Timing for Starting Solids

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One of the questions I'm asked repeatedly on my Feeding Baby Green book tour is, "What is the best timing for starting solids." My take on the best timing to start solid foods is different than what I've seen elsewhere. It depends on what kids are taking before that first bite of solids.
 
Breast-fed babies are already getting perfect, complex real food. Not only does breast milk provide ideal nutrient building blocks, provide ideal immune building blocks, provide an ideal closeness with Mom, and provide the greenest feeding choice imaginable, but it also provides a myriad of subtly different flavor combinations -- helping to teach the baby to enjoy variety and to enjoy the foods that Mom eats. I suggest exclusive breastfeeding until babies vigorously demand solids, usually about 6 months (watching the baby for cues, not the calendar). Continuing breastfeeding in addition to solids remains valuable long after the first birthday.
 


Dr. Greene with Kelly Rutherford of Gossip Girl Fame
at Big City Moms

Formula-fed babies, though, are getting a simple, processed food that addresses only the main nutrient needs we understand so far. I'm grateful we have them for when needed, but the babies are exposed to only one flavor profile, again and again for months on end. I suggest starting real food much earlier for these babies, when they demonstrate strong interest in what Mom is eating -- usually around 4 months. This gives them complex nutrients for building blocks now and extends the window of flavor-preference learning before Neophobia (a phase of suspicion of new foods) sets in with toddlerhood.
 
Delaying or avoiding any real food beyond 4 to 6 months has never been shown to decrease allergies. Rather, I suggest avoiding the most allergenic foods when a child is taking antibiotics or when the gut is otherwise inflamed, as from illness.

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Comments

Anonymous's picture
Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 2011-12-29 11:59.

Great advice, as usual!!!

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It was a honor to meet you last April!!! Great advice, as usual!! Her pediatrican wanted to start her on solids (at the time she had just turned four months); rice cereal was the recommendation. At birth she weighted 6lbs 13 oz at four months she was 11 lbs 13.5oz. I understand that on average babies double their birth weight by four months...she missed it by that 11oz, and that's based on an "average." Plus she has tons of wet/poopy diapers daily, is very alert, exceeding milestones and is overall a very healthy happy baby. I remembering the teachings from your "Feeding Baby Green," speaking to my mother and following my instinct - she is still going strong on exclusive breast milk. When she does demand to eat solids, it will be exclusively organic. Her pediatrican even suggested supplementing with formula. Red flags went up. I think it is time to find another pediatrican! Thanks, Mrs. Abdul-Hakeem
Anonymous's picture
Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 2010-06-15 21:04.

Great Advice!

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This is excellent advice! My daughter was exclusively breastfed until 11 months old (and 29 lbs!) at which point we introduced organic solids. At each well visit past 6 months the pediatrician kept advising exclusive breastfeeding since she was positively thriving on it. He was almost giddy at the fact that an 11-month-old baby girl could be a healthy 29 lbs on breast milk alone! Now at 26-months my sweet girl is still breastfed at nap and night time. Her favorite foods are all vegetables! She would rather have green beans than a cookie or cake any day. I think this is from good eating habits early on. Not everyone can breast feed or breast feed that long...that's why Dr. Greene's article makes good sense on introducing them to a healthy variety of solid foods around 6-months in that case.
Anonymous's picture
Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 2010-01-22 00:03.

This is a great recipe for introducing vegetables for Babies

This is a great recipe for introducing vegetables:

Green Pea Puree
www.FreshBaby.com
1 3/4 pounds fresh peas OR 24 ounces of frozen peas

Step 1: PREP – Wash and shell peas. Discard pods. If using frozen peas, start at step 2.

Step 2: COOK – Place peas and 2 Tablespoons (30ml) of water in a microwave-safe dish. Cover. Cook six to eight minutes. Let stand for five minutes. They are done if the sweet potatoes can be mashed easily with a fork.

Step 3: PUREE – Place peas and cooking juices into a blender of food processor. Add 1/4 – 1/2 cup (30-60 ml) of water. Puree. Add additional water, as needed, to develop a smooth texture.

Step 4: FREEZE – Spoon into So Easy Baby Food Trays or ice cube trays. Cover. Place in freezer eight to 10 hours or overnight. Remove cubes from trays, place in storage container or freezer bag, and return immediately to the freezer.

Makes 24, 1-ounce servings. Stays fresh for two months in the freezer.

To serve, select frozen green pea cubes from the freezer, defrost and warm, check the temperature and feed.

About the author: Cheryl Tallman is the co-founder of Fresh Baby, creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit, and author of the So Easy Baby Food and the new book So Easy Toddler Food: Survival Tips and Simple Recipes for the Toddler Years. Visit Cheryl online at www.FreshBaby.com for more delicious tips.