Hi again - Mom has given me permission to post.  I have a question that I
really should know the answer to, but have to confess that I don't.  I
usually lose track of the pre-term babies that I have worked with once they
are launched and breastfeeding, so it does not often come up, but this
mother has kept in touch and now wants to know when to introduce weaning
foods.  Baby was born at 32 weeks gestation weighing 2100g, and now weighs
7100g at 5 months (corrected gestational age 3 months).  His weight shows
that he is absolutely thriving on breastmilk alone, but there seems to be
some concern that he needs solids now in view of the fact that he *was*
sleeping at night from 8pm to 5am and is now waking again at 12.30 am and 2
4 5 and 6! Otherwise mom says he's fabulous and only cries if he's hungry.
She's a lovely mom, worked very hard to establish breastfeeding in the early
weeks (it was hard!) and wants to do the best thing for this little chap.

What is your advice?  With the exposure of sIgA and growth factors contained
in breastmilk does the pre-term baby's gut mature as quickly as a full-term
baby's? Or should pre-term babies start weaning foods at 6 months corrected
gestational age (for this baby 8 months)?

Many thanks.

Pamela Morrison IBCLC, Zimbabwe
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