Benefits of delaying solids past 6 months?

[Carter'sMummy]

anyone doing it now, what are the pro's??

[Carhootel]

We're delaying I guess you could say. DS is 9 months and we have offered some food here and there but he's not interested at all so we're not really offering anymore. When he shows interest we'll offer it. Personally I think after 6 months you should follow your lo's lead, that's what we're doing and if that means delaying solids for a couple more months then that's what we'll do.

[saffrongirl]

My first dd wouldn't take solids (with the exception of some hot cereals) until after she was a year old. I EBF until then. I agree with the PP that it's wise to just follow the child's lead...and I find that to be true with most of these types of things.

[BeagleMommy]

We don't start solids until baby's first birthday. Everything I've read says it reduces allergies. They don't really digest well until sometime after a year so I never saw any need in "practice" eating. As long as they are being breastfed, they are getting the most perfect food possible. Why rush?

[Abraisme]

It's totally going to depend on your LO. My ds WANTED food by 5 months. He put everything he had into getting the food we were eating. He could feed himself and digested everything he ate, so it was fine with me. Other kids don't have much interest in eating until 12+ months (my friends kid hardly ate anything until 14m). Just go with your baby on this one, they'll let you know when they're ready.

[leaves]

we plan on doing this with our ds who is 3mo right now, i don't feel comfortable offering solids to a 6mo anyway, even though its recommended - i want to wait until at least 9mo. if he's not interested though, i won't push it.

edit:: **recommended by mainstream parent/doctors, i mean

[lifeguard]

Pro: it is SO much easier to not have to worry about food. Bf is always available & ready to go!

[Carhootel]

Originally Posted by lifeguard

Pro: it is SO much easier to not have to worry about food. Bf is always available & ready to go!

totally! When I do offer food it's such a hassle and makes such a huge mess, especially because NONE is consumed!

[Carter'sMummy]

whats the best way to explain this to other people? (my parents want to try giving cj rice cereal/milupa soon, hes 3 months but feel he should be sleeping longer, he feeds every 2-3 hours around the clock) i was reading about parents who delay, and ive never ever heard of it, i assumed that you start solids at 6 mos., thats what the pediatricians say, i thought you had to start supplementing more food because strictly breastmilk was not enough, i was just curious for more info

[wombatclay]

Delaying past 6mo... I'm in the "follow your lo's lead" camp. We follow a BLW approach. DD1 wanted solids around 6mo and although she nursed till 4yo she always enjoyed trying different foods. With DD2 we introduced them around 6mo but she really wasn't interested till around a year or so, and even now (at 2.5yo) she is very conservative about tastes/textures. I figure it's my job to provide a wide selection of healthy whole foods (and breastmilk!) and their job to eat what they want from that selection, when they want it. It's not something I stress over since a family history of allergies and a child with Celiac disease is plenty of food angst for any family.

But some studies do suggest that allergic response can actually increase if solids are delayed past a year. I don't remember the details (I should look them up before posting, I know), but I did some digging after a friend got all depressed about her lo's allergies. She had breastfed and was sad that her children still had allergies and asthma. I dug through the research expecting to be able to reassure her 100%. I was really surprised to find studies reporting that exclusive breastfeeding for at least 6 months was best (in terms of allergies/asthma) but that exclusive breastfeeding at a year actually correlated with an increased risk of allergies/asthma.

Like I said, I should find the studies again (I'd be happy to post what I find) but I seem to remember the gist was that the immune system has a window of opportunity during which time the immune response is more flexible than it is later. Small exposures to potential allergens during this time (and while buffered by breastmilk) seems to help the child's immune system "set" itself... initial negative reactions can be modified in a way they can't be later on. The studies found that around a year the child's immune response became more formalized and reactions were unlikely to change in a positive way (so a negative response to a trigger would worsen with additional exposure).

It wasn't at all what I expected, and I'll admit there weren't a ton of studies (in large part because it's hard to find populations where many children have had no exposure to solid food by a year). I guess what I'm saying is there is a lot of research saying that exclusive breastfeeding for 6-ish months is beneficial, and ongoing breastfeeding till 1-2 years is beneficial, there isn't a lot of research that suggests exclusive breastfeeding past the 6-ish month mark is beneficial.

I think I need to go find those studies again...

[Carhootel]

I explain it to people by saying "he's just not interested yet" or "maybe someday" in a very "stupid and cheerful" sort of way. If you need to be more forceful I'd say "my pediatrican says we should wait" or "we're still doing some research on it" and even when you start giving solids I think it's always best if YOU do it and not anyone else, you never know what they may give your kid! My best friend tried to give my 3 month old sweet sugary tea!

You'll find lots more info around this board on this but generally it is a myth that breastmilk is not enough after 6 months. There is a saying I learned around here that says "before one it's just for fun" food that is. Breastmilk has everything they need for the first 12 months. I'd recommend getting the book "the womanly art of breastfeeding" or going to an LLL meeting or kellymom.com for more info too.

[Carter'sMummy]

Originally Posted by Carhootel

I explain it to people by saying "he's just not interested yet" or "maybe someday" in a very "stupid and cheerful" sort of way. If you need to be more forceful I'd say "my pediatrican says we should wait" or "we're still doing some research on it" and even when you start giving solids I think it's always best if YOU do it and not anyone else, you never know what they may give your kid! My best friend tried to give my 3 month old sweet sugary tea!

You'll find lots more info around this board on this but generally it is a myth that breastmilk is not enough after 6 months. There is a saying I learned around here that says "before one it's just for fun" food that is. Breastmilk has everything they need for the first 12 months. I'd recommend getting the book "the womanly art of breastfeeding" or going to an LLL meeting or kellymom.com for more info too.

thank you! i went to kellymom.com and im going to the library for the womanly art of breastfeeding