Foods for Healing

When babies are sick, teething, or recovering from illness, their nutritional needs shift. Traditional cultures had specific foods for these moments—often the same healing foods used for centuries. Here's how to apply that wisdom.

During Teething

Teething can disrupt eating for days or weeks. Sore gums make chewing painful.

What helps:

Cold or frozen foods:
• Frozen banana slices
• Chilled cucumber sticks (thick enough not to be a choking hazard)
• Cold yogurt
• Frozen bone broth "popsicles" in mesh feeders

Soft, easy foods:
• More purées than usual (temporarily)
• Bone broth as the primary liquid
• Mashed avocado
• Smooth nut butters (spread thin)

Gnawing opportunities (supervised):
• Frozen washcloth
• Large, cold carrot (too big to bite off chunks)
• Cold meats (drumstick, large meat strips)

The key: Don't worry about variety during intense teething. Focus on getting nutrients in however they'll accept them. Increase broth, accept more breast milk/formula, reduce expectations temporarily.

During Colds and Respiratory Illness

The traditional remedy: bone broth, and lots of it.

Why broth works:
• Hydration (sick babies often refuse water)
• Glycine supports immune function
• Warm liquid soothes irritated airways
• Minerals replace what's lost through fever
• Easily digestible when appetite is low

Other supportive foods:
• Garlic (cooked into broth or foods)—traditional antimicrobial
• Ginger (small amounts in broth)—warming, supports circulation
• Egg yolk (soft, nutrient-dense, easy to eat)
• Full-fat yogurt (probiotics support immune recovery)

What to reduce:
• Sugar and fruit (may suppress immune function)
• Dairy for some babies (can increase mucus, though this varies)
• Complex foods that require effort

The rhythm: Small, frequent offerings rather than full meals. Broth between meals. Back to breast milk/formula if solids are refused.

After Antibiotics

Antibiotics wipe out gut bacteria—beneficial along with harmful. Recovery requires rebuilding.

Immediate priorities (during antibiotic course):

Probiotic foods at different time from antibiotic:
• Give the antibiotic, then wait 2-3 hours
• Offer kefir or yogurt
• Probiotics help limit damage during the course

After the course ends:

Aggressive probiotic introduction:
• Increase fermented foods
• Kefir daily (broader spectrum than yogurt)
• Fermented vegetable juices
• Consider probiotic supplement (consult pediatrician for strain/dose)

Gut-healing foods:
• Bone broth (gelatin seals gut lining)
• Well-cooked vegetables (fiber feeds good bacteria)
• Avoid sugar (feeds wrong bacteria during recovery)

Timeline: Gut recovery can take weeks to months. Prioritize ferments throughout.

When Appetite Disappears

Sick babies often refuse food. This is normal—energy goes to healing, not digestion.

The strategy:

1. Don't force. Pushing food creates negative associations and doesn't help healing.

2. Liquid priority. Breast milk, formula, bone broth, water. Hydration matters more than calories short-term.

3. High-density when they do eat. If they'll take three bites, make those bites count. Egg yolk, not rice cereal.

4. Trusted foods. This isn't the time to introduce new foods. Offer familiar favorites.

5. Small, frequent. A tablespoon every hour beats a full meal twice daily.

Recovery and Convalescence

After acute illness passes, there's a rebuilding phase. Traditional cultures had specific convalescent foods.

Priority foods for recovery:
• Bone broth (continues to heal gut and provide minerals)
• Liver (replenishes iron and B vitamins depleted during illness)
• Egg yolks (easy-to-digest complete nutrition)
• Fatty fish (anti-inflammatory omega-3s)

Gradual return to normal:
• Don't immediately return to full variety
• Rebuild slowly over a week
• Watch for any new sensitivities (illness can temporarily increase reactivity)

Specific Situations

Ear infections:
• Reduce dairy (sometimes contributes to congestion)
• Increase garlic (traditional antimicrobial)
• Bone broth for hydration and healing
• After antibiotics, prioritize gut rebuilding

Stomach bugs/diarrhea:
• Hydration first (broth, breast milk, oral rehydration if severe)
• BRAT diet is outdated—focus on easily digestible proteins
• Plain bone broth, soft egg yolk, mashed banana
• Return fat slowly (can worsen diarrhea initially)
• Rebuild with probiotics after acute phase

Post-vaccination: Some babies experience temporary appetite reduction or fussiness after vaccines.
• Follow their cues
• Increase breast milk/formula
• Offer comforting, familiar foods
• Don't worry about one or two low-eating days

The Deeper Pattern

Across traditional cultures, healing foods share characteristics:
• Easy to digest (pre-broken-down proteins, simple carbohydrates)
• Liquid or soft (require less energy to process)
• Nutrient-dense (maximum nutrition per bite)
• Warming and soothing (bone broth, soft cooked foods)
• Antimicrobial or immune-supporting (garlic, ginger, ferments)

When your baby is sick, channel your ancestors. Less variety, more broth. Simple foods, frequently offered. Trust the body's wisdom about appetite. Support the healing process rather than fighting it.

The elaborate meal plans can wait. Right now, keep it simple: warmth, hydration, rest, and the nourishing foods humans have relied on for millennia.