New recommended age for starting solids

[~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

[Rivlas]

There was something on the TV a week or so ago about this.

Over the last 30 years, I have heard alot of recommendations of when you start a child on solids. My DD's are 2 years apart and it was different even then.

Some children will take food at 4 months whereas others will have nothing to do with it until much later. You know your child so will know when they are interested in starting.

I think the key word here is recommendation.

[Olive]

IMO i believe people wrongly think their babies are ready for food because the watch them eat with interest, they grab at food and cutlery, they stop sleeping as well etc etc.. all of which are very normal developmental leaps, kids watch what we do becasue its how they learn, babies watch us go to the loo, does it mean they're ready to toilet train..??

[Kazmar]

IMO i believe people wrongly think their babies are ready for food because the watch them eat with interest, they grab at food and cutlery, they stop sleeping as well etc etc.. all of which are very normal developmental leaps, kids watch what we do becasue its how they learn, babies watch us go to the loo, does it mean their ready to toilet train..??

Very well said

[delphmoon]

I think there isn't enough info given to new mothers in the first place. At my mothers group there was a mum who started her bubs on solids as soon as they got home from hossie....scary......

[megs]

Wow straight home from hossie is a bit scary. But it is intersting what people do, my girlfriend (who is a nurse) vitamised up her baby at around 4 months sausages and veg. Must say I thought he was a bit young for meat and 3 veg.

All my boys have started solids at around 5 months, several different factors but I was comfortable with my decision to start them then. That being said it was a very slow process, rice cereal, small amounts of pumpkin, pear, apple etc. I didn't really start intoducing the wide variety until they were past 6 months.

I found this way worked for me and my children. As someone else posted every child is different.

[BellyBelly]

He recommends 3 months? Or some other peak body? I'm sticking to WHO also.

[~mamaspice~]

IMO i believe people wrongly think their babies are ready for food because the watch them eat with interest, they grab at food and cutlery, they stop sleeping as well etc etc.. all of which are very normal developmental leaps, kids watch what we do becasue its how they learn, babies watch us go to the loo, does it mean they're ready to toilet train..??

Some people would actually say YES! Sorry Olive, but I couldn't resist (and no offence to those who believe in EC or early TT)

[onthefly]

I've been hearing about proposed changes in teh guidelines since before DS was born... and still they remain at 6 months. There was apparently a conference for child health nurses some years back hosted by baby food producers pushing 4 months, I think. And of course different professionals have their own opinions. I know of people who've been told by peadiatricians that 3 months is a good age to start. The allergy people are now saying 4-6 months, but the official guidelines have yet to be changed, so far as I know.
All babies are different, but I can't imagine there are many 3 month olds with sufficiently developed digestive systems to really manage solids. Personally I think if you're having to slip things into bottles or puree stuff to oblivian before sticking it in your baby's mouth then they're probably not really ready for it.

Anyway, the bottom line is watching your baby and following their lead. Much easier to get it right that way.

[helle]

It was 6 months when I was a baby, so it's been around for at least 22 years!
I personally don't think there really is an exact "age" to start... DS has only gotten into his solids the last month, others love it at 4 months or less...

IMO i believe people wrongly think their babies are ready for food because the watch them eat with interest, they grab at food and cutlery, they stop sleeping as well etc etc.. all of which are very normal developmental leaps, kids watch what we do becasue its how they learn, babies watch us go to the loo, does it mean they're ready to toilet train..??

totally agree. and i'm not affraid to say that I tried ds on some solids just before he hit six months just because of all those reasons ^^;

[appletree]

I too was told by our GP that the new recommendation is from 4 months. I was really confused by this, so questioned her further as it was 6m when DD was a baby. I will have to follow up further next week when we see her again where she got this information from.

We started DS at 4m following her advice, but quickly stopped as he really wasn't ready for solids. I have been playing around with them about this last week or so, but i don't feel he is ready yet now either. So confusing. With DD it was easy, DS seems to be a whole new ball game.