If the question isn’t about what to feed an infant just starting solids, obviously the other popular one is when to start them on solids. I’ll admit, there is a lot of fun to be had with this milestone of food introduction. Who doesn’t enjoy snapping pictures of their baby’s funny grimaces as he/she takes his/her first bite of solid food? I even really enjoyed being able to eat more of my meal because Harper was now entertained with trying to pick up peas off his tray instead of needing me to nurse him while I tried to eat to nourish both of us. Like many new parents though, we anxiously rushed into that new stage with excitement. As soon as we could fill his lil’ tummy up on all those yummy solids, we just knew he was going to sleep through the night more than his typical one hour stretch at a time. Well, remind me, and I’ll tell you the rest of that story- the eating helps sleep one (yeah right…)- another day, and what the research really says. Hint: If you are banking on solids helping you get some extra sleep, don’t throw all of your eggs into that basket. It definitely wasn’t the sleepy happy ending we had hoped for! And, like many parents often say, we sure are cherishing the stages this second time around. With Ellington, you won’t see us as excited to rush into the solids stage. No, in fact, we really enjoy being able to walk out of the house simply carrying her and a diaper. There’s no huge bag stocked full of water bottles, peas, apple, clementine, almonds and seaweed like we have to lug when Harper comes along for the ride. Plus, if Ellington’s appetite is anything like Harper’s, I’m not looking forward to the extra job I’m going to have to take on to help pay the increase in the Whole Foods bill!
Most major health organizations (WHO, AAP) and breastfeeding experts recommend that baby’s diet consist primarily of breastmilk for the first year of life- specifically that babies should be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life. Many parents are unaware of the latest research that shows that introducing solids before six months of age- like in the case where babies are given rice cereal around 2 to 4 months- has been shown to increase risk of high blood pressure and heart disease later in life. Breastmilk is the ultimate, perfect form of nutrition. If you and your baby are unable for whatever reason to have an exclusive breastfeeding relationship, I recommend a homemade formula recipe instead of commercial formulas (due to commercial formulas content of sugar, corn syrup and/or poor quality milk- often containing hormones/antibiotics). As long as mom’s nutritional intake is adequate for her and her baby, baby is gaining weight and continuing to achieve normal developmental milestones, it is fine to continue exclusively breastfeeding a baby through his/her first year of life, waiting until 12 months to introduce solids. As a baby ages, his/her gut continues to mature and gaps in the stomach which are meant to allow breastmilk to move freely into the body slowly close up. These gaps, with which a baby is born- a natural “leaky gut”, are important for breastmilk to travel easily into the body. However, if a baby is given formula or solids before these gaps close, harmful substances may get into the body. You really want this leaky gut closed and mature before introducing anything other than breastmilk, and waiting on solid introduction accomplishes this. Furthermore, baby’s enzymatic function develops as he/she ages so as they aquire more enzymes- and different types of them for different foods- they are better able to digest foods. One interesting fact about enzymes: The enzymes that digest carbs do not develop until babies are at least 6 months old, but some argue that it may not fully develop until 18 months of age. So, remind me why some doctors recommend starting rice cereal (A CARB!) at 4 months- or earlier to help w/ reflux/sleep- and why so many baby foods (Puffs, teething biscuits) have carbs?! It is important to remember that even though iron in breastmilk is lower than in formula and certain solid foods, it is a more readily available and digestible form of iron; therefore, there is a lot less chance of a baby being anemic while being exclusively breastfed. Additionally, the brain is growing and maturing at a faster rate than it ever will in a lifetime during a baby’s first 2 years, and the immune system is also developing and maturing. During this stage where such vital systems are perfecting themselves, why would we want to feed our babies anything other than the perfect food. Breastmilk is that perfect food, and even when it’s not their exclusive diet, it is vital that is it their primary nutritional source… Don’t forget that as you rush into the solid stage 
!
What do you watch for in your baby to show you that they are ‘solid ready’, since BLW is allowing them to lead this fun, new process? The two most important things, given that you have waited until they are at least 6 months of age, to watch for is that baby can 1) sit up on his/her own unassisted, and 2) that baby can take things to his/her mouth. These not only give us signs that baby is moving towards ability to eat solids, but it will make this stage a lot safer too. Watch as they develop further and start to put things in their mouth and make smacking motion with their lips and chewing with their mouth. To quote the book, “The very best sign that a baby is ready is when she starts to put food into her mouth herself- which she can only do if she is given the opportunity. When the child on your lap grabs a handful of dinner from your plate, chews it and swallows it, then it might be time to push the plate nearer to her.” I find that a lot of parents tell me that they feel it’s time to start solids because their baby “keeps looking at me like he/she wants to eat what I have”. The more children a parent has, the earlier this comment arises. Remember, babies are curious by nature, it’s how they learn! And, the more siblings in the baby’s environment, the more the baby has to watch (hence those earlier comments). Just because baby is fascinated by what is going on around him/her, does not mean he/she is necessarily needing solids yet. Research also, counter to popular thought, has not shown that the addition of solids helps babies sleep through the night, and it doesn’t show that adding it to a baby’s diet is warranted simply because baby is underweight. Solids are not warranted before six months, and weight shouldn’t be an isolated indicator for their addition (reaching normal developmental milestones and experiencing normal brain maturation tell us a lot more about health than weight does). Many things can be done to increase a person’s- or baby’s- weight, but it doesn’t mean those things will increase their health!
One of the most important things I can emphasize about the when is that when a baby starts solids, they are mostly learning. The actual eating part will take weeks to months to develop. I think there is this idea in our heads early on in our babies lives that they need food, solids. When you do start this food, they will be learning- learning what it looks like, how it feels, where it’s at in relationship to them, how to get to it, how to grab it, how to bring it to them, how to place it in their mouths, what texture it has, how that texture changes how it moves in their mouth, how to chew and swallow it, and so much more. This new food will do way more for their brain than it initially will do for their stomach. So please don’t buy into the fact that you need to feed them soon to simply give them food. Breastmilk is the best food for your baby, homemade formula second to that- if breastmilk is not an option/choice; and, one of these needs to remain their primary food until they are at least a year old.
