At some point in your baby’s first year, your baby will begin to want solid foods. Mothers who breastfeed usually discover in the third or fourth month that feeding baby and keeping baby satisfied are two different things. Keep in mind, however, that starting your baby on solids too soon can pose health risks that may not appear until later in life.

When to Start Solid Foods
Baby care is not easy. Babies fuss and babies don’t always sleep. But if baby has begun fussing or crying shortly after breastfeeding or feeding baby formula and you find that suddenly sleeping patterns are broken, perhaps it’s time to assess whether your baby is ready for solids.

Several important factors come into play when you introduce solid foods:

• Baby’s age and ability to digest foods
• Doctor’s suggestions
• Your ability to provide nutritious foods

Nothing can take the place of breast milk for baby in the first 6 to 12 months of life. Breast milk contains all the nutrients and vitamins your baby needs. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that mothers breastfeed their babies exclusively for at least six months. It protects your baby from illness; is easy on baby’s digestive system; provides normal brain development; protects against diarrhea, bacterial meningitis and ear infections and may be significant in fighting diabetes, obesity, asthma and SIDS.

Babies under the age of six months usually do not have fully developed digestive systems and cannot digest solid foods properly. Feeding solids too early can result in a tummy ache and vomiting, and sometimes more complicated medical conditions can occur. According to a Swedish study, when babies at risk of developing diabetes are introduced to gluten in the first year of life, they can develop a condition called Islet Autoimmunity (IA). The report notes that IA can be present for years before the child becomes diabetic.