Grandmother was feeding my 7-month-old table food during Thanksgiving. Should I be concerned?
Answer:
Food restrictions for babies over 6 months old are few and arbitrary. Definitely avoid raw honey for fear of botulism and any food item that can pose a choking hazard. Hard, cork-sized objects are particularly dangerous. I also suggest avoiding eggs, nuts, strawberries and shellfish until at least one year of age because of the concern of allergic reactions. As long as the above is avoided, if the food is soft and easy to swallow, grandma (and you) should have fun introducing your baby to new foods during the holidays. Remember though that breast milk and/or formula are still the primary source of nutrition until one year of age.
My baby has chapped and cracked lips... is it okay to use chapstick or something like that on him?
Although not usually necessary (especially during the first month of a babies life), it is fine to use a non-medicated lip balm on your baby. Lipstick on babies is frowned upon.