So when do you start introducing solids? Do you start with purees or can you do baby-led weaning with bigger pieces of whole foods? What about doing a mix of both? What foods do you begin with? Do you need to wait before starting certain foods if there is a history of allergies in your family? These are some of the questions I often get asked by parents when they are starting the process of introducing solids to their baby. There are so many options, opinions, questions that is can feel overwhelming knowing where to start. In Part 1 of this blog post I will focus on busting some myths, look at what the current evidence says and explain why the mineral iron is so important for babies.

So, one of the questions I often get as a parent educator, nurse and lactation consultant is “when will my baby be on a schedule”? Many new parents report to me that they feel pressured to “get baby on a schedule”. But what does that mean? Is it normal? Doable? Healthy? Is it even necessary? The first thing I like to ensure is that parents know the difference between schedules and routines. The simplest way I find to distinguish the difference between a schedule and a routine is by asking yourself, are you a slave to the clock?