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Day 151 – Ruminating on the matter of weaning

In my online research while considering when to wean our Little Buddy, I haven’t seen any list of pros and cons of weaning babies before the advised 6-months. So here’s my list of pros & cons.

Cons / disadvantages of starting early:
  • Supposedly higher risk of allergies and obesity if weaned before 5-6 months (some research contradicts this, see below)
  • Less developed digestive system
  • Not necessary unless he’s hungry
  • May be messier if he has not lost his tongue-thrust reflex
Pros / advantages of starting early:
  • Some research suggests that waiting until 6 months could lead to allergies and iron-deficiency
  • Less stressful and can take time to introduce foods (because at 6 months, the store of iron rapidly diminishes) instead of being stressed that he won’t accept food
  • Babies accept new and varied tastes more easily before 6 months
  • Babies might sleep more
  • Gassiness of babies suffering from trapped wind might be reduced if he takes in less air while drinking milk (my friend’s theory, not sure if this is valid)

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Resources I referred to my research to derive my thoughts above: