TABLE 3.

Percentage of Mothers Who Indicated Each Reason as Important in Their Decision to Introduce Solid Foods Among Those Who Reported Early Introduction (<4 Months) By Milk Feeding Type at the Time of Solid Food Introduction

Reasons cited as important	Total (N = 539), %	Milk Feeding Type at Time of Solid Food Introduction
		Breast Milk Only (n = 134), %	Formula Only (n = 254), %	Mixed (n = 151), %
My baby was nursing too much (n = 285)	22.5	26.1	—	19.2
I did not have enough milka (n = 285)	21.1	15.7	—	25.8
My baby was drinking too much formulaa (n = 405)	32.8	—	37.4	25.2
My baby had a medical condition that might be helped by eating solid fooda	8.5	2.2	10.6	10.6
My baby was not gaining enough weight	10.2	6.0	13.4	8.6
Friends or relatives said my baby should begin eating solid foodsa	18.9	12.7	22.8	17.9
It would help my baby sleep longer at night	46.4	41.0	44.5	54.3
A doctor or other health care professional said my baby should begin eating solid fooda	55.5	50.8	61.4	49.7
I wanted to feed my baby something in addition to breast milk or formula	64.8	70.9	62.6	62.9
My baby wanted the food I ate or in other ways showed an interest in solid food	66.8	70.9	64.6	66.9
My baby seemed hungry a lot of the time	71.4	64.9	72.1	76.2
My baby was old enough to begin to eat solid food	88.9	88.1	89.8	88.1

— indicates that the reason was not applicable for that feeding type.

^aP < .05 (for association between specified reason and type of milk feeding).