Introducing new food: when does the 4-day rule end?

[Cassaba]

We've been following a 4-day rule when introducing new food to our 8.5 month old. We only introduce 1 new thing every 4 days so we can see if she has any negative (allergic or otherwise) reaction to the food. I know some recommend 3 days, 5 days, 7 days. Regardess of the exact number, when can we end this gradual introduction? At one year? For example, we couldn't give her cake on her birthday unless we had introduced every ingredient separately?

[Erin77]

We all make our own decisions, but to me that seems overcautious. I would use the three or four day rule when introducing foods that are known allergens or that there was a family history for, but for your "average" food, like a banana, I would not bother. My son is now 11 months old, we did BLW and he eats whatever we eat, minus very sugary, salty or honey/nut filled foods. I could not possibly keep track of doing a three day test for everything he eats. Certainly not all aspects of a birthday cake! I'd talk to my pediatrician and if s/he agrees, just move forward on a more relaxed schedule.

[katelove]

I didn't do it at all. We did BLW as well and have no history of food allergies so we were pretty relaxed about it. 

The first time we gave her mixed foods (a lentil and roast vege soup) was when she was about 7 months old.

[mommy212]

After the first few foods with no negative reaction, I just fed him most anything. The first time I fed him meats, eggs, dairy, and nuts I watched closely but that's about it.

[pandd06]

We are another family that does BLW and did not follow that rule when we started offering LO solids at 6 months. He ate a ton of things his very first week.  I do have an allergy or sensitivity to cucumber, but that is so rare that our doctor wasn't concerned. LO has already had it several times.

[Nicole730]

I didn't follow it with my children either.  We don't have a history of allergies and I've never noticed any reactions, so I didn't feel a need to be cautious about it.

[Adaline'sMama]

I never did this. DD ate what I ate, which meant sometimes she tried 8 new things in one day and sometimes she had breastmilk only. She is 16 months and will eat pretty much everything you put in front of her except for avocado. This includes hot sauce, sauerkraut, and grapefruit.

[BabySmurf]

i tend to agree with pp's - if LO hasn't shown signs of allergies/sensitivities yet, then i wouldn't be terribly concerned about the 4 day rule (or 3 or 5 or whatever).  i may wait if a food is particularly allergenic, bu otherwise, it may be overkill for you.  for us, i try to wait, as ds does have multiple sensitivities, and i would hate to make him uncomfortable while i reintroduced several components if he were to have a reaction.  but that's really the only reason to wait - so that you would be able to know right away and not have to go through re introducing it, just to make sure. 

[Cassaba]

Thanks everyone for your feedback. I have been using the book Super Baby Foods, which suggested the 4-day rule. There are so many different schools of thought on everything that I decided to just go with that book and stick with it unless something seemed wrong or unclear. Then I post on here to get other moms' input. I am the type that can go crazy researching stuff, so this has been a good approach for me.