Are you weaning too soon? The risks no one talks about – but parents need to know

And while some studies, like one published in JAMA Pediatrics in 2018[1], that appear to support the belief that weaning your baby earlier than 6 months can help them to sleep better might tempt you to join these early weaning advocates, a whole host of other scientific studies and articles might just stop you in your spoon-feeding tracks…

These include a 2019 scientific opinion piece[2] from the European Food Safety Authority about the appropriate age for the introduction of complementary feeding that finds no benefit in introducing solids before 6 months for growth, allergy prevention or sleep and that a baby’s gut and immune system are still maturing before 4 months.

Then there’s an EAT study by King’s College London[3] that was updated in 2021 that busts the myth that early solids leads to fewer allergies. The follow-up showed that early introduction did not reduce allergy risk long-term for the general population.

Another consideration for parents about to start weaning is how their timing could affect their child’s future weight. A recent study[4] has found a link between early introduction of solids and obesity, suggesting that weaning before 4 months was associated with higher BMI and increased obesity risk at preschool age. The study went on to suggest that waiting to wean until 6 months may protect against childhood obesity.

Finally, there are digestive concerns to consider when it comes to weaning and a 2020 study[5] found that early weaning disrupted the natural development of the infant gut microbiome. In fact, a more mature and diverse microbiome (which is associated with a stronger immune system) was found in infants weaned after 6 months.

And then there’s guidance on baby feeding from the Public Health Agency[6] that says: “The latest research shows that babies don’t need anything but breastmilk or infant formula for the first six months of life. This is because babies’ digestive systems and kidneys are still developing. Introducing solids too soon may increase the risk of asthma, eczema, digestive problems, allergies and obesity in later life.”

It's not just these studies that should encourage you to wait to wean. The NHS advice is clear that 6 months is the right time to wean, and your doctor and health visitor will both support this:

“The current recommendation is to wait until your baby is around 6 months old to start weaning onto solid foods,” says NHS GP Dr Philippa Kaye. “There are various reasons for this, including the fact that breast milk or formula milk is enough, in that it contains all the calories, vitamins and minerals that your baby needs. The only exception to this is around vitamin D where supplementation may be advised, for example if you are exclusively breastfeeding.”

“The content of the milk aside, waiting until around 6 months means that your baby is more likely to be sitting up, be more able to feed themselves, better able to co-ordinate movements like chewing and swallowing and it allows for their bodies to develop to be able to cope with solid foods.”

All experts are united on one important fact, though: it's definitely not safe to start weaning before 17 weeks.

When do mums actually start weaning?

Despite all this advice, mums are still weaning a lot earlier than you might expect. A MadeForMums poll of 402 mums told us that 54% start either at 4 or 5 months and only 40% wait until 6 months or more.

The full results are as follows:

When did you start weaning your baby?

• Before 4 months: 6%
• At 4 months: 26%
• At 5 months: 28%
• At 6 months: 34%
• At 7 months: 6%

The experts’ view – what age is safe to start solids?

"If you think your baby is ready to wean earlier then the recommended age of 6 months," says Dawn Kelly, an independent UK health visitor with 20 years' experience, "speak to your health visitor or doctor about it. But never introduce solids before 17 weeks."

“It may be that you are advised by your doctor to start weaning at a slightly earlier age, for example to help with reflux,” says Dr Philippa Kaye. “Please do not start weaning early unless advised to do so by a healthcare professional.”

There’s no doubt lots of mums start earlier than 6 months for a variety of reasons, but many of these are not medical. For example, Jodie, a member of our MadeForMums community says: “I started weaning my little one at 17 weeks. I felt under pressure to start earlier from family but wanted to wait until the advised time (6 months).”

Why should you never start to wean before 4 months?

The Department of Health, NHS and health professionals all state clearly that your baby’s digestive system isn’t ready for solid food before 17 weeks.

Research also suggests that weaning before 4 months may be linked to an increased chance your child will become overweight. Data from The Millennium Cohort Study (which is following 12,000 children born in 2000) found that 26% of babies given solids before 4 months were overweight at the age of 3, compared with 22% of those fed solids later on.

The same pattern was true when the children reached 5 years; 24% of those given solids before 4 months were overweight compared with 20% of those given solids after 4 months.

Dr Lucy Griffiths, who led the research team, said: "Our findings suggest a continued need to discourage premature introduction of solid foods."

How can you tell if it's safe to wean your baby before 6 months?

It’s best to talk things through with your health visitor first. But, very broadly speaking:

• It's definitely not safe if... your baby is under 17 weeks. Or if you're keen on doing baby-led weaning: your baby does need to be 6 months old before you start to wean this way.
• It's probably not safe if... your baby is over 17 weeks but not showing all the signs of readiness (below) – or if you have a family history of allergies or coeliac disease. You really do need to seek advice from your health visitor or GP first, if you're still keen to get started.
• It's probably safe if... your baby is over 17 weeks, he or she is showing all the signs of readiness, and you’ve got the OK from your health visitor or GP.

What are the signs of readiness for weaning?

“Signs that your baby is ready for weaning include being able to stay in a sitting upright position with a steady head and that they can co-ordinate looking at food, picking it up and putting it in their mouths,” says Dr Philippa Kaye.

The three main weaning signs include your baby:

• having good neck and head control, and being able to sit well with support
• gaining a healthy weight since birth
• being able to reach out for objects, grab them and bring them to their mouth.

Beware of the 'false signs' of readiness to wean

There are some things that all babies tend to do at around about this age that are often mistaken for sure signs that it's time to start moving on to solids. They're not.

So, if your baby is doing any of the following, you shouldn't dive for the weaning spoons – unless you can spot the proper signs of readiness, too:

• Chewing fists. Almost all babies love stuffing things – toys, blankets, fists – in their mouth. It's one of the ways they learn about the world around them (and drive you to oh-no-he's-going-to-choke distraction). So, chowing down on a hand is not a sign of a yearning for a solid bite to eat.
• Waking in the night. Even if your baby has always been a good sleeper and suddenly starts waking at night, it doesn’t mean it’s time to wean. Contrary to many an old wives' tale, there’s no evidence that giving your baby solids will mean a return to sleeping through.
• Wanting extra milk feeds. It's quite normal for your baby to go through periods of growth spurts during which he or she will be particularly hungry. Giving extra milk, rather than getting out the solids, is the answer.

6 reasons you should wait to wean until 6 months

1. Your baby’s digestive system needs to mature. This is particularly important if your baby has a family history of allergies or coeliac disease. Research suggests that babies weaned early are more likely to suffer tummy upsets, diarrhoea and vomiting.
2. Your baby needs to have lost the 'tongue-thrust' reflex. All small babies have this reflex, which means they instinctively push out anything on their tongue, to protect against choking. Before you start weaning, this reflex needs to diminish, so your baby doesn’t instantly push the food straight back out. The reflex usually starts to fade between 4 and 6 months.
3. Your baby needs to have mastered new tongue skills. It's not just about losing the push-food-out reflex; your baby also needs to learn how to push food from the front of his or her mouth to the back, and then swallow – a skill he or she will still be developing before 6 months.
4. Your baby needs to be able to sit up – and pick up food. By 6 months, your baby is likely to be able to sit up with little or no support, and have good head and neck control, making chewing and swallowing easier. He or she should also be able to pick up foods and move them to his or her mouth.
5. Milk is enough. Research shows that babies can get all their nutritional needs from breast milk or formula milk for the first 6 months of their life.
6. Baby-led weaning shouldn't start before 6 months. At 6 months, your baby can start baby-led weaning (BLW), an increasingly popular method of weaning where you encourage your child to feed him or herself, rather than be fed by you with a spoon, or a mix of purées and BLW. It’s not recommended to start BLW before 6 months.

References

[1] Perkin MR, Bahnson HT, Logan K, et al. Association of Early Introduction of Solids With Infant Sleep: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Pediatr. 2018

[2] Appropriate age range for introduction of complementary feeding into an infant's diet, EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA), 12 September 2019, EFSA Journal

[3] Michael R. Perkin et al. Randomized Trial of Introduction of Allergenic Foods in Breast-Fed Infants, May 5, 2016, N Engl J Med, Vol. 374 No. 18

[4] Huh SY, Rifas-Shiman SL, Taveras EM, Oken E, Gillman MW. Timing of solid food introduction and risk of obesity in preschool-aged children. Pediatrics, 2011 Mar

[5] Differding MK, Benjamin-Neelson SE, Hoyo C, et al. Timing of complementary feeding is associated with gut microbiota diversity and composition and short chain fatty acid concentrations over the first year of life, March 11, 2020, BMC Microbiology

[6] https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/sites/default/files/2019-03/Weaning_made_easy_nov%202018_0.pdf