When did you intoroduce you little one to solids.

[cinnamonbear]

Little Ella-Rose watches our food like a hawk atm, can hold her head steady..so im pretty sure she is almost ready to give them a go...but im a little bit afraid of doing it too early as i dont want her to be more prone to allergies as both her father and i do have food allergies amoungst other allergies.

she alread suffers from excema.

Im eagar to start Little Ella-Rose off...but i dunno im a very cautious mummy and tend to be bit afraid to break the rules.

Just a question here when did everyone start Introducing their bubs to solids?

I know the recommend 6 months but im yet to find one person who actually has followed these guidelines.

[GraceUnhearing]

its actually a medical fact to avoid the introduction of solids before 6 months

Reasons for delaying solids

Although some of the reasons listed here assume that your baby is breastfed or fed breastmilk only, experts recommend that solids be delayed for formula fed babies also.

* Delaying solids gives baby greater protection from illness.
Although babies continue to receive many immunities from breastmilk for as long as they nurse, the greatest immunity occurs while a baby is exclusively breastfed. Breastmilk contains 50+ known immune factors, and probably many more that are still unknown. One study has shown that babies who were exclusively breastfed for 4+ months had 40% fewer ear infections than breastfed babies whose diets were supplemented with other foods. The probability of respiratory illness occurring at any time during childhood is significantly reduced if the child is fed exclusively breast milk for at least 15 weeks and no solid foods are introduced during this time. (Wilson, 1998) Many other studies have also linked the degree of exclusivity of breastfeeding to enhanced health benefits (see Immune factors in human milk and Risks of Artificial Feeding).

* Delaying solids gives baby's digestive system time to mature.
If solids are started before a baby's system is ready to handle them, they are poorly digested and may cause unpleasant reactions (digestive upset, gas, constipation, etc.). Protein digestion is incomplete in infancy. Gastric acid and pepsin are secreted at birth and increase toward adult values over the following 3 to 4 months. The pancreatic enzyme amylase does not reach adequate levels for digestion of starches until around 6 months, and carbohydrate enzymes such as maltase, isomaltase, and sucrase do not reach adult levels until around 7 months. Young infants also have low levels of lipase and bile salts, so fat digestion does not reach adult levels until 6-9 months.

* Delaying solids decreases the risk of food allergies.
It is well documented that prolonged exclusive breastfeeding results in a lower incidence of food allergies (see Allergy References and Risks of Artificial Feeding). From birth until somewhere between four and six months of age, babies possess what is often referred to as an "open gut." This means that the spaces between the cells of the small intestines will readily allow intact macromolecules, including whole proteins and pathogens, to pass directly into the bloodstream.This is great for your breastfed baby as it allows beneficial antibodies in breastmilk to pass more directly into baby's bloodstream, but it also means that large proteins from other foods (which may predispose baby to allergies) and disease-causing pathogens can pass right through, too. During baby's first 4-6 months, while the gut is still "open," antibodies (sIgA) from breastmilk coat baby's digestive tract and provide passive immunity, reducing the likelihood of illness and allergic reactions before gut closure occurs. Baby starts producing these antibodies on his own at around 6 months, and gut closure should have occurred by this time also. See How Breast Milk Protects Newborns and The Case for the Virgin Gut for more on this subject.

* Delaying solids helps to protect baby from iron-deficiency anemia.
The introduction of iron supplements and iron-fortified foods, particularly during the first six months, reduces the efficiency of baby's iron absorption. Healthy, full-term infants who are breastfed exclusively for periods of 6-9 months have been shown to maintain normal hemoglobin values and normal iron stores. In one study (Pisacane, 1995), the researchers concluded that babies who were exclusively breastfed for 7 months (and were not give iron supplements or iron-fortified cereals) had significantly higher hemoglobin levels at one year than breastfed babies who received solid foods earlier than seven months. The researchers found no cases of anemia within the first year in babies breastfed exclusively for seven months and concluded that breastfeeding exclusively for seven months reduces the risk of anemia. See Is Iron-Supplementation Necessary? for more information.

* Delaying solids helps to protect baby from future obesity.
The early introduction of solids is associated with increased body fat and weight in childhood. (for example, see Wilson 1998, von Kries 1999, Kalies 2005)

* Delaying solids helps mom to maintain her milk supply.
Studies have shown that for a young baby solids replace milk in a baby's diet - they do not add to baby's total intake. The more solids that baby eats, the less milk he takes from mom, and less milk taken from mom means less milk production. Babies who eat lots of solids or who start solids early tend to wean prematurely.

* Delaying solids helps to space babies.
Breastfeeding is most effective in preventing pregnancy when your baby is exclusively breastfed and all of his nutritional and sucking needs are satisfied at the breast.

* Delaying solids makes starting solids easier.
Babies who start solids later can feed themselves and are not as likely to have allergic reactions to foods.

taken from the kellymom.com website

I started Rylan on solids at 6 months and even then he really wasnt that interested, and he was 100% breastfeed before that.

babies will follow movement of anything!
its not the food they are interested in its just the movement

there little bellies just arent developed enough to handle the food before six months

so many do it yes
but there are so many studies done to prove it is damaging to your child to give them solids before six months

[Isaac's Mummy]

I waited until 6 months before introducing Is to solids.

He was holding his head up really early, and like Ella-Rose - constantly watched us eat our food. Still, I didn't give in DH had really, really bad food allergies when he was younger, and I just wanted to do what was best for my little boy. For me that meant exclusively breastfeeding him until he was 6 months old. Is was a big baby too - but was quite happy with just booby juice until the food was introduced. Now he's a food eating machine

Another thing, the longer you wait, the more money you save

[GraceUnhearing]

Rylan was born 9lbs 2.5oz at birth and was quite happy on boobie juice until 6 months of age too.

there really isnt any need to introduce solids early

do some research there a wealth of information out there on the net

and bubhub is jus one of those great resources!

[Mrs Potts]

With DS (now 7) we started him at about 4 months. From the very first spoonful he was flipping his head open to take the food in, and not a drop came out. You can't tell me that's not ready?

I know it's not recommended, but every child is different, and in this case he was hungry. He was bottle fed and simply refused to drink enough to fill himself up. He was never much of a drinker at all.

We have absolutely no history of food allergies, however. If we did I would most certainly have held off until closer to 6 months.

With DD (18 months) I offered from 6 months but she wasn't interested. She didn't really start eating until around 8 months.

Absolutely do your research. Take into account the risks for your child, then decide what you want to do. If you still feel that your DD is really ready to try solids, then do it. And don't let anyone tell you you're doing the wrong thing - because we know how much people like to do that!

[draught]

With all of mine I waited until 6 months - whether they were showing interest or not, because there is a family history of problems. My two DDs were happy to start at 6 months, DS took until 10 months before he would eat anything - and then only if he could feed himself.

I know it is tempting to want to start a new experience with babies, but if you can just hold out for a bit longer you will reduce the chance of life long medical problems.

[cinnamonbear]

ill definalty wait till atleast 6 months

i may even wait till she can sit upsupported on her own.. and definatly will be waiting intill that tounge reflex has dissapeared.

i really dont mind putting it of as i really enjoy breastfeeding i love the closeness between us during our special time together.

[mummybunny]

With DS (now 7) we started him at about 4 months. From the very first spoonful he was flipping his head open to take the food in, and not a drop came out. You can't tell me that's not ready?

I know it's not recommended, but every child is different, and in this case he was hungry. He was bottle fed and simply refused to drink enough to fill himself up. He was never much of a drinker at all.

We have absolutely no history of food allergies, however. If we did I would most certainly have held off until closer to 6 months.

With DD (18 months) I offered from 6 months but she wasn't interested. She didn't really start eating until around 8 months.

Absolutely do your research. Take into account the risks for your child, then decide what you want to do. If you still feel that your DD is really ready to try solids, then do it. And don't let anyone tell you you're doing the wrong thing - because we know how much people like to do that!

we did the same with Riley and had the same reaction not a spoonful that went in came back out and he was 3.5 months when he started.. our doc suggested we try because he wasn't sleeping an di had no milk supply.. And he is one of the healthiest kids ive ever met and he has not one allergy...

tottally agree with everything you say mrsp

[cheezelz]

Just because she is watching you eat doesnt mean that she is ready. She could just be very interested in watching you move and your facial movements.

[cinnamonbear]

yeah she probally is just interested in whats going on rather than tryign to show us she wants some.. she is such a nosy parker