When to Start Baby Food?

Lincoln is 4 months now - when did that happen ? - and so I am hearing often (both on the internet and in real life) about other mom's giving their babies cereal. Some relatives have asked why do I wait? They gave their babies solids at that age and it was fine. I'll explore a few viewpoints on this.

To begin, lets first learn about a child's digestive system. Most babies will become developmentally and physiologically ready to eat solids by 6-9 months of age. (not 4-6 months) Unfortunately, many health care providers are not up to date in what they're telling parents, which is why you often hear people say "well my pediatrician said it was okay so that means it's okay" Well, I for one don't blindly follow a pediatrician's advice. There is no way anyone, doctors included, love my children more then I do, and so the only advice I trust is unbiased facts that I base my OWN opinions on. The fact is, 6 months is the EARLIEST a baby should be given solids. Babies who are prone to allergies or were born prematurely or are physically delayed in any way may need to wait even longer then that. Some babies thrive on breast milk alone for the first year, and regardless of when you start solids, it should not take away from the amount of milk being drank in the first year, which should remain the main source of nutrition. I think this is more important then people realize.

" 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."

"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."

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/solids/delay-solids.html

I understand its fun to start solids. It's exciting, a rite of passage in a sense. Your child has their whole life to eat solids though, waiting 6 months is nothing in the grand scheme of things. Some may start solids to help with Reflux - but what most parents don't realize is that a pediatrician is not qualified to diagnose reflux, which results in over diagnosis of this GERD. If you are concerned your child may have reflux, see a gastrologist for a true diagnosis. Often, there is another culprit. And there are cases of reflux that need no treatment - such as the child who experiences no discomfort and whose weight gain is not being compromised.

When we do begin solids though, I am excited to make my own and see Lincoln's reaction!