Nursery World - A Unique Child: Early Weaning

Research into how long babies should stay on breast milk alone has prompted debate and confusion. Annette Rawstrone investigates.

Is it really best for babies to be fed only breast milk for the first six months of their life?

An evidence review of breastfeeding studies, which sparked much press coverage this month, has questioned the UK's current public health policy of babies not being weaned on to solid food until they are around six months old (News, 20 January). Researchers at University College London's Institute of Child Health said that breastfed babies may benefit from being given solid food from as early as four months.

At issue is the balance between the benefits for the baby of being exclusively breastfed, including a reduced risk of various infections, with the negatives such as potentially not meeting infants' energy needs and iron deficiency.

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