It seems these days people are in a rush to move their children along the developmental milestone chart. It seems as though parents don’t want to hang about getting their babies onto solids and potty trained. This obsessive desire to get their kids as young as possible to move on doesn’t sit right but is there.


Regardless of the reasoning behind it, there are many reasons why starting solids too early is a bad idea.

First of all the World Health Organisation recommends that babies are breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months of their life. They believe it is best to wait until 6 months to start offering them. This is something that many health organisations agree with due to the research that has been done on it.

Generally, most babies will become physiologically and developmentally ready to handle solids between 6-9 months. So if your child shows no interest as soon as they hit the 6 month mark don’t worry about it. In some cases it may even be better to delay introducing solids until a baby is at least 12 months old. This is often recommended for families where there is a history of allergies.

There are many benefits and below is a list of just some of them:

Delaying Solids Gives A Baby’s Digestive System The Time It Needs To Mature

If a baby’s digestive system isn’t ready to handle solids but still a baby is fed them, it will result in poorly digested food. This can be unpleasant for a baby and a huge drain on their digestive system and it struggles to do its best immaturely. A baby may experience gas, digestive upset and constipation. The ability to digest fat and protein is incomplete before 6 months. Waiting a few months more is a good thing for the comfort of your baby.

Delaying Solids Gives Babies Better Immunity Against Illness

Although everyone knows that breastmilk is a great source of immunity, it is an even greater source when it is the sole provider of nutrients for a baby. The longer the baby is breastfed exclusively, without the inclusion of solids, the better it is for their immunity. This is why it is stressed that babies should be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months. A few decades ago it wasn’t uncommon for mothers to breastfeed exclusively until their child was 1 year old! Breastmilk has been shown to contain over 50 immune factors at the very least.

Delaying Solids Decreases The Risk Of Allergies

Research has indicated that breastfeeding exclusively for 6 months and more results in lower incidences of food allergies. If a baby is fed solids before their digestive is fully mature it doesn’t really come as a surprise that they would develop food allergies or problems as a result. The digestive system is still in a fragile state, bombarding with food it isn’t ready to handle is going to cause problems.

Between 4 and 6 months of age, a baby’s digestive system is considered “open gut”. This means that whole proteins and pathogens can easily pass into the bloodstream from spaces between the cells of the small intestine. This lets antibodies from breastmilk pass straight into the bloodstream. These coat the digestive tract and provide passive immunity as well as reducing the likelihood of disease and allergies. Unfortunately though, if you choose to start your baby on solids too soon, this also means that large proteins from food can pass through too (as well as disease-causing pathogens).

At 6 months of age a baby’s open gut should be closed and this is also when babies start producing their only antibodies.

Delaying Solids Makes Life Easier

If you delay solids, you work with your child’s developmental milestones. In this way, when it comes to introducing solids you make your life much easier. First your child is likely able to feed themselves, second they will be able to eat and enjoy it and lastly they won’t just spit it out. They are also less likely to have any allergic reactions too.

Delaying Solids Protects Against Obesity

There is research to suggest that if you introduce solids very early, your child has an increased likelihood to have weight problems in childhood. Of course though there could be several others factors involved in this, but why add one to the pot.

Delaying Solids Helps Protect Your Baby Against Iron Deficiency

One of the myths surrounding the introduction to solids, is that baby doesn’t get enough iron from breastmilk and thus needs to be put on solids asap. It is true that breastmilk has less iron than formula, however it is more easily and readily absorbed by the body. In fact it is much more likely that your child will get more iron from breastmilk than formula in this respect. Introducing iron-fortified foods before 6 months can reduce how much your baby absorbs iron, not increase it.

Don’t be tempted to introduce solids early. If you are despite what you have read here maybe you need to address why you feel so strongly about it? It is not in the interests of your child to start early and it also will be a lot more hassle for you as a parent. Delay solids, follow your child’s lead and introducing solids will be an easy adventure.

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