Today, the CDC announced that tons of us moms here in the U.S. feed our babies solid food way too early. The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended babies avoid solids until they are at least 6 months old, as do most doctors, nutritionists, the list goes on and on. I mean, giving our babies solid food before their little bodies are ready at 6 months is not okay and can cause so many bad things later on…
Right? Riiiiiigggggght, try telling my mom, my suegra–or any abuela for that matter!–that babies shouldn't be eating caldo de pollo at 3 months of age and let me know how that goes for ya'! It was basically impossible for me to keep solids out of my baby's mouth until he was 6 months old and I'm sure for many of you mamás out there can relate.
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Never the less, the CDC surveyed more than 1,300 moms and the results astounded them: They found that 40 percent of moms introduced solids before their babies were 4 months old. Reasons included that the moms thought their babies were old enough, that they seemed hungry, or they wanted to feed the baby something else besides breast milk or formula. Around my house, it was decreed (by abuelas who shall remain nameless) that solid food would help the baby sleep through the night by keeping him more satisfied.
What's so wrong with solid foods before 6 months? Well for one thing, solid food is higher in calories and lower in nutrition, so it can increase the chances of obesity later on. Also, solid foods may increase the risk of some chronic disorders, because according to doctors, if a baby doesn't seem satisfied after eating a fair amount of formula or breast milk and parents are turning to solid food to "fill them up," it could actually delay diagnosis of more serious conditions causing insatiability.
All this sounds awful and all, but honestly, my mom insisted I start feeding my son Sebastian solid foods right before he turned 4 months of age–and I gave in. I did consult with our pediatrician who warned me against it, but I went ahead anyway, mostly because my mom instincts told me my little guy was ready. Besides, who can stand a nagging abuela, on me constantly about the benefits of caldito and compotas? So many of that 40 percent of moms that the CDC surveyed are terrified of abuelas–trust me. Either way, you should ALWAYS consult with your doctor before deciding to move your baby on to solids before the recommended age.
In the end though, Sebastian took really well to the solid food–he loved it, and ate it like a champ. And you know what his favorite foods are today, at almost 11 months old? Abuela's calditos and the homemade compotas she makes for him every day!
Image via Getty Images
