Dear all:

There is a wide body of research on how introducing solids too much too early can DECREASE weight gain.  The vast majority of solids that are typically offered to infants as starter foods are simply are not calorically dense enough to compensate for lack of enough human milk.  Some of the strategies to increase caloric content are ultimately not healthy - such as offering lots of sugary or fatty foods which have a different composition of fat than human milk.

There is also the issue of how much solids can a four month old gut tolerate when it was meant to handle a predominately liquid diet?  What happens to a baby whose mother's milk supply is less than 50%?  What happens to the digestive tract of a baby who suddenly has to deal with drinking a lot more water to compensate for the lack of liquid in the diet?

There is also the question of readiness to feed.  An infant who is not ready to consume solid foods who is pushed to eat it may be vulnerable to disregulation of their hunger and satiety cues.  

Babies were meant to be on a milk only diet to AROUND six months of age. We are the only mammals whose infants start consuming solids before we have a full set of teeth - but around six months our infants typically start getting some teeth.  Medical anthropologist believe we may have been chewing up bits of meat and putting it into our infants mouths for infants to meet the iron and zinc needs that usually outstrip consumption from human milk around six months.  Typically at that age the caloric needs of an infant are really still met by human milk, not solids.  

Those of us in the generation whose parents were told to give us solids at ridiculously early ages do not seem to be fairing well in terms of inflammatory disease at older ages.  I think the jury is clear cut on use of solids before "around" six months in areas with poor sanitation, clear cut on use of solids before four months in areas of good sanitation.  I haven't read anything peer reviewed article yet that has convinced me of a compelling reason that introduction of solids before "around" six months in areas of good sanitation is beneficial.  Furthermore, I think there is an increasingly plausible amount of emerging research on gut flora that we do not yet understand fully how solids before six months will affect future health.  

I think the debate over "solids versus formula" before six months is sheer speculation regardless of which side you "believe" in.  

While I really appreciate Jack Newman's advocacy for breastfeeding and his generally good advice, he and I have agreed to disagree on test weighing.  I think on the topic of pushing solids before four months with no good evidence one way or another is another one where I will respectfully disagree with him as well because he is providing a "blanket" recommendation.  My discussions with mothers in such situations are entirely on a case by case basis where a lot more than the infant's age is taken into consideration. 

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