What about food allergies?

It's recommended that you give your baby potentially allergenic foods when you introduce other complementary foods. Potentially allergenic foods include:

• Peanuts and tree nuts
• Egg
• Cow milk products
• Wheat
• Crustacean shellfish
• Fish
• Soy

There is no evidence that delaying the introduction of these foods can help prevent food allergies. In fact, early introduction of foods containing peanuts might decrease the risk that your baby will develop a food allergy to peanuts.

Still, especially if any close relatives have a food allergy, give your child his or her first taste of a highly allergenic food at home — rather than at a restaurant — with an oral antihistamine available. If there's no reaction, the food can be introduced in gradually increasing amounts.