Are organic fruit and vege more natural than formula?

Question

Hello, after my previous question, I am now wondering if organic fruit and vege puree is more natural than formula? Someone in my last question arose the issue that feeding solids too early may increase the risk of obesity and allergies, but isnt this the fact with feeding formula to babies? isnt fruit and veges more natural? how can they cause allergies if given too early? My daugher is 4 1/2 months and has given me all the signals that she is ready for solids, I only feed after she finishes her milk, and I usually only give her a taste. But someone said this can increase risk of allergies if done before 6 months. But is there really any set time when to start your baby on solids? my baby was giving me all the signs thats she ready. I would love to hear everyones opinion on this.

Answer 1

i am a nutritionist

your right for the wrong reason lol

its not fruits and vegies its breastmilk that is more natural than formula, the thing with digestion is complicated. it is never recommended that an infant younger than 6 months receive food except breast milk or formula because untill age 6-9 months infants lack basic digestive enzymes (they cant digest solids so feeding a 4 month old strained peas is the nutritional equlivent to feeding her sawdust)

Four- to five-month-old babies are sometimes very eager to participate at mealtime, but it doesn't necessarily mean that they are ready to eat solids - more often it's just the normal developmental urge to do what everyone else is doing. Research studies tell us that there are many health advantages to delaying solids for about 6 months for all babies, not just the babies who are not yet interested in mealtime.

There are a number of things you can do to let baby participate in mealtimes without starting solids:

Let baby sit with the family at mealtime - in a lap, booster seat or high chair.
Give baby a cup of water or expressed milk. Your baby can entertain himself at mealtime while learning to use a cup. 1-3 ounces of water in the cup should be plenty (often for the entire day). Many moms choose to use only water or a small amount of breastmilk to avoid wasting the "liquid gold" while baby learns to use the cup.
Offer baby sips of water from your cup or straw. Even if baby hasn't figured out how to use a straw yet, you can put your straw in water, block the top end of the straw with your finger to trap a little water in the straw, then let baby drink the water from the lower end of the straw (unblock the top end once it's in baby's mouth).
Offer baby spoons, cups, bowls and other baby-safe eating utensils to play with during mealtime.
Give baby an ice cube (if it's a baby-safe size & shape) or ice chips to play with.
Offer baby a momsicle (popsicle made from breastmilk) or slushy frozen breastmilk to eat with a spoon.


Signs that indicate baby is developmentally ready for solids include:
Baby can sit up well without support.
Baby has lost the tongue-thrust reflex and does not automatically push solids out of his mouth with his tongue.
Baby is ready and willing to chew.
Baby is developing a “pincer” grasp, where he picks up food or other objects between thumb and forefinger. Using the fingers and scraping the food into the palm of the hand (palmar grasp) does not substitute for pincer grasp development.
Baby is eager to participate in mealtime and may try to grab food and put it in his mouth.


about allergies
From birth until around six months of age, babies possess what is often referred to as an "open gut." This means that the spaces between the cells of the small intestines will readily allow intact macromolecules, including whole proteins and pathogens, to pass directly into the bloodstream.This is great for a breastfed baby as it allows beneficial antibodies in breastmilk to pass more directly into baby's bloodstream, but it also means that large proteins from other foods (which may predispose baby to allergies) and disease-causing pathogens can pass right through, too. During baby's first 6 months, while the gut is still "open," antibodies (sIgA) from breastmilk coat baby's digestive tract and provide passive immunity, reducing the likelihood of illness and allergic reactions before gut closure occurs. Baby starts producing these antibodies on his own at around 6 months, and gut closure should have occurred by this time also.

Answer 2

It is the current general recommendation that babies begin solids about 6 months old. However, this is just a recommendation and some babies are ready to begin earlier than that and some later. When solids are first introduced, babies should still be receiving most of their nutritional needs from formula (which is specially made to meet the nutritional needs of infants) or breast milk. Initially, solids are just a supplement to formula or breast milk and not a substitution so offering your baby her milk first followed by a little food is a good choice. It has been shown that babies who begin solids before 6 months do have an increased risk of developing food allergies, but this does not mean that every baby who eats solids before 6 months will develop allergies. Babies need to continue breast milk or formula until they are around 1 year of age. They can be switched to whole cow's milk until the age of 2, when receiving adequate amount of fat necessary for proper growth isn't as important. Organic fruits and vegetables are healthy introductions for a baby's first solids. However, they only contain some of the vitamins and nutrients needed. As your baby is introduced to more foods then her milk consumption will decrease, but it will still be an important part of her diet throughout her childhood and into adolescence.

Answer 3

the person below (redpeach) in terms of the swallowing reflex, etc. Most doctors will tell you to wait until 6 months. But, ask any new mother, and they will most likely tell you they started their baby earlier than that for the same reason you stated above.

I debated the same way you did, and wound up feeding my baby rice cereal around 4 1/2 months along with his formula. Although, he didn't like it, and so I waited 2 weeks and tried again. There really is no rush -- there really is no benefit to starting babies early on solids -- some people say it helps with sleeping patterns, etc. but really, its because the baby is getting bigger and developing habits, etc.

There really is no right or wrong -- its just difference of opinion. I'd suggest to not force it -- try the rice cereal a few times, and if it doesn't work out, wait a few weeks, and try again. You don't want to do anything prematurely.

Answer 4

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION recommends 6 months of strick formula or breast milk.

THAT being said we started my daughter at 5 1/2 months with cereal 1 tbsp a day. All the nutrients and iron they get from breast milk or formula.

THEIR systems are too immature to digest food properly before then.

Answer 5

their digestive systems are not ready to handle a variety of solid foods at a young age sometimes. and yes, you can cause a child to have severe food allergies later in life by introducing solid foods too early. start them out on a single grain rice cereal first. you also have to worry about them choking. another reason why you are not suppose to introduce solid foods too early is because their swallowing reflex isn't strong enough for solid foods yet and can cause them to choke.

Answer 6

My daughter was 16 weeks when she started on cereal, and it never had any adverse effects on her. She has never been allergic to any foods of any types, she has been eating a variety of foods from a very early age. I never purchased the jarred babyfoods on store shelves. I pureed and processed fresh fruits and vegetables as well as cooked meats and pastas from the table for her to eat. As far as obesity goes...well my daugther is almost 21 years old stands 5'1" and weighs a WHOPPING 96 pounds...she still eats a variety of foods and has always enjoyed fresh fruits and vegetables even as a small child.

Answer 7

4 months is ideal to start some solid...as long as the milk comes first. The solids at this age is just to get them to try different taste.
It looks like you are doing fine.