Weaning

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Weaning ( weaning shall ) is the weaning of the human infant from the breast diet with breast milk at the same time as possible inhibiting the secretion of milk of the mother. The more general term applied to animals is “ weaning ”. In humans, a distinction is made between primary and secondary weaning. Primary weaning means that breastfeeding is not started after the birth. Secondary weaning refers to weaning after a period of breastfeeding.

Time of weaning

The time of weaning varies from person to person and must be determined by each mother and child. The timing varies from a few weeks after birth to the age of four or more years for the child. If the infant is breastfed as required and is allowed to determine the time of weaning himself, the time of weaning is often only after the second or third birthday. A real weaning on the part of the child in the first year almost never happens. If one considers the behavior of mammals and adjusts the data to humans, the weaning age would be between 2.5 and 7 years. The comparison of the weaning age of 64 traditional cultures, as made by Katherine Dettwyler and Stuart McAdam in "Breastfeeding: Biocultural Perspectives", 1995, comes to a curve, the apex of which is shortly before the third birthday. The earliest weaning time of the cultures examined is shortly before the first birthday, the latest around 5 ½ years.

A baby is ready for complementary feeding when:

  • the tongue reflex, which automatically pushes solid food out of the mouth, has disappeared,
  • he is interested in the food and can bring it to the mouth himself,
  • it shows an increased need for breastfeeding that does not return to normal after a few days and is not due to other reasons, such as B. teething , illness , stress , growth.

In any case, a gentle, i.e. H. treacherous weaning should be sought, regardless of whether this originates from the child or the mother. This avoids fear of loss in the infant and health problems - such as milk congestion in the mother. With natural weaning according to the needs of the child, the child will want to be breastfed less and less frequently as development and maturity increase. In the case of weaning initiated by the mother, one breastfeeding meal after the other should only be slowly replaced by a complementary meal over a period of weeks.

Early weaning can have various causes: insufficient secretion or inflammation of the breasts, generally debilitating diseases (e.g. tuberculosis) and mental disorders of the woman who has recently given birth . In medically indicated cases it can be supported with medication.

The recommendation as to when complementary foods should be introduced varies depending on the country and the local hygienic standards. In Germany, for example, the recommendations are: Complementary food may be introduced from the age of 4 months. You should start between the 4th and 6th month of life.

Introduction of complementary foods

Responsive Feeding

Responsive feeding is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF . An exclusive diet through breastfeeding up to the age of 6 months is generally advocated. Then you can start with 2 to 3 small portions of complementary food. Thereafter, the amount should be increased depending on the child's appetite, while continued breastfeeding is planned for up to 2 years and beyond if necessary.

The responsive feeding approach is an alternative to scheduled breastfeeding. Responsive here means adapting breastfeeding to the needs of mother and child. Breastfeeding is therefore a way of communication. The focus is on the feeling of closeness and security in addition to the mere ingestion of food. Particular emphasis is placed on the fact that actually responsive breastfeeding can only take place via the breast. In essence, this recommendation describes the design of breastfeeding as a result of the interaction between mother and child according to their inner feelings and needs. Exact specifications for specific periods are not made. Aside from feeding, breastfeeding should therefore also be understood as a supportive measure in coping with parenthood.

Baby-led weaning

Baby-led weaning (BLW) is a possible weaning method that was developed based on WHO recommendations. The weaning process and the switch to solid food should essentially be controlled by the baby himself. This is achieved by allowing the baby to self-feed from the start of weaning.

Baby-guided weaning can begin from the 5th to 7th month of life, when the child's development indicates that the baby can now handle solid food. The baby needs to be able to sit upright and partake in meals, and may already begin to reach for food and put it in their mouth. The 6-month guide provided by the WHO is based on research showing that the digestive system matures between the 4th and 6th months of life. It seems conclusive that the digestive system matures in parallel with the baby's motor skills to feed itself. Various dishes are offered to arouse the child's interest. The baby first learns to pick up the food and to taste it. At first the baby eats very little solid food, mainly discovering the texture and taste. Soon, however, it begins to swallow and digest the food that is offered to it. Breastfeeding continues, always before eating solid food in the first year of life.

There is no research to support the introduction of solid foods with baby food. FOAG proponents argue that babies get confused if chewed food is introduced after the porridge.

According to Clara M. Davis' 1939 study of Young Children's Food Choices, babies by six months of age are able to use their sense of taste to choose foods that contain the nutrients they currently need. Babies learn most effectively when they can observe and imitate others. Allowing them to eat the same things and eat at the same time as everyone else in the family will help them get used to positively.

In Germany, the official recommendation of the ministries is to start the complementary food with porridge and only slowly switch to family food from the 10th month on. In Austria, the Eating Right project, funded by the Federal Ministry, provides information from the very beginning about the official recommendations for complementary foods that are compliant with Germany - from around the 6th month of porridge and from around the 10th month of switching to family food.

Abrupt weaning

Sudden weaning may be necessary if the mother becomes ill or needs to be separated from the child. If the chest is suddenly no longer emptied, it should be spread out by hand or pumped out. This alternative emptying can be slowly reduced so as not to stimulate milk production any further. A milk fever can develop, which usually subsides within three to four days without any problems. Drug treatment to support weaning is no longer recommended due to side effects, unless there are additional medical indicators.

literature

  • Christine Mändle, Sonja Opitz-Kreuter (Hrsg.): The midwife book: textbook of practical obstetrics . Schattauer Verlag, 2007, ISBN 978-3-7945-2402-0 , p. 773 ff .
  • Márta Guóth-Gumberger, Elizabeth Hormann: Breastfeeding . Gräfe and Unzer, 2008, ISBN 978-3-8338-0405-2 , pp. 117 ff .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Weaning - when and how? ( Memento from September 16, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Article in the family handbook of the State Institute for Early Childhood Education (IFP)
  2. ↑ Introduction of complementary foods ( Memento from April 24, 2012 in the Internet Archive ), information page of the Research Institute for Child Nutrition in Dortmund, accessed on June 3, 2012
  3. ↑ Guiding principles for complementary feeding of the breastfed child brochure of the WHO. Brief description with a link to the PDF file (in English, French and Spanish)
  4. ↑ Unicef ​​UK: Responsive Feeding: Supporting close and loving relationships. UNICEF UK, October 2016, accessed January 16, 2018 .
  5. ↑ The infant does not need baby food Article on Welt-Online from June 21, 2007
  6. ↑ Gill Rapley: Baby-led Weaning: Helping Your Baby to Love Good Food . Vermilion, November 6, 2008, ISBN 978-0-09-192380-8 .
  7. ↑ Rapley, G. 2006. Baby-led weaning, a developmental approach to the introduction of complementary foods. In Hall Moran, V and Dykes, F. eds. Maternal and Infant Nutrition and Nurture: Controversies and Challenges . Quay Books, London. pp 275-298.
  8. ^ Davis, Clara M. Results of the self-selection of diets by young children. Can Med Assoc J 1939 41: 257-61
  9. ↑ Strauss, Stephen. Clara M. Davis and the wisdom of letting children choose their own diets. Can Med Assoc J 2006 175: 1199
  10. ↑ The best food for babies ( Memento from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Recommended complementary foods from Germany's initiative for healthy eating and more exercise and [1] Healthy life. Young family network: the best food for babies. aid infodienst, Bonn, 2014.
  11. ↑ Eat right from the start ( Memento from March 31, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Austrian complementary food recommendations
  12. ↑ The weaning process , article in the breastfeeding lexicon, see web links

Web links

Wiktionary: Ablaktation  - explanations of meanings, word origins , synonyms, translations