I have to admit, the whole when do you start solids thing annoys me. Mainly because none of us are looking at the baby when we discuss this. From my own experience: my son at 4 months was ready. How do I know? Because I had to hide in the kitchen to eat so I wouldn't feel guilty for eating in front of him! I held off for a month and then figured that he would know his own body better than any guideline (which is precisely just that, a guideline). My daughter was ready at 10 months. Having been through the first year already with my son, I was more relaxed and more natural in my parenting. I still think the best advice to parents is to throw out the books and listen to their hearts and parent with instinct. We have it in us to listen to our babies and love and nurture them without knowing about any of the studies that just confuse the issue. I keep reminding the parents I work with that we used to live in caves, and parent our children and what we did instinctively worked, because here we are, the dominant species on earth. Sometimes we all just need a little faith in ourselves perhaps? (and the courage to look, really look and listen to our babies, who cry when they need to be held and make you feel guilty for eating in front of them when they are ready for solids)

(also a guideline that says 6 months and doesn't give a range isn't a real guideline imo. One number is one point in what would be seen under a normal curve, I want the lowest and highest number that gets me 95% of the curve, so I can work with flexibility with my parents)

Words I often tell my parents: 
"you are a unique individual, you have never existed on earth before and will never exist on earth again. Your baby is unique, and so is your partner and your family unit. How can the books know what is right for you? Books on parenting were written by other unique people, some with children, some without. Those ideas may have worked for them, but will they work for you? Perhaps. listen to the advice, read the books, but parent with your heart. If it rings true in your heart, then this is the advice for you. If it sounds good in your head but your heart questions it, then move on, this is not the parenting advice for you. Parent with love, from the heart and with your instincts. You have it within you to parent your child effectively, trust in yourself!" 

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