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Recapitulating Suckling-to-Weaning Transition In Vitro using Fetal Intestinal Organoids
08:15

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Weaning: what influences the timing?

Jane M White1

  • 1Glasgow Caledonian University.

Community Practitioner : the Journal of the Community Practitioners' & Health Visitors' Association
|January 14, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Many parents wean infants earlier than recommended guidelines, with social deprivation linked to delayed weaning. Parental perception of infant readiness is a key factor in starting solid foods.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health Nutrition
  • Infant Feeding Practices

Background:

  • Optimal infant nutrition is crucial for growth and development.
  • Introducing solid foods (weaning) at the appropriate time is a key aspect of infant nutrition.
  • Current guidelines recommend initiating weaning at six months of age.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate parental decisions regarding the timing of infant weaning.
  • To explore factors influencing early or delayed introduction of solid foods.
  • To examine the relationship between socioeconomic status and weaning practices.

Main Methods:

  • A postal questionnaire survey was conducted.
  • The study included 203 families with infants aged 7–10 months.
  • Data collected focused on parental decisions, reasons for weaning, and sources of advice.

Main Results:

  • Early weaning before six months was common; over half of infants started solids by four months.
  • Significant social patterning was observed, with socially deprived families less likely to adhere to guidelines.
  • Perceived infant readiness was the most frequent reason cited for initiating weaning.

Conclusions:

  • Parental perceptions of infant readiness often drive weaning decisions, leading to practices divergent from guidelines.
  • Socioeconomic factors significantly influence infant feeding practices.
  • The timing of health advice delivery, rather than its receipt, correlated with the introduction of solids, warranting further investigation.

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