It’s best to start solids at four months. No, Sorry. It’s best to start solids at six months. Wait, no. Make that four months.
Also, you should avoid giving known allergens to your baby until they are at least one year of age. But actually, make sure you give them allergens around six months.
Definitely breastfeed exclusively for six months to help prevent allergies in children. But actually, turns out there’s no link there.
When you’re trying to work out the best thing for your baby you’d be excused for getting a little confused. God knows, we’re confused.
Since my eldest son was born there has been no less than three revisions of the recommendations for baby feeding and now with my third child starting solids, I’m still not across the details.
Nuts are a known allergen amongst children. Image: istock
Luckily, the Centre for Food and Allergy Research has released new advise on when exactly parents should start their children on solids as well as information on breastfeeding and allergies to help out confused parents like myself. Finally, consistent information. (Fingers crossed)
The new guidelines suggest that parents should begin their children on solid foods at the age of four months rather than at six months as was previously recommended. The advisc also says that parents should include known allergens like nuts, seafood, cows milk and wheat around this age, and to introduce such foods well before baby's first birthday. Doing so greatly reduces the chance of a child suffering an allergic reaction.
Dr Rosemary Stanton, a well known dietician and media personality contributed to the centre's new recommendations. She says that she believes parents have been given 'dangerous' advice when it comes to weaning babies.
"'Certainly if you introduce foods early the intestines aren't ready,' she told The Daily Telegraph. 'But if you delay introducing foods like peanuts and milk too late then there's more chance they will develop an allergic reaction to them.'
The recommendations also provide parents with new information on breastfeeding and allergies. Image: istock
The new recommendations also state that there is no known link between extended breastfeeding and allergies in children. Previously, it was thought that breastfeeding could prevent a child from having an allergic reaction to certain foods, but this is no longer the case with foods like nuts, eggs and cows milk.
Clear? As mud? We thought so.