I am one of those Moms who has neglected the feeding guidelines out of convenience and because I have a tiny son. My little guy (who just turned one year and is a lean 17 pounds) loves eggs, peanut butter, and fish. We have no history of allergies in my family, and if I had followed the guidelines, he wouldn't be eating much of anything. I did this with all 4 of my children, and I'm afraid that if I hadn't let them eat what they enjoy and what would help them to gain a healthy pound or two, they would still not be anywhere near the bottom line of the growth charts.

Thanks for this info. It's unfortunate for the parents of allergy-prone children to hear that there is no guarantee to keep them from developing allergies. But for the rest of us, it keeps us from being a bunch of negligent losers!