PLEASE NOTE I AM NOT A HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL AND WOULD NEVER ADVISE ANYONE TO CONTRAVENE GOVERNMENT GUIDLINES REGARDING THE WELFARE OF THEIR CHILD. IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING WEANING YOUR CHILD BEFORE THE RECOMMENDED SIX MONTHS PLEASE CONSULT YOUR HEALTH VISITOR.
NHS primary care Q&A service
Cochrane Review
Follow discussions with some of the more dominant characters on mumsnet re weaning, I went away and read the research, being aware that there are many considerations involved in setting global health policies. We agreed that once I'd done some reading a new thread would be started to open the floor to what is a rather hot topic!
To get the ball rolling, here are the key facts I found in my reading:
- the research is based on breastfeeding versus introduction of complementary foods - formula milk is considered a complementary food
- the Cochrane review is looking at whether it is safe to promote exclusive breastfeeding to 6 months, and NOT whether it is dangerous to introduce complementary foods before 6 months. These two things are not the same.
- Based on the advantages in the developing world of breastfeeding and the need for one global policy, 6 months is recommended. They also note that each 'individual infant should be managed indiidually'
- These advantages for developing countries include, reduced risk of infection (antibodies in breastmilk and the fact that it is sterile), poor nutritional quality of complementary foods in these countries and interestingly the benefits of 'lactation amenorrhea' in developing countries (less likely to get pregnant when breastfeeding -but not guaranteed form of birth control!).
-there is some research into the link between early weaning and allergies. Not enough research has been done yet and eveidence is conflicting (so someone will be able to find a paper telling me its proven!). Breastfeeding (not formula!) does appear to help reduce the risk of allergies, but delayed introduction of some food groups can also cause allergies.
- In all countries poor nutrition at 3-6 months can affect growth. It is important that complementary foods do not replace milk (those who saw my thread saw I was concerned about how to make sure my dd still enjoyed her milk - she was turning her nose up at the bottle - turns out she had sore gums from teething and is now back on 30 oz a day). A milk only diet reduces this risk. Poor nutrition is a risk not a certainty, and can be managed (i,e monitoring growth, consultation with health visitor, offering good quality weaning foods)
- All agree that complementary feeding should be introduced by six months, to ensure that infants receieve adequate iron and some other vitamins.
There is a lot of discussion on line about this, but my impression (my health visitor agrees) is that the key driving factor for the WHO policy is the impact on infant mortality in developing countries and not the slight increased risk of allergies.
Look forward to hearing from you all. I reiterate that I am not recommending that you all go out and wean at 4 months. But I do think its important to read the research and make your own mind up about what the science is behind the policy. Yes it might be a bit better to wait to six months, but is it really so terrible to do it a bit earlier?