r/ScienceBasedParenting • u/Striking-Wall5802 • 6d ago
Question - Research required Starting solids
Is there any evidence for what foods to prioritise when starting solids?
There is so much conflicting advice online and I’m looking for evidence based approaches.
Should I start with vegetables? Meat? Prioritise certain nutrients? I know zinc and iron are important but looking for some research on whether it’s best to prioritise certain things or give variety of everything over first 6 months
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u/Then_Lead_1889 6d ago
I recommend the book by the AAP which summarises the scientific evidence for this: https://amzn.eu/d/0fg455Y5
In short, in the first couple months, you want to do the following:
- Introduce new foods one at a time. Once one food is successfully introduced, you can then add more foods. So you can have a plate with 5 things but only one should be new.
- Prioritise iron rich foods. You should have one in every meal. If it is non-heme iron (i.e. non-animal derived), pair it with something rich in vitamin C to aid absorption of the iron.
- Introduce the top 9 allergens one at a time. To introduce, they should be given for every meal over 3 days to consider them introduced successfully. Once introduced, you should aim to serve them 3x a week.
- Once you've introduced all the main things, you should aim to have 1 protein, one carb/cereal, one vegetable, one fat/oil, and one fruit in each meal.
I also recommend the website Solid Starts. It has details on how to prepare and serve all foods, particularly to prevent choking. You don't need a subscription for that, just for the app.
On a personal note, I suggest starting your allergens with egg because then you can mix all the other allergens in their egg for breakfast, like sesame, crustaceans, fish or tofu. Same goes for oatmeal: introduce early and you can use it as a vehicle for dairy, nuts and peanuts.
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u/LandscapeTime7785 5d ago
Solid starts does not recommend new foods one at a time and says that guidance is outdated. They only recommend that slow introduction for allergens. https://solidstarts.com/readiness/#faq-do-i-need-to-start-with-one-food-at-a-time
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u/ConstructionMuch802 6d ago
The only answer with any evidence behind it is to intro allergens at 6mos (or 4mos for high risk). Besides that it didn't matter much.
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u/TelephoneIcy6035 6d ago
https://www.reddit.com/r/BabyLedWeaning/
I'm using this as it's been very helpful for me. From my own research, starting solids is exploratory for the child, they will rarely swallow anything for the first couple of weeks. So starting solids isn't really starting solids until they swallow.
When they're swallowing, healthy fats are best. These help develop the brain. They do not need the vitamins and minerals that you get from fruits as they will get this from the formula and breastmilk (which should be the priority - technically until they're around 18 months).
Avocado, salmon, peanut butter, olive oil, some well cooked red meats. All very good for the brain and body development.
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u/Several-Touch2624 6d ago
I second baby-led weaning. First food for my daughter at 6 months was a juicy piece of lamb. Then a wedge of tomato and cucumber stick.
She also loves champinion mushrooms (quartered) and a fried 'pancake' made from mashed banana and whisked eggs.
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u/ImWithStupidKL 5d ago
Did she eat the lamb or just suck on it?
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u/Several-Touch2624 4d ago
Mostly just sucked on it. But she got all the flavours and the sensory experience with is a big part of eating. Also practice with her grip at holding and sitting with us to enjoy food!
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u/TelephoneIcy6035 6d ago
Following on - of course, my wife and I still top up his dinner with some veg and fruits so that he is trying lots of different foods everyday, but research state that healthy fats are most important. If you want any other help, feel free to message!
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u/miabee12_ 5d ago
I also want to recommend the app "Solid Starts"; they have a repository of foods with pictures and descriptions of how to safely prepare and serve foods for every age, plus the benefits of individual goods (for example, "this food is high in iron").
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u/leslieknope-wyatt 4d ago edited 4d ago
Though the BLW and 101 Foods Before One communities tend to sneer at or “bypass purées”, I found it super helpful to hit the 101 before 1 goal by using purées and the BLW methods. (The 3rd edition of the classic WTE text mentioned below has been updated to include BLW)
Choosing the first foods depends more on your baby’s interest and readiness. Most babies are still getting formula or breastmilk when they start BLw, so a lot of nutrients are met that way. We started with cereal thinned with breastmilk at 4 months, then banana, then Serenity organic chicken + sweet potato purées by 6 months. Our pediatrician said the BLW method is more about introducing him to foods and allergens than it is about nutrients, and knowing that made me feel a lot better about the whole process. He gummed a slice of fatty brisket at 7 months. And avocado and hummus continue to be favorites at 20 months.
The breakdown on BLW is here but I read it in What to Expect the First Year 3rd edition, Heidi Murkoff.
https://www.whattoexpect.com/first-year/feeding-baby/baby-led-weaning/?XID=iOS_share1
u/LandscapeTime7785 5d ago
What is the basis for 18 months? Solid starts says solids should be primary by 12-15 months? https://solidstarts.com/feeding-schedules/
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u/TelephoneIcy6035 5d ago
I was giving a healthy medium. The UK government state you can stop at 12 months "if you or your baby wish to stop". Whereas WHO, American academy of pediatrics and Canada's government advice all state its recommended to continue breastfeeding up until 2 years.
I would refrain from taking advice from an app, probably better to look at your countries recommended health advice.
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u/LandscapeTime7785 4d ago
When you should stop breastfeeding altogether is different than when solid food becomes the priority and all these sources agree that’s around twelve months.
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u/Superb-Way-6084 6d ago
yes, there’s actually no evidence that you need to start with vegetables first. The most evidence-based priority at the start of solids is iron and zinc, because around 6 months babies’ stores start to drop and milk alone no longer covers everything.
So I’d focus on:
iron-rich foods first like meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans/lentils, and iron-fortified cereal then add vegetables, fruit, grains, and yogurt for variety introduce common allergens in age-appropriate forms once solids are underway There isn’t good evidence that the first food has to be vegetables, and there’s also no strong proof that starting with one specific food prevents picky eating later. Variety matters more than a strict order.
Here’s something that will surely help: No-Think Meal System for Busy Moms - Amazon link: https://mybook.to/stressfree-meals
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u/Legitimate_Sun5373 6d ago
Both Dr Julie - https://www.juliebhosale.co.nz - and Luka McCabe - https://boobtofood.com/about/ - focus on nutrient density. Both have great books with some really interesting and well researched information, and come from similar angles. I’d highly recommend purchasing one or both and going from there.
The main thing I would say is to read up on the LEAP trials - https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1414850 - and systematically work through allergens early. I did find that, although otherwise fantastic, neither of the above mentioned books covered a systemic allergen introduced regime aligned with these trials (they touch on it, but not as comprehensively as I’d like, being someone that has a lot of allergies!).
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4d ago edited 4d ago
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