Foods that can be unsafe for your baby

came across this article sent from babycenter...might be useful to mummies as a guide...

Here goes...
As your baby grows, he'll be eager to sample food from your plate – and you'll be eager to introduce some variety to his diet. But not all foods are safe for your child. Some pose a choking hazard, and a few aren't good for your baby's still-developing digestive system.

Foods to avoid: Newborn to 4 to 6 months
All solid food: The AAP recommends feeding your baby only breast milk or formula for the first four to six months.

Foods to avoid: 4 to 12 months
Honey: Honey can harbor spores of Clostridium botulinum, which causes botulism. An adult's intestinal tract can prevent the growth of these spores, but in a baby the spores can grow and produce life-threatening toxins.
Peanut butter: The sticky consistency of peanut butter and other nut butters can make it tough for a young child to swallow safely.
Cow's milk: Stick with breast milk or formula until your child's first birthday. Why? Your baby can't digest the protein in cow's milk for the first year, it doesn't have all the nutrients he needs, and it contains minerals in amounts that can damage his kidneys.
Choking hazards to watch for
Large chunks: Pea-size pieces of food are safest — they won't get stuck in your child's throat. Vegetables like carrots, celery, and green beans should be diced, shredded, or cooked and cut up. Cut fruits like grapes, cherry tomatoes, and melon balls into quarters before serving. Cut meats and cheeses into very small pieces or shred them.
Small, hard foods: Nuts, popcorn, cough drops, hard candies, raisins, and other small dried fruit and seeds are potential choking hazards.
Soft foods: Soft foods like marshmallows and jelly candies can get lodged in your child's throat.

More choking prevention:
Avoid letting your child eat in the car. It's too hard to supervise while driving.
If you're using a rub-on teething medication, keep a close eye on your baby as it can numb his throat and interfere with swallowing.

Foods to avoid: 12 to 36 months
Click here to see age-by-age advice about food safety with older babies and toddlers.
The latest on children and allergies

Doctors used to recommend waiting until age 1 or even much later to introduce solid foods that are common allergens, especially with children at risk for allergies. But the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has changed its tune, because studies show that these delays probably don't help keep allergies from developing.
It's still a wise idea, though, to introduce new foods gradually, waiting several days after each new menu item to make sure your baby doesn't react to it. And if you believe that your baby is likely to have food allergies -- for example, if allergies run in your family -- check with his doctor to determine the best strategy for introducing allergenic foods like eggs, milk, peanuts, wheat, soy, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish.

Read more about food allergies in babies.