Breast Feeding Weaning

Choosing when to wean you baby from the breast is a personal decision that only you and your baby should make. The right time to wean is the time when you are both ready and should not necessarily be based on some magical number. Whether he is six months or two years old. It should not be a time when the baby is sick or going through a major milestone in development.

It Should Be a Gradual Process

Breastfeeding weaning should take place gradually for the benefit of both baby and mom. Start by cutting back one session per day for two to three days. This will help avoid confusion and unhappiness as you discontinue a practice that has bonded you and your baby since birth.

Suddenly refusing to breast feed you baby can cause confusion in your baby. He may think you are refusing to offer yourself to him, rather than seeing as just refusing to feed him that way any longer. It can also be hard on the mother’s body to stop abruptly. Your breasts will become engorged, which can be very painful.

Timing and Routine

The time when you stop breastfeeding is a unique decision each mother must make for herself. Some mothers have to do it earlier than others for various reasons, but breastfeeding into the toddler years is perfectly acceptable. When you are ready to make the switch, consider asking dad for help, distracting your baby with other activities and not offering unless your child asks for it. Often simple changes in your routine make the change easier for everyone.

Breast Feeding For Comfort

Babies may miss the comfort of sucking and the bonding time that accompanied it once you take that away. Night time feedings, especially, are often offered as purely comfort and is the last feeding to be eliminated when weaning.