Is Your Baby Ready for Solid Food?

How do you know if your baby is ready for solid foods?  Your baby may be 3 months old or 4 months old when you start to feel she may need "something more" than formula or breastmilk. 

Maybe she is beginning to awaken more often at night or eat more often than "usual" and you wonder if introducing solid foods may be what she needs. Please keep in mind that a growth spurt will occur between 3-4 months of age. Your baby may begin to wake more frequently at night for a feeding and/or may being to eat non-stop (cluster feed) as she once did as a newborn.  Read more about signs of baby's readiness for solid foods at Is Your Baby Ready for Solid Foods?

Growth Spurts Do Not Mean Baby Needs Solid Food

Growth spurts often account for the increased hunger in your baby and should not be taken as a sign that your baby needs solid foods added to her diet.   Offer your baby more frequent nursing sessions and/or bottle feedings instead of solids; you will find that within a week or two, your baby is oftentimes over the growth spurt and back to feeding "as usual".

 

Current Recommendations for Introducing Solid Foods

Current recommendations indicate that breast milk or formula should be baby’s main source of nutrition until at least 6 months of age.  Earlier introduction of solid foods may have certain risk factors; consult your pediatrician.  "Introduction of complementary feedings before 6 months of age generally does not increase total caloric intake or rate of growth and only substitutes foods that lack needed nutrients and the protective components of human milk (and formula).
AAP Policy Note - 194"

 

Remember, the World Health Organisation, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Health Canada, Health Insite - Australia and the Department of Public Health (U.K.) as well as the CDC all recommend that babies receive nothing but breast milk and/or formula for the first 6 months of age.

 

What does the WHO say?

"Complementary feeding should be timely, meaning that all infants should start receiving foods in addition to breastmilk from 6 months onwards. It should be adequate, meaning that the nutritional value of complementary foods should parallel at least that of breastmilk. Foods should be prepared and given in a safe manner, meaning that measures are taken to minimize the risk of contamination with pathogens. And they should be given in a way that is appropriate, meaning that foods are of appropriate texture and given in sufficient quantity." WHO Complementary Feeding

 

Further, the "WHO recommends that infants start receiving complementary foods at 6 months of age in addition to breastmilk, initially 2-3 times a day between 6-8 months, increasing to 3-4 times daily between 9-11 months and 12-24 months with additional nutritious snacks offered 1-2 times per day, as desired." 

More About Delaying Solid Food for Baby - links to outside resources:

AAP - Breastfeeding for first 6 months of Life

Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk --  AAP Policy

American Academy of Family Physicians - Breastfeeding Position Statement

WHO - CAH Exclusive Breastfeeding

WHO - Summary of Guiding Principles for complementary feeding of the breastfed child

LaLeche League - Solid Foods

JACN - Addition of Solid Foods & Infant Growth

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