Babies Feeding Why Can't Babies Have Honey? If your baby eats honey, it could lead to a dangerous case of infant botulism. Learn when it's safe to introduce the natural sweetener into his diet. By Nicole Harris Nicole Harris Instagram Nicole Harris joined the team in 2018 as a staff writer and was promoted to SEO editor in 2021. She now covers everything from children's health to parenting trends. Her writing has appeared in Martha Stewart Weddings, Good Housekeeping, The Knot, BobVila.com, and other publications. A graduate of Syracuse University, Nicole currently lives in Queens, New York with her husband. our editorial guidelines Updated on April 15, 2020 Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Shutterstock When introducing solids, parents learn about a host of foods that are off-limits, including choking hazards like grapes and hot dogs, hard-to-digest items like cow’s milk, and sugar-heavy desserts. But unlike many of the other food restrictions during infancy, allergies and choking are not the issue with honey. Find out why babies can’t eat honey, and learn when to introduce the natural sweetener into his diet. Why Can’t Babies Eat Honey? Honey may contain spores of a bacteria called Clostridium botulinum. This could possibly cause botulism—a serious condition that attacks the body’s nerves, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). My Daughter Had Infant Botulism: What You Should Know Symptoms of infant botulism can appear hours to days after a baby ingests honey. They include lethargy, constipation, poor appetite, difficulty breathing, trouble swallowing, “floppiness” of the body, and weakened muscle control. Severe cases could lead to dehydration and pneumonia. Doctors diagnose botulism with a series of tests, and it’s often treated in the intensive care unit (ICU). Most infants fully recover. When Can I Introduce Honey? The presence of botulism doesn't mean our honey supply is contaminated. Indeed, these bacteria are harmless to adults and children over 1. But it can make babies, whose digestive and immune systems are less developed, seriously (and possibly fatally) sick. Introducing Baby Food? Here are 20 Things to Feed Your Infant Pediatricians recommend waiting until your baby is at least 12 months before introducing honey. You should even stay away jars that claim to have been pasteurized, since this process still can't reliably remove all the bacteria. Also avoid foods that contain honey as an ingredient. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit