In my experience, the introduction of solids is less likely to contribute to early weaning when unrestricted breastfeeding, attachment style parenting is practiced.   When breastfeeding is scheduled, and solid food is treated as a "meal" to replace" "a breastfeed", it is more likely to contribute to early weaning.   
 
It seems that those mothers that follow schedules are also those that follow rules and are less likely to be in tune with their own instincts, thus following "doctor's orders" rather than babies cues.
So when the health practitioner says: "start solids" on the four month birthday, the food will be shoveled into babies mouth with all sorts of tricks even if the baby is obviously disinterested or even objecting, pushing it out with his tongue, obviously not yet ready to handle solid food yet.   
 
If a baby *is* interested in solids and eats with a hearty appetite, the mother may see this as *proof* that her milk is not sufficient, and seize the opportunity to begin weaning (thinking that she didn't really want to wean, but had no choice because her milk was insufficient).
 
Yael Wyshogrod IBCLC
Rechovot Israel
 
 
 
p.s.  at the Passover seder the other night, someone had a Rugrats Passover book for kids, in which there was a picture of baby Moses (Rugrat) in the little basket on the Nile, and in the basket next to him were a few baby bottles!!  On the other hand, my four year old brought her little baby Moses doll home from preschool last week and breastfed him!

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