Do I have to wait 6 months to wean baby?


At present WHO guidelines recommend that babies should be breastfed exclusively until 6 months at least and that weaning should not be any earlier, unless of course if baby shows signs of being ready to wean. At 6 months, your baby's immune system is at that point when the risk of an allergic reaction is lower. Also babies at this stage begin to respond to small amounts of food well. Mainly breast milk or formula on their own is not able to provide iron and other key nutrients which can be obtained from solid foods. Solid foods also enable baby to develop facial and mouth muscles vital for speech development later on. BUT in case you or your family have a history of allergies such as asthma, eczema and the like, delayed weaning decreases the chances of your baby getting these conditions.