(Akuvikate) wrote in message . com...
I know people post questions like this all the time, but...

The plan is to start Bug on solids at 6 months, which will happen in 3
and a half weeks. However I'm really beginning to wonder if it may
not make sense to start a bit sooner. Why I wonder:

DH and I both have environmental allergies (dust, pollen) and a slight
tendency to asthma, but no family history of food allergies that I'm
aware of.

As others have pointed out, if the parents have allergies, the child
inherits the tendency for allergies, but not necessarily specific
allergies similar to the parent. In our case DH and I have seasonal
environmental allergies; I am also allergic to mold and dust, and have
asthma. There is no history anywhere of food allergies on either side
of the family, but our DS is allergic to dairy, eggs, and peanuts.

So...I would be very careful about introducing solids, follow the
proper sequence, etc.

If she is indeed allergic to certain foods, she may be resistant to
solids (or may not). At least that is what we found with James. He
HATED solids, even though he was physically ready, and after about 2
months of struggle with him (7-9 months of age), I gave up. I would
offer him stuff, but he would rarely bother to even put it in his
mouth. In fact, the way we found out about both the dairy and the egg
allergy was right around his first birthday, when I offered him a bit
of shredded cheese - had a horrible reaction (hives, wheezing, runny
nose, diarrhea). A few days later, offered him some scrambled egg -
same thing (this time the reaction sent him to the ER). All he
consumed was breastmilk, and finally started eating solids (albeit in
extremely small amounts)at 15 months. I am convinced (although I have
no data/research to support this - so it is just opinion) that his
food allergies made him less interested in solid food in general - as
if his body was somehow protecting itself.


Part of me is reluctant to start before 6 months, but I was
in the supermarket today looking at the baby food and rice cereal,
thinking about how much fun it will be...

Sorry, this I just do not understand! Feeding has been the least
fun part of parenting to me (with the exception of breastfeeding, but
there are other issues at play with that). I find it, even now, to be
a giant PITA. I will be honest - the fact that James resisted solids
for so long was fine by me; I guess I'm just lazy in that regard!


Sharon
Mom to James 6.2.00
EDD #2 5 December