Although a lot of people find it strange, La Leche League actually recommends that you introduce meat to your baby’s diet almost as soon as you introduce solids. Here is some information from their website provided by Judy Hopkinson, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and member of LLL International’s Health Advisory Council. She mentions a study showing that young babies who eat meat grow significantly faster than those on a vegetarian diet:
The American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition states that when a baby’s breast milk intake is adequate, the order in which other foods are added to the infant diet is not critical. A study published in Pediatrics (Dewey 1996) shows that the low protein in breast milk does not limit the growth of exclusively breastfed infants. It is important to remember, however, that when solid foods are introduced, the amount of breast milk a baby consumes decreases. If protein, zinc, or other nutrients are not provided in solid foods, the amount a baby receives from breast milk could be insufficient for optimal growth during the weaning period. Therefore, adding meat to the diet early in the weaning period may be beneficial.
Meat provides additional protein, zinc, B-vitamins, and other nutrients which may be in short supply when the decrease in breast milk occurs. A recent study from Sweden suggests that when infants are given substantial amounts of cereal, it may lead to low concentrations of zinc and reduced calcium absorption (Persson 1998). Dr. Nancy Krebs has shared preliminary results from a large infant growth study suggesting that breastfed infants who received pureed or strained meat as a primary weaning food beginning at four to five months, grow at a slightly faster rate. Dr. Krebs’ premise is that inadequate protein or zinc from complementary foods may limit the growth of some breastfed infants during the weaning period. Both protein and zinc levels were consistently higher in the diets of the infants who received meat (Krebs 1998). Thus the custom of providing large amounts of cereal products and excluding meat products before seven months of age may not meet the nutritional needs of all breastfed infants.
Meat has also been recommended as an excellent source of iron in infancy. Heme iron (the form of iron found in meat) is better absorbed than iron from plant sources. In addition, the protein in meat helps the baby more easily absorb the iron from other foods. Two recent studies (Makrides 1998; Engelmann 1998) have examined iron status in breastfed infants who received meat earlier in the weaning period. These studies indicate that while there is not a measurable change in breastfed babies’ iron stores when they receive an increased amount of meat (or iron), the levels of hemoglobin circulating in the blood stream do increase when babies receive meat as one of their first foods. Ultimately, however, there was no long-term benefit in terms of iron levels from introducing meat products earlier than the customary seven months.
It is important to remember that one of the main factors that determine the amount of iron in later infancy is birth weight. Infants whose birth weights are less than 3000 grams or about six-and-a-half pounds (whether term or premature) have reduced iron stores at birth and appear to need additional iron earlier (Dewey 1998). Mothers need to consult with a health care professional about these infants’ diets. Early introduction of meat products, the addition of cereals, fruits, and vegetables supplemented with ascorbic acid and iron, or commercially available iron supplements may be recommended. The surest way to determine how well these supplemental measures work is to continue monitoring the infant’s iron levels.
There is a small risk of allergic reaction to meat products. However, "the present knowledge on meat digestibility and allergenicity are not enough to justify removal of meat from a child’s diet when there is risk but not clinical evidence of allergy†(Restani 1997). Moreover, the risk of reaction can be reduced even further by selecting less allergenic meats, (such as turkey or lamb rather than beef or chicken), by cooking and thoroughly blending them, or by using commercially processed (freeze dried or homogenized) meat products. Introducing meat (or any other new food) before weaning from the breast may reduce the likelihood of developing a food sensitivity (Cummins and Thompson 1997).
In short, the amount of breast milk a baby consumes decreases after solid foods are introduced. Important nutrients most likely to be in short supply during the weaning period include protein, zinc, iron, and B-vitamins. Meat is a very good source of all these nutrients and, therefore, is an important part of the infant’s diet during weaning. The incidence of allergic reactions to meat is minimal, and lower still when pureed varieties are used.
It is also important to remember that when solids are first given to baby, it is as an introduction and small supplement. Breast milk will still be the baby’s primary nutrition for quite some time. Solids are introduced individually about a week apart and only in very small amounts. With this slow introduction, it will be quite a while before baby is relying on solids for his/her basic nutrition. Therefore, it is important that the foods which are given provide the nutrients which are needed most for growth and health.
Vegetarian mothers are almost always aware of their need for protein, iron, zinc, calcium and vitamin B12 as well as adequate calories. Those who occasionally add poultry or fish to their diets and those who are lacto-ovo vegetarians, using milk and eggs in their diets, usually have no problems meeting their needs for these nutrients. For vegans, who do not use any dairy products, attention needs to be given to adequate sources of calcium. There are also many non-animal foods that provide iron, calcium, and zinc. Vegetarians may need supplements to get enough B12. Vegetarians who want their children to eat as they do will need to be aware of the same nutrient needs for their children. When starting solids, single foods are given so that any sensitivities or allergies can be noted.
A non-vegetarian mother who is concerned about her baby having meat or poultry before one year of age, or who is worried about a family history of allergy, could use non-animal sources of protein until she feels the baby is ready for meat.