Weaning: current status and practical recommendations

The author reviews the current concepts on the weaning process of infant age and the breast feeding practice in the last 50 years in Italy, with particular emphasis on the reduction of its frequency and duration in time. Weaning can be summarized by three questions: why? when? how? The best moment to start weaning is based on our knowledge about the physiologic development of the digestive capacity and on the nutritional requirement for the optimal growth. There is a general agreement to start weaning after the fourth month of life and when the birth weight of the infant has doubled. Regarding the type of food with which to start, the author's preference is for a sweet kind like a mixture of cow's milk and rice starch at 5%, to be given with a small feeding spoon. The second approach can be a little soup with vegetable broth, cereals and strained fruit products. Mixed foods should be introduced separately.