This is common information being given out thanks to aggressive marketing by baby food manufacturers to MCHNs. However, as Michelle says, the current guidelines, based on many, many studies around the world, is to exclusively bf for 6 months and then continue to provide bm while introducing complementary foods - ie solids.

Two new things have been shown by the lastest studies:

1. Introducing solids while the baby is still bfing provides strong protection against allergies by helping to support the immune system at this time of stress.

2. Delaying "high allergy" foods such as egg, dairy, nut products (whole nuts are still a choking risk) might contribute to allergies, so therefore these foods shouldn't be delayed much beyond 6 months.

There is still a lot of evidence to support the fact that introducing solids before 6 months can cause a number of problems including, but not limited to, allergies.