Resources for parents to get through the challenges.

  1. Home
  2. Food & Feeding

When Can Babies Eat Eggs?

Scrambled eggs are an awesome choice for those mornings when you need to feed your little one. They are easy to cook and are done in a matter of minutes.

Plus, they’re soft enough that babies can chew them. Not so fast though! There are some guidelines that parents need to follow when feeding their babies eggs. However, most babies can begin eating eggs as young as six months old. 

Get Through Their First Baby Foods First

Before you feed your baby eggs or any other food that is a known allergen, make sure your baby is done eating their first pureed foods. These are the foods that are only one fruit or vegetable, like green beans, squash, bananas, apples, etc.

Once your little one has made it through their first foods without any allergies, you can start feeding them other foods. You’re not supposed to before this though. 

Only Feed Babies One New Food At A Time

If your little one has made it through their first baby foods, it can be exciting to start feeding them one new food after another to see what they like.

However, you should not do that with new foods for quite a while, particularly with foods that are known to cause allergies, like eggs. Instead, introduce eggs.

Then, do not introduce another new food for three days. If your baby has signs of an allergic reaction, you’ll know it was because of the eggs. 

Watch For Signs Of An Allergic Reaction

During this three day period, it’s important to watch for signs of an allergic reaction. Unlike a milk allergy, which is commonly seen as a rash or digestive issue, an egg allergy can be seen in various parts of the body.

If your baby begins to display any of these symptoms, it’s important to consider that they may have an egg allergy. Common symptoms of an egg allergy include: 

  • Watering, itchiness, or redness of the eyes
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Skin rash
  • Hives, and the skin may or may not be swollen. 
  • Runny nose or excessive congestion
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Dizziness
  • A significant drop in blood pressure (this can be dangerous)

Children that have an egg allergy may only experience one symptom, or they may experience all of them. Symptoms can also range from moderate to severe.

child and doctor

If you’re worried that your little one has an egg allergy, it’s important to contact your pediatrician. Your pediatrician will listen to the symptoms, and determine if you will need to avoid eggs or not.

Thankfully, most companies are now required to list when eggs are used to make a product. It’s important to remember that allergic reactions can pop up at any time.

Your baby might not be allergic to eggs in the beginning, but they could develop an allergy later on. Because of that, it’s a great idea to always watch for signs of an allergic reaction. 

Small Bites Are Best

Even if your little one has their four front teeth, and they are biting things, it’s still best to make sure that your baby has small bites of the egg.

If you feed them bites that are too large, they might bite off more than they can chew, literally. This will make them choke. 

Scrambled Eggs Are A Great Finger Food

Most parents opt for scrambled eggs because the scrambled eggs are already nice and small. They are also perfect for little ones to use as finger food while they are developing their fine motor skills.

If your baby hasn’t had cow’s milk yet, and you use this in your scrambled eggs, make sure to cook only the eggs and not use milk for the first few days. 

Watch For Choking

Sometimes, babies that are getting used to solids will still choke if the food is too large. This is because they are still learning how to chew. It’s perfectly normal.

However, if your little one chokes on eggs or they are still learning how to chew other solid foods, you can start giving them eggs by thinning them slightly.

After you make the scrambled eggs, you’ll need to use formula, breast milk, or water to make them thinner. Simply pour some in the eggs and then stir them up. 

Awesome Ideas For Introducing Eggs To Your Baby

If your little one is still on formula, it can be hard to incorporate eggs into their diet. There also comes the question of how to feed a baby some eggs.

Obviously, you can’t hand them an omelet and a fork. Here are some awesome ideas to get you started, and keep your little one interested in eggs.

eggs

Use Baked Or Powdered Eggs First

This will give baby food or cereal the slight flavor of eggs, which will introduce your little one to eggs.

This can also give you a chance to determine if your little one has an egg allergy. The consistency will help your baby eat eggs without having to adjust to a new texture, too. 

Cut Omelets Into Small Pieces

You can make your baby omelets if you’d like and then cut them into small pieces. This is a great idea for babies that are working on finger foods!

It’s also something different than scrambled eggs, which is another bonus. It’s good to give babies a diverse diet to make sure that they like a variety of nutritious foods. 

Scrambled Eggs Are Great Finger Foods

Scrambled eggs are an exceptional option for finger foods too! These are easy to cook, and for your little one to eat. Scrambled eggs are typically a softer texture than other eggs too, which makes them great first food!

Try Mixing Other Things Into Eggs

You don’t have to stick with just eggs either! You should avoid mixing in foods that might be hard for your little one to eat, like bacon bits, but you can mix in plenty of other foods.

Your little one might like having pureed fruit mixed in. Cheese is another great option! Have some fun with eggs and let your little one learn what they do, and do not, like. 

In Conclusion

Eggs are a wonderful addition to your little one’s diet. You can start feeding them to your baby once they are done with their first foods, which can be as soon as six months old. However, make sure to watch for an allergic reaction.