Breastfeeding Measurement—What Does It Mean to “Wean?”

Abstract

The term “weaning” is used heterogeneously in scientific and gray literature, with no commonly agreed-upon definition. Weaning can describe the gradual transition in the infant diet, usually from milk feedings to complementary foods, but it is also commonly used to describe any gradual transition between milks, foods, or feeding modalities. In an epidemiological context, it may also refer to changing breastfeeding rates within a cohort. The meaning of weaning has changed over time and may vary by the scientific assumptions applied to this period of human development. For these reasons, we propose that investigators avoid using the term weaning, and substitute it with more precise terminology. We present a series of proposed standard terms with corresponding definitions to guide more precise and accurate reporting of the various potential meanings of the term in the scientific literature. The objective is to improve reporting and reproducibility of research in the field of breastfeeding and human lactation.