How to stop breastfeeding. Products for stopping lactation. When to stop lactation

29.07.2019

It is laid down by nature that a mother has been breastfeeding her baby for quite a long time. The longer this period is, the stronger the child's immune system will become. However, over time, hepatitis B comes to an end, and the mother has a question of how to properly stop lactation so as not to harm her health and psychological trauma to the child. Let's figure out how to pull breast milk correctly.

Breastfeeding is good for both the baby and his mom. This process has a positive effect on the hormonal background of a woman. There are ways in which the cessation of lactation leads to almost no discomfort. To suppress the synthesis of prolactin, you can use special medications or herbs.

How to gradually stop feeding

The process of breastfeeding has certain stages, starting with its formation and ending with involution. The final period is carried out gradually. Sometimes the extinction of the synthesis of breast milk occurs earlier than the baby is 1 year and 2 months old. The criterion for assessing the state of the mammary glands will help to understand that the start of involution has begun. This period is characterized by a decrease in the production of prolactin, the breasts are soft all day.

Gradually, when we finish lactation, only one night feed should be left. Of course, then it will be necessary to abandon it, while the baby will still have a sucking instinct for a long time. In order to satisfy him, it is recommended to drink a dairy product, compote, tea from a bottle to the baby.

Advice: to reduce the synthesis of milk, the mother should breastfeed less. Thus, the amount of milk will be produced in a smaller volume, based on the needs of the crumbs.

What methods can you quickly end feeding with?

Many women are wondering how to stop breastfeeding quickly. However, it is important to understand that these methods are not humane. Most babies find it difficult to understand that the time has come when they should stop sucking milk from their mother. Most often, the following methods are used for these purposes:

Quite often, the baby is sent to the next of kin for this time. It turns out that he has no contact with his mother for 2-3 days. This sometimes leads to serious stress for the baby, as the process of stopping feeding is associated with a feeling of loss of the mother. In addition, the woman continues to synthesize milk as usual, she is at increased risk of developing mastitis.
To reduce milk, tug with an elastic bandage is used. Thus, you can stop lactation at home after 3 days. At the same time, it is desirable to limit the use of hot drinks.

How to properly pull the chest

Before properly pulling breast milk, it should be understood that this method causes a lot of physical discomfort for mommy. If a woman decides to overtighten, then for bandaging, you should use the help of loved ones, since it is impossible to do this on your own. First, the ligation is applied to the ducts that are higher than the glandular area, be sure to look at the photo and video for the correct constriction procedure.

Drag overnight for the first time. The next day, with a bandaged breast, it is recommended to make a small one. An indicator that it is time to stop pumping is the absence of discomfort, the elimination of chest pain.

If you express too much milk, then you can only increase its synthesis. This procedure is often accompanied by fever, soreness, and hardening of the breasts. If such symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Traditional methods to help stop lactation

Camphor wraps help to stop feeding. They suppress lactation, restore the skin, and minimize the formation of hardened areas. First, it is recommended to soak the bandages with pre-warmed camphor oil. Then they need to be applied to the chest area, covered with cellophane on top, and put on underwear. This procedure should be carried out at night. However, before putting on the linen, it is important to remember that due to the strong smell of camphor it will have to be thrown out later.

Herbal preparations will help to stop lactation, which can be used not only for internal intake, but also for rubbing. The most widely used herbs have a diuretic effect, among them mint and sage are widely used. These funds contribute to a gradual decrease in milk production. After 7 days, the woman feels significant changes.

Before completing breastfeeding, you can drink the following herbal decoctions:

In what cases is medical termination of lactation used?

It is highly undesirable to stop breastfeeding by taking medication. Since these methods can cause negative consequences for a woman's health. They are usually used to abruptly stop feeding, for example when returning to work or when doctors stop feeding. Before using the tablets, the following recommendations should be considered:

You can take medications only after consulting a doctor, after an examination. This will help avoid side effects from inappropriate medications.
Medicines can only be drunk when there is no time for other solutions.
Before you start taking the pills, it should be understood that it will be impossible to restore prolactin synthesis.

Usually, the process of stopping breastfeeding is serious stress not only for the baby, but also for his mother. The transition to adult nutrition should not be abrupt. However, it happens that a woman has health problems, she loses the opportunity to breastfeed her baby. At the same time, milk continues to be released, discomfort occurs, accompanied by pain and bursting. Therefore, so that there is no problem with the question of how to stop lactation, Komarovsky, a well-known pediatrician, gives recommendations at the end of the breastfeeding process. First of all, these are:

Limiting the mother's fluid intake. This means that she should not force herself to drink more volume than was necessary when feeding.
In addition, you should think about reducing the sucking time, you can distract the child during this period, offer him entertainment.
No need to express milk.
Exercise is beneficial because less milk is produced during sweating.
You should not eat foods that stimulate the production of breast milk.
You can try to spoil the taste of milk, for example, include garlic, onions in the diet.

Before finishing breastfeeding, Komarovsky advises not to eat soups, foods that cause increased water intake. Instead of tea, it is better to drink decoctions of herbs that have a diuretic effect. Dr. Komarovsky recommends using decoctions of basil, lingonberry, horsetail, elecampane. For this, 1 tbsp. l. herbs or collection of herbs, pour 1 liter and drink throughout the day.

How to understand that a child is ready to stop hepatitis B

As a rule, the crumbs tend to abandon the breast on their own. However, there are those who find it difficult to part with this habit, but anyway, sooner or later, the end of the lactation period will occur. The main thing is that both the baby and the mother have psychological readiness.

From the point of view of doctors, when to stop breastfeeding - Komarovsky argues that it is easy to understand about the approach of this time. Usually, the initial symptoms of involution begin to appear when the child reaches 1 year and 2 months. But this can occur earlier with a hormonal change in the background of a woman.

The following signs will help to understand the readiness of the mother and the baby for involution:

before, mom experienced only positive emotions from breastfeeding. Now, emotional fatigue has replaced. She feels discomfort in her chest;
lack of discomfort in the mother with long intervals between feedings;
the baby does not have enough breast, he is hungry and often asks for breast.

Completion of breastfeeding

So is it necessary to deny the baby in the chest in the presence of the listed signs? Pediatricians argue that there should be no rush with this. As the milk changes, it becomes similar in quality to colostrum formed after the birth of a baby. This composition contains many antibodies and can protect the baby from infectious diseases for six months.

An important condition for the end of breastfeeding is the necessary emotional attitude. The main thing is that the baby understands that he is only, but not deprived of, mother's love. In this difficult period, he should be given more attention and tenderness.

What is the termination of breastfeeding, sooner or later becomes known to every nursing mother. The question arises before everyone: how to stop feeding the child correctly so as not to harm him or herself? The world organization "La Leche Liga" argues that you need to stop breastfeeding gradually, without taking radical action. If all the rules are followed, the process becomes natural and not so difficult.

Experts believe that completing breastfeeding can be gentle and comfortable for mom and baby.

Optimal time to complete lactation

When should you think about ending breastfeeding (more in the article :)? The World Health Organization says that the most suitable age for this is 2 years. Although by this time the quality and benefits of breast milk have not been lost, very often changes occur in life that are incompatible with HS (for example, the need for a mother to go to work or for a baby to go to kindergarten).

Unfortunately, you have to adapt to many circumstances. Let's see what are the features of the termination of lactation at different ages:

6 months. In the first six months, weaning a baby from the breast is permissible only for medical reasons. Mother's milk is a complete nutrition that has no artificial analogues (100% of nutrients). To complete lactation and deprive a child of this most valuable product, very good reasons are needed. Of course, mother's fatigue is not among them.
12 months. The American Pediatric Association publishes data according to which in the first year the baby receives up to 75% of the valuable substances during breastfeeding. Although complementary foods are gradually introduced at six months, it is only a supplement, and not a replacement for the main food.
18 months. The same American Association of Pediatrics claims that breastfeeding is also beneficial at this age, but if the mother needs it, it is already possible to stop lactation gradually. The main thing is to act competently.
24 months and older. According to another organization (WHO), lactation ends naturally at about 4 years of age. The most suitable age for completion is 2.5 years, which many mothers have successfully confirmed in practice.

Having figured out the time, now let's see how to end breastfeeding. Knowing what the necessary and undesirable actions are as important as setting a timeline.

What shouldn't you do?

This article tells about typical ways of solving your questions, but each case is unique! If you want to know from me how to solve your particular problem - ask your question. It's fast and free!

Before we learn how to stop breastfeeding, let's talk about what not to do and why. There are so-called extreme methods of weaning a baby; in the recent past, many women have boldly used them. Despite some of their effectiveness, think about the negative aspects of such actions. Is children's stress or harm to health worth the quick results you get? Everyone makes their own choice, but still, first, study the useful information. So, what actions are very, very undesirable:

Separation from the child for several days. This method is known to everyone and is considered the most common. Of course, the baby is left with his beloved grandmother or aunt, but at this age his connection with his mother is still very strong, and no one can replace the dearest person. In addition to the fact that the baby will receive stress from the abrupt change in nutrition and partially lose the spiritual closeness with the mother, which is provided by breastfeeding, for several days he will completely lose her presence.
Lubrication of the nipples with mustard, horseradish, brilliant green or other deterrent agents. Yes, the baby will refuse, but this will also be quite stressful for him. In addition, with such burning agents, you can easily leave a burn on the delicate skin of the nipples - then you will have to come to your senses from stress, not to mention additional treatment.
Replacing mother's milk with other drinks during night feedings. Often at night, the child is given juice, compote, water with sugar, or something else. Sugar drinks lead to further development of tooth decay, so they should not be used. The later the baby gets to know sugar, the better.
Instant weaning through other methods can also be stressful for the baby and health problems for the mom.

As you can see, all of the above methods are quite unhelpful and inhumane. You can perfectly finish lactation without them.

How not to harm your breasts?

When breastfeeding is abruptly stopped, it is not only the baby who experiences stress and health risks.

The main risk for a mother who decided to quit breastfeeding early is problems with the mammary glands. According to statistics, among such women there is a very large percentage of the disease and the risk of breast cancer is 4% higher.

How to quit breastfeeding correctly without compromising your health? A specialist consultation will not be superfluous. The following information will come in handy:

Refuse to drag. Tight dressings interfere with circulation and block the milk flow. All this leads to the formation of mastitis. You need to wear a tight bra that will simply support your breasts.
... At first, you will have to do this often, as soon as the breasts are full. Gradually, the number of pumping needs to be reduced, and in the end, stop altogether. Milk can be stored in the mammary glands for up to 3 months, so do not be alarmed if you feel it for a while.
Use herbs. Ordinary cabbage leaves help to relieve swelling, and unpleasant sensations disappear thanks to infusions of chamomile, sage and mint (we recommend reading :). The same herbs slightly reduce milk production. Compresses are acceptable, but only cold.
Do not be independent in the choice of medicines. They are bad for the general condition and have many side effects. The use of sedatives and especially hormonal drugs is justified in extremely rare situations, so only a doctor can prescribe them.

Milk will have to be expressed first, gradually decreasing the frequency and volume of the procedure.

In addition, easy and constant monitoring of the condition of the breasts will be helpful. If you or you feel lumps, contact your gynecologist, mammologist or breastfeeding specialist immediately.

If you see a slight release of fluid when you apply pressure to the areola, this is normal. When this situation is observed within 3 months after the end of breastfeeding, there is a reason for consultation.

Stopping feeding for up to a year

Natalia Gerbeda-Wilson, an expert from the La Leche Liga organization, is of the categorical opinion that the end of breastfeeding in the first 12 months is unacceptable. Even if the mother has to go to work, the milk needs to be expressed and the baby is bottle fed.

How to quit breastfeeding if it is still necessary and there is no other option? Try to end lactation gradually. The following tips will help you with this:

Ask for help from loved ones. It is better if the child associates bottle feeding not with his mother, but with his father, grandmother or someone else.
Reduce the number of feedings gradually. Cut down on daytime first, then nighttime, and lastly before bed.
Pay more attention to your baby as attachments to the breast decrease. To minimize stress, communicate more with him, hold him in your arms, talk. Give him a sense of protection and confidence.
If the baby strongly disagrees, give up the idea of stopping lactation. Most likely, your decision is too premature. Please try again after a while.

To make it easier for the baby to survive separation from the breast, you can temporarily shift the responsibility of feeding to dad or grandmother

There are also situations where weaning is prohibited. Among them:

Baby's illness. Switching to a new diet can make you feel worse.
The period of mastering a new skill or overexcitement. This requires an even emotional state.
Temporary breastfeeding. This is not a reason to stop breastfeeding altogether. This can happen when you decide to stop night feeds, overuse pacifiers, or too rarely latch on to your baby. Eliminate these factors and continue lactation.

Often mothers stop breastfeeding early because of severe mental and physical fatigue. Instead, try to rethink your daily routine: get plenty of rest and walk in the fresh air, eat well, get enough sleep, and interact with your baby. By providing yourself with such simple things, you will understand why it is too early to complete lactation at this time.

We complete lactation after a year

How to stop feeding a baby with breast milk after reaching one year of age (we recommend reading :)? This will be much easier. Although milk continues to retain its beneficial qualities, after 1.5-2 years, stopping feeding is already more painless. We recommend the following actions:

Feed your baby as many times as he wants. If he asks - give a breast, if he played too much and forgot - forget too.
Change the environment in which your baby is used to eating. Eliminating associations with breastfeeding will be of great help to you.
Replace the breast with a bottle or sippy during the day. This is not necessary at night, as you put yourself at risk of developing tooth decay.
Spend more time in a new environment. The child will transfer his attention to other children, animals, objects and everything unfamiliar. This move will help distract him from frequent breastfeeding.

As you can see, after a year, the termination of lactation is already more timely (see also:). It happens more easily and does not have such a negative impact on either health or emotional state.

New impressions and active walks will switch the child's attention and help the mother to carry out her plans.

Stopping lactation naturally

How to quit breastfeeding naturally and what does it mean? Experts say that by the age of 3 years the involution of lactation (termination) naturally occurs (we recommend reading.

It is difficult to fully appreciate the contribution that breastfeeding makes to a child's health and development. Breast milk is the most useful and valuable ingredient in the diet of a 1-2 year old baby. Many mothers today are very concerned about breastfeeding for as long as possible. Regardless of this desire, there comes a time when a woman, for certain reasons, is faced with the problem of stopping lactation.

Even if the mother has decided to breastfeed for a long time, sooner or later she will still have to think about completing lactation (we recommend reading :)

Reasons for cessation of lactation

The period during which the mother breastfeeds the child depends on the individual characteristics of the female body and can vary within 2.5 years. At this age, the composition of breast milk completely changes. According to endocrinologists, the production of prolactin, the hormone of breast milk, proceeds in natural phases, and at the end of this process involution occurs, but this scenario is not always met.

There are other options for stopping lactation:

Suppression of lactation immediately after childbirth. The reason may be medical indications for the mother or for the baby.
Self-denial. There are all sorts of reasons why the baby has no desire to suck on her mother's breast. As a result, the transition to regular food is inevitable.
Weaning a baby at one year of age. By this time, the woman is very tired emotionally and physically, she has a desire to get enough sleep and stop straining her arms while holding an already quite heavy baby for a long time.

Sometimes even mothers of newborns have to stop lactation - most often this is due to medical indications

Ways to Stop Breast Milk Production

This article tells about typical ways of solving your questions, but each case is unique! If you want to know from me how to solve your particular problem - ask your question. It's fast and free!

Breastfeeding isn't just good for your baby. The process of natural lactation has a positive effect on the hormonal health of the woman herself, especially if all stages of hepatitis B are normal from a physiological point of view. The natural desire of any mother is to ensure that the cessation of lactation occurs without particularly strong pain. For an almost painless suppression of prolactin production, there are a number of specific means and methods: gradual or one-step weaning, special herbal preparations, medications.

Gradual cessation of lactation

The breastfeeding process is characterized by successive stages, from its formation to involution. The natural stop of milk production does not happen immediately. In rare cases, the onset of extinction of lactation occurs earlier than the child reaches 1 year and 6 months.

The condition of the mammary glands will help to understand that the process of involution has already started. Milk stops flowing into the breast, and it remains soft throughout the day.

If the baby is not allowed to eat from the breast, the volume of milk will decrease, regardless of the needs of the baby. This is the best time to wean your baby.

Today, it is quite common for a mother to complete breastfeeding before the onset of involution. How to stop the production of breast milk in this case? If the child is already 9-11 months old, you can wean him from the breast within 2-3 months:

every two weeks, the number of feedings should be reduced by one;
by the end of this period, only feeding for the night should remain;
then you need to give it up, however, the baby will still have a sucking reflex - to satisfy it, you can give the crumbs water, compotes or kefir from a bottle to drink.

This approach to stopping lactation makes the process itself easier for mom and baby. According to breastfeeding consultants, this technique is the most humane.

during the cold season (as the risk of infection with intestinal viruses and bacteria increases in summer)
if the baby is healthy and over 1.5 years old.

Mom, during the period when she seeks to stop lactation, should follow some recommendations:

reduce the amount of fluid consumed;
give up hot tea, broth, salty food and those foods that cause thirst;
remove fatty meat, smoked and dairy products, butter from the menu;
in case of pain or discomfort in the mammary glands, express in small quantities until the unpleasant symptoms stop.

During the period of weaning crumbs from the breast, it is advisable for mom to give up the use of salt and those products in which it is contained in large quantities

Abrupt weaning of the baby from the breast

Most women who, for one reason or another, have decided to stop breastfeeding, do not have the necessary couple of months left - they are interested in how to quickly stop lactation. In such conditions, neither the mother's body, nor the child's body is prepared for instant changes.

Sometimes it is suggested to send the baby to relatives for the time of weaning or by other available means to make sure that he does not see his mother for 3-7 days. However, such measures can lead to great stress in the child, after which the process of weaning will be associated with the risk of losing his mother.

In addition, a sharp suppression of lactation is not only psychological experiences, but strong physical discomfort. The production of milk continues at the same intensity, as a result of which the breast is stretched, painful sensations appear. In some cases, lactostasis or even mastitis may develop. To reduce stretching, it is advised to tighten the breasts with an elastic bandage or a tight bra - however, these methods are not physiological, and can only aggravate the problem of engorgement of the mammary glands.

Weaning quickly is not always helpful. They involve the use of:

compresses and wraps (from camphor oil, cabbage leaf);
herbal infusions;
tablets.

Camphor oil wrap

A popular remedy that moms use to stop lactation, ideal for home use, is breast wrap or rubbing. The main component of these procedures is camphor oil. In addition to suppressing lactation, the use of this oil, together with a gentle breast massage, results in skin regeneration in a natural way, and also significantly reduces the risk of hardened lumps in the mammary glands.

The wrapping procedure itself is quite simple:

it is necessary to soak bandage napkins or napkins made of natural fabrics with camphor oil;
apply to each breast, cover with polyethylene, put on underwear, leave for a night's sleep (after feeding the baby in advance).

The lack of camphor oil is a pungent, corrosive odor, which is not easy to get rid of. For this reason, the clothes that are used for such a procedure will have to be thrown away in the future.

Camphor oil helps to regenerate breast tissue and prevent the appearance of lumps

Cabbage leaf compresses

In addition to wrapping, you can also resort to other folk methods to quickly stop lactation - applying cold cabbage leaves to the chest and changing them every hour throughout the day. According to Jack Newman, a renowned HW consultant, the use of cabbage is a rather gentle way to relieve engorgement of the mammary glands (in order to avoid the development of lactostasis). Such compresses help to reduce the production and flow of milk, which means they can suppress lactation.

Using herbal preparations

Sometimes, to stop lactation, the use of special herbal preparations is quite justified. Such infusions or decoctions can be taken both internally and as a means for grinding. The most widely used are diuretic infusions, including herbal decoction of sage and mint. Thanks to such a folk remedy, you can, albeit not immediately, independently reduce lactation, and subsequently achieve its complete suppression.

For a more effective effect of herbal decoctions, you should simultaneously reduce the body's fluid intake. A significant reduction in fluid intake helps to naturally reduce the amount of milk and contribute to the complete suppression of prolactin production. Due to this, the reception of herbal infusions gives the desired result.

The minimum harm to the body from herbal preparations is a big plus in their favor. As a precaution, before starting to use them, it is advisable to consult with a specialist, since the herbal preparations that are used to stop lactation have certain properties:

diuretics;
anti-inflammatory;
sedatives.

Collecting herbs can be great for helping mom to stop lactation, but you need to use them after consulting a doctor.

For example, collecting lingonberry, horsetail, corn stigma, elecampane high, basil and bearberry from the leaf helps to get rid of excess fluid in the body, which, as you know, helps to suppress lactation. Medicinal sage in combination with mint and belladonna can have an anti-inflammatory effect while reducing the amount of milk. Common heather, marsh grass and valerian roots are indispensable in stressful situations.

Chopped sage leaves - 1 tsp pour 200 ml of boiling water. Insist for about an hour, then strain. Take 4 times a day, 50 ml 20 minutes before meals.
Mint leaves - 5 tsp pour 300 ml of boiling water. Also leave for an hour and strain. Drink 100 ml three times a day.
Lingonberry leaf - 1 tsp pour 200 ml of boiling water, leave for half an hour, drink a third of a glass 3 times a day.

Lingonberry leaf has been used since ancient times by women during the period of weaning of a child from the breast. You can buy it at a pharmacy that sells medicinal herbs.

Naturally, a noticeable effect from all kinds of folk methods at home does not come as instantly as from the use of drugs, but a week after starting the intake, a woman can feel changes in the amount of milk produced.

The use of medications

May lead to adverse effects on women's health. This method is effective in cases where the mother does not have time to gradually end lactation: for example, after labor, breastfeeding is contraindicated for a woman from a medical point of view or in connection with returning to work.

There is a sufficient number of tablets specially designed to suppress lactation, which can be purchased at the pharmacy, for example, Dostinex, Bromocriptine, Norkolut, etc. When resorting to their help, it is worth remembering.

In the life of every breastfeeding woman, there comes a moment when, for whatever reason, she wants to complete breastfeeding. The question of how to properly stop lactation becomes relevant and very exciting for any mom. This is a very difficult psychological moment for both the woman and the child, so it deserves due attention. How to stop lactation naturally will be written in this article.

Timeline for completing breastfeeding

The duration of breastfeeding is not an arbitrary decision of the mother, but certain physiological criteria that follow each other and are intertwined. In other words, the duration of breastfeeding should be determined by the natural needs of the baby, which eventually fade away, giving way to new ones.

It is generally accepted that breastfeeding should last at least six months, and then it is allowed to replace it with milk formula and the introduction of new products. Six months is too short a period for cessation of lactation, since the sucking reflex in a child fades away only by two years, and in some children by three. All this suggests that breastfeeding should continue for at least two years.

Reasons to stop breastfeeding

There are many reasons why a breastfeeding woman wants to stop breastfeeding, for example:

There may be thousands of reasons pushing a woman to take this crucial step, but she must be aware that stopping lactation means depriving a child forever. Therefore, if mommy feels doubts and uncertainty, then it is better to postpone this moment until a later date.

Fundamental rules

In order not to harm either yourself or the baby, you need to know how to stop lactation naturally correctly. There are some basic rules for stopping breastfeeding. Observing them, the woman painlessly moves to a new stage of feeding the baby.

If the baby's age is older than one year, and he already eats adult food, then the best option would be to gradually replace it with another liquid. You can offer your baby juices, compotes, or plain water. In a situation where the baby refuses to accept anything other than mother's breast, you should give him a bottle with the mixture.

After replacing all daytime feedings with a different fluid, nighttime feedings remain. In a few weeks, you can wean your child from nighttime attachments by replacing the breast with a nipple or bottle.

Such a gradual decrease in lactation will save the child from psychological trauma, and the mother from mastitis and other problems with the mammary glands.

Products that reduce lactation

Another way to answer the question of how to stop lactation naturally is to eat foods that reduce the production of human milk. The most popular are sage, mint tea, lingonberry and parsley infusions. Some people advise eating more smoked and canned foods, but they will be harmful to a baby who takes them in breast milk. They may be able to reduce lactation, but they should not be consumed even by a non-breastfeeding woman.

When deciding to take various herbal infusions, follow some rules. For example, when wondering how to stop lactating with sage, you should take the cooked broth little by little. This is done in order not to harm the child. Having drunk a few sips of sage infusion in the morning, mommy should carefully monitor the baby's reaction: whether he has an allergy, whether his state of health has changed or whether other unusual symptoms have arisen.

Traditional methods of stopping lactation

In the past, women stopped feeding their babies following the advice of their mothers and grandmothers, as medicine did not pay much attention to breastfeeding. Therefore, nursing mothers, in order to reduce the amount of milk, consumed less liquid or instead of usual drinking they drank infusions of herbs that reduce lactation.

The most common method that has come down to our time is tug on the chest. It is believed that the transferred breast does not receive milk, and thus lactation stops. However, breastfeeding consultants advise against using this option due to frequent mastitis and inflammation of the mammary glands.

Some mothers simply give their child to their grandmother for a week and do not show themselves to him all this time. This method is not correct and does not answer the question of how to stop lactation naturally, as it has a very negative effect on the child's psyche.

Medication methods

If there is an urgent need to stop breastfeeding (for example, for maternal health reasons), and there is no time for gradual weaning, then you can resort to drugs. Today, pharmacy chains offer many drugs to stop milk production. However, only a doctor should prescribe. The price for them may be high, but it is better to buy a better quality drug. It is important to remember that medical cessation of lactation has contraindications and side effects.

Consequences of stopping lactation

If a lactating woman decides to stop lactation ahead of the due date for breastfeeding, then she should know the consequences of her decision.

For women, abrupt cessation of breastfeeding can result in mastitis. Sometimes, in advanced cases, doctors resort to surgical intervention.

Depression in the mother can be another unpleasant consequence. It happens due to a sharp change in hormonal levels. Often women say that after weaning, it seemed to them that the child was taken away. This is due to the fact that the body reacts to the cessation of milk production and the baby's attachments as to its loss. In this regard, a massive release of the stress hormone occurs, and the woman falls into deep depression. For two to three months, it can be accompanied by tearfulness and melancholy.

For a child, untimely weaning also carries a number of negative consequences. This can be both psychological trauma and inadequate development of the immune and digestive systems.

Which option is better to choose and how to stop lactating milk with the least consequences for mom and baby? First of all, you need to approach this process with confidence and inner peace. When a mother is calm and consistent in her actions, the child feels it. Conversely, the baby will always feel mom's anxiety and respond in kind.

The woman should dress in tight-fitting clothing without deep cutouts in the chest area so that it is difficult for the child to reach her.

Of course, smaller babies are much easier to wean by replacing them with a bottle. Even if at first the child will refuse it, then, getting hungry, he will eat the mixture. Children over one year old can already explain what they want, and will seek their mother's breasts in all possible ways. Therefore, every time the child tries to get to what he wants, the mother should explain to him that the milk is over and offer him a bottle.

Weaning is advised to be carried out during the period of involution. It occurs when the baby is one and a half to two years old. Involution can be recognized by such signs as a woman's irritability when feeding, sudden fatigue if a woman has not been feeding for a long time, and a small amount of milk.

If you wean the child for two to three months, then the milk will decrease little by little, there will be no compaction of the mammary glands, the hormonal background will gradually change, and the mother and baby will easily endure this important period in the life of both.

Breast milk is essential for every baby. In the first years of life, this is the most useful food that helps to grow quickly, gives good immunity. However, breastfeeding has to be stopped one day. This is always a lot of stress for a child, but it can be minimized. If you want to know how to wean your baby as comfortably as possible, read this article.

The benefits of breast milk

Breast milk – a valuable source of vitamins and minerals, proteins, fats and carbohydrates. It also contains antibodies that form children's immunity ().

Some people argue that breast milk loses its beneficial properties over time. It's a delusion. Scientists have done a lot of research and found that even after 2 years of feeding, breast milk retains its valuable qualities.

When should you stop breastfeeding?

Many pediatricians now argue that a baby should be breastfed until he begins to give up on it himself. This usually happens in the third year of the baby's life.

WHO advises to complete breastfeeding before the baby is two years old. This is the best option in the realities of Russian families, because by the age of 3 the child usually starts going to kindergarten. The new environment and the absence of a mother next to her create a stressful situation for the baby. Not the best time to deny your baby his usual breast milk, because this will only add discomfort and anxiety to him. So it's worth getting ready for kindergarten and completing breastfeeding early.

How do you know if your child is ready?

When weaning, it is important to think not only about the age of the baby, but also about his psychological comfort. Children are all different. Some sleep peacefully all night, while others wake up several times to demand breasts. If the baby cannot yet calm down without breast milk, if the baby falls asleep and wakes up with breastfeeding, stop lactation early.

The baby will be psychologically ready for weaning only when he only eats milk before bedtime (before daytime and nighttime sleep). Only this rarely happens. Most babies get used to frequent feedings and literally hang on their chest. If your baby is like that, it is better to wait until he has, and he will start sleeping at night without waking up.

Weaning a baby

Stop breastfeeding gradually. It is better to break this process down into several stages:

First step

Start breastfeeding less often throughout the day. In return, offer him fruit puree, which he loves, a delicious compote. You can just tell your baby that you are breastfeeding when you are done with something. Try replacing one meal every day with an “adult” meal, or create fun activities for your child.

In order for the baby to quickly wean from the breast, the mother can start to leave the house for a short time. The end of the first stage occurs when the child gets by with two feedings a day. – in the morning when he wakes up and before going to bed. Be gentle with your baby and don't be too persistent. You can sometimes give in to a small child.

Second phase

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If the child has already begun to get by with two feedings a day, it is time to teach him to wake up without breast milk. To do this, you need to try to get up earlier than the crumbs. If the baby wakes up and mom is not around, he will think about where she is now, what she is doing. The desire to eat will fade into the background.

Third stage

The most difficult thing remains - to teach the baby to fall asleep without asking for a breast, during the day and especially at night. A certain ritual will help, which you will repeat every evening (). Breastfeeding should be an insignificant part of it. For example, bathe your child, read a story to him, or sing a lullaby. Have your toddler turn his attention to other activities before bed. This will help him to get rid of the habit of breastfeeding when falling asleep.

What cannot be done?

To wean babies, some mothers put something bitter and tasteless on their nipples, which will alienate the baby. You cannot do this, because this is a mockery of the baby. For so long, his mother’s breast was dear, tasty, but suddenly it tastes unpleasant.

Nursing mothers have a risk of developing mastitis, lactostasis, and other breast problems - in order to avoid them, it is important to smoothly stop lactation.

Sometimes there is a need to wean the baby from the breast quickly and even abruptly. Even then, you should not overtighten your chest. This method from the arsenal of our grandmothers is fraught with milk stagnation and can provoke mastitis, as well as injure the mammary glands.

You should not take hormonal drugs to stop lactation either: they have too many side effects. It is recommended to express milk until the breasts are soft, and also to use herbal infusions that reduce lactation.

When should you not stop breastfeeding?

If the child is sick, there is no need to add torment to him by refusing his usual breast milk. This is especially true for children who have intestinal disorders and infections, and have also been vaccinated.

It is a bad idea to end lactation in the summer. The optimal time for this is cool autumn days. Breastfeeding should be continued even when the baby begins a new stage in life (for example, the appearance of a nanny or).

The end of breastfeeding takes a lot of time and causes discontent on the part of the baby. However, if you follow the advice of experts, a young mother will be able to minimize discomfort for the child and for herself. The main thing is to act smoothly, without pressure and coercion. The kid will gradually switch to regular food, you just need to be patient.