Weaning 4 months newborn
When is it right to start weaning?
The weaning ofa newborn baby, that is, the transition from feeding exclusively on mother's milk to the introduction of other foods, is a very controversial subject, especially because of the timing.
In general, it is recommended to start weaning only after 6 months, although many paediatricians often advise mothers to start introducing fruit as early as 4 months. Weaning month by month is, in fact, mostly indicated from the sixth month onwards to safeguard the health of the newborn child and to follow ministerial health guidelines.
The World Health Organisation recommends the importance of following exclusive breast-feeding up to six months because milk, especially if it is maternal, is necessary for the correct development of the immune system and helps to strengthen the entire organism.
Do not start weaning at 4 months: why?
There isno scientific evidence that claims benefits on the health of a newborn baby who starts weaning at 4 months: these old beliefs are exhumed especially when you have in front of you a slender baby. Although it may be thought that the child is underweight or even badly nourished, to confirm that this is not really the case, it is necessary to undermine this old belief in which "chubby" is synonymous with "health".
Every child has its own constitution, character and eating habits.
There are babies who are constantly on the move and burn a lot of energy simply by moving their legs and feet, which stimulates the muscle mass, while much more sedate babies allow the fat mass to linger around their legs, arms and cheeks. The physical conformation of the newborn does not necessarily determine its state of health.
In fact, it is often the opposite: in fact, children with exaggerated growth will have a greater chance of contracting childhood obesity.
Another very common saying is that after 4 months mother's milk becomes "lighter" and is no longer able to satisfy the needs of the newborn.
This old saying has also been "dismantled" by various scientific studies that show that breast milk has satisfactory values even after a year of breastfeeding.
In the case of poor growth related to an insufficient supply of nutritional values for other reasons, the advice is to increase the number or duration of feedings or, in extremis, to consider adding artificial milk .
In the medical journal Pediatrics, clinical reports are updated and replaced that address the roles of mother's nutrition during breastfeeding and infant feeding in the prevention of atopic disease, including atopic dermatitis, asthma and food allergy. In fact contrary to earlier assumptions there is no evidence that anticipating the introduction of allergenic foods including peanuts, eggs and fish at 4-6 months can prevent the onset of allergies or atopic disease.
Weaning at 4 months
Obviously, the start of weaning is not necessarily a mathematical calculation of days, months and hours. To be able to understand if the newborn baby is actually ready to "taste" new flavours, it is enough to be able to observe and try the simplest things to digest.
- If your newborn baby is attracted by your food, he looks for it with his eyes and would like to try it, this is already a small sign.
- If he is able to sit with his back erect and can be placed at the table with you, he is fulfilling the second signal.
- If you notice that the newborn baby is easily able to swallow thick semi-liquid textures, perhaps you can satisfy him by starting to insert the first samples of fruit without, however, modifying his usual food plan and without taking away meals from the addition of fruit.
On the contrary, if the paediatrician recommends a premature weaning at 4 months of age, it must be a matter of particular circumstances and at the same time rare and proven by clinical analysis, one of the few cases could be an allergy to milk or milk protein.
Source:
https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/143/4/e20190281
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