Babies and Fish--an okay combo?

[Pink Fairy]

I'm not much a fish eater, but last night we had fish tacos and I have discovered that my 12mo ds IS a fish eater. In fact, he is right now giving me unhappy squeaks because I'm not getting the leftovers to his mouth fast enough. Are there any known concerns with young children eating fish? I'm afraid there might be mercury or other chemicals that would make it a bad idea to offer him fish too often.

 

BTW, it's whiting fish, in case that matters.

 

TIA!

[HollyinNNV]

I'd be most worried about little bones with his teeny airway.

Holly

[Philothea]

I know there are probably websites that tell what kinds of fish contain what levels or mercury.

 

In my experience, the biggest issue with fish are the bones. As long as you are careful with that, you are good to go.

 

I'm not a fish eater either, but at 12 months, my children both really loved fish. Getting your kids to eat a wider variety of foods is great! (I'm mean-- not passing on your food biases, lol)

 

If I was better at eating fish, I could have saved myself many awkward moments of refusing certain dishes when I have gone to other's homes. I just can't eat most types, it grosses me out.

[Janet in Toronto]

I made all my baby food and one of the first things I made in the "meat" group was white fleshed fish. Just steamed and mashed it (started with frozen filets of sole or haddock).

 

Janet

[KAR120C]

And other than the bones, I've not worried too much about it. There was only one fish I specifically forbid him because of mercury, and that was swordfish. There's a list of fish with their mercury statistics here. Whiting is perfectly fine, according to that list.

 

Salmon has always been his very favorite, and it's thankfully low in mercury and easy to take bones out of. :)