Introducing egg to your baby: when, how and signs of a reaction
6 min read
Quick answer
You can start introducing egg to your baby from around 6 months, once they are eating some solids. Offer a small amount of well-cooked egg, such as mashed hard-boiled egg, as the only new allergen that day. If there is no reaction, keep egg in their meals regularly.
- Egg can go into your baby's diet from around 6 months, like other foods
- Start with a little well-cooked egg, and one new allergen at a time
- In the UK, hens' eggs with the red British Lion stamp can be lightly cooked
- Once egg is tolerated, keep offering it regularly
- Talk to your GP or health visitor first if your baby has eczema or a food allergy, or allergies run in the family
When can my baby have egg?
From around 6 months, as soon as your baby has started solids. Egg is one of the foods most likely to cause an allergy, but the NHS advises introducing it at the same time as other foods rather than holding it back.
Waiting does not protect your baby. The NHS says putting off hens' egg beyond 6 to 12 months may make an egg allergy more likely. US advice from the AAP is the same in practice: once your baby is ready for solids, there is no benefit in delaying egg.
How to introduce egg to your baby
Keep the first try simple, small and at a time when you can watch your baby afterwards.
- Choose a morning or early afternoon at home, so you can keep an eye on your baby for at least 2 hours
- Cook the egg well: hard-boil it until white and yolk are firm, or scramble it until no runny egg is left
- Mash a small amount and stir it into a food your baby already eats, such as potato or avocado
- Make egg the only new allergen that day
- If all goes well, offer egg again over the next few days and slowly increase the amount
- Then keep egg as a regular part of your baby's meals
Easy ways to serve egg to babies
Once your baby has had egg without a problem, it is a quick, cheap source of protein for busy days.
- Mashed hard-boiled egg mixed into potato, sweet potato or avocado
- Quarters or strips of hard-boiled egg as a finger food
- Firmly scrambled egg with toast fingers
- Strips of thin omelette with soft cooked vegetables
- Homemade pancakes or muffins made with egg and no added sugar
Can babies eat runny or lightly cooked eggs?
In the UK, yes, if they are the right eggs. The NHS says hens' eggs stamped with a red lion, or sold in a box marked British Lion, are safe for babies lightly cooked or even raw.
Hens' eggs without the red lion, and all duck, goose and quail eggs, need cooking until both the white and the yolk are solid. Avoid homemade mayonnaise, homemade ice cream, uncooked cake mixture and other desserts made with raw egg unless you know they were made with red lion eggs. If your baby has a severely weakened immune system or is on a medically supervised diet, the NHS advises cooking all eggs thoroughly.
In the US, where the red lion scheme does not apply, AAP guidance describes well-cooked egg, such as scrambled or hard-boiled, for babies. For first tries, well-cooked egg is the simplest choice wherever you live.
Signs of an egg allergy in babies
Reactions usually start within a few minutes of eating, but can take up to 2 hours. If you see any of these, stop giving egg and contact your GP or health visitor. If you cannot reach them and you are worried, call NHS 111. If your baby has any of the signs of a severe reaction below, call 999 instead.
- A red, itchy rash, or eczema that suddenly gets worse
- Swollen lips or face
- Red, itchy or watery eyes
- Sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, coughing or wheezing
- Being sick, tummy pain, diarrhoea or constipation
What to do if your baby has a severe reaction
Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction that comes on fast. If your baby has any of these signs, use their adrenaline auto-injector if they have been prescribed one, then call 999, or your local emergency number, straight away. Tell the call handler you think it is anaphylaxis.
- Sudden swelling of the lips, mouth, tongue or throat
- Struggling to breathe, breathing very fast, or noisy, wheezy breathing
- Skin, lips or tongue turning blue, grey or pale
- Going limp or floppy, or not responding as they usually do
What if my baby has eczema or an existing allergy?
Talk to your GP or health visitor before you introduce egg if your baby has eczema or a diagnosed food allergy, or if food allergies, eczema, asthma or hay fever run in your family. They can advise when and how to start.
If you think egg caused a reaction, stop giving it and get advice before you try it again. Do not start cutting other foods out of your baby's diet on your own, as this can leave gaps in their nutrition. Many children who react to egg grow out of it.
Sources
We check this guide against these sources. It is general information, not medical advice: speak to your health visitor, GP or paediatrician about your own baby.
- NHS: Food allergies in babies and young children
- NHS: Foods to avoid giving babies and young children
- NHS: Your baby's first solid foods
- NHS: 6 months: feeding your baby
- NHS: Anaphylaxis
- NHS: When to use NHS 111 online or call 111
- AAP: When to Introduce Egg, Peanut Butter & Other Common Food Allergens to a Baby
Questions parents ask
How much egg should my baby eat?
Start with a small taste and build up over several days if there is no reaction. Once egg is a regular food, AAP guidance gives about a third of a well-cooked egg as an example of a typical baby portion. Your baby's appetite will vary, so follow their cues rather than aiming for a fixed amount every time.
How often should my baby have egg once it is introduced?
Regularly. Once your baby has eaten egg without a problem, the NHS advises keeping it in their usual diet, because this helps lower the risk of an allergy developing. Fitting egg into a few meals across each week, at breakfast, lunch or tea, is an easy way to make that happen.
Can my baby have eggs without the British Lion stamp?
Yes, as long as they are cooked until both the white and the yolk are solid. This also applies to duck, goose and quail eggs. Only hens' eggs with the red lion stamp, or a box marked British Lion, are considered safe for babies to eat lightly cooked or raw. If your baby has a severely weakened immune system, cook all eggs thoroughly.
Should I avoid egg if my baby has eczema?
No, but talk to your GP or health visitor before introducing it. The NHS advises this for any baby with eczema. US guidance from the AAP also treats babies with severe eczema as being at higher risk of food allergy, especially to peanut. Delaying egg for a long time is not recommended, so ask early rather than waiting.