Any of these symptoms indicate that your baby has reacted unfavorably to the new food you just tried:

• Skin reactions: Rashes on the face or trunk, severe diaper rash, hives, eczema

• Digestive problems: Vomiting, diarrhea, gas

• Swollen lips or eyelids

• Crankiness

• Stuffed nose

• Wheezing

Wheezing, though rare, is a reason to call your doctor immediately. Discuss with your doctor whether the wheezing was caused by the food and whether the food should be eliminated. Milder symptoms mean you should just put the food away for a while. Try it again in a couple of months, and odds are it'll be just fine.

Peanuts

Although high in protein, calories, and fat, neither peanuts nor peanut butter should be given to babies. About 1.5 million Americans have a severe allergy to peanuts. The symptoms can range from the mild, an itchy throat, to the serious, anaphylactic shock, which can result in death. The AAP recommends that children at higher risk of developing a food allergy should not be given peanut butter until they are three years old. Your child is at higher risk if you or a family member has a food allergy, asthma, eczema, or hay fever.

If you do serve your child peanut butter, remember that young children often swallow without chewing. Sticky foods like peanut butter can increase their risk of choking. To avoid this problem:

• Always spread peanut butter thinly on a cracker or bread.

• Do not serve dollops of peanut butter.

• Always make sure your child is seated when eating.

• Make sure an adult is with your child when he is eating.

Label Literacy

You would think a jar of pureed plums would contain, simply, plums. But you can't assume that, so check the label. In the past, baby food companies would regularly add sugar and thickeners (like tapioca starch) to their products, reasoning that babies preferred sweeter, smoother foods. (This may be true, but may not be the preference to reinforce.) After a fuss in the press a few years ago, jarred baby foods, at least those designed as first foods, became purer. You should still check the label, however, in particular for foods labeled “fruit desserts” or “stage-three” foods. Don't be fooled if the label says that the product includes fructose, dextrose, or maltodextrins — these are all different forms of sugars. Be on the lookout, too, for corn products, including corn syrup as a sweetener and cornstarch as a thickener. These can trigger allergies in a sensitive baby.

Also watch out for and avoid artificial flavors and colors (red #40, yellow #5, etc.). These can cause unpredictable allergic reactions, and there is some unconfirmed evidence implicating them in neurological disorders.