“Parents have lost touch with the notion that these charts are guidelines, not rules.”

Doctors too, apparently.  Well, it’s about time someone pointed this out:

It turns out most advice parents get about weaning infants onto solid foods — even from pediatricians — is more myth than science.

That’s right, rice cereal may not be the best first food. Peanut butter doesn’t have to wait until after the first birthday. Offering fruits before vegetables won’t breed a sweet tooth. And strong spices? Bring ’em on….

"Parents have lost touch with the notion that these charts are guides, not rules," says Rachel Brandeis, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. "Babies start with a very clean palate and it’s your job to mold it."…

The difference is cultural, not scientific, says Dr. Jatinder Bhatia, a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ nutrition committee who says the American approach suffers from a Western bias that fails to reflect the nation’s ethnic diversity.

Yep.  I remember well, before I became a mother, sitting at lunch with some other graduate students and postdocs.  One, an Italian man, had brought his wife and baby son, maybe seven months old.  When the food came, the Italian woman pulled the "baby food" from her purse:  a whole, raw tomato.  I was shocked!  But that baby chowed down!  I remembered that, and never bothered with prepared baby food for our kids.

Thanks to Danna for the link.