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Science behind the 4-day wait rule?

vszappvszapp member
in Babies: 6 - 9 Months

Just curious if anyone know whether there is any scientific reasoning behind the 4-day wait rule when introducing new solids? We have been adhering to it for the most part, but honestly I think it would take years to actually introduce every new food this way! I get that you may want to wait in between introducing foods so you know which get a reaction if there is one. But can introducing foods closer together actually *cause* allergies to develop? I am a tad concerned because DD is milk protein intolerant, but other than that there are no food allergies in the family. We have the book 'Super Baby Food', and in there they are quite formulaic about when to introduce certain foods and waiting the required time in between. I am not sure I understand the logic behind this, though... 

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Re: Science behind the 4-day wait rule?

  • ASmallWonderASmallWonder member
    The reasoning is just as you stated and I personally think it's overblown.  I wouldn't go giving them a soup with 20 ingredients but I felt ok doing a new food every couple of days.  The catch is that if an allergy breaks out, you have to be willing to back off of everything you've fed in the last few days and wait to reintroduce them slowly.  So if you do too many too close together, you may be temporarily sacrificing a lot of your purees until you can pin point which was the problem.
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  • MollySmMollySm member
    No, introducing them closer together hasn't been shown to cause allergies to develop, at least I've never read anything like this.  The reason to space them out is so if baby has a reaction, you know what caused it.  We haven't used the 4 day rule at all.  If she has one, we are happy to do process of elimination.  
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  • diana.filipidiana.filipi member

    We never observed the wait rule.  I fed table foods from about 5 3/4 months onward.  I think Wholesome Baby Food site says it well:

     

    Is the 4 day wait rule really necessary?  Have you been told to abide by or toss it out the window along with other ?old wives tales??

    As studies are now showing that waiting to introduce allergenic foods might not have any impact on whether a child develops a food allergy, the use of the 4 day wait rule is becoming obsolete and outdated.

    There are many pediatricians who are now suggesting that babies may be introduced to a variety of foods, all at once, even during the first days of introducing solid foods.

    The thought is that offering a wider variety of tastes and textures, early and often, will get baby?s tastebuds excited and ?trained? to enjoy flavors of all types.  Offering a larger variety sooner, such as serving 4 new foods during a 2 or 4 day span, rather than later may just give baby the willingness and curiosity to try anything and everything put in front of him.  And don?t forget the herbs and spices when introducing solid foods, earlier is better it is being said!
    (from the WBF Blog 07 March 2011)

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  • jalaiaajalaiaa

    imageMollySm:
    No, introducing them closer together hasn't been shown to cause allergies to develop, at least I've never read anything like this.  The reason to space them out is so if baby has a reaction, you know what caused it.  We haven't used the 4 day rule at all.  If she has one, we are happy to do process of elimination.  

    Ditto all of this 

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  • MarnieMSMarnieMS member

    We have never done this... LO gets whatever jars we have, and for dinner he gets whatever we are eating, just blended as long as its not dairy, or spicy/nuts ect...

     

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  • GmajenGmajen
    A little off topic but it seems like they, the experts I guess keep coming up with reasons kids have allergies, diabetes, asthma etc.. if you look back through the years the rules change often. When I was born, I'm 39 people fed their kids early. A tiny bit of rice cereal, very runny of course was not unheard of at a few weeks old if your baby was hungry a lot. Pureed baby food, scrambled eggs, etc.. as soon as they would take them.

    What I find odd about all the new rules is that when I was a kid I never knew of 1 person who had severe allergies, like peanut allergies or anything. I never seen a kid at lunch or snack have any reaction to any food. Didn't know anyone with asthma and I knew 1 girl who had diabetes. You knew these things because when you brought in bday treats we had to make sure hers was sugar free.

    I'm not a dr but its hard for me to believe when you feed your child or what you feed them causes these things. All I can think of is the pesticides, hormones, msg, etc.. that's in the foods causing this stuff?? The air we breathe more polluted?? Just my thoughts
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  • oliversmommy32912oliversmommy32912 member

    imageMollySm:
    No, introducing them closer together hasn't been shown to cause allergies to develop, at least I've never read anything like this.  The reason to space them out is so if baby has a reaction, you know what caused it.  We haven't used the 4 day rule at all.  If she has one, we are happy to do process of elimination.  

    This exactly. Especially with low-allergy foods. We won't give him citrus and peanuts and crab on the same day or anything. But squash, apples, sweet potatoes etc....the chances of those causing an allergy are so slim. We aren't worrying about it and if something comes up we will do process of elimination. 

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