When to start baby on solids/GAPS-traditional foods? Delaying solids?

[adorabelle]

My DD just hit 5 months old and I'm already getting comments about starting solids. DH and I have talked about delaying until 9 months to a year because we figure that will give her gut more time to seal.  I plan on not giving her grains until at least 2 years old and feeding her GAPS style.  Is there a benefit to delaying solids? 

[LoveRealFood]

I don't think there is a "benefit" to delaying solids per se. Food is a wonderful thing. As long as it is good food. Food is also social and your baby will catch on to that, if she hasn't already. I would take a laid-back approach and if she is interested in food, give her some. There is no need to set arbitrary guidelines....go with the flow and follow your heart and your baby's cues...

I recommend just giving her whatever you're eating. Just make sure you give her the stuff that is most nutrient-dense. The raw yogurt and kefir are great for the good flora of course....avocado, veggies, minced meat, stuff like that is great. I don't think it is worth the effort to go through cooking separate food for the baby, personally. As long as you are eating very high quality food there is no reason why she can't eat it too. I do agree with the idea of avoiding grains and nuts and seeds for a year at least. But I think starchy veggies, like sweet potatoes, parsnips, and carrots are good within reason. 

I assume you are breastfeeding? If so, your baby already has an advantage in the "flora" department. Do you have good flora? If so, then I wouldn't worry about hers, especially if she hasn't been vaccinated or had antibiotics...if so, then that is another story...

[Dove84]

We started DD at 6.5 months.  We do mostly baby-led weaning, feeding her table foods (everything is homemade) and she didn't really 'eat' much at first just played, but now she LOVES food.  We don't do grains either.  She will eat anything we give her, I do spoon feed her yogurt and soup, and she loves it too.  As long as food is getting into her tummy, she doesn't care how it gets there   Lots of people have different theories as to when you start, but I feel as long as you are BF-ing and baby is healthy anytime after 6 months is fine. 

As to preventing allergies, I just read some new studies that show that introducing foods earlier (but after 6 months) might actually reduce allergies, so no one is really sure about that one.  Do you have a history of allergies?  Do you have any reason to suspect she has gut problems?

[katealicia]

My baby actually isn't born yet, so feel free to disregard anything I say :) From what I have read (I spend a ridiculous amount of time reading/researching) and heard from others, the main things you are looking for with baby-led solids are: the ability to sit upright, mastery of the pincer grasp (being able to grasp things between thumb and forefinger) and an interest in eating solid food. Basically if the baby can and wants to feed themself. It seems like this is usually closer to 8 months, but it varies. From what I understand, the reasons for waiting to introduce solids are just that breastmilk is more nutritious. With solids, the nutrients baby is getting from any particular meal are fairly hit-or-miss, in that it may have a lot of one nutrient but not another. Any solid food your baby takes in is replacing breastmilk, which is a complete food nutritionally. So that is why some people recommend waiting, because baby, doesn't really need any other food until they are around one. That doesn't mean the baby can never have anything solid, I think that is just the argument for replacing a certain amount of dailing feedings with solid food. I think it is probably something that each family has to figure out with each child, but we are planning to wait to introduce solids until about 8 months and postpone grains as long as possible.

[Dove84]

Just a confirmation that the TF/BLW way works and is good for baby!  We were at the hospital today b/c DD has been having issues, losing weight, not BF-ing well etc which we think is due to her tongue and lip tie.  Anyway, at the hospital they did a full work up of blood and I was a bit nervous about her iron and some of her levels and that they'd pressure me to give her baby cereal etc.  but turns out her levels were all perfect and the dr even said we were doing a good job.  That's despite the fact that she is not getting enough BM, so you can imagine if she was. 

[1love4ever]

My plan for DS was to start solids around 6.5 months, and do baby-led solids.  But, at the early age of 5 months he was WANTING my food, bad!  I decided to give him a tiny peice of of my grass-fed organic beef, he chewed it and swallowed it!  I couldnt believe it, never have  I seen a baby do that.  DD couldnt handle hardly anything until 7.5 months!  I think the way to do it is to watch your baby and follow their lead.  (I always think to myself- ok, if there were no doctors, research, etc, how would I know when to start my baby on solids?  I would follow their lead, just like mothers way-back-when did).  If DD and I are eating grains which I do not want DS to have, I get a soft boiled egg yolk and while we are eating our grains, I give him the pieces of yolk.  He loves it :)  Meat is his favorite tho, he loves to chew on it and suck on large pieces lol!