How old is the best age for weaning children?

When babies are young, they grow up drinking breast milk, but this does not mean that the child can grow up drinking breast milk. Because when the child reaches a certain age, breast milk often cannot provide the nutrients needed by the child. At this time, complementary foods are needed to increase the child's nutrition. So, at what age is it best to wean the child? I believe every mother wants to know the answer to this question, so let me introduce it to you.

Theoretically speaking, the baby can eat it until the age of 1-2 years old. We have our own specific circumstances, as well as the specific circumstances of each family and each mother. In my clinical practice, I have come into contact with many working mothers in cities. They are under a lot of pressure at work. Some of them even have to prepare for exams or weaning right after giving birth. I often encounter this. Generally speaking, if the mother is in good health and is not under too much work pressure, it is completely acceptable to breastfeed the baby until one year old. At least try to ensure breastfeeding for four to six months. There are some special circumstances, such as when the mother is sick or the child's illness affects the separation of mother and baby, then that is a different matter. If there is sufficient breast milk and no special circumstances, the baby can be fed until about one year old, and it should be ensured to at least six months.

Because babies' stomachs do not secrete much digestive enzymes before the age of one, with the help of complementary foods, they get used to swallowing and promote the production of digestive enzymes to exercise the gastrointestinal system, laying a good foundation for dietary transformation after one year old. One year old is especially critical for chewing. If the baby is still fed with milk at this time, the child's digestion and chewing abilities will be affected. If the child cannot chew correctly, he or she will become picky about food and lose appetite, which will affect his or her future growth and development.

Stopping breastfeeding too early

There are a wide variety of high-quality milk substitutes available on the market. Parents should understand that no matter how good the milk substitute is, it cannot reach the standard proportion of nutrients contained in breast milk. Breast milk contains a variety of immune components and is the most ideal natural food for babies. Breastfeeding for 4-6 months is recommended, and it is not advisable to stop breastfeeding too early.

Weaning too late

Late weaning is a common problem in rural my country. People believe that extending the breastfeeding period can provide rich nutrition for infants and prevent diseases such as diarrhea and malnutrition caused by weaning, food contamination and unreasonable formula. This is not the case. Too long a breastfeeding period can lead to malnutrition in children and will also deprive children of the opportunity to learn and explore new things. Experiments show that infants who are breastfed for too long are unwilling to eat other foods.

In fact, weaning too early or too late is not conducive to the child's growth. So, at what age is it best to wean a child? I believe that through the introduction of the above content, everyone already knows that it is best to wean a child before 8 months to one year old. Mothers should always remember this and not delay the child's growth and development.