# Maple syrup and honey- safe for 19 month old?



## JFTB1177 (Sep 9, 2008)

Is it now safe to give my 19 month old honey or maple syrup??? I know babies under 12 aren't supposed to have any but recently I read online that some are suggesting waiting until 2 years old! I've already given him maple syrup... no honey yet but he has had some things that had honey in it.

So what's the deal?


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## Hedgehog Mtn (Jan 14, 2008)

I'm sort of stumped about the maple syrup. We make it here and you take sap from a tree and boil it.....sometimes for days. I'm really not sure what is in maple syrup that would be an issue.

Subbing so I can learn more


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## mamazee (Jan 5, 2003)

Honey shouldn't be given for the first year. I've never heard of an older age to wait? And I've never heard of any concerns about maple syrup either.


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## JFTB1177 (Sep 9, 2008)

Thanks guys!! I hope more chime in to say whether they feed their toddlers honey and maple syrup.


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## Naturallove (Oct 9, 2010)

I am interested to hear what others say also. I heard recently that you should wait 'till 2 with honey (I just waited 'till 12 months with my kids), but I have never heard anything about maple syrup.


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## ErinYay (Aug 21, 2008)

In theory, real, delicious, amazing maple syrup can become contaminated with botulism , but I've never heard of it despite growing up along the Vermont border in northern New Hampshire and having uncles who sugar every year.


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## fruitfulmomma (Jun 8, 2002)

I feed my 22 month old maple syrup and have no clue what the issue with it would be. She doesn't eat honey because she can't tolerate it, otherwise I would be fine with her having it.


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## mamandedeux (Jan 15, 2010)

I have just given my 12-mo honey for the first time a few days ago. The concern is infant botulism, which is quite rare but very dangerous. The advice on when to introduce honey varies greatly, and also depends on where you live. In Canada, cases are rare and Canadian honey is generally considered ''safer'' than some others. But you should know that babies can also get infant botulism from other sources, like eating dirt outside or eating unwashed veggies. It's rare, but it can happen. As babies age, their natural defences to the organism increase, so it is usually assumed that an older baby (12 mo+) is somewhat protected. As with most things, I tend to not stress out too much, though. I still let my baby play in the backyard, and now that he's 1, eat honey. BTW, I think that even cooked/baked honey (like in a muffin, say) is still considered risky since even the high heat of pasteurization will not destroy the organism responsible for botulism.


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## Mama Khi (Sep 2, 2007)

DD is 16 months and she has had both maple syrup and honey. We don't eat them often, but I'm not afraid to give them to her. I've never heard to delay the syrup either.


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## dividedsky (Jul 24, 2006)

i give my 22-month-olds honey and maple syrup, no problem.

peanuts, too!


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## blumooned (Nov 11, 2009)

DS had maple syrup way before he turned 1 - he loved blueberries pancakes! He got honey for the first time right after he turned 1. No infant botulism here.


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## treeoflife3 (Nov 14, 2008)

I give my kiddo honey and maple syrup. Although I also give her (19 months) peanuts and other nuts too and supposedly I'm supposed to be waiting til 4. Not sure if I'm someone to go by


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