When to start solids: 4 or 6 months?

I have a public health nurse that visits every week as part of a special baby program, and she's said to wait for solids til 6 months. That seems a bit long to wait for me, seeing as I've heard 4 months everywhere else and I know my son will be ready before then. He would probably even take it now. He's breastfeeding, but comes back more often than he used to (every 2 hours or so now). No, my milk production is fine, it's pumping good and he gets a nice full tummy with messy little milk spots on his cheeks hehe. He's just been hungrier since his last growth spurt.

I know they say 6 months because of the tongue thrust reflex. But really, what do I do?

Six months is best for breastfeeding babies. Sometimes it is better for a formula fed baby to start earlier, but for a breastfed baby wait for six months. It is not just because of the tongue thrust issue, although that is a reason. Babies who are feed solids too soon are also more likely to develop allergies. Your nurse's information is correct.

Literature mostly says 6 months. I waited until 6 months with my son (also breastfeeding alone) and he was fine.

My pediatrician recommends starting with baby rice cereal at 4 months, mixed with formula or breast milk, to a thing consistencey, and spoon feeding once a day, gradually moving to more frequent meals. About 4 1/2 months, start simple, stage 1 baby foods, one fruit or veggie per week to check for allergies,(they say start with veggies, but I start with fruit and my kids still love veggies.. no sweet tooth issues here, besides your first food ever ... mooshed green beans or APPLES?) and then add juice to their diet. Feed your child 1 - 2 times a day by spoon, eventually working up to three meals per day. Continue adding new flavors once you are sure your child doesn't have allergies to any of the foods you have tried. Look for rashes, fevers, diarrhea and vomiting as signs of food allergy, be sure you know which new food your child had so you can tell your pediatrician. Do not use "biter biscuits" until your child can sit unsupported. And then I recommend using one of these to prevent choking! They are GREAT!!
http://www.babysafefeeder.com/qa10.htm
http://www.babysupermall.com/main/produc...

my health visitor advised me to start my daughter at 4 months and i di and she is perfectly healthy and thriving - she is now 6 months.

LOADS of people will tell you 4mos is too early - if it was too early they wouldnt makes stage 1 baby food for children aged 4-6 months and health visitors wouldnt be advising it.

its really a personal choice if your baby is satified with milk then theres no reason to start weaning if you dont want to. my daughter was taking 8oz of aptamil extra hungry baby milk every 2 hours - even through the night, so clearly by the tail end of 3mos she wasnt saitified so at 4 mos i started weaning.

she now has 4 meals a day along with formula usually 5oz along with her meal and she has bottles in between too. she goes to bed at 8pm, wakes around 5am for a bottle then back to sleep till 8am.

4 months for formula fed babies.
6 months for breast fed babies.

follow her recommendation and wait till 6 months of age. If you still question her then speak to your pediatrician and see what they recommend.

I would wait until atleast 4 months...no earlier. I noticed my daughter being up more often @ night once solids started...possibly gas.

There is no turning back now though...she WANTS them! She is 5 months now and will scream between bites if I don't get it in fast enough...I miss the only bottle days sometimes.

Make sure when you do start to give 1 week between new foods to pinpoint allergic reactions. The younger they are the more likely they will have a reaction.