simply defined: weaning is the period of transition for a baby from breast feeding to eating solid foods (link)
still this definition presumes that you breast-feed exclusively.. now what if your baby is not breast-fed, or what if you do a mix of natural and formula milk,,, does that consider your child to be weaned?
i don't think so,, to me,, in my humble opinion,, i consider weaning to be the time when you start introducing solid food to your baby,, regardless of whether they are breast or formula fed...
the uk's food standard agency,, the american academy of pediatrics,, and the world health organization,, all advocate exclusive breast-feeding until six months,, and then slowly introducing solids (weaning)..... in this part of the world,, the first thing you're told,, is that you don't have enough milk for the baby,,, you need to top up with formula,, you should start introducing solids (weaning) at 4 months,, that's why your baby is so small,, there are countless stories i've heard and actually experienced with my children,,, i never exclusively breast-fed,, and i didn't wait until 6 months to wean my children,,, so call me a bad mother,, but that's the best i could do,, and that's what matters,,
i'm straying off-topic here,,, anyway this is my definition of weaning,,, there's a great section on baby center's site dedicated to weaning,, take a look if you're interested,, you might find it useful...
just a quick note: remember we're humans,, we make mistakes,, especially the first time around,, we can't always be perfect and do everything the way people want us to,, so do the best you can do and don't feel guilty! the most important thing is that your baby is healthy and growing,, but always check with your doctor,,
xoxo
photo credit: here
