Wean off breastfeeding for 1 year. Factors of refusal to breastfeed. Are not good reasons for giving up breast

Sooner or later, every mother who breastfeeds her baby thinks about when to stop breastfeeding and how to make sure that it is painless weaning for the baby. In this article, we will try to touch upon all the significant aspects of this important step, both for the mother and the baby.

When should a baby be weaned?

The most important rule is not to listen to examples of friends, neighbors and grandmothers. There are those who are guided by the desire to lead an independent lifestyle, the desire to start actively playing sports (although breastfeeding is not a hindrance to this at all) by strange beliefs that milk after a certain time (after 9 months, after a year, after a year and a half, etc.) becomes not only less nutritious, but also harmful.

Otherwise, as a belief, you can not name it. This is something that "grandma said." But we, as literate and modern people, should not rely on fairy tales, but on scientific evidence, medicine and physiology. Milk is produced under the influence, with constant breastfeeding, its amount will not decrease, and with adequate nutrition, its composition will be as rich as in the first months of breastfeeding.

It is possible to wean a baby from breastfeeding no earlier than one year, if there is no reason for emergency weaning. According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, the cessation of breastfeeding should be after one and a half to two years.

But everything is individual, it is very important that not only the child, but also the nursing mother herself is ready for this. Indeed, for a woman, this is also an important psychological moment, it is close contact with the child. It is important not only for the baby, but also for the mother.

Weaning too early is not recommended, since it is impossible to wean a child from breastfeeding up to 1.5-2 years, not only because the child may not yet be ready for this, but also because there may be consequences for the woman. In this case, the risk of lastostasis, the appearance of painful seals in the mammary glands, increases. Also, early hormonal changes in the body occur, which can lead to various hormonal disruptions later, as well as prolonged milk release from the mammary glands after completing breastfeeding.

Emergency weaning

Sometimes situations arise when a woman needs to urgently stop breastfeeding. There are a number of reasons that require stopping breastfeeding for a long time, but there are reasons when it is only possible to take a break from breastfeeding. The second option, of course, is better if it is possible to continue breastfeeding soon, and the child has not yet reached the age of 1.5-2 years, then you need to maintain lactation.

The reasons for emergency weaning can be:

  • detection of HIV infection
  • hepatitis A
  • syphilis
  • open form of tuberculosis
  • cancer in a woman
  • development
  • taking medications that are incompatible with breastfeeding

The last two reasons may allow breastfeeding to continue. To do this, it is necessary to express milk during the treatment period, and at the end of it, you can continue to breastfeed, the volume of milk produced will return to the same level when the baby re-consumes his usual amount of breast milk.

How do you know when it's time to stop breastfeeding?

Let's consider this issue from two sides - from the side of the mother and from the side of the child. After all, as already mentioned, not only the child, but also the mother should be ready, since it is difficult not only for the baby, but also for the woman herself to stop breastfeeding.

The main criterion that determines a woman's readiness is the cessation of breast filling for a long time (from 12 hours). This can be found in several ways.

  • If a child goes to kindergarten, then this is quite simple to do. In the absence of feeding at night, it is enough to simply not breastfeed the baby all day. In this case, the breast should not be filled, there should be no painful sensations, seals in the mammary glands.
  • You can ask your grandmother or another relative to sit with your baby during the day so that neither you nor the baby is tempted to feed.
  • If it is not possible to use the previous methods, then you can feed the baby from one breast during the day and observe the second.

If this criterion is met and your child is ready for weaning, then from this moment you need to count 8-12 weeks, this will be the time when your body will be fully ready to complete lactation.

A child's willingness is a little more difficult to determine. Most women are very sensitive to the baby's needs and it is often the mother who knows best when her baby is ready for weaning. But here you should rely not on your own desires and needs, but on the need of the baby, you should not subconsciously give yourself the arguments that you need, not the baby.

Also, an important criterion is the refusal to suck on nipples, bottles and other things. At the same time, there should be from 1 to 3 attachments to the breast per day, this number of attachments should be constant for 1-2 months. This period, as a rule, occurs in two years, sometimes a little earlier, sometimes a little later.

When is it best to postpone the end of breastfeeding a little?

A very important question is not only how to wean from breastfeeding, but also when to do it.

You cannot do this if the child has stress or it is possible in the near future, for example, the time of the move, the mother's departure to work, the appearance of a nanny for the child, his or her entrance to kindergarten are coming. All these events will be stressful for the child.

Therefore, it is necessary to wean from the breast either 2-3 months before them, or 2-3 months after them. The same applies to the crisis age of the child, as a rule, they happen in a year or after a year, as well as at 3 years.

Breastfeeding should not be stopped shortly before and within a month after vaccination.

You should not wean from the breast in the warm season, since during this period it is possible to expand the diet, due to the appearance of a large amount of fresh fruits and vegetables, the risk of intestinal infections in summer also increases, and in the near future after completing breastfeeding, the child is more vulnerable to them.

How exactly should weaning take place?

So, your body is ready to stop lactation, the baby is applied to the breast no more than 3 times a day, now you can proceed to the end of breastfeeding.

What is the correct way to terminate it? Gradually or suddenly suddenly, once and for all? It is possible to use both methods, but gradual weaning is more preferable, it is less traumatic for the child's psyche. Indeed, for a long time he had such close contact with his mother and its abrupt termination would be a great stress for him, but sometimes this path is possible.

It is very important that the mother does not hesitate to start weaning. The child will feel any of her doubts and this will only add to his anxiety. If the mother is confident in her actions and the correctness of her decision, then this decision will be given to the baby much easier.

  • Reducing the frequency of feedings is already a weaning phase

In this case, it is important to exclude all possible "provocations" of the baby to attach to the breast. There is no need to change clothes with him, walk in open blouses, because very often the child may not be hungry, and when he sees his mother's breast nearby, he will want to suck it out of boredom. If a child asks for a breast for a couple of minutes for the sake of play, then you just need to distract him, if you can't ignore it.

  • If the child falls asleep only with breast, then the next step will be teaching him to fall asleep without breast

First, the baby needs to learn how to fall asleep during the day without breast. To do this, during his usual daytime sleep, put him in bed, tell him that mom needs to go away for a minute to do something. Leave in 30-40 seconds, and then return, if the child demands a breast, then give it to him, but every day the time of your absence should increase and in a couple of weeks your efforts will be crowned with success, when you return, you will see your baby sleeping sweetly. If the child runs after you when you leave, then don't be angry with him, just carry him back to bed.

  • The next step will be teaching the child to fall asleep without breast at night. It is carried out in the same way as the previous stage.

If the baby does not require breast during the day, then gradually reduce the number and duration of night feedings. If their number, on the contrary, has increased sharply, then the child is not ready for excommunication and it is worth taking a step back. This may also be evidenced by the fact that the child began to suck on the lower lip, finger or something else. This suggests that the child is experiencing this situation very hard internally and is not ready for it. Then it is better to postpone weaning for a while.

What shouldn't you do?

  • Smear the chest with mustard, as advised by some grandmothers. This is not only stressful for the baby, but also very bad for the baby's stomach.
  • Deprive him of increased attention during this period. The end of breastfeeding is a difficult period for the baby, even if he is ready for it. That important and close contact with his mother, which he had all his life from birth, is lost. During this period, it is very important for the child to pay more attention, hug him more, kiss him, praise him, stroke him on the head. He himself will demand it from you much more often than before. This will give the child peace of mind, reduce anxiety and stress.
  • Be angry with a child if something doesn't go according to plan. Often, weaning is a “one step forward, two steps back” approach, and that's okay. Get ready for the fact that this will not be an easy period for you, but even more difficult for your child. He will need your support and your confidence in what is right.

No matter how successful breastfeeding is, each particular mother-baby pair sooner or later has a question about how to wean the baby from breastfeeding. Regardless of the reasons for stopping breastfeeding, this is almost always the most stressful for the baby and mother. That is why, when the task arises to wean a child from breastfeeding, this must be done as correctly and correctly as possible.

Modern pediatricians agree that it is not advisable to wean a child from hepatitis B before he is 6 months old, since babies in the first six months of life do not need any other food except mother's milk.

In theory, you can gradually stop breastfeeding your baby after 6 months of age. But if the mother and the baby have the opportunity and desire to do this, then it is better if the question of stopping breastfeeding is raised after the baby is one year old. This will help protect the child from infections, maintain a close psychological bond between mother and baby, and the baby, no doubt, will feel better psychologically, feeling protected.

There is an opinion that it is possible to stop breastfeeding in infancy, but only the child should be one year old, and this will be correct. But modern medicine also has good reason to believe that breastfeeding can be continued until the child is 2 years old. Mother's milk is priceless, it is good for the baby's body and supports its immunity. And if mom and baby wish, then natural feeding can be successfully extended to two years or more.

How to know when to wean your baby

As a rule, the need to wean a child from breastfeeding arises more in the mother than in the baby. For a child, mother and mother’s breast is the dearest thing in his life and is associated with a feeling of complete security. Therefore, it is necessary to navigate in the process of weaning, first of all, on the readiness of the baby.

It is not recommended to wean a baby under the age of one year. As a rule, a one-year-old child should be transferred to the "adult table", but this does not mean at all that he cannot be supplemented with mother's milk, although after a year the need for it is no longer as great as during the first six months of life. If you are willing and able, you can continue to breastfeed your baby until the age of two.

Usually, certain signs can tell a young mother that it may be time to wean the baby:

  1. The kid is two years old.
  2. The kid loses interest in the breast, turns away.
  3. Mom has very little milk, it "burns out".
  4. Mom is physically tired.
  5. Mom needs to go to work (engage in social activities, etc.).

Maybe feed some more

Sometimes a situation arises when it seems like it's time to stop breastfeeding, but it's better to postpone this.

Not the best time to wean a baby from the breast is when his teeth are teething, if the baby is sick. It is also better not to do weaning at a time when major changes are taking place or are brewing in your family's life (moving, mom will soon go to work, etc.).

The process of weaning from the mother's breast is stress for the child in itself, and it should not be aggravated by additional circumstances.

The baby does not fall asleep without a breast

Perhaps one of the most difficult tasks for many mothers is to wean the baby from feeding at night. Many babies, after a year, may persist in the habit of falling asleep under the breast. It can last up to three years. This is especially true of the last feeding before the night and night waking up to "hang" on the chest.

After a year, you can try to teach your child to fall asleep to lullabies, strokes, fairy tales. Weaning and replacing night feedings with the transition to this method of placing the baby requires a certain endurance of the parents. The desired result can be achieved if your actions are consistent and constant. Train your baby to fall asleep at the same time in a calm environment. Alternatively, the child can be taught to fall asleep by rocking him in his mother's arms.

After two years, you can try to teach your baby to fall asleep on his own without the presence of his mother. How to do it right? Let dad or grandmother deal with the issue of motion sickness. At the same time, the mother should pay as much attention to the baby as possible during the day, so that he does not feel abandoned.

As for night feedings, a one-year-old child does not have a physiological need for them, it is rather a habit at a psychological level. At the same time, the child experiences a sense of security, which allows him to fall asleep calmly. If you plan to wean your baby from breastfeeding, then after a year you should gradually reduce the number of night feedings.

Safe weaning guidelines

  1. If possible, it is better to wean the baby from the breast no earlier than after a year.
  2. WHO recommends breastfeeding for babies up to two years of age.
  3. You should not strive to quickly wean the baby from the breast using radical methods.
  4. You can teach a child to fall asleep quickly without a breast by rocking to your favorite lullaby, observing the same ritual of falling asleep every day.
  5. You can give up night feeds as quickly as possible if you have a warm drink for your baby in a bottle on hand.
  6. Avoiding night feeds will not make your baby's sleep more restful, be prepared for this.

What are the options for terminating hepatitis B

In fact, there are several ways to stop lactation and wean your baby from breastfeeding:

  1. Medical termination of lactation. In modern medicine, hormonal agents are widely used that help to painlessly stop the production of breast milk. Their action is aimed at suppressing the hormone prolactin.
  2. Natural cessation of lactation. Involution - a woman's body stops producing breast milk on its own. Self-weaning of the baby from the breast is also possible.
  3. "The old fashioned way." Among our mothers and grandmothers, the method of pulling the breasts with sheets was popular.
  4. Gradual reduction in feedings.

Side effects of the chosen method

Any of the possible methods of stopping lactation and weaning a baby from breastfeeding has its negative aspects. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to achieve the set goal absolutely painlessly, and you have to choose the most gentle option.


Stages of weaning crumbs from the breast

You should not strive to quickly wean the baby, it is better to do this gradually, in several stages. To make this process the least painless for the baby, it can be extended for several months.


  1. It is necessary to pay more attention to the child during the day, hug and kiss him, pick him up. Thus, weaning the baby from the breast will be less painful and traumatic for him.
  2. Do not teach your baby to fall asleep in the parent's bed.
  3. Teach your baby to fall asleep without breast until weaning.
  4. To stop breastfeeding, it is better to choose the cold season. This way you can significantly reduce the risk of intestinal infections.
  5. It will be easier for a baby to give up mother's milk when he regularly receives complementary foods (from ten months - at least 3 times a day).
  6. You should not give the baby to relatives at the time of weaning. This is the strongest stress for the baby and mother.
  7. If the child has a persistent habit of falling asleep under the breast, then it must be replaced, for example, with motion sickness.
  8. Weaning from breastfeeding at night will require your mom's perseverance and patience. At first, you can use a bottle of water or sweet tea, which must be prepared in advance.
  9. Do not wear deep-necked T-shirts or blouses when weaning your baby.

Dear mothers, in this article we tried to describe in as much detail as possible when and how to stop breastfeeding your baby. Undoubtedly, in the life of each specific family, there are various circumstances that do not always allow you to properly wean the baby. In no case should you invent "mistakes" for yourself, blame yourself and get upset if something went wrong. In addition to breast milk, you can give your baby no less valuable warmth, affection, love and care that your baby needs so much.

Be happy and grow up healthy!

Thanks to our advice, weaning will become the most painful, long and painful process (for both mother and baby). And also an unforgettable experience awaits you!

Buy Any Breast Cancer Treatment

Indeed, why go to the doctor who will select the right pills for you, waste time visiting the clinic, if your mother / sister / girlfriend has already taken some pills to stop lactation? The body is the same for everyone. Therefore, rather, run to the nearest pharmacy and take the cheapest drugs. Everyone does it, and nothing!

Stop feeding your baby immediately after the procedures

Did the kid have to endure unpleasant vaccinations, painful massages and other manipulations? Well, now there was a wonderful excuse to wean him from the breast. This also strengthens the character: a small person from childhood will know what stress and deprivation are. After vaccination, children usually become moody and irritable, often fever and mope. Not a bad moment to deprive the baby of the main consolation!

Weaning at the earliest age

Is your baby not yet a year old? Excellent. Now everywhere they write and say that you need to stop feeding as early as possible. The reason is very simple - it is much more convenient for a young mother to walk with a bottle than breastfeeding. Marketers cannot lie: if it says on the can of the mixture that this is a "natural and healthy" product, a replacement for mother's milk, then it is so. Take the packaging without hesitation!

Drag your chest

The old way, which our grandmothers used 200 years ago. There are, of course, disadvantages: milk stagnation in the breast may occur, and then you will have to turn to specialists (a surgeon, for example) to get rid of pain and discomfort. But believe me - it's worth it! The milk will definitely disappear.

Explain to your child that he is already big.

Six months after birth, it's time to realize that you are an adult. Explain to your child that breast milk is for babies, and he has grown up a long time ago. Your little genius will surely understand what happened and stop begging for a breast. And how did the others not think of this? And let psychologists sort out any kind of trust later: we have no time.

Note to moms!


Hello girls) I didn't think that the problem of stretch marks would touch me, but I will also write about it))) But there is nowhere to go, so I am writing here: How did I get rid of stretch marks after childbirth? I will be very glad if my method will help you too ...

Say another baby needs milk

Let's say a newborn brother or sister. It is necessary to encourage generosity from infancy: let him share what is most dear to his relatives. The crumb does not feel sorry for anything for a brother or sister. No car, no crib, no mom, no milk. Children should not only be fed, but also raised!

Stop breastfeeding at the most inopportune moment: weaning at the time of the move, immediately after the flight, divorce or tsunami

Moving, scandal, natural disaster ... Against the background of these misfortunes, the child can forget about the existence of breastfeeding. We, too, endure these tests. Welcome to adulthood!

Spread something sharp on your nipples.

Mustard, pepper, brilliant green and other unpleasant things - the baby reached for the tasty and favorite milk of his mother, and here - an ambush and betrayal ... Yes, the baby will burn himself a couple of times, cry sobbingly, but then it will not even come to his head to reach for his chest. Good lesson.

Leave the baby for a while

Of course, suddenly the baby is not stressed enough from the fact that he has stopped breastfeeding? Add stress to your baby's life: let him spend a few days without his beloved mother. Yes, he will be sad and lonely. Cry, scream, and so what? Life is generally full of disappointments.

Of course, if you want a delicate and gradual weaning from the breast, then it is better to ignore these tips and do the opposite: take care of your health, treat your baby with patience and tenderness and do not forget about common sense.

We also read:

It is difficult to explain the feelings that a woman experiences when breastfeeding a baby. At this moment, an emotional connection is built between mother and child, harmony of further relationships arises.

The child will grow up, needs will change, and the moment will come when the direct biological connection will be interrupted. Then the woman is faced with the problem of how to wean the baby from breastfeeding without stress.

It is impossible to wean from breastfeeding during the peak of summer heat or winter cold. Adults hardly endure climatic loads, and a baby is a sensitive barometer who finds it difficult to independently adapt to climate change.

The same applies to a change of residence.... When the family changes the region of residence, the child is forced to adapt to the new living conditions, for this period it is better to postpone weaning from the mother's breast.

When to wean your baby

As the child grows up, pediatricians determine when to add additional foods to the diet. A standard scheme for the introduction of complementary foods has been developed. The decision to change the diet is made by the doctor together with the mother. Weaning goes away as breast milk is replaced with other foods.

In any variant of weaning from breastfeeding, except in emergency cases, the process will be delayed. Not a single pediatrician will say by order "we will wean tomorrow!" This decision is made by the mother. Feeding can last up to three to four years. Do not forget that the lactation process is used as a contraceptive. The hormone prolactin is able to suppress ovulation in a woman's body.

Today social factors come to the fore: going to work, changing place of residence, changing social conditions of life. They push the decision to stop feeding.

Pediatricians insist on feeding a baby up to a year. It is good for the health of both mom and baby. But there are women who decide to extend the feeding period.

Weaning rules after 1 year.

When such a decision is made, tune in to a positive mood with the whole family. Mom and baby will need the support of others. Even if all recommendations are followed, weaning from breastfeeding will take place according to the child's personal schedule.


Tip: Don't set specific deadlines or dates. The child is not a clockwork. Even if everything is going smoothly and according to plan, at any moment the baby can change the course of things. Then change plans and adapt to his desires.

Weaning rules after two years

Not all mothers feed until this age. And when weaning two-year-olds, there are features of a psychological and emotional nature. The child is already eating "adult" food and is ready for social adaptation.

Children of this age need communication with peers. But some on their own cannot refuse mother's milk, they resist weaning at the initiative of the mother. Not because it is vital for the body, it has become a habit. The child does not understand why he should do this.


The natural way to wean off gradually. Soft and stress-free

  1. You should start natural weaning by reducing your daily milk intake. Remove feedings between breakfast and lunch or lunch and dinner. You can not deny the baby in breast milk during the main meals.
  2. You should change your dress code. If earlier, for convenience, a woman wore blouses or dressing gowns with fasteners, then when excommunicating, it is better to switch to T-shirts. Even touching the buttons brings up the memory of breast milk in the child's mind.
  3. The most active lifestyle. Walk more in the fresh air, play active games. You can not restrict the baby in physical contact. We need to let him know that mom is around. Hug him for any reason, stroke, massage.
  4. You can agree on a lot. Of course, if the child is not in a state of stress or a night's sleep, you can explain to him not to breastfeed. This will not solve the problem right away, but the mother's affectionate insistence will eventually be heard.

Reducing daily attachments

  • we refuse feedings between main meals. For example, remove snacks between breakfast and lunch. At this time, take the baby for a walk, engage in active games;
  • introduce complementary foods, according to age standards. Replace breast milk intake with "adult" food;
  • one day breastfeeding is replaced with a mixture or liquid milk porridge from a bottle;
  • we replace feeding between lunch and dinner with warm tea or dried fruit compote.

Daytime sleep without breast

Feeding after sleep is worth cleaning. It is better that during awakening, not a mother is next to the baby. You can give him a bottle of compote instead of a breast, distract him with a toy or massage.

A walk or nap in the fresh air will help to stop feeding before bedtime. If the weather permits, it is better to transfer daytime sleep to the street, after an active walk.

Nipple sucking - soothes a tired baby, gives him the opportunity to fall asleep with the usual sucking process.

How to remove evening feedings?

Evening feedings should be replaced with motion sickness. For children over one and a half years old, a set of activities is suitable: massage and bedtime story. If the child is naughty and demands a breast, you need to involve one of the relatives. Another person, not mom, should give a bottle of milk porridge. Do this change for at least a week until the child gets used to it.

Decreased lactation with gradual weaning. Drugs and other methods

Medicines are a remedy exclusively for mothers. We must not forget that breastfeeding for a baby is psychological comfort, not just food. By artificially reducing lactation, the mother solves her biological problems. The baby, with a decrease in the amount of milk, may feel deceived in expectations.

This method should be supervised by a gynecologist or family doctor. It is the doctor who advises the drug that will reduce lactation. All of them are aimed at reducing the production of prolactin. The hormonal background of a woman is changed.

  • The drug "Dostinex" 649 - 1898 rubles, production: USA.

Sold in tablets of 2 or 8 pcs. packaged. The dose of the active substance in one tablet is 0.5 mg. Take ½ tablet, twice a day, for two days. The drug is contraindicated in arterial hypertension, pregnancy, proeclampsia.

The drug is not very effective if you do not carry out activities related to the psychological adaptation of the baby to a decrease in milk.

  • The drug "Bergolak" 285 - 848 rubles, production: Russia.

The drug is sold in tablets of 2 or 8 pcs. packaged. Suppresses the production of prolactin with established stable lactation. The drug is taken ½ tablet twice a day, every 12 hours, for two days with food.

Contraindications: age up to 16 years, severe heart disease, stomach ulcer or gastrointestinal bleeding, rare forms of galactose intolerance, usually hereditary. All contraindications are taken into account by the doctor when prescribing the drug.

  • The drug "Agalates" 449 - 1239 rubles, production: Israel.

Sold in tablets of 2 or 8 pcs. packaged. The dosage of the active substance is 0.5 mg. 1 mg is taken. (2 tablets) of the drug once. Contraindicated in uncontrolled arterial hypertension, severe liver dysfunction, psychosis, age up to 16 years, simultaneous use with macrolide antibiotics.

Foods that can reduce the amount of milk:

  • black pepper and other hot spices;
  • herbal tea made from mint or lingonberry;
  • sage tincture or adding dry herb to tea;
  • decoction of field horsetail and sage in a 1: 1 ratio;
  • juice or tincture of parsley.

Rapid weaning techniques

The technique of abrupt cessation of feeding is used in case of emergency.

This may be associated with some diseases of the mother, but not all diseases.

  • "Breast ligation method"- not recommended by modern medicine. This method does not lead to a rapid decrease in lactation, it can cause mastitis;
  • "Expression method"- this is when the mother is pumping instead of feeding. This helps to remove painful sensations in the chest, does not allow seals to form. We must not forget that you do not need to pump to the end, otherwise it will provoke the opposite process - increased lactation;
  • "Drug cessation of lactation" stops milk production by a woman's body for two to three days. All drugs belong to the group of "hormonal drugs".

Should I smear my breasts and what?

The technique is based on the fact that in the mind of the child, a bitter taste or an unpleasant smell will be associated with breastfeeding, and he will not ask for tasteless milk. Substances for lubricating the breast are divided into groups: food products, medicines, herbal tinctures.

Food products:


Medicines:

  • greenery;
  • furacilin solution;
  • tablets "No-shpa", solution in water;
  • medical bile;
  • drops "Khilak forte".

Herbal tinctures:

  • motherwort;
  • aloe;
  • sagebrush.

Not all products are safe for the baby. Mustard can burn the lining of the mouth. Drops "Hilak Forte", on the contrary, will improve digestion and will not do any harm. Practice shows that the method works selectively. Some babies grimace, but they endure bitterness by continuing to beg for their mother's breast.

Komarovsky's technique

Doctor's advice for weaning:

  • reduce the amount of fluids that you drink per day. This means not drinking additional volumes of liquid, as was done before, to increase the amount of milk;
  • reduce sucking time. Distract your baby with a toy or even interrupt sucking on your own;
  • do not pump;
  • move actively throughout the day. This will reduce the body's milk production;
  • do not eat foods that provoke lactation: beer, walnuts, tea with milk, carrot juice, dairy products;
  • spoil the taste of breast milk: eat garlic, drink motherwort or hawthorn tincture.

The doctor advises using pharmaceutical methods only under the supervision of a doctor, although he considers them more humane than folk remedies.

How to wean a baby at night

How to wean a baby from breastfeeding at night after one year, but continue feeding until two years of age. It is not necessary to force excommunication. By the age of one year, the frequency of these feedings decreases on its own. Only in rare cases, especially demanding children, do not want to change their diet.


Effective weaning techniques without harm to the baby

  1. Be the first to cancel daytime feedings at the request of the baby, when it is too early to feed on the daily regimen and the baby is asking for breast.
  2. Reduce breastfeeding time.
  3. Replace "snacks" between main feedings with a game or a walk.
  4. Remove feedings before or after naps.
  5. Introduce additional complementary foods as recommended by the pediatrician.
  6. Remove latching before going to sleep at night. Swing on your hands or tell a story.
  7. Stay on schedule and reduce the number of night feeds.
  8. Wear closed blouses and T-shirts to prevent your child from seeing the food.
  9. Support your child psychologically. Speak more sweet words, add hugs and touches.
  10. Leave your baby with relatives. He needs to get used to short separations. Increase the time gradually.
  11. Pediatricians recommend replacing one of the feedings with formula. The norm for a one-year-old baby is 1/9 of the body weight.
  12. Delight your child with his favorite dishes. Increase the amount of fluids you drink per day.

If it didn't work out

Like any biological process, weaning from breastfeeding takes place individually. Often, only the decision of the mother is completely insufficient. Some children happily switch to complementary foods and forget about their mother's breasts on their own, and some children are closely dependent on the sucking process. Breaking this bond without the child's desire is almost impossible.

If aggression is observed in the behavior of the baby, then the weaning process should be suspended. To linger on some of the stages. When it is not possible to abandon the night feedings, but it was possible to replace the daytime feedings, this stage should be extended.

If the physical condition of the child allows, a variety of complementary foods should be introduced. The baby will add new tastes to his diet, this will help to give up mother's milk as food. If you fail, after a while you need to try again. Apply methods that have not been used before.

What not to do

  1. It is impossible to set specific dates, if the feeding process is established and there is enough milk, quick weaning will not work.
  2. Wean during the period when teeth are being cut or the child is sick.
  3. Stop feeding when the baby is experiencing an emotional shock.
  4. Immediately and for a long time to leave the baby without a mother.
  5. Smear nipples with folk remedies. This can burn the baby's nipples and mouth and lips.
  6. Replacing night feedings with a bottle with a mixture or sweet compote. This can cause tooth decay in a child.
  • find a breastfeeding consultant. This is a specially trained medical staff who will help you with practical advice individually;
  • independently, without the recommendation and supervision of a doctor, do not interrupt the feeding with medications. Hormonal drugs can cause depression;
  • during the period of weaning from breastfeeding, you need to carefully monitor the behavior of the baby. If the weaning process progresses very quickly, it will spill over into aggressiveness or anxiety for him. A bad night's sleep, sobbing are symptoms of emotional discomfort. The child can start biting, so he shows his anxiety, you do not need to ignore this symptom;
  • increase physical contact - hugging, kissing, stroking the child. This will let him know that his mother is there, relieve emotional stress.

Tips from experienced moms:

  • feed intensively during the day. Leave the night to sleep;
  • if you reduce daily feedings, then start with "snacks", leaving feedings before and after daytime sleep;
  • tell fairy tales and lull you to sleep, replacing feedings before bedtime;
  • find out what the child loves from complementary foods and give when he asks for breast;
  • do not smear your breasts with various nasty things, but seal the nipples with a plaster;
  • smear with brilliant green and tell that mom is sick;
  • drink or eat foods that spoil the taste of milk. Effective in the last stages, for ultimate failure.

Video on how to wean a baby from breastfeeding

Dr. Komarovsky will tell you how to wean your baby from breastfeeding:

What mistakes should be avoided when weaning a baby:

Hello!

The publication will focus on how to quickly wean a baby from breastfeeding.

Of course, it's wise to wean your baby gradually:

  • when he needs it a little;
  • when the mother, due to the fact that the child almost does not apply to the breast, already has little milk;
  • when both of them are already mentally ready for the next stage in the development of their relationship - for greater independence on both sides.

Weaning after a year

Weaning babies who are more than a year old is a little more difficult to produce than at an earlier age because:

  • The kid already understands everything, knows well where mom and sisya are, and how to get his favorite milk.
  • The older the child, the more strongly expressed his love for latching to the breast, and the more difficult it is for a mother to take away such pleasure from him.
  • It is often difficult for a mother to stop the lactation process, since it is produced regularly for a long time.

If you have to wean your baby earlier than planned- it can be quite difficult, first of all, morally, for both the mother and the child.

Having such experience, I want to give a few tips, which will help the child and you easier to transfer the process:

  • Do not deprive your baby of both mom and breast and milk at the same time. Do everything gradually. There is no need to squeeze anywhere from home, and leave the child to relatives. It will be much easier for the baby when mom is around, he will be able to snuggle up to you and calm down if he is upset.
  • Depending on the age, try to explain to the kid that there is no more milk in the sis, or it is not tasty. If such conversations do not help, you can lightly smear your chest with something unpalatable. For example, salt, aloe juice, vegetable oil, or any other means, so long as it does not harm the baby. I heard advice, such as: "You don't need to smear anything, because it traumatizes the baby's psyche." In practice, everything is different, conversations traumatize the baby's psyche, he cries and does not understand why he is not given what has always been available until now. And having tasted the taste, and realizing that the favorite delicacy was not edible, the child immediately understands everything and stops the hysteria.

How and what to replace sisyu?

This question, sooner or later, arises in many mothers. At night, the breast can be replaced with a bottle of milk, or another suitable drink that your baby loves. In order not to run into the kitchen at night, to warm the bottle, try to keep its contents warm by wrapping it in a towel or putting it in a special thermos.

If the baby does not want to take the pacifier, you will have to drink it at night from a cup or spoon, be ready for this, prepare everything in advance.

How does a baby fall asleep without a breast, if before he fell asleep only with her?

This is also not an idle question. The chest can be replaced with warm hugs and a lullaby. Having pressed against you, the child will feel the same warmth as before, so it will be easier for him to fall asleep, and a calm, monotonous song will only help this process. Perhaps your little one will like it if you put him to sleep in your arms.

How to stop lactation?

  • It is necessary to express milk well and then tightly (do not overdo it) to bandage the breast. So you will need to walk for several days, depending on how much milk you have and the characteristics of the body. From time to time, if the breast is full of milk you need to express it.
  • If bandaging does not suit you, for any reason, or there is no desired effect, you can take pills to stop lactation.
  • If there is not enough milk, and the dressing and pills are not satisfactory for you, you can simply express the milk a little while it is being collected. So, from a few days to two weeks, you can get rid of milk.

At the end, I would also like to add that in the beginning it is very difficult morally, because it seems that some kind of invisible close connection between mother and child is being lost. The kid seems to become more mature - which is not bad, but unusual.

Each child and mother are individual, therefore, the body must also be taken into account so that they can transfer this inevitable stage in their relationship as painlessly as possible.

Do you have any tips or questions? I invite you to discuss this topic on our forum.

Dr. Komarovsky: the best age for weaning