one more question - when did the recommendation to wean at 4 months come in.........

[TheQueenOfQuotes]

(and yes I know it's now 6 months) but I'm in a debate about weaning on babyworld and I need to know - I know that the 6 month one was adopted by WHO approx 10yrs ago - so research must have been around for a few years before - but I can't find any references to when either WHO, or the UK Government started recommending 4 months........

no hard facts on the 4month rule but have penelope leach's babyhood here, 2nd ed 1983

"In theory babies can be adequately fed on breast milk or formula alone until three, four, five or six months, depending on whose theory is being propounded. In practice very few babies are fed in this restrained way... nearly half of all babies are receiving some 'solid' food by the time they are six to eight weeks old {}... In the past two or three years, strenuous efforts have been made to reverse this trend and persuade mothers that it is better for babies to have nothing but milk - preferably mother's milk - until they are at least three months old."

if that helps at all...

you go to another forum !

sorry, don;t know !

26 years ago, my mum exclusively breastfed my brother for 6 months, does that help !

It was definitely 4 months when I had dd who's nearly 10 1/2. I remember a friend continuing until 6 months at the time (she knew about the WHO guidelines or was more hard-core than me about BFing) but it was definitely 4 months that HVs used to recommend back then. I have a feeling that the 4 months thing was relatively new then too....