Don’t Switch Baby to Solid Food Too Early

Pediatricians have long told new mothers that breast is best and that babies should be breast fed for at least six months. Now a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that many American mothers are starting their infants on solid food too soon.
The survey of more than 1300 mothers revealed that 40 percent were giving solid foods by the time the baby was four months old. Nearly one tenth were introducing solids when the baby was only a month old. Some mothers told the researchers that the baby seemed hungry or didn’t sleep well at night, while some actually said they had been advised to start solid foods. Women in low-income families who used formula instead of breast milk also said that solid foods are less expensive than formula.
Introducing solid foods before an infant is able to digest them properly increases the child’s later risk of celiac disease, diabetes, eczema and obesity. The choice of baby’s first foods is also important. Mothers (and fathers) will want to learn about Dr. Alan Greene’s WhiteOut campaign.
[Pediatrics, online March 25, 2013]
Sometimes babies are reluctant to try new foods. Once they are old enough to handle solids like mashed bananas or vegetables, they will usually learn easily to like foods similar to those their mothers ate during pregnancy.