New recommended age for starting solids

[~mamaspice~]

Interesting.

I am very quickly learning though, that my baby will decide when she's ready. There can be all the guidelines in the world for me, she's 6 months and 1 week old and still isn't really feeling solids at all!! The guidelines are out the window!!

I like it MummaSue! All bubs are diferent

[MummaSue]

I like it MummaSue! All bubs are diferent

Hehe, they sure are! Mine is like no other I have met!

[meow]

Starting solids at 3 months, 4 months at the latest???! Sounds crazy to me. I thought the changes to allergy recommendations were about not delaying allergy-risk foods as it was found that this delay was possibly causing issues... but not in terms of the age you delay starting solids. Baby bodies being ready to digest solids at all is a matter aside from allergies. 3 months sounds far too young to me.

[Mak]

Wow neither of my 2 would eat at that age - they were both 6 months plus when they were interested! I wonder if it is personal ideas rather than evidence based research???

[~mamaspice~]

I wonder if it is personal ideas rather than evidence based research???

I don't think so Mak because he used to go by the 6 month rule too. i guess at the end of the day it's all about when baby is ready

[Epacris]

The ASCIA (Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy) published their new infant feeding guidelines last year. There were a some significant points:

- Solid foods should not be introduced before 4 months.
- There are no particular allergenic foods that need to be avoided.
- There have been some suggestions that delaying introduction of foods may actually increase (rather than decrease) allergy, however at this stage this is not proven.
- There is insufficient evidence to support previous advice to specifically delay or avoid potentially allergenic foods (such as egg, peanuts, nuts, wheat, cow's milk and fish) for the prevention of food allergy or eczema. This also applies to infants with siblings who already have allergies to these foods.
- From 4-6 months, when your child is ready, consider introducing a new food every 2-3 days according to what the family usually eats (regardless of whether the food is thought to be highly allergenic).
- Exclusion of allergenic foods from the maternal diet has not been shown to prevent allergies.

Here’s the web page: The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy - ASCIA INFANT FEEDING ADVICE

And as a pdf: http://www.allergy.org.au/images/sto...dvice_2010.pdf

[~mamaspice~]

Thanks Epacris. Very interresting