There is an article in my 'Green Parent' magazine this month that has some very dubious advice about breastfeeding and weaning. It is normally a great magazine and very supportive of breastfeeding but this article has some bits in it that are not current thinking and really shocked me.
Here is the bit in question, it's taken from a column written by a mum of a 5 month old baby:
"Babies cannot continue to live on milk alone. And here's the science bit: the iron stores babies have at birth are gradually depleted and breast milk alone is unlikely to supply their increasing need for iron and a number of other nutrients after around 6 months of age. Iron deficiency can make a baby more susceptible to infections and can lead to faltering growth and poor physical developement. And solids are key players in teeth and jaw development. The world health orginastion explains that babies need to have gained some mastery of the neuromuscular system - head control and back support - before they can ingest and swallow solids.
Solids should not be introduced before 20 weeks , and after that, only as a complentary feeding, along with milk feeds. When baby starts putting things in their mouth it is a sign that are ready to try solids of the mashed up kind. And if they're still hungry after a milk feed or have started to wake up at night when they didn't previously it's time for some solid nourishment"
To me this article says: if you don't start solids by 20 weeks (or at least before 6 months) your baby will be a slack-jawed iron deficient weakling who will not sleep through the night! - it's all rubbish isn't it? But I can't just write 'hey green parent magazine, your article is pants' - so need some hard facts to back it all up.
Sorry it's a long one.
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Jenkeylovesdazzy · 28/07/2007 13:58
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