Can a 6-month-old baby drink olive oil?

Giving olive oil directly to a 6-month-old (by spoon) is not recommended. At this age, your baby's main nutrition is still breast milk or follow-up formula; solid foods are just beginning, and oils are used within foods in controlled amounts.

Of course, giving your baby olive oil by spoon without consulting your doctor can be risky:

• Digestion difficulty: A 6-month-old's digestive system may struggle to process pure olive oil; this can cause diarrhea or stomach upset.
• Choking/aspiration risk: Giving liquid oil directly increases the risk of coughing or it going into the airway.
• Unnecessary calories: Filling a tiny stomach with nutritionally empty oil reduces intake of nutrients they actually need.

What you can do:

You can use olive oil in your baby's foods—for example, by adding 1 teaspoon to vegetable puree. But even for this, I recommend starting by talking to your pediatrician first; how your baby begins solid foods and the amounts should be determined by your doctor based on their individual needs.