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With a moistened index finger pointing skyward, I always have tried to remain alert to where the winds of change are blowing. But every now and then I miss a trend in child care, and that is the case with something known as “baby-led weaning.” Influenced by the questionable notion that there is a “natural” way of doing almost everything, the concept hinges on the belief that an infant will “tell” his mother when it is time to stop nursing and begin solids, aka complementary feeding.
At face value, the concept of allowing the baby to lead is a good one simply because of universality of biologic variation. Just as with the question of how much sleep a baby needs, I don’t think anyone (let alone clinicians) can give with assurance an answer that can easily be applied to all infants. There are just too many variables.
For most dyads, breastfeeding is more than just passing calories from one individual to another. Nursing can offer a sense of security and calming both for infants and their mothers. In many cases, the breast unfortunately has become a critical ingredient in the infant’s ritual for falling to sleep. For some mothers, success at breastfeeding becomes an important validation of her feelings of confidence and self-worth that in the past may have been battered by a male-dominated environment. If breastfeeding has been an unpleasant experience, a mother may be more likely to interpret her infant’s behavior as a message that it is time to wean. The bottom line is that a mother’s perception of her baby’s messages about weaning often reflects her own feelings about nursing.
Of course, we clinicians can influence a mother’s perception of her baby’s messages by introducing our own biases about what we believe is the safest, most nutritionally sound way to introduce complementary feeding. And let’s be honest and acknowledge that those are biases mostly unsupported by good scientific study. In many cases, they are more of a reflection of the cultures in which we have grown up.
When asked by parents how they will know when their infant is ready for complementary feeding, I suggest that it’s time when the infant is not only curious about what the adults around him are eating, but obviously is upset that he isn’t being offered a taste. I add that exactly what that food should be is a matter of debate and common sense.
I also encourage parents to allow the child to do as much self-feeding as possible and not worry about the mess. An old shower curtain floor and plenty of sponges and paper towels are a must.
In most cases, I think we can trust babies to take the lead in weaning. But I also believe that as clinicians we must remain alert to the few situations when extended nursing is not in the best interest for the baby who is not growing well or for the mother for whom the nursing is taking an unreasonable toll on her physical and mental health.
Dr. Wilkoff practiced primary care pediatrics in Brunswick, Maine, for nearly 40 years. He has authored several books on behavioral pediatrics including “How to Say No to Your Toddler.” Email him at [email protected].
With a moistened index finger pointing skyward, I always have tried to remain alert to where the winds of change are blowing. But every now and then I miss a trend in child care, and that is the case with something known as “baby-led weaning.” Influenced by the questionable notion that there is a “natural” way of doing almost everything, the concept hinges on the belief that an infant will “tell” his mother when it is time to stop nursing and begin solids, aka complementary feeding.
At face value, the concept of allowing the baby to lead is a good one simply because of universality of biologic variation. Just as with the question of how much sleep a baby needs, I don’t think anyone (let alone clinicians) can give with assurance an answer that can easily be applied to all infants. There are just too many variables.
For most dyads, breastfeeding is more than just passing calories from one individual to another. Nursing can offer a sense of security and calming both for infants and their mothers. In many cases, the breast unfortunately has become a critical ingredient in the infant’s ritual for falling to sleep. For some mothers, success at breastfeeding becomes an important validation of her feelings of confidence and self-worth that in the past may have been battered by a male-dominated environment. If breastfeeding has been an unpleasant experience, a mother may be more likely to interpret her infant’s behavior as a message that it is time to wean. The bottom line is that a mother’s perception of her baby’s messages about weaning often reflects her own feelings about nursing.
Of course, we clinicians can influence a mother’s perception of her baby’s messages by introducing our own biases about what we believe is the safest, most nutritionally sound way to introduce complementary feeding. And let’s be honest and acknowledge that those are biases mostly unsupported by good scientific study. In many cases, they are more of a reflection of the cultures in which we have grown up.
When asked by parents how they will know when their infant is ready for complementary feeding, I suggest that it’s time when the infant is not only curious about what the adults around him are eating, but obviously is upset that he isn’t being offered a taste. I add that exactly what that food should be is a matter of debate and common sense.
I also encourage parents to allow the child to do as much self-feeding as possible and not worry about the mess. An old shower curtain floor and plenty of sponges and paper towels are a must.
In most cases, I think we can trust babies to take the lead in weaning. But I also believe that as clinicians we must remain alert to the few situations when extended nursing is not in the best interest for the baby who is not growing well or for the mother for whom the nursing is taking an unreasonable toll on her physical and mental health.
Dr. Wilkoff practiced primary care pediatrics in Brunswick, Maine, for nearly 40 years. He has authored several books on behavioral pediatrics including “How to Say No to Your Toddler.” Email him at [email protected].
With a moistened index finger pointing skyward, I always have tried to remain alert to where the winds of change are blowing. But every now and then I miss a trend in child care, and that is the case with something known as “baby-led weaning.” Influenced by the questionable notion that there is a “natural” way of doing almost everything, the concept hinges on the belief that an infant will “tell” his mother when it is time to stop nursing and begin solids, aka complementary feeding.
At face value, the concept of allowing the baby to lead is a good one simply because of universality of biologic variation. Just as with the question of how much sleep a baby needs, I don’t think anyone (let alone clinicians) can give with assurance an answer that can easily be applied to all infants. There are just too many variables.
For most dyads, breastfeeding is more than just passing calories from one individual to another. Nursing can offer a sense of security and calming both for infants and their mothers. In many cases, the breast unfortunately has become a critical ingredient in the infant’s ritual for falling to sleep. For some mothers, success at breastfeeding becomes an important validation of her feelings of confidence and self-worth that in the past may have been battered by a male-dominated environment. If breastfeeding has been an unpleasant experience, a mother may be more likely to interpret her infant’s behavior as a message that it is time to wean. The bottom line is that a mother’s perception of her baby’s messages about weaning often reflects her own feelings about nursing.
Of course, we clinicians can influence a mother’s perception of her baby’s messages by introducing our own biases about what we believe is the safest, most nutritionally sound way to introduce complementary feeding. And let’s be honest and acknowledge that those are biases mostly unsupported by good scientific study. In many cases, they are more of a reflection of the cultures in which we have grown up.
When asked by parents how they will know when their infant is ready for complementary feeding, I suggest that it’s time when the infant is not only curious about what the adults around him are eating, but obviously is upset that he isn’t being offered a taste. I add that exactly what that food should be is a matter of debate and common sense.
I also encourage parents to allow the child to do as much self-feeding as possible and not worry about the mess. An old shower curtain floor and plenty of sponges and paper towels are a must.
In most cases, I think we can trust babies to take the lead in weaning. But I also believe that as clinicians we must remain alert to the few situations when extended nursing is not in the best interest for the baby who is not growing well or for the mother for whom the nursing is taking an unreasonable toll on her physical and mental health.
Dr. Wilkoff practiced primary care pediatrics in Brunswick, Maine, for nearly 40 years. He has authored several books on behavioral pediatrics including “How to Say No to Your Toddler.” Email him at [email protected].