Starting Solids: 4 Months, 6 Months, or Somewhere In Between?

Science of Mom reader Roxanne left a comment on my post about the recent peanut allergy study. She wondered about starting solid foods with her 4-month-old baby boy:

“Do you have an opinion on starting solids at 4 months versus 6 months? I noticed that many of the studies on allergy include babies in the 4-6 month range, but I think that the current recommendation is to wait until 6 months. I ask because my baby WILL NOT drink out of a bottle while I’m at work. He is miserable all day. I’m only gone 8-3 including travel time, so if he could just get a little something at 11am, I think he might actually nap and not cry all day. We have tried everything. If you know of any studies please let me know. He is 18 weeks old.”

I totally understand Roxanne’s confusion, because there’s lots of…