Introducing Solids

Thanks

I have decided we may introduce dairy and gluten earlier rather than later and see how it goes from there

As far as iknow from discussions with paed and clinic, Solids can be introduced anywhere between 4m and 6m. Take your cue from you baby though. She will start showing signs of hunger - gnawing on her hands, waking up more, grabbing food of your plate etc.

At that point you can either go the butternut/sweet potato route or cereal. Both are fine. Seperarely or concurrently.

I then offered a new veg or fruit for 2-3 days. The new thinking is that you don't need to wait but to me that was silly. Don't add yoghurt, cheese or cooked milk until 6m and start dairy with yoghurt. I started eggs around 8m I think. Well cooked not runny. We did peanut butter at about 7m. You can do it before but realistically why bother? I have a friend who's daughter is allergic to peanuts and they had a rather hair raising ER trip at around 5m. Personally I would rather delay that trauma.

As an aside, I have since done a bit of research into Baby led weaning and will def go that route going forward. There is a thread on it here on Moomie.

Good luck and try to enjoy it. Food is a wonderful thing and you are opening up a world or sensory pleasure to your children. Eating, cooking it shoyld be a fun, family affair. So ignore the mess and enjoy your baby's first exposure to what will be a life long passion.

Yesterday at Moms and Babes we had a nutrionist/dietician come and chat to us - it was interesting and confusing.

When my kids were babies the suggested age to start solids was around 4 months and from what I can remember we started rice cereal, then veggies and fruit - we made our own food for the most part but followed the meal ideas from the Purity foods and as far as I can remember meat/fish/eggs etc was only introduced later - closer to a year.

We are also advised to give egg just before their 9 month injections.

We were also advised to keep all allergens out of their diet until a year and then introduce them - this worked fine for Cameron but Kiara obviously was allergic but now seems to be out growing it.

Somewhere along the way between then and now I see that purity has changed their first foods to 6 months and it is generally recommended you wait until as close to then as possible.

The lady who spoke to us yesterday pretty much said the opposite to all the above. She said you can start food at 4 months and start introducing everything - fish, egg, protein, peanuts - the lot.

She said with the foods that can cause allergies you can (but don't have to) first rub say peanut butter on the babies cheek and check for a reaction, then on his lips, then in his mouth. You can do this with all the "allergic" foods like dairy, gluten, eggs etc.

Apparently there is a window between 4 and 7 months where it is best to introduce these foods as this is when they are most likely to be able to tolerate them!

I am not sure about all this to be honest.

Peanuts can cause a very serious reaction - do I want my 4 month old experiencing this? Same with dairy and fish. We have allergies in our family so I am even more hesitant to introduce these foods too soon but apparently waiting can actually cause more issues?

Cameron started solids a little on the early side purely because the child was constantly starving but I am in no rush with Jack. He seems to be getting enough from his formula so I am going to wait it out a little longer.

Moms with little ones or those in the know what are your thoughts on this? When did you start? Did you introduce the allergic foods?