Chocolate for a baby?

[SwivelHips]

Sorry not a weaning question but I'm in here a lot at the minute :)
I can sometimes be a lone voice in this house, so as we approach Christmas what's my argument (aside from NO) when DSD or DSSs try and give DS chocolate? Not a lot of support from DH with regards anything they do really. I know I'll get "oh its only the once, special occasion" blah de blah. Or is this just me being first time mum worrying about nothing??

[SwivelHips]

Oh he's 6.5 months :)

[FredFredGeorge]

Chocolate, can't see the terribleness I'm afraid, high calorie, mixture of fat and carbs and a little protein - dairy milk quite a bit higher in carbs but still once they're active and needing carbs seems fine as part of his diet.

It's demonised as an adult food because it's something people readily eat in excess - the best thing you can do for your children is getting them to just eat when they're hungry and not to excess - that's how they start out, making food special and tieing emotion to it is how I believe that link starts breaking and you get comfort eating.

[tittytittyhanghang]

not seeing the harm neither tbh.

[elfyrespect]

Get some stuff in that you are happy for DS to have as treats over christmas:
simple cakes, those choc flavoured biscotti things, dates, fig rolls etc

[littlemissmulledwine]

ds is 9 months and enjoys milky bar ice cream as a treat. I think a few chocolate buttons at Christmas will be a lovely treat.

maybe melt one or two onto half a fairy cake for a pudding

[SwivelHips]

Mumsnetters you have surprised me :) Good, so if it does arise I shall remain chilled and serene.
I think its more likely to be selection boxes they try and feed him but I do like the idea of the fairy cake pudding.
thanks ladies (again!!)

[yousankmybattleship]

I wouldn't be happy. Ok it's not going to do any harm, but there's no need. A baby would be just as happy with a banana.

[FredFredGeorge]

Yousankmybattleship but a banana is all carbs - and a baby doesn't need loads of carbs. Carbs are the least important macro-nutrient for a 6.5month old, so while the baby may be just as happy, you're not convincing me it's a better food.

The energy density of the banana is below the recommended energy density for most babies (not by much, but it's a little and it means your other foods need to be higher energy densities so you'd need to reduce the other fruits and veg)

No, chocolate is not an ideal food - it's too low in protein and is missing some micronutrients that a baby will need, but you need to explain why a banana is better in the context of their overal diet.

[mummybare]

It's also full of sugar and contains caffeine. I'd be saying no, too, OP. I'm quite surprised so many people would be happy feeding a 6.5-month-old chocolate, but there you go.

[AnyaKnowIt]

Can't see the problem tbh

[TheSkiingGardener]

A little bit is fine, a whole Mars bar wouldn't be. Why not let them give the baby a present of one of those small bags of chocolate buttons, and they get to give her one or two as a treat occasionally over Christmas.

[SamSmalaidh]

If the baby is over 6 months, then it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. The perils of being a 3rd child maybe!

[HongKongPooey]

I thought they weren't supposed to have sugar or salt in their diet until at least 12mo. Something to do with their kidneys not being able to process it. Choccy would be a big no-no for me.

[CaptainNancy]

But why bother? Honestly- your baby doesn't have a clue about Christmas, and has no need of highly sugary foods on their brand new teeth! You may also find that once he's been scoffing chocolate he turns his nose up at all the lovely vegetables and meat you offer him (might not of course, every baby's different).
I don't think your other children should be feeding him stuff really- they could be offering him allsorts.

[BertieBotts]

Hong kong - so, no fruit then, or bread or cheese or meat? They all contain sugar or salt :)

[heidihole]

Personally I wouldn't. There's no need. Ok it won't kill him but, as I said, no need for him to have any.

I have a 6.5 month DS too and he won't be eating any chocolate!

[monsterchild]

Hong Kong, breastmilk is very high in sugar too!

[KnockedUpMell]

Dark chocolate is very good for health. DS used to (and still does) enjoy it as a treat, and he's allowed as much as he fancies. I try to limit the milk chocolate, especially things like cadburys. Even the cocoa butter is replaced with vegetable fat. There is very little cocoa content and very little good about it.

[crochetcircle]

Definitely no chocolate for my children until they are much older. OP I'm with you. This is a 6.5 month old baby for gods sake - they should be trying out new fruit and veg, not eating chocolate!

[FredFredGeorge]

HongKongPooey There's a reason to limit sugar, in that carbs are the least important nutrient, fat (because many vitamins are fat soluable so come along with it) and protein (because it's what everything is made of) are essential, carbs are just fuel and it's very unlikely that you can get enough fat and protein without some carbs.

But carbs are not evil for a baby, they can deal with it fine, breast milks carbs are a sugar.

Salt in high amounts are bad for a baby, but that is not relevant with chocolate which is very low in salt.

[yousankmybattleship]

Holy crap Fred, I just meant that babies are happy with almost anything. They don't understand Christmas and don't see treats in the same way as adults. They should be exploring textures and tastes and would get a much pleasure from a piece of fruit or some cooked veggies as a chocolate button. OK, maybe a banana wasn't the perfect example"

[HongKongPooey]

To be more specific, I suppose I should have written: no refined sugar and "added salt". As opposed to lactose in breast milk, fructose in fruit and very low naturally-occurring sodium that is in non-processed meats.

So BertieBotts, yes to fruit and non-processed meat & fish. I do home-made bread for DD without added salt and do not give her cheese just yet.

monsterchild the refined sugar in chocolate is a completely different sugar to lactose in breast milk.

"babies are happy with almost anything" well, yes DD is quite happy munching through the Yellow Pages, Amazon delivery boxes and our paper recycling box. I feel that meals with a little more nutrition probably do her more good.

[TortillaDeMaiz]

Aside from the high sugar content, nobody has mentioned that chocolate might cause your DD serious constipation. I would say no.

[SamSmalaidh]

Why might chocolate cause serious constipation?

[MoaningMingeWhimpersAgain]

I think it's one of those things that tends to change between the PFB and other children. My eldest didn't have chocolate until a chocolate birthday cake when she turned one. Younger one has chocolate muffin fed to him by said eldest at about 7 months. Either way, a choc button or two doesn't matter much in the long run, and is quite different to munching on curly wurlys in the pushchair on the way to school.

I do agree though that at this age, they have no idea so why give them sweets so early and I would discourage it but not freak out if a few buttons were given. My gripe would more be that if you have decided no chocolate, everyone follows it. People sneakily giving my baby something I have said no to, that would make me pretty pissed off.