How to wean your baby from breastfeeding

When to wean a baby

According to WHO recommendationsExclusive breastfeeding for six months best for babies everywhere, it is better to feed babies up to six months exclusively with breast milk. Then it is gradually introduced lure.

Although with the appearance of teeth, the baby is already able to get along with solid food, breastfeeding should not be abandoned until two years old. After all, mother's milk protectsBreastfeeding protects against illness and infection in infants and children: a review of the evidence. from infections and helps to digest the rest of the food. Feeding itself is an important way of communication between mother and baby.

Anthropological studies showMost Human Societies Don’t Get Our Breastfeeding Hang-upthat it is only natural to breastfeed babies longer than the WHO advises. The final transition to adult food can occur closer to three or even four years. And that's quite normal.

At the same time, there are no hard and fast rules about the duration of breastfeeding.

After six months, the most important factor is the comfort of the mother and the child. Feed up to three - if you feel like it. Or wean you a year or earlier - if you're tired or it's time for you to go to work. Focus on yourself and your child, and not on the opinion of relatives, neighbors and girlfriends.

How to wean your baby from breastfeeding painlessly

The main thing is to do everything gradually. Too abrupt withdrawal is fraught with milk stagnation (lactostasis) and inflammation of the mammary gland (mastitis) in the mother, digestive problems in the child, as well as psychological stress in both.

Choose the right time

You should not begin the transition to "adulthood" when children are teething or not feeling well. It is better to postpone breastfeeding in extreme heat, as well as during an epidemic ARVI.

Cancel one meal at a time

For starters, skip one breastfeed a day - the one your baby is least enthusiastic about. Most likely it will be an afternoon snack. Replace breastfeeding with a bottle of formula if the baby is not yet a year old. Or solid food (for an older child).

When this regimen becomes habitual - and it can take from 3 to 7 days - remove another feed. And so on, until the child completely switches to self-feeding.

Feed more often during the day

The most difficult thing is to give up the night and first morning feeding, because it is at night that the body producesThe physiological basis of breastfeeding loading doses of prolactin, a hormone responsible for the secretion of milk. The child is used to receiving a lot of nutrients at this time. Naturally, now he will be hungry and insistently demand the return of what he has lost. The way out is to feed more often and more densely during the day.

Assign feeding to other family members

Dad, grandmother or grandfather are quite capable of feeding a child from a bottle or a spoon. Entrust them with this task, and yourself retire to another room so that the child does not get nervous and is not distracted by the smell of mother's milk.

Give your child enough time

Weaning babies does not mean taking away their attention. When your baby is full and not so interested in getting milk, spend as much time with him as possible. Games, hugs and socializing will help him get through this difficult period easier.

Express a little

Milk production in the body follows the law of supply and demand. With the gradual abandonment of breastfeeding, lactation also slows down - up to a complete cessation.

If you feel that the breast is pouring, express milk, but not completely, but until the pain disappears. Otherwise, the body will perceive this as a signal that the bins are empty, and will begin to intensively replenish stocks.

Apply cabbage leaves to your chest

This old folk way is still relevant. Medical researchThe effectiveness of cabbage leaf application (treatment) on pain and hardness in breast engorgement and its effect on the duration of breastfeeding. do not deny that 20 minutes of applying cabbage leaves to the breast can relieve swelling and relieve milk stagnation. And although the effectiveness of the "compress from the garden" is not fully proven, it certainly will not be worse.

Various sources advise you to apply cabbage either at room temperature or chilled or frozen. What's the best? Few scientific experimentsDrug Levels and Effects give the answer: whatever you like. The leaf temperature does not affect its action in any way.

Drink herbal teas

Some plants help to reduce lactation, namely7 Methods to Dry Up Breast Milk (and 3 Methods to Avoid):

• sage;
• peppermint;
• parsley;
• jasmine flowers.

Just pour a couple of tablespoons of dry herbs with 300-400 ml of boiling water and let it brew for a couple of hours, and then strain.

What not to do when weaning a baby

As much as you want to stop lactation as soon as possible, there are several tricks that you should refrain from.

Do not bandage your chest

Our grandmothers tied their breasts tightly to stop lactation. Modern medicine calls to refuseBreast binding... is it all that it's wrapped up to be? from this practice as it causes tenderness and tenderness in the breasts. Instead of dressing, wear a tight, but not too tight, supportive bra.

Don't take lactation medications

There are medications that suppress prolactin production. They all have a hormonal basis and cause many side effects - from headaches and drowsiness to depression and exacerbation of various diseases. Never take them without consulting your doctor first.

Don't Thirsty Yourself

It is believed that the less you drink, the less milk you will have. However, the connectionExtra fluids for breastfeeding mothers for increasing milk production between the amount of fluid consumed and the intensity of lactation has not yet been proven. Therefore, it is better to drink enough to stay hydrated.

How long does it take to wean a baby from breastfeeding

It depends on many factors: the age of the child, his individual characteristics, the nuances of your body. Some babies painlessly give up breastfeeding in just a few days. Others will need 2-3 weeks or even a couple of months.

In addition, when you completely stop breastfeeding, your body will produce milk for a while. If the period of breastfeeding has been long, then minor lactation can last from several weeks to several months.