Weaning breastfed baby before 6 months

[EDmummy]

So, what are views on this?

[Fuschia]

I thought the recommendation re 6m was to do with a reduction in obesity and heart disease in adulthood... the evidence about allergy avoidance has always been a bit contradictory. The swedish study re gluten, what it said i seem to recall is that it's protective to introduce gluten while still bf (rather than that it's better to introduce it early)

I will stick stick to 6m, less faff and by then you can go for BLW too which saves time.

I do think the baby food industry (and many HVs!) have been looking for an excuse to stick with the old 4m recommendation.

[pebbles]

To be honest it annoys me. It seems like the rules for babies just change the whole time - how long they can be in a carseat (with my nephew there wasn't a 2hr time limit), drinking alcohol (mummy's not babies!!), weaning (4m/6m), how long to sterilise (used to be 6m) etc etc.

Mums put themselves under enough pressure as it is without having what they're told and follow undermined the whole time.

[Fuschia]

ah, turns out this isn't new research but a rehashing of old studies and 3/4 authors have been funded by babyfood companies

[radnrach]

I read this this morning. To be honest, it's come at a good time for me. My son is just over 4 months (19 weeks) and still exclusively breastfeeding at least every 2 hours (even at night). He's in the 95th percentile, and looks more like a 6-7 month old. I saw the HV this week and she agreed with me that introducing baby rice early would be a good idea for us. I had been wary because of all the 6 month literature, but I think I'm going to do it. He's just so hungry, and I can tell my breast milk just isn't enough for him anymore.

I'm going to mix the baby rice with breast milk to begin with and see how he responds to it, then go from there. I'm still going to BF him - not quite sure how this is going to work, it's all very new to me!

[Fuschia]

full bmj article: http://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.c5955.full

[Fuschia]

http://info.babymilkaction.org/news/policyblog140111

[bluesuperted]

Radrach - just interested in what signs your little one is showing that he is super hungry and not happy on breastmilk? The reason I ask is that my 5 month old is also very big (98th weight, 99th height) and yet is super contented both in general and when feeding. Yes he wakes in the night for 2 quick feeds and then straight back down but I was under the impression that breastmilk (of formula) is the most calorific thing they can eat at this stage - am I wrong and does baby rice have more calories or is it just heavier to digest? Am interested in these signs in case I'm missing them (don't think I am!) as I also want to wait til 6m for baby led weaning...

[Fuschia]

There is a developmental leap at 4m (19w) which I think can be confused with hunger.

http://moxie.blogs.com/askmoxie/2006/02/qa_what_are_sle.html

http://blogginaboutbabies.wordpress.com/2009/04/08/wonder-week-19/

[Fuschia]

Statement from Francesco Branca - Head of Nutrition at WHO:

WHO's global public health recommendation is for infants to be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life to achieve optimal growth, development and health. Thereafter, infants should be given nutritious complementary foods and co...ntinue breastfeeding up to the age of 2 years or beyond.

WHO closely follows new research findings in this area and has a process for periodically re-examining recommendations. Systematic reviews accompanied by an assessment of the quality of evidence are used to review guidelines in a process that is designed to ensure that the recommendations are based on the best available evidence and free from conflicts of interest.

The paper in this week's BMJ is not the result of a systematic review. The latest systematic review on this issue available in the Cochrane Library was published in 2009 ("Optimal duration of exclusive breastfeeding (Review)", Kramer MS, Kakuma R: The Cochrane Library 2009, Issue 4). It included studies in developed and developing countries and its findings are supportive of the current WHO recommendations. It found that the results of two controlled trials and 18 other studies suggest that exclusive breastfeeding (which means that the infant should have only breast milk, and no other foods or liquids) for 6 months has several advantages over exclusive breastfeeding for 3-4 months followed by mixed breastfeeding. These advantages include a lower risk of gastrointestinal infection for the baby, more rapid maternal weight loss after birth, and delayed return of menstrual periods. No reduced risks of other infections or of allergic diseases have been demonstrated. No adverse effects on growth have been documented with exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, but a reduced level of iron has been observed in developing-country settings.

[bluesuperted]

Yes I also heard about the developmental leap and think this is the case for my baby - yes he drinks a lot and still wakes in the night but he seems so happy on milk (and cannot yet sit unaided) that I'm sticking with my original plan of BLW at 6 months or thereabouts. Will be sad to say goodbye to the ease of just bf-ing even though discovering food will be very fun I'm sure!

[pebbles]

radnrach - i also weaned both mine early - son 41/2 m and daughter 51/2. both were good weights and at the time son was fully breast fed but daughter i had just moved over to formula.

bluesperted - to be honest, if mine were content to stay on breast milk and were happy then i would have waited so go with what you feel is right and what your little one "is telling you". mine just seemed to be getting bored with milk, wasn't drinking enough i didn't think but were highly unhappy. their sleep having been good started to be disturbed and also both were interested in solid food. i would quite often find my daughter trying to eat my sons food if it were at easy reach.

i know all these signs can be attributed to other things but i just "felt" that it was the right time for them and they've never looked back. son is now quite fussy (going through that horrendous phase) but luckily daughter still eats whatever is put in front of her.

[plimsoul]

what bothers me in all of this is how much parents worry rather than follow their instincts. fair enough if you don't feel confident but advice has constantly changed and constantly will. the human race has survived so far.

i did what i felt was right for my children, they don't suffer alergies, are healthy and don't binge on junk (clearly no longer babies). i didn't breast feed and i weaned when i felt they wanted it around 4 and half months.

[Fuschia]

Very refreshing piece: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/jan/14/breastfeeding-comment-joanna-moorhead

[radnrach]

I know that 19 weeks is the time where he can have a growth spurt, but my son has been like this from day one - eating continuously, almost.

After reading all your posts and links, I'm going to have more of a think about what I want to do. For some reason, it just feels right to offer him some baby rice. Not quite sure why. I don't mind breastfeeding exclusively for longer - I've been doing it so long now and so often, it'll be weird not do feed him less than every two hours, I won't know what to do with myself.

[womanofdulwich]

Radnach, I think you have done really well to last this long. My sons are 15 and 19 andback in the 90's we were advised to start weaning at 4-6 months, which worked well with getting a full nights sleep. We were only allowed 6 months maternity leave, ant this worked really well, so that by the time we went back to work we were just doing morning and evening breast feeds if we wanted to. I think sometimes women sacrifice too much to hold the line that they are still exclusively breastfeeding ( but I am more selfish than others). Good luck with the baby rice. I think it is a good time for your partner too. (tu)

[ladywotlunches]

Ah - I knew I could rely on the forum for a thread on this today! My little one is just 17 weeks, so into the latest 4 month stage. For my first, the advice was strictly 6 months and I think we did baby rice from about 5.5 months then onto other solids at 6 months. At the moment, she seems happy with just milk (mostly BF with the occasional top up) so until that changes, I'm not going to rock the boat. Once again, a bit more conflicting advice (and differing views on here). Pebbles and Plimsoul, I'm with you. Us mums should take advice when we need it and adapt to the best thing for each baby as an individual. Its advice, not legislation, after all.

[Fuschia]

plimsoul Wrote:

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> what bothers me in all of this is how much parents

> worry rather than follow their instincts.

Thing is, you can't tell from yourn instincts if later weaning might result in a reduced incidenceof diabetes later in life, that sort of thing. And I suspect it's the feeling that sleep changes at about 4m are food related (baby not getting enough milk) rather than appreciating it's a normal developmental stage, that have led mothers to think of weaning at 4 months... I would have more confidence in analysis if it was based on new research, rather than rehashed studies from people who have had research funded by the baby food industry. There are millions of pounds at stake if women don't start to buy baby food from 4m... I think that explains where all this is coming from.

[Saila]

equally you can't tell by instinct that your baby is iron deficient which is the concern raised in this study.

edit to say - the guardian article completely misinterprets the study - the study is not saying 'end breastfeeding' it's saying you should possibly add solids earlier than 6 months cos of risk of iron deficiency etc

also to say that they are somehow colluding with the baby food companies is verging on libeless

[charlottep]

Is it true though that 65% of European member states and the US elected not to follow the WHO's recommendation? That would explain why my family in Portugal thought I was nuts to wait 6 months before weaning.

[Princess]

Radnrach, I think as with all things related to your child it's a very personal decision but I understand as a first time mum it's a daunting move to make.

My son was b/feeding every 2 hours day and night between 3.5 and 4 months. He never seemed contented with just my milk. A bit of pureed fruit worked wonders for us and I have no regrets in introducing it 'early' whatsoever.

I have to say and without going into too many personal details. As a first time mother the thing I found the most difficult to handle was the constant 'pushing' of exclusive breastfeeding from the midwives and health visitor.

As others have said, trust your own instincts and if it feels right and your baby is interested in food then give it a go.

[EDmummy]

One child before the change in guidance to 6 months, one after. Both children weaned and still breastfed from 4 months because they both rocketed to the bottom of the chart from 75% and 98% centile respectively. Both children always incredibly healthy with very little illness (touch wood).

I think I am with the 'trust your instinct' and your health provider crowd. Even according to the WHO new press release above; the benefits of exclusive bf until six months are "...a lower risk of gastrointestinal infection for the baby, more rapid maternal weight loss after birth, and delayed return of menstrual periods"; So, one benefit for the child and two for the mum. It also cites the findings of the study in the Cochrane Library that "No reduced risks of other infections or of allergic diseases have been demonstrated..." by exclusive bf.

[Belle]

Yes, I thought that was interesting too Edmummy. Zoe Williams writes about this in her book about pregnancy and birth (and she's speaking from a viewpoint of someone who was a v happy bf-er). There is quite an amusing section where she is badgering the Dept of Health to be more specific about why they promote the exclusive for 6 mths approach and they inadvertently copy her into an internal email about how they can get rid of her.

[plimsoul]

love and encouragement are surely the most important ingredients???

too much pressure on parents these days, to be worrying that your child may develop diabetes because of a nutritional choice in their first year is just 1 layer of ridiculous for me. sorry, but it's more about the junk that goes into our mouths the rest of our lives and keeping that respect for the food that we eat throughout.

yes, of course you can't tell if your baby is iron deficient and in my experience sadly food never helped any baby sleep longer (let's face it if it worked then we would all be feeding our kids before bed at 2 months!) BUT really, in london in 2011, with health visitors and your GP just round the corner things are never going to really go that wrong...

[Fuschia]

EDmummy Wrote:

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Even according to the

> WHO new press release above; the benefits of

> exclusive bf until six months are "...a lower risk

> of gastrointestinal infection for the baby, more

> rapid maternal weight loss after birth, and

> delayed return of menstrual periods";

It doesn't say those are the only benefits, it says that the last systemic review in Cochrane came up with those findings from " two controlled trials and 18 other studies"

The review in question was comparing 6m exclusive bf with 4m bf followed by mixed feeding (ie it wasn't about weaning to solids)

There are many more studies into the benefits of delayed weaning, I must say I AM convinced by the evidence regarding lower levels of adult heart disease and diabetes... and this latest report doesn't even touch on any of that, so i won't change my approach. Child no 1 ws weaned at 17w as per guidelines then, and has shown no ill effects but it was a hassle, tbh... and if there are long term health benefits to delaying to 6m I will follow the advice. This is no new evidence, just a slant on some of the existing studies.