What is weaning?

Weaning is the transitional phase in infant’s diet when mother gradually begins to introduce foods other than breast milk or formula.

WHO Recommends, exclusive breast feeding for first 6 months with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond.

Mothers define weaning in various ways:

In some cultures, weaning refers to the termination of breast feeding.

In other cultures, it refers to the addition of solid foods to the milk diet.

Weaning also signifies the beginning of a social detachment of the child from the mother.

Health professionals define weaning as:

The period when the breast feeding or formula feeding is gradually supplemented with other foods in the infant’s diet.

Cereal based foods are usually the first weaning food offered to the infant.

N.B.

The introduction of weaning foods should not mean the elimination of milk from the infant’s diet.

In fact, breast milk, infant formula, or an age appropriate follow on formula, designed specially to meet the nutritional needs of older babies, should remain the primary source of nourishment throughout the first year of life.