Weaning from breast milk is a painful process for many parents. Sometimes babies only breastfeed for a few months for different reasons. Sometimes they continue breastfeeding for a very long time, such as after the age of three. It is very sad that the baby sucks too little and does not get enough of this very valuable nutrient, but too long a sucking process is not comfortable for both the baby and the mother. So when should weaning happen and how should it be done?
When to stop breastfeeding?
First of all , it is very important that babies are exclusively breastfed for at least six months . Breastfeeding should not stop until at least one year of age. However, weaning can be considered after the age of two if the mother feels ready. At this point, consulting a specialist, especially a child development specialist, can make the process easier and healthier.
When Should Breastfeeding Be Discontinued?
- If the baby is under six months old and breastfeeding, breastfeeding should never be stopped.
- Breastfeeding should not be stopped if there is a major change for the baby, such as moving.
How to Stop Breastfeeding
There are hundreds of waysto wean your baby. However, you need to act cautiously to avoid damaging the bond between you. First of all, you need to make a firm decision to stop breastfeeding. Then you need to decide when to start weaning. Then proceed slowly and decisively. It is advisable to be careful about the following:
- Do not approach the baby in a way that reminds them to suck.
- If you are giving liquids such as milk, water or follow-on milk from a bottle, use flow-adjusted feedingso that the flow rate of the bottle nipple is similar to that of the breast .
- Be careful to feed the baby well when weaning.
- Do not refuse when the baby wants to suck, but shorten the duration of sucking.
- To reduce the frequency of sucking, do not accept every time the baby wants to suck. Of course, as mentioned above, do not refuse either. Draw his/her attention to something else and make him/her forget about the sucking.
Mistakes When Stopping Breastfeeding
1.Quitting suddenly
Suddenly stopping breastfeeding will cause a big reaction for the baby and the milk accumulating in the mother’s breasts will make her uncomfortable. Therefore , it is best to reduce the frequency and duration of breastfeeding.
2.Rejecting the baby too harshly
During this process, some mothers react very harshly to the baby’s desire to suck. This reaction causes the baby to be frightened and the communication with the mother to be badly affected. For this reason, it is best to complete the process naturally and gradually wean the baby from sucking.
3.Not preparing the baby for the change
We have already mentioned above that it would not be positive to reject the baby’s desire to suck too sharply. On the other hand , it is necessary to make strong feeding plans for the body that has become accustomed to breastfeeding. It should eat as well as possible and drink plenty of fluids.