Solids Anyone?

Thinking about solids? The messages we receive today about when to start feeding our babies solid foods are many and confusing. Our mother's may declare, "I started you at two weeks. What are you waiting for? You're healthy aren't you?".

Some pediatricians say to wait until the baby is six months old. A well meaning friend insists that starting solids earlier will help any baby sleep through the night. Who do you listen to? Who knows best?

Actually, your baby knows best! Recent research indicates that an infants individual devilment should be the deciding factor in promoting your baby to a more varied diet. Early introduction to solids isn't believed to by harmful in most cases. However, a very young babies digestive system may be developmentally unready for solids. Picking the right time to introduce foods is important.

To decide if your baby is ready for solid foods (usually between 4 and 6 months), look for the following clues, then consult your doctor:

• Your baby can hold his or her head up well.
• The tongue thrust reflex has disappeared (this is what causes young infants to push things out of their mouth - it's an inborn mechanism that protects them from choking on foreign objects).
• Your baby reaches for and shows an interest in table foods.
• Your baby has the ability to execute back and forth and up and down movements with the tongue.
• Your baby is able to draw his or her lower lip in so that food can be taken from a spoon.

There are instances, however, where a baby who seems ready may have to wait - most often because there is a family history of allergies. As your baby grows, he or she needs more calories, so they drink more milk. Eventually, your baby may begin to demand more feedings in order to get the required calories. Tiny quantities of solid foods give your baby the extra calories they need without having to be fed more often. Give your baby his or her first solids from a spoon - don't add a spoonful of cereal to a bottle. This is like force feeding your baby - they cannot get their accustomed quantity of milk (and that means water too) without also getting the added cereal as well. If you are ever tempted to add anything to a bottle, remember that breast-feeding is nutritionally ideal, and you can't add spoonfuls of cereal into your breasts! Let your baby be your guide!