Some facts baout starting solids before 6 months of age.

Now i am just posting this as information and nothing more.
Gone are the days when pressured mothers stuffed globs of cereal into the tight mouths of reluctant six-week-olds. Nowadays parents feed their baby on the timetable that is developmentally and nutritionally correct -- as determined by their baby. Don't be in a rush to start solids. Here are some good reasons for waiting. 1. Baby's intestines need to mature. The intestines are the body's filtering system, screening out potentially harmful substances and letting in healthy nutrients. In the early months, this filtering system is immature. Between four and seven months a baby's intestinal lining goes through a developmental growth spurt called closure, meaning the intestinal lining becomes more selective about what to let through. To prevent potentially-allergenic foods from entering the bloodstream, the maturing intestines secrete IgA , a protein immunoglobulin that acts like a protective paint, coating the intestines and preventing the passage of harmful allergens. In the early months, infant IgA production is low (although there is lots of IgA in human milk), and it is easier for potentially-allergenic food molecules to enter the baby's system. Once food molecules are in the blood, the immune system may produce antibodies to that food, creating a food allergy . By six to seven months of age the intestines are more mature and able to filter out more of the offending allergens. This is why it's particularly important to delay solids if there is a family history of food allergy, and especially to delay the introduction of foods to which other family members are allergic. 2. Young babies have a tongue-thrust reflex . In the first four months the tongue thrust reflex protects the infant against choking. When any unusual substance is placed on the tongue, it automatically protrudes outward rather than back. Between four and six months this reflex gradually diminishes, giving the glob of cereal a fighting chance of making it from the tongue to the tummy. Not only is the mouth-end of baby's digestive tract not ready for early solids, neither is the lower end. 3. Baby's swallowing mechanism is immature. Another reason not to rush solids is that the tongue and the swallowing mechanisms may not yet be ready to work together. Give a spoonful of food to an infant less than four months, and she will move it around randomly in her mouth, pushing some of it back into the pharynx where it is swallowed, some of it into the large spaces between the cheeks and gums, and some forward between the lips and out onto her chin. Between four and six months of age, most infants develop the ability to move the food from the front of the mouth to the back instead of letting it wallow around in the mouth and get spit out. Prior to four months of age, a baby's swallowing mechanism is designed to work with sucking, but not with chewing. 4. Baby needs to be able to sit up. In the early months, babies associate feeding with cuddling. Feeding is an intimate interaction, and babies often associate the feeding ritual with falling asleep in arms or at the breast. The change from a soft, warm breast to a cold, hard spoon may not be welcomed with an open mouth. Feeding solid foods is a less intimate and more mechanical way of delivering food. It requires baby to sit up in a highchair – a skill which most babies develop between five and seven months. Holding a breastfed baby in the usual breastfeeding position may not be the best way to start introducing solids, as your baby expects to be breastfed and clicks into a "what's wrong with this picture?" mode of food rejection. 5. Young infants are not equipped to chew. Teeth seldom appear until six or seven months, giving further evidence that the young infant is designed to suck rather than to chew. In the pre-teething stage, between four and six months, babies tend to drool, and the drool that you are always wiping off baby's face is rich in enzymes, which will help digest the solid foods that are soon to come. 6. Older babies like to imitate caregivers. Around six months of age, babies like to imitate what they see. They see you spear a veggie and enjoy chewing it. They want to grab a fork and do likewise.

you asked why im starting my baby on solids. (in mt TP thread)...well im not, I give him a little rice cerial before bed and we started this yesterday, hes doing just fine...my son is 3mo old and thaths when docs (here) usualy say you can start introducing the rice cerial (or other 'foods')to them..........oh and this might blow your lid...but in Asia (Japan and China for sure) every doctor will say to cook rice soup and start giving it to them in a boddle as soon as there about a month old....but ofcourse in America that is a big no no....so.....again that is your research but if you come to my side of the globe.....they will say something TOTALLY different...oh and my doc said I can start giving him apple cause and mashed rice at 4mo     

Thats why I've decided not to start Kailyn on any solids (including cereal) until closer to 6 months. My family doesn't get it, and i will be sure to discuss it with her pedi next month... but I believe that she is getting all the nutrients she needs from formula - and there is no nutricinal benefit to solids for babies, so I will wait. I am in no hurry!

But, at the same time - I understand different people have different philosophies (like Vanessa, this may be based on the country they live in.. or others who have babies with reflux, etc). They aren't wrong just because they are different.

Quoting Kailyn's Mama:“ Thats why I've decided not to start Kailyn on any solids (including cereal) until closer to 6 months. ... [snip!] ... on the country they live in.. or others who have babies with reflux, etc). They aren't wrong just because they are different.”

Yeah, i did the same as you are going to.I started my son on baby rice at about 5 and a half months, then started introducing baby food at exactly six months.

I want to print this out and give it to this idiot my husband knows who has started their baby on soilds and she is only like 3 months... Dumbass idiots... I mean seriously the baby is already eatting baby food not just rice cereal... I shouldn't expect any less for this couple because she asked me one time if on long car rides if I pull my sonout of the car seat while my husband is driving. Of course I replied with no, and she says "well I do it all the time" GOSH SO MANY IDOTS WITH KIDS THESE DAYS!! I know there are some bad mommy moments and all that, but come on common sense tells you that it is ILLEGAL and stupid to pull your child out of the carseat while the car is moving... That's why they make exits and rest stops on the interstate.... Grr sorry, but thats for the info I might just prinit it off for them!

Quoting DaLilMama:“ I want to print this out and give it to this idiot my husband knows who has started their baby on soilds ... [snip!] ... why they make exits and rest stops on the interstate.... Grr sorry, but thats for the info I might just prinit it off for them!”

lol! Go for it!

Quoting babyboy!!:“ lol! Go for it!”

well my son is already on rice cereal and oatmeal till he is 6 months (ina few days) then I am going to start him on veggies and go from there.. But my husband looked at my the other evening and asked when I was going to start our son on real solids (veggies and stuff), and I said at 6 months. He comes back with Oh Renee and Jered started their daughter on veggies and all that already. And I swear I bet my eyes popped outta my head, and I know my jaw dropped open. I was like WHAT, ARE THEY STUPID?!?!?!... Yep he said they already did the rice cereal and all taht now she is on veggies and fruits. I told him they were stupid as hell, and if they aren't careful they are gonna end up hurting that baby. But I am considering it and giving it to my husband to give to this guy so he can read it... We even have the same pedi and I gave my son rice cereal one time when he was 3 months and I told them and they were like no no
after 5 months here is a sheet blah blah... So I wonder what they'll say to her to hear that she's been doing it since she was 3 months... Gosh foolish people....

Quoting DaLilMama:“ well my son is already on rice cereal and oatmeal till he is 6 months (ina few days) then I am going ... [snip!] ... blah... So I wonder what they'll say to her to hear that she's been doing it since she was 3 months... Gosh foolish people....”

Well i think you should show them it, they obviously need a few lessons on the do's and don'ts of having a baby.

Quoting babyboy!!:“ Well i think you should show them it, they obviously need a few lessons on the do's and don'ts of having a baby.”

yea I agree.. I might just have to do it... 

I'm glad you posted this, it made me feel better bout my decision to wait til 6 months...all my friends aer all like 'well i started him at 3-4 months' i'm just like good for you. lol.

Hannah started rice cereal at 4 1/2 months per her pedi's request and started solids about a month later. It was all okay'd by her pediatrician and I personally could tell that she was ready for solids. We started slow and she loves them now and hasn't had any problems.

So long as you do your research, know your child, and get the okay from doctors...I think you're alright. I wouldn't start ANY solids before 4 months of age though.

my doc said to watch your baby rather then the calender. He said babies will start to show signs when they are ready, so thats what I go by. It is good to have all the facts but it is also good to watch your child to see when they are ready.

I started Megan on cereal at 3 months and "solids" if that's what you want to call the stage 1 baby food at 4 months.She is 6 1/2 months and has her pincher grasp now, she eats "real" green beans, carrots, bananas, and other "finger foods." I looked for the signs she was ready and followed her lead. Every baby is different, just like all other milestones, they all develop at their own pace.

Quoting annad:“ my doc said to watch your baby rather then the calender. He said babies will start to show signs when ... [snip!] ... so thats what I go by. It is good to have all the facts but it is also good to watch your child to see when they are ready.”

Exactly what I was trying to say, somehow I missed your post, sorry 

You know when my oldest was 5 months old I gave him those lil gerber juices...Ethan though, I gave him one and after two sips his lil tummy got all in knots and I had to give him gas drops..it was horrible!