency!