"Food before one is just for fun"

[user2468101214]

Do you agree?

I think you offer them food from 6 months, but can't make them eat it. I had one child that happily chewed any food and spat it back out again after chewing. I assume some went in. The other one got ill and ate nothing but yoghurt for a month plus milk. The doctors weren't worried as long as milk was happening.

I disagree. My son was bf but refused to wean initially. He started eating solids around 7 and a half months and then went straight to two meals a day. However, despite still breastfeeding throughout this by 8 months his weight had dropped three percentile lines and looked unwell. He ended up under consultant care. He was put on a high fat diet and iron rich diet as the consultant said he wasn't eating enough. His iron levels were slightly below normal which was corrected with medication. However the consultant said that it was likely due to not getting enough food to maintain the percentile line. Thankfully this was all corrected within 3 months but he stayed under consultant care for a year. He is now a healthy 4 (nearly 5) year old.

I think the saying is helpful for two reasons:

1: So you ensure milk is still the main source of food
2: So you do not lose your mind when the stupid organic finger food that pintrest tells you to make just gets chucked on the floor.

Other than nutrition, exposure to food helps with allergies, motor function, sensory and even speech development with learning to move the tongue and mouth muscles.