Food tally so far

Today, Tabitha tried peanut butter for the first time.  This is kind of a big deal - with so many children having anaphylaxis allergies to peanuts (there are three, I think, in my sister's year level of less than 100 kids), and peanut allergy being the highest food-related killer in the developed world, most parents are understandably a little jumpy about introducing nuts.

Whats more, the advice differs dramatically, with some experts recommending the early introduction of nuts (under six months), others recommending delaying nuts beyond one year, and still more experts debating over the role of nuts in the pregnant woman's diet etc.  So in short, there is no consensus, leading me to surmise that it's best to just go with your gut.  With that in mind, I held off peanuts until I was sure that Tabitha was ingesting and digesting foods (yep, you gotta check the poop for evidence!).

So today, Tabby had rice cakes with peanut butter, and with Vegimite and butter (today was also a first for Vegimite).  All went well, she loved them, much mess and fun was had, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

The 'last frontier' of new foods will be egg.  Egg is another food that can lead to an anaphylactic allergy, and since we have anaphylaxis to both egg AND nuts in the family, I am proceeding with caution.  Next week I will try some omelette, cut into fingers.  Once egg is clear I will be thrilled, because she is basically then on an unrestricted diet, able to eat EVERYTHING that we do!  Lunches and meals on the go will become easier - I can bake and freeze vegetable scones, muffins, mini-quiches etc.

I should point out that honey should never be given to children under one year, because of the slight risk of a rare but serious and fatal reaction to a botulism toxin that only affects babies.

I have tried to recall all of the foods Tabitha has eaten so far.  I think I have listed all of them!  Pretty good going for only six months and two weeks, I think...

1. Bread - pita, sourdough, rye, bagel
2. Bread dipped in all sorts of sauces from our plates
3. Rice cakes
4. Vegimite
5. Peanut Butter
6. Taramasalata
7. Cheese - Onetik Ossau-Iraty, Comte, Cheddar, 
8. Peach
9. Spicy marinated chicken rib
10. Apricot
11. Banana
12. Green beans
13. Tuna sashimi
14. Avocado
15. Steak
16. Lamb cutlets
17. White fish
18. Capsicum
19. Gingerbread
20. Nectarine
21. Roast pumpkin
22. Brocolli
23. Brocollini
24. Raspberry
25. Cucumber
26. Steamed carrot
27. Edamame (soy bean pods)
28. Roast potatoes in duck fat
29. Asparagus

The biggest challenge is not WHAT she can eat but HOW she can eat it!  Squishy, slippery or very soft foods continue to pose a challenge.  Once it's a little warmer, I will try offering Tabby a spoon and foods like yoghurt etc. outside in just her nappy, and letting her go for it.  I guess eventually she will get the hang of how to work a spoon for scooping...