There is a lot of mis-information around on this topic. I also found the blanket "6 months" rather arbitary. Then I went to a seminar with a very qualified dietician who said to watch out for the signs - losing the tongue-thrust reflex (where the tongue pushes things out of the mouth), getting teeth, and reaching for food that others are eating. The first two are more indicative than the third. She also said that (and I have read this since too) that iron is best absorbed from breast milk, so people who tell you that they need iron are not necessarily correct. In fact a baby will absorb more iron from breast milk than from iron-fortified baby cereal.
Jack was very slow to take to solids and has really only eaten well since turning 1. But he is healthy and always put on weight so I never worried (he was still bf until 14 months). And apparently they really only need food from 12 months, prior to that it's getting them used to it so that once they need it they are getting it. Lots of bf babies I know of have been much slower taking to solids. I believe this is a sign that they are getting what they need so have no need for the food. I would say go with this and read the cues.
Sorry Simone, I don't know the answer to your question but my guess would be use the adjusted age.
My second was and still is big, she was born 9.75 pounds but she has never been keen on solids since I started her at 6 months and has been pretty much exclusively breast fed besides having a 'taste' for her meals until recently (she is close to 16 months). She just recently started coming good then the last few days to a week has become fussy and seems sick of what was once her favourites. She has always had a sensitive gag reflex and isn't a good chewer but then considering she only has two molars so far which are for chewing I figure thats how it should be anyway.
She is very healthy, active and alert. Probably close to 14kg and a couple of months ago she was definately over 80cm (I think she was around 82cm when I measured her a couple months back but I don't know how accurate that was), she has always been almost off the percentile charts, so I doubt it is hurting her!
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