When to wean: whose advice do mothers find helpful?

Abstract

A survey of the weaning practice of first-time mothers shows that the health visitor is the most used and useful source of advice, but infant behaviour remains the main influence on parents' practice. Caroline Walker suggests that official guidelines may be too rigid to reflect the diversity of individual infant's needs as experienced by their carers, and that a more flexible approach may be needed if professionals' credibility is not to suffer.