6 months

6 months is the new recommendation.

You'll get a lot of opinions on this. Opinions are like assholes, everyone has them and they usually stink. So here are some facts:

Solids are anything beyond breastmilk or formula. This includes: cereals, juices, purée, etc.

Not only is 6 months an important milestone, but there are also other factors that should ALL be met before introducing: sitting unsupported, loss of tongue thrust, pincher grasp are huge. These ensure your baby isn’t at risk for, amongst other things, choking. Baby being interested is very low on that list. Babies are curious, babies mimic- this does not mean they are ready to eat.

Feeding solids too soon puts your child at risk for long term gut damage, obesity, diabetes, poor eating habits, chrons, IBS, celiacs, food allergies and more.

Also- remember, just because your baby has the ability to eat foods, they do not have the digestive enzymes to break down and process the nutrients. They will just eliminate them as waste and not get what they need. They need breastmilk and/or formula until 1 because of this.

“Well I fed mine at x age and they are fine”: you don’t know this unfortunately. These things aren’t seen until late teens and early adulthood. Will some kids be fine? Yes. Is it worth the risk? No. Once you know, it’s too late.

“My Pedi said so”: most pediatricians are not up to date on infant nutrition. The WHO and AAP say 6 months, if your pedi goes against that question WHY they’d go against the recommendation and research of their peers.

“My baby is hungry”: be sure you’re pace feeding. It should take 5 mins per ounce when done properly. This is because you don’t want to stretch their bellies and it also takes time for their hormones to trigger a “full” feeling. Then— feed baby more formula or breastmilk.

“My baby is advanced”: sure. We all think that. However, they can’t turn 6 months early. And for preemie mamas- this means 6 months adjusted.

“My baby has reflux”: cereal for reflux is an outdated treatment. It should be used as a last resort after all other options have been exhausted and all testing has been completed. And for those who argue there’s formula with cereal- no that’s rice starch not cereal. That’s a topping for later though.

Don’t believe me? Here are some links (including Canada and the WHO since location is sometimes brought up as an argument)

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I agree with above comment. Most studies show babies do better when given solids at 6mo and showing signs of readiness. It can have bad effects on their stomach and intestines

6 months is the recommended age due to the not yet fully developed digestive system.