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Expert Q&A

	By Cynthia Lair Nutritionist

My mom feeds foods like french fries and sherbet to my 10-month-old. Is this harmful?

You are right. Ten-month-old babies do not need french fries and sherbet in their diet. This is basically exposing a very young body to high levels of sugar and rancid fat. Our job as parents is to teach our children how to survive. The foods they are given when they are very young establish what becomes "familiar" to the child. They come to expect these foods; eating them may even give them a sense of safety. To give our children the best we can, we must familiarize them with foods that will help them grow healthy and strong bodies. Babies under 12 months old do well on a simple diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, small amounts of protein and breastmilk or formula. This way of eating establishes good eating patterns. The problem you have is really about communication with your mother. You must have the strength and courage to set some boundaries with her about what is OK to feed your child and what is not OK."

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