REVIEW

Weaning of infants

K D Foote¹, L D Marriott²

¹ Department Paediatrics and Child Health, Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Winchester, Hampshire, UK
² Medical Research Council Environmental Epidemiology Unit, Tremona Rd, Southampton, UK

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr K D Foote, Department Paediatrics and Child Health, Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Winchester, Hampshire SO22 5DG, UK;
keithfoote{at}doctors.org.uk

The WHO 2001 global recommendation is a one size fits all approach to weaning, an approach which may not take sufficient account of the special needs of some infants and fails to allow for the different problems encountered in the industrialised nations compared with economically developing countries. For the healthy normal birth weight full term infant born in an industrialised country, current research supports the benefit of exclusive breast milk feeding until 4–6 months. Evidence of harm through introducing solid food to these infants earlier than this is weak. Infants should be managed individually according to their needs.

Keywords: infant nutrition; complementary feeding; weaning

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This article has been cited by other articles:

• Quigley, M A, Kelly, Y J, Sacker, A (2009). Infant feeding, solid foods and hospitalisation in the first 8 months after birth. Arch. Dis. Child. 94: 148-150 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Fewtrell, M. S, Morgan, J. B, Duggan, C., Gunnlaugsson, G., Hibberd, P. L, Lucas, A., Kleinman, R. E (2007). Optimal duration of exclusive breastfeeding: what is the evidence to support current recommendations?. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 85: 635S-638S [Abstract] [Full Text]  
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• Wright, C M, Parkinson, K N, Drewett, R F (2004). Why are babies weaned early? Data from a prospective population based cohort study. Arch. Dis. Child. 89: 813-816 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
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eLetters:

Read all eLetters

Weaning of infants; timing should be individualized

Dr Egware Odeka FRCP, et al.

ADC Online, 22 Jul 2003 [Full text]

Weaning infants, encouraging breast feeding.

Lisa Redfern

ADC Online, 6 Aug 2003 [Full text]

Authors Response

Keith D Foote, et al.

ADC Online, 3 Sep 2003 [Full text]