Dr. McDougall's Online Discussion Board

Opinions on no grains before molars and a good plant based diet for a child under 2. My daughter breastfeeds my 11 month old grandson but he is super interested in food and it is getting harder distracting him from wanting my daughters oatmeal etc. His pediatrician agreed with what she had heard that before a baby has molars they are not ready to digest grains. He already has sensitivity to wheat, sunflower, and dairy so she does not want to hurt his gut but what resources do you all have for info on this? As digestion of starch is the reason for avoiding should they avoid potato also?

The web site she found for information on "Why Babies Shouldn't Eat Grains" recommended bone broth, organ meats, dairy and eggs. Since she has a plant based diet she does not want to feed him these.

Jan K wrote:Opinions on no grains before molars and a good plant based diet for a child under 2. As digestion of starch is the reason for avoiding should they avoid potato also?
The web site she found for information on "Why Babies Shouldn't Eat Grains" recommended bone broth, organ meats, dairy and eggs. Since she has a plant based diet she does not want to feed him these.

Jan K,

My youngest is 3 now. Mine started with finger foods. Food should be fun. Their preference was fruits and soft starches like potatoes, beans, tortillas. I excluded grains because they were not finger foods, not because of any issue with starches. The older kids avoid avocado unless blended, but the youngest just eats the fruit. Starches should be their main source of energy.

From McDougall Newsletter:
https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2012nl/sep/children.htm

Once weaned, children are just like small adults when it comes to nutrition. Starches (potatoes, corn, rice, sweet potatoes, beans, etc.) must provide the bulk of their calories in order for them to thrive.

Height and Sufficient Calories:

If a child’s diet contains sufficient calories, then normal growth and development can be expected. Children do need energy for growth (protein, calcium, and essential fats are never limiting factors). Starches (rice, corn, potatoes, etc.) are goldmines of energy. Adding even more calorie concentrated foods, such as dried fruits, nuts, seeds, nut butters, and avocados, can further enhance calorie intake.

I was under the impression that grains were good first foods for babies. Traditional porridges like oatmeal and congee are common first foods before babies even have teeth. The complex carbohydrates are also essential to creating a healthy microbiome. The reason she did not find any plant-based information on the topic is because the anti-grain movement is part of that whole Weston Price ideology. Dr. McDougall has a short video on the topic as well.

My youngest is 13 months, and eats beans (whole), frozen peas, cooked pasta (like fusilli), Cheerios, steamed broccoli florets, bananas, cubed sweet potato and various fruit purées. If you read the nutritional information on baby foods, you’ll see that the ones with the most calories are also the ones with starch in them.