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When it comes to starting solids with a baby, it can be quite a daunting task for a new mother. What we do know is that the World Health Organisation, as with many other national organisations, states that it is best that babies are exclusively breastfed until 6 months old (not 4-6 months) and then started on solid from this point. This doesn't mean that one stops breastfeeding and making solids the dominant nutrition source in the child's life, it is that solids become a part of their nutritional source.
Generally children may not eat much in terms of solid foods until well into their second year. So if your child is only eating a few things and not really meals in their first year it is nothing to worry about. My son, for an example. Only really started being interested in solids when he was 14 months old. Before that he remained 99% breastfed still.
To help you learn more about solids, this article will go over some of the myths surrounding solid foods and introducing them.
MYTH 1 - Your baby is big so you need to start solid
I am not sure how this came about but many mothers are told that should start solids because their child is big. Some of the reasons behind this statement are the fact they don't think that breastmilk alone will satisfy a child that is big and thus, from a nutritional perspective, solids need to be integrated now. This is simply untrue. In many countries, children can be exclusively breastfed well into their second year with no problems in regards to their health and nutrition. Mothers also have the ability to nurse twins and even triplets too, so having just one baby to nurse is obviously no issue at all! As long as you let your child nurse on demand, your body will make enough milk for your baby. If you have a particular big child, this just goes to show what your breastmilk is achieving, rather than no achieving!
Some mothers are told that their baby is eating too much and this is why they are big, so they need to start reducing/limiting nursing and introduce solids. I am not sure how this is suppose to make sense. Most children who are big as babies, will start shedding the weight as they start to crawl and walk. My son was very very fat when he was about 6 months to 9 months. Then he started walking and he is now very slim and trim! It doesn't mean that your child isn't able to regulate their need for food either. Trust your baby and their ability to know what their body requires through breastmilk and you and your child will be ok!
MYTH 2 - Your baby is small so you need to start solids.
In a similar vein to the first, there is also many mothers being told that their baby is small and thus needs to be started on solids as soon as possible. Being small doesn't mean that your child isn't getting enough from breastmilk. In fact breastmilk has more calories than most solid foods anyway and has significantly more nutrients. Just because a child is small doesn't mean there is something wrong, just like if they are big. Children, afterall, come in all shapes and sizes. Having said that, if there is a genuine concern for a child's size, usually a mother is encouraged to nurse more and cut back on solids as a first point of call, rather than the other way around.
These are only 2 myths in many others but they point out how silly myths can be. Your best bet is to follow your own instincts and your baby's. You baby knows when they are ready for solids and if you keep offering, they will eventually want to eat solids just like you do.
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