Also, I'm not a big fan of the website kellymom.com. For instance:
Signs that indicate baby is developmentally ready for solids include:
- Baby can sit up well without support.
- Baby has lost the tongue-thrust reflex and does not automatically push solids out of his mouth with his tongue.
- Baby is ready and willing to chew.
- Baby is developing a “pincer” grasp, where he picks up food or other objects between thumb and forefinger. Using the fingers and scraping the food into the palm of the hand (palmar grasp) does not substitute for pincer grasp development.
- Baby is eager to participate in mealtime and may try to grab food and put it in his mouth.
The American Academy of Pediatrics/World Health Organization recommendations for starting solids at 6 months or later has no exceptions for babies who weigh more. The research that I’ve seen on the health benefits of starting solids at 6 months and later holds for all babies, no matter what their weight.
This isn't exactly true. 6 months is not the magic number. Your baby's tummy doesn't say, "I'm 6 months now so I'm ready for solid foods." The WHO says solid foods should be introduced at "AROUND 6 months of age."
"The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and World Health Organization (WHO) currently recommend that complementary foods be introduced around six months of age."
The AAP's website also says this:
"The AAP recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for about the first 6 months of life."
John's Hopkins and WebMD say 4-6 months:
These websites say:
Here are some signs that your child is ready to try solids:
- She can sit up (with support) and can hold her head and neck up well.
- Her birth weight has doubled.
- She’s interested in what you’re eating and may even try to grab food from your plate.
- She can keep food in her mouth rather than letting it dribble out.
- She shows signs of being hungry for more than she’s getting by clamoring for more when her bottle is empty or wanting to nurse more often.
Kelly Mom says they have to be sitting up without support, but other's say with support.
Also from WebMD:
The pendulum has swung back and forth a lot on when to start solids,” says Jennifer Shu, MD, a pediatrician in Atlanta and co-author of Heading Home with Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality and Food Fights: Winning the Nutritional Challenges of Parenthood Armed with Insight, Humor, and a Bottle of Ketchup.
“We now know that 4 to 6 months seems to be the best time, when the baby’s digestive system can handle solids and they don’t impact allergies for the worse,” Shu tells WebMD. “If you wait until your baby’s much older than 6 months, she may reject the texture.”
Then you get those that say you should introduce solids closer to 4 months.
"While the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) previously recommended parents wait until their children are 6 months old before introducing them to solid foods, new research suggests babies may benefit from trying their first foods sooner."
"Similarly, studies of Celiac Disease have shown that the disease occurs less frequently in children who first eat wheat between 4 and 7 months, than in those given wheat for the first time after 7 months.
"Based on these studies and many others like them, the AAAI now recommends that:
- Solid foods are introduced early, no later than 4 to 6 months."
"The introduction of solid foods should not be delayed beyond 4 to 6 months of age. Delaying the introduction of potentially allergenic foods, even in infants at risk for food allergy, has not been clearly shown to be beneficial."
We went ahead and introduced solid foods at 4 months after research and talking with our pediatrician. Our babies were interested in food at 4 months. They were reaching in my plate and smacking their lips. They would pretend to chew. They had great head control and could sit up assisted. They could sit up in their Bumbo seats with no problem. Now at 6 months both babies sit up unassisted. I also want to prevent food allergies if possible. I went with the AAAAI's, Johns Hopkins', and WebMD's advice. Especially with the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) advice.
They used to also say no dairy and no eggs before a year old. My babies love cheese and will introduced to eggs soon. The only food that should be avoided is honey because of spores that can cause botulism.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887324662404578334423524696016
http://health.yahoo.net/experts/dayinhealth/prevent-kids-food-allergies-start-peanuts-eggs-sooner
According to the CDC:
- Children with food allergies are two to four times more likely to have asthma or other allergic conditions than those without food allergies.1
- The prevalence of food allergies among children increased 18% during 1997–2007, and allergic reactions to foods have become the most common cause of anaphylaxis in community health settings.1,6
I'd like to see where this stands in 10 years.
Have a great day!
~Sam
