Babies around 4-6 months start showing interest in eating.  By 5-6
months, they are actively trying to take food from their parents'
plate and put it into their mouths and eat it.  We should respect them
as individuals and allow them to eat.  This is a developmental
mileston.

The question of iron is a bit of a side issue, as far as I am
concerned.  Depending on gestational age, how much blood might have
been lost during birth, whether there was early or late clamping of
the cord, the exclusively breastfed baby may start to show signs of
iron deficiency (which is *not* the same as anaemia) by 6 months, or
not at all for 9 months or even longer.  (I saw one at 14 months,
exclusively breastfed, with normal blood results, including iron, iron
binding capacity and ferritin, though his growth had slowed down).

If we start children eating when they are ready, not worry too much
about exactly what they eat and the order they eat it, they will be
fine, especially if meat is on the plate. (Pace! vegetarians).

Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC