when should I introduce cereals and baby food to my infant's diet?

[Carhop3000]

My baby is breastfed, and the doctor said not to give her anything else until she was a year old. This sounded rediculous to me. I had already started her on rice cereal and she liked it fine. But since he said that, I stopped. I know all doctors have their own opinions, but my question for YOU is, What did you do with your baby?

 

[Shannon]

Around the 6 month mark for cereal. Shortly after for fruits and veggies.
1 year? Wow I never heard of that. Does she have allergies at all? That is the only thing I can think of.

 

[momoftwolittleboys]

6 months old is when its safe.

 

[Marissa]

until a year!? the american academy of pediatrics, and the world health organization both recommend at about 6 months.

I haven't started my 5 month old on solids yet, but will probably in a month or two. at 8 months at the most. I'm waiting until I think she's ready, but I know that will be before she's a year.

 

[Tasha]

Six months, and you can skip baby rice, fruit is best for first food of a nursling and then meat which is naturally high in easily absorbed iron.*

 

[NurseJC]

6 months is the recommended age to start infant cereal. Breast milk has a good supply of iron until about 6 months at that time the addition of infant iron fortified cereal is needed. After your child is able to eat infant cereal and does well with you can add other food. Other foods (besides infant cereal) are usually not 'needed' until 1 year of age for nutrition purposes.

 

[Notasweetie]

6 months. Your baby needs to start solids as 1. milk doesn't contain enough iron and you need to supplement that and 2. your baby needs to start learning to eat solids, or else he'll have teeth one day but no idea how to chew a piece of toast! Not being able to chew is the big problem here, risk of choking.

 

[Jamielee]

My doctor said that I could start introducing my daughter to solids at 4 months. I think that you should slowly start introducing them at this point. That is probably just the doctor's preference.

 

[Kari]

Every baby is different and when you start to feed them more depends on them. The general rule that most doctors will tell you ( I have had 5 different doctors tell me this not including the ladies at the wic office) They usually say to introduce rice cereal to them at 6 mos. However you can tell if your baby is ready by little cues, like them smacking their lips when they see you eat. Every baby is a little different. The reason they tell you to wait that long to introduce foods is to help prevent future food allergy problems.

Think of it this way, when your baby is born and for the first few months of life their stomach isn't developed enough to handle the digestion of our more complex foods, therefore because their stomach is not developed enough their body treats the food as if it were a foreign substance and will build antibodies towards it. When an allergic reaction does occur it is the bodies immune system reacting as if something is bad and tries to repel it or attack it. So if you give your baby foods before their stomach is ready or developed enough you could potentially increase their risks for having allergies later in life. Not every baby is going to develop allergies and you breastfeeding will actually help to reduce that risk. But every baby is different and their stomach may be ready sooner than others, My mom fed us food starting at 2 mos. and by 9 mos we were already eating some table foods, including cottage cheese, spaghettios, and several others. She pushed us to achieve everything early and you know what I am allergic to everything!!!!
I'm allergic to all fresh fruits and Veggies, even some cooked, Im allergic to milk, wheat, soy, peanuts, eggs. What is left to eat then. Not much, and you know what my allergies never developed enough until I was older. They slowly get worse. That is not to mention the things I am allergic to outside. Someday I will be bubble girl.
Anyhow, the point is follow your instincts, you will know when your baby is ready.

By the way KUDOS to breastfeeding your baby keep up the good work.