Breastfeeding a baby is a very touching moment of unity between mother and child. We can talk endlessly about the importance of this process, but sooner or later, the moment comes when it’s time to stop breastfeeding. It is very important for both mother and baby to competently complete the lactation process. What options exist and how to make the right choice - you will find out by reading our article.

Possible methods of weaning

If you decide that it is time to stop lactation and wean your baby from the breast, then there are three ways to do this:

1. "Soft" weaning- this method is based on a gradual reduction in breastfeeding until complete cessation. Requires patience from the mother and some time for a smooth weaning.
2. Taking hormonal medications- after taking special tablets, the body stops producing the hormone prolactin, which is necessary for the formation of breast milk. This method is not suitable for all women, has many side effects and requires consultation with a gynecologist.
3. "Grandmother's" or folk method- you leave home for a while, and leave the baby with a close family member. This method can frighten the baby and put him in a state of stress.

The best way: how to wean your baby naturally

In recent years, “soft” and gradual weaning from breastfeeding has been chosen by more and more modern mothers.
This is not at all surprising, because it is this method that allows you to maximally smooth out the stressful state of a baby without a mother’s breast, and for the female body, reduce the appearance of mastitis and lactostasis to zero. Let's find out what this method is all about.

How long does soft weaning last?

It takes a month to a month and a half to wean a baby naturally - about one week for each stage. Let's look at them in more detail.

Main stages

Lactation consultants have roughly divided the process of “soft” weaning into four stages:

1. At the very beginning, you should exclude all attachments of the baby to your chest without the goal of further falling asleep. If during the day the child tries to get under the T-shirt on his own, you should distract him from this activity in every possible way. Go on a visit, to the park, look at colorful illustrations in books, draw - come up with any activities that will distract the “lover of mom’s boobs.”
   
2. The next stage is changing feedings after waking up from a nap. At this stage, distracting the child's attention will again come to your aid.

   Keep on hand an interesting book or toy that he will like. Remind your child that exciting adventures await him and immediately begin the planned program after he wakes up. Starting from the age of one and a half years, you can try to come to an agreement with children.

   Explain that you will not give breastfeeding. Do not raise your voice, do not hit his hands and do not punish the baby for trying to get his mother’s breast, which is so familiar to him. Gently but persistently refuse him, take the children's hands away from your T-shirt and switch the child's attention to other things.
3. The next stage is to teach the baby to fall asleep without the help of the breast. Here the creation of rituals for the night and the help of loved ones will come to your aid. Creating bedtime rituals are daily repeated actions that will precede falling asleep in the evening.

   This could be reading a book together, taking a bath, watching a cartoon - in general, any quiet and calm actions, after which the baby will know that sleep will soon await him.
   The creation of such rituals has a calming effect on the child’s nervous system, because the baby is already consciously preparing for actions that he has already mastered well. It is the routine performance of actions at the same time that develops a sense of habit in the baby.

   Another option for falling asleep without breastfeeding is the help of loved ones. Dad or grandmothers can prepare him for bed - bathe him, change him into pajamas, sing a lullaby and stay nearby until the baby falls asleep. Without seeing his mother, he will not be nervous about the lack of a breast before bed, so falling asleep should be more calm.

   If falling asleep is only possible with the mother, then lie down next to the child, kiss, stroke, hug - let him feel that the absence of a breast does not mean the absence of a mother nearby. Do not forget that during the period of weaning from breastfeeding you should wear thick T-shirts or even golf - such clothes will not provoke additional interest in your breasts.

4. The final stage is to eliminate night feedings. If your baby is used to waking up several times at night to drink his mother's milk, then now the most important thing for you is not to breastfeed.
   Take the awakened baby in your arms or place it next to you and put him back to sleep. A bottle of water or milk sometimes helps to replace the breasts at night, but monitor the amount of liquid you drink at night.

   Over time, as soon as the baby wakes up, do not rush to immediately put a bottle of drink into his hands - try to give him the opportunity to learn to fall asleep on his own. If you can’t immediately completely stop breastfeeding at night, don’t despair.

   Gradually reduce the time the baby stays under the breast, replace this process by drinking water, or have dad get up to him at night. As a rule, after 2-3 nights the baby will stop demanding his mother’s breast at night, and each time his sleep becomes calmer and stronger - to the delight of his parents.

Important! Do not give your baby sweet drinks, compotes and other goodies in a bottle as a substitute for night breastfeeding. The child will like their taste and will specifically wake up at night in order to drink them; in addition, do not forget that sugar destroys the thin tooth enamel in children.

Video: how to wean a baby

The benefits and harms of the method for mother and child

Using the “soft” weaning method, it is difficult to find disadvantages. A gradual decrease in the number of breastfeeding triggers a decrease in the level of prolactin in the blood, which leads to the natural extinction of lactation.

For the baby, this process is also painless - interest in the mother’s breast is replaced by other interesting things, gradually and gently, mother’s milk first fades into the background, and then disappears altogether.

The only drawback is that not every mother is able to resist the crying of her baby. But don't give up, especially if you notice progress in this matter. If quick results are important to you and you do not have time to organize gradual weaning, then there is another way - using hormonal drugs to stop lactation.

Did you know? After completion of lactation, a minimal amount of milk may remain in the female breast for six months, this is due to the restructuring of the body. In this case, the most important thing is not to express it, so as not to provoke the production of new portions of breast milk.

Is it possible to wean a child from breastfeeding using medication?

Drug cessation of lactation should be used in rare cases when it is necessary to abruptly stop the production of milk by the female body.

Medications should be prescribed exclusively by obstetricians-gynecologists and only after personal consultations. It is important to understand that this method is based on interfering with a woman’s hormonal system, which carries certain risks.

Basic principles

The action of drugs that suppress lactation is based on slowing down and stopping the production of certain hormones, among which the hormone prolactin plays a special role - it is responsible for the quantity and quality of milk produced.

Bromocriptine and cabergoline are active substances that can make such serious changes in the functioning of the hormonal system of a nursing woman.

Possible risks and side effects

First of all, you should familiarize yourself with the contraindications to the use of these drugs:

• cardiovascular failure;
• high blood pressure;
• stomach and duodenal ulcers;
• renal failure;
• Raynaud's syndrome;
• postpartum psychosis;
• individual intolerance to the components contained in the drugs.

Taking drugs based on bromocriptine or cabergoline very often causes side effects, including: nausea, dizziness, sudden jumps in blood pressure, abdominal pain, cramps, vomiting, headaches, decreased vision, heart rhythm disturbances, irritability, lethargy and drowsiness.

It should be noted that simultaneous intake of alcohol, as well as some antibiotics and drugs to suppress lactation, may increase the occurrence of adverse reactions.
Interference with the production of hormones in the body can lead to hormonal imbalances after the cessation of lactation. Often, women, after taking bromocriptine-containing drugs, complained of lumps in the breasts, which soon turned into mastitis or even mastopathy.

Important! If your baby does not want to calm down and constantly cries without your breast, then perhaps his nervous system is not yet ready for weaning. If possible, postpone the process of stopping lactation for several months. Thus, you will not traumatize the baby’s psyche, and will also save your nerves.

How to wean your baby the “grandmother’s way”

Just a few decades ago, this method of weaning was considered the norm, and nursing mothers saw no other way than to leave home and leave the baby with someone close to them.

Video: folk ways to stop lactation

The essence of the “separation” method

You will need to leave home for a while so that the baby does not see you and does not ask you to suckle. Over time, he will wean himself off this need and forget about his mother’s boob. When mom returns home, he will no longer get under his T-shirt.

Is it worth using the method: advantages and disadvantages

This method can be called the most stressful for the child. Without seeing mom and her breasts with delicious milk, the baby is unlikely to think about anything else. The period without your mother will be very stressful. The consequences of a long separation from the closest person can remind you for a long time.

For a nursing mother, this method is no less difficult and dangerous - on the one hand, there are worries and stress from separation from the baby, on the other, breasts overflowing with milk, which can be very painful. This method of weaning often causes lactostasis.

When should you wean a child: should you wait for involution?

Involution of lactation (involution of the mammary gland) is a natural process in the body of a nursing mother, when, with a reduction in the number of breastfeedings or with a complete cessation of breastfeeding, the mammary glands transform glandular tissue into fatty tissue.
In other words, the breast is “rebuilt” to its previous appearance. Most often, involution of lactation occurs between 2 and 3 years. At this age, children no longer need mother's milk so badly, their diet is varied, and their range of interests expands significantly.

The amount of milk produced by the female body becomes less and less, and gradually this process stops. Some mothers believe that after a year of breastfeeding there is nothing useful in milk anymore, they say, milk becomes like water.

But this is not true at all. The composition and appearance of breast milk does change over time - at the very beginning it is sweeter and fattier, and closer to two years it becomes more watery. Such changes are due to the adaptation of milk to provide the growing body with the necessary nutrients.
It has been proven that after a year it contains significantly more immunoglobulins, fats, microelements and other active components necessary for the full development of the nervous system and intelligence in a child. This completion of breastfeeding, according to modern pediatricians and mammologists, is the most correct for both the baby and the female body as a whole.

Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) unanimously state that in the first six months of a baby’s life, his only food is breast milk. It is recommended to continue breastfeeding, but taking into account the timely introduction of complementary foods and a gradual expansion of the diet, up to two years.

Beyond this age - at the request and opportunity of the mother. A long period of lactation has several undoubted advantages - a stronger immune system in the child and prevention of breast cancer and hormonal imbalances in the mother.

Moms' opinion

How do mothers feel about long-term breastfeeding? In fact, feeding up to two or more years is not an easy task. The cessation of lactation is often associated with reasons that are beyond the control of a nursing mother.

Taking antibiotics and hormonal drugs, health problems, the need to send the baby to a nursery, repeated pregnancy - all these factors significantly reduce the possibility of long-term lactation. Do not forget that this process affects the skeletal system, the condition of the woman’s hair and nails.

Many mothers note that over time they begin to get tired of breastfeeding. The once touching process of unity with the baby begins to be inappropriate, annoying and cause only irritation. Such a reaction may be a signal from the body that it is time to stop breastfeeding, and you can find out later in our article how to understand whether the baby is ready for weaning.

Video: when to wean your baby

How to understand that a child does not need breastfeeding: obvious signs

Observing the behavior of her child, an attentive mother may notice some signs that make it clear that lactation can be stopped:

1. Teeth erupted and the baby learned to chew solid food.
2. The baby does not suck his fingers, lower lip or other objects.
3. There is at least one feeding - “adult” food adapted for a child.
4. If a child wants his mother's breast, he can be easily distracted with a book, toy or other activity.
5. Your baby may fall asleep without your breast or her presence nearby.
6. The baby easily tolerates separation from his mother.
7. Having woken up at night, the child can fall asleep again without latching.
8. You breastfeed no more than three times a day.

In order for a mother to make such an important decision about stopping lactation, it is important to listen to her own inner feelings and emotions.
If you are overcome by doubts about the correctness of the decision made, do not rush, try to return to this issue in a month or two, because only a mother, like no one else, knows what exactly will be useful and necessary for her baby.

Weaning from breastfeeding: the opinion of Dr. Komarovsky

If you ask this question to the main expert on child health, Dr. Komarovsky, then his advice on stopping breastfeeding is extremely simple. He suggests that the mother leave for a few days and entrust the care of the child to the grandmother or husband.

Thus, after living two or three nights without mother’s milk, the baby will forget about his need for it. It is possible that after the mother returns home, the baby may try to crawl under clothes in search of the breast, so it is very important to immediately stop these attempts and divert his attention to other interesting things.

Video: how to wean a child from breastfeeding In order to stop the production of milk in the female body, you can take special tablets, which your gynecologist will help you choose.

Did you know? There are affordable folk ways to reduce milk production. For example, drinking sage tea - it contains phytoestrogen, which affects the production of prolactin, but is much “softer” than its medicinal counterparts.

When choosing a method of weaning from breastfeeding, do not forget about the psychological comfort for your baby. An abrupt cessation of lactation will negatively affect the baby’s nervous system and can also harm your health. Follow your intuition and the recommendations of modern doctors, and this process will be smooth and painless.

Thanks to our tips, weaning will be as painful, long and painful a process as possible (for both mother and baby). And an unforgettable experience awaits you!

Buy any product to stop lactation

Indeed, why go to a doctor who will select the right pills for you, or waste time visiting a clinic if your mother/sister/friend has already taken some pills to stop lactation? Everyone's body is the same. Therefore, quickly run to the nearest pharmacy and take the cheapest drugs. Everyone does this, and nothing happens!

Stop feeding your baby immediately after the procedure

Did your baby have to endure unpleasant vaccinations, painful massages and other manipulations? Well, here is the perfect excuse to wean him off the breast. This also strengthens character: from childhood a little person will know what stress and deprivation are. After vaccination, children usually become capricious and irritable, often have a fever and are depressed. Not a bad time to deprive a baby of its main consolation!

Wean at a very early age

Is your baby under one year old yet? Great. Now they write everywhere 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 to breastfeed. Marketers cannot lie: if the can of the formula says that it is a “natural and healthy” product, a replacement for mother’s milk, then it is so. Grab the package right away without hesitation!

Drag your chest

An old method that our grandmothers used 200 years ago. There are, of course, disadvantages: stagnation of milk 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 probably understand what happened and stop asking for the breast. How did the others not think of this before? And let psychologists sort out any trust there later: we don’t have time.

Note to moms!

Hello girls) I didn’t think that the problem of stretch marks would affect me too, and I’ll also write about it))) But there’s nowhere to go, so I’m writing here: How did I get rid of stretch marks after childbirth? I will be very glad if my method helps you too...

Tell the other baby that he needs milk

Let's say, a newborn brother or sister. It is necessary to encourage generosity from infancy: let him share the most precious things with his relatives. The little one doesn’t feel sorry for anything for his brother or sister. No car, no crib, no mother, no milk. Children need to not only be fed, but also raised!

Stop breastfeeding at the most inopportune moment: wean at the time of moving, immediately after a flight, divorce or tsunami

A move, a scandal, a natural disaster... Against the backdrop of these misfortunes, a child may forget about the existence of breastfeeding. We, too, endure these trials with steadfastness. Welcome to adulthood!

Rub something sharp on your nipples

With mustard, pepper, greens and other unpleasant things - the baby reached for his mother’s delicious and beloved milk, and then - an ambush and betrayal... Yes, the baby will burn himself a couple of times, cry his heart out, but then it won’t even occur to him to reach for the breast. Good lesson.

Leave the child for a while

Of course, what if the baby doesn’t have enough stress because he’s stopped breastfeeding? Add stress to your baby's life: let him spend several days without his beloved mother. Yes, he will be sad and lonely. She'll cry and scream, and so what? Life in general is full of disappointments.

Of course, if you want delicate and gradual weaning, then it is better to ignore these tips and do the opposite: take care of your health, be patient and gentle with your baby, and do not forget about common sense.

We also read:

Hello!

This publication will discuss how to quickly wean a child from breastfeeding.

Of course, it is wise to wean your baby gradually:

• when he needs her little;
• when the mother, due to the fact that the child hardly attaches to the breast, already has little milk;
• when they are both already mentally prepared for the next stage in the development of their relationship - for greater independence on both sides.

Weaning after one year

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

• The baby already understands everything, knows well where mom and boob are, and how to get his favorite milk.
• The older the child, the more strongly his love for breastfeeding is expressed, and the more difficult it is for the 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 quite a long time.

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

Having such experience, I want to give some tips, which will help the child and you to endure the process easier:

• Do not deprive your baby of mother, breast, and milk at the same time. Do everything gradually. There is no need to move away from home and leave the child with relatives. It will be much easier for the baby when his mother is nearby, he will be able to cuddle up to you and calm down if he is upset.
• Depending on the age, try to explain to the baby that there is no more milk in the milk, or it is not tasty. If such conversations do not help, you can lightly spread something tasteless on your breasts. For example, salt, aloe juice, vegetable oil, or any other remedy, as long as it does not harm the baby. I heard advice like: “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 it and realizing that the favorite delicacy has become inedible, the child immediately understands everything and stops the hysteria.

How and what to replace boobs with?

This question, sooner or later, arises for many mothers. At night, breastfeeding can be replaced with a bottle of milk or another suitable drink that your baby loves. In order not to run to the kitchen at night to warm up 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 feed him at night from a cup or spoon, be prepared for this too, prepare everything in advance.

How will a baby fall asleep without a breast if he previously fell asleep only with it?

This is also not an idle question. Breasts can be replaced with warm hugs and lullabies. By cuddling up to you, the child will feel the same warmth as before, this will make it easier for him to fall asleep, and a calm, monotonous song will only help this process. Perhaps your baby will like it if you lull him in your arms.

How to stop lactation?

• You need to express the milk well and then bandage the breast tightly (do not overdo it). You will need to do this for several days, depending on how much milk you have and the characteristics of your body. From time to time, if your breasts are full, you need to express milk.
• If bandaging does not suit you for some reason, or there is no desired effect, you can take pills to stop lactation.
• If you don’t have enough milk, and bandaging and pills don’t suit you, you can simply express the milk little by little as you collect it. So, from a few days to two weeks you can get rid of milk.

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

Each child and mother are individual, so it is necessary to take into account the body so that they can endure this inevitable stage in their relationship as painlessly as possible.

Perhaps you have your own tips or questions? I invite you to discuss this topic on our forum.

Dr. Komarovsky: the best age for weaning

Sooner or later, every mother wonders whether it’s time to stop breastfeeding. Only the mother decides how long breastfeeding should continue, but it is very good if this decision is made consciously, carefully, taking into account the needs of the child. WHO recommends continuing breastfeeding up to 2 years or longer, at the request of mother and child. The national program for optimizing the feeding of children in the first year of life states that it is advisable to continue breastfeeding until 1-1.5 years. Throughout the entire period of breastfeeding, milk remains beneficial. The psychological factor of breastfeeding also remains quite significant.

The following are not valid reasons for weaning:

1. Reaching a certain age. First of all, you need to look at the child’s readiness. Then weaning passes easily and painlessly. Remember that the weaning period can take months. You shouldn’t force things and try to excommunicate as quickly as possible. This is not a competition. Look at the child, observe how he reacts to your actions. If the child becomes restless, capricious, anxious, starts sucking fingers or some objects, you may be in too much of a hurry and should slow down a little or even go back a little.

2. Mom going to work. During this period, the child especially needs something stable, pleasant, that brings him closer to his mother. Breastfeeding helps the child accept this situation and understand that the mother will be gone for some time, but then she will definitely return and breastfeed.

3. Start of child's visit to kindergarten. Many mothers and children perfectly combine their child’s attendance at kindergarten and breastfeeding. In addition, during this difficult period for the child, breastfeeding will help him adapt more easily to the new situation and protect him from childhood diseases, which often begin to plague “kindergarten” children.

4. Peer pressure. Remember, it is your baby and only you can decide when it is time to stop breastfeeding. After all, you want wean the baby from the breast the least secure way, right? And not in order to please your mother, grandmother, or pediatrician?

5. The child does not eat complementary foods well. It is not a fact that after weaning the child will eat better and more varied, except perhaps in larger quantities. At least by breastfeeding, you can be sure that your baby is getting the necessary nutrients through breast milk.

6. The mother needs treatment, taking some medications. If a mother gets sick, the doctor can most often choose a treatment that is compatible with breastfeeding. Although most medicines contain a contraindication during lactation, this is not always the case. Thus, pharmaceutical companies abdicate their responsibility. In fact, many medications are compatible with breastfeeding. Information about this is in special reference books, and the doctor can always choose a treatment so that there is no need to wean the child from the breast for this period. If this is not possible, then always you can resort to temporary weaning, maintaining lactation during this period, taking measures to avoid breast abandonment and resuming feeding after the end of treatment.

What not to do when weaning from breastfeeding:

1. Wean abruptly. Of course, there are situations when we have to excommunicate urgently. We'll talk about them later. But if there is no such need, weaning should be done gradually, very gradually reducing the frequency of applications. The more natural and gradual the breastfeeding is completed, the safer it is for the physiological and psychological health of mother and child.

2. Suppress lactation with medications. These are quite serious drugs with a wide list of side effects and can only be prescribed by a doctor for compelling reasons. Lactation is a physiological process and the body has natural mechanisms for its completion.

3. Tighten your chest. This is old and rather dangerous advice, however, mothers continue to hear it often. This method disrupts blood circulation in the breast, can cause swelling, injure the breast and lead to lactostasis and even mastitis.

4. Limit drinking. There is no direct relationship between the amount drunk and the amount of milk produced. Restriction in drinking, especially in the hot, dry season, can lead to dehydration of a woman’s body. Therefore, a woman should drink according to her thirst. Just try to avoid hot drinks, as hot drinks usually cause a hot flush.

5. Putting something ugly or tasteless on your breasts. On the one hand, this can cause stress in the child, on the other hand, it can lead to burns of the delicate skin of the chest or the mucous membrane of the child’s mouth.

When you should not wean from breastfeeding:

1. During the baby’s illness or immediately after recovery. During this period, the child’s body is weakened and should not be deprived of support and protection in the form of breast milk.

2. During global changes in a child’s life that can cause stress. Mom goes to work, moves, enters kindergarten, etc. When such changes are planned, it is better to wean about 2 months before or after, when the child has adapted to the new in his life.

3. During the hot season. Weaning from breastfeeding in summer increases the risk of intestinal disorders, and breast milk is protective. But it is believed that if the feeding experience is already considerable (2 years or more), the time of year is no longer important.

Weaning a child over one year old from breastfeeding

So, let’s take a mother and a child over one year old as the initial data. Keep in mind that the older the baby, the easier it is to wean. First of all, the mother must prepare herself for weaning from breastfeeding. Mom’s confidence in the correctness of her actions is very important during this period. The mother's doubts will be transmitted to the child, and weaning may be difficult. In addition, the mother must enlist the support of loved ones. If, for example, the grandmother laments, “Oh, my little one, your bad mother won’t give you a tit, oh, you poor thing,” you yourself understand that this can complicate the weaning process. So, the decision has been made, Family members are ready to support and help you. Begin.

Where to start weaning?

Weaning from breastfeeding usually begins by reducing daily feedings.. Here every mother finds her own approach to her child. Children often suck during the day out of boredom. Therefore, we try to spend more time doing interesting activities. Moreover, it is absolutely not necessary to engage in children's activities. You can involve your baby in household chores, this is even more interesting for him. Go to visit interesting places, walk a lot, invite guests to your place. You can captivate your child with something unusual that you have never done before. Try to avoid situations where the baby remembers the breast and wants to latch on. Do not change clothes in front of him, wear closed clothes. Try not to sit idle. Moreover, for a child, if the mother is sitting at the computer or talking on the phone, it may mean that the mother is not busy with anything. And a sitting, unoccupied mother is an object for the child to attack for something to suck. If your child is used to breastfeeding in certain places or situations, try to avoid them.

If the baby asks for the breast, pretend that you didn’t hear or understand. Try to interest the child in something, to distract him. With an older child, the contract method works well. “I’ll give it to you when we sleep”, “You’ll suck it when we’ve cleaned up and washed the dishes” Just be sure to keep your promises. Then the baby will agree to wait and delay feeding. If the baby switches easily, then the need for attachment was not so great. If the baby insists, you will have to breastfeed. So at this moment it is really important for him.

Weaning from daytime feedings simple enough. The next step is removing feedings for falling asleep. First, daytime feedings are removed. Here you may need the help of relatives. For example, a grandmother can take over putting her to bed for a nap. After all, children are very smart. They understand that it is useless to ask their father and grandmother for breastfeeding; they have no milk. You don't have to do this every day. The main thing is to teach the baby to fall asleep without the breast. Develop a special bedtime ritual. For example, washing - changing pajamas - reading a book - breasts - stroking the heels - sleep. Gradually try to eliminate the breasts from this row. Or another option. Mom reads a book, lets her breastfeed, suddenly remembers some important matter, talks about it out loud (“oh, I urgently need to turn off the kettle/call/go to the toilet, you lie down for a minute, I’ll be right back”) and leaves. Gradually, the time of absence can be lengthened and once again, when you return, you will find your baby peacefully sleeping. But one condition is that if you leave, citing the fact that you need to wash your hands, and the child wants to get up and go look for you, he must find you in the bathroom washing his hands, otherwise the child will not trust your words. You do not scold the child for getting up, you simply return him to bed and gently ask him not to get up next time, but to wait for you.

It is important to remember that tactile contact is very important during this time. Try to touch your child more: hug, massage, tickle, wrestle, squeeze him. Talk more often about how much you love you. The child must understand that he is still loved, this love is just manifested in other ways.

At the stage when daytime feedings are gone and all that remains is feeding in the evening for falling asleep and at night, many mothers prefer to stop and feed in this mode for some more time. If daytime feedings have been removed gently, the number of nighttime feedings does not increase. If the child begins to wake up much more often at night in order to kiss, becomes restless, capricious, anxious, starts sucking fingers or other objects, you are probably in too much of a hurry, it is better to take a step back and wait some time before moving on. .

Night feedings are usually removed last. First, the duration of night feedings is reduced. The mother takes the breast after the baby has sucked a little. Gradually, the attachments become very short, rather symbolic, and over time the child will simply wake them up. From now on, you can simply stop breastfeeding. At night, you can use the following formulations: “it’s night outside, mom is sleeping, dad is sleeping and baby is sleeping, and Masha will sleep too.” The clothes that mom sleeps in should make it difficult to access the breast. Mom can pretend to be asleep. You can put the child to bed on dad's side and then dad wakes up, gives the child some water to drink and puts the child to bed again. Mom can go to sleep in another room at night. Each mother will find her own words and tricks that suit her child.

There are situations when weaning occurs at an earlier age or the mother does not have enough time for a smooth weaning.

Emergency weaning from breastfeeding.

There are situations when you have to excommunicate abruptly. Usually such situations are associated with health problems of the mother or child. Try to approach this decision with maximum responsibility, talk with your doctor, emphasizing what you would really like to feed, together with your doctor, look for alternatives to weaning. It would be a good idea to find out the opinions of other doctors on your issue.

If it is impossible to find alternatives and even temporary weaning does not suit you, ask your doctor how much time you have to wean off. It would be good if there was at least a small supply of it. Then the child will tolerate weaning much easier. In such a situation, the methods of weaning are the same, it will just happen at an accelerated pace.

Weaning a child from breastfeeding for up to one year.

It is worth thinking very carefully and weighing all the pros and cons in order to begin weaning a child up to one year from breastfeeding. Still, up to a year, mother’s milk is the main source of nutrition and supplier of all the necessary nutrients for the child. Complementary feeding is introduced after 6 months and only by the age of one year do the volumes of complementary feeding become energetically significant. If a child under one year of age begins to refuse feeding, the mother may get the idea that this is self-weaning, but most often this is still a temporary strike caused by some reasons, which can be eliminated to continue feeding. The mother decides whether she will continue to feed or stop there.

Usually it is not very difficult to wean a child under one year old. Gradually replace breastfeeding with bottle feeding. It’s best to leave night feedings for last. Difficulties may arise if the child refuses the bottle. You can resort to the help of relatives. Perhaps the child will categorically refuse to take a bottle from his mother’s hands, but will eat from his father’s. You can try giving the bottle at first in a position different from the one in which the baby is used to breastfeeding. Remember that a child up to one year old (according to some sources, up to 2 years old) needs to receive either breast milk or a substitute - an adapted formula. And also the child must satisfy the need for sucking, if not with the breast, then with the pacifier. During this period, contact between mother and child is especially important. Try to make the child feel his mother’s closeness, love and affection.

What to do with your breasts?

What not to do with the breasts when weaning from breastfeeding has already been mentioned above: do not overtighten, do not smear mustard and brilliant green.

What can and should be done? If weaning occurs gently and slowly, then the breasts have time to adapt to changing feeding rhythms, so you usually don’t have to do anything. If your chest becomes full, painful sensations or discomfort appear, you should pump a little until you feel relief. You can apply cool cabbage leaves. If your breasts become full quickly, you can use natural remedies that suppress lactation (mint,) as teas or aromatherapy. Also, a fairly strong agent that suppresses lactation is, which needs to be rubbed into the skin of the chest with light massaging movements.

I would also like to note that not a single child has ever suckled at the breast endlessly. Sooner or later, a moment comes when the child completely loses the need for this process. Self-weaning usually occurs after 2.5 years.

Good luck and a gentle weaning!

Yusova Tatyana - breastfeeding consultant

No matter how successful breastfeeding is, each specific mother-baby pair sooner or later faces the question of how to wean the child from the breast. Regardless of the reasons for stopping breastfeeding, it is almost always extremely stressful for the child and mother. That is why, when the task arises of weaning 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 off breastfeeding before he is 6 months old, since babies during the first six months of life do not need any other food other than mother’s milk.

Theoretically, you can gradually stop breastfeeding your baby after he is 6 months old. 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 protect the child from infections, maintain a close psychological connection between mother and baby, and the baby will undoubtedly feel better psychologically, feeling protected.

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

How to understand when it's time to wean your baby

As a rule, the need to wean a child from breastfeeding arises more from the mother than from the baby. For a child, mother and mother’s breasts are the most dear thing in his life and are associated with a feeling of complete security. Therefore, in the process of weaning, you need to focus primarily on the baby’s readiness.

It is not recommended to wean a child under one year of age. As a rule, a one-year-old child should be transferred to the “adult table”, but this does not mean 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 have the desire and opportunity, you can continue to breastfeed your child until the age of two.

Typically, certain signs can tell a new mother that it may be time to wean her baby:

1. The baby is two years old.
2. The baby loses interest in the breast and 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 a little more

Sometimes a situation arises when it seems like it’s time to stop breastfeeding, but it’s better to wait.

The best time to wean a baby from the breast is when he is teething or if the child is sick. It is also better not to wean at a time when serious changes are occurring or are brewing in the life of your family (moving, mom will soon go to work, etc.).

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

The baby does not fall asleep without the breast

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

After a year, you can try to teach your child to fall asleep to lullabies, stroking, and fairy tales. Weaning from breastfeeding and replacing night feedings with the transition to this method of placing the baby requires a certain amount of patience from the parents. The desired result can be achieved if your actions are consistent and constant. Teach your baby to fall asleep at the same time in a calm environment. As an option, a 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 grandma deal with the issue of motion sickness. At the same time, the mother should pay as much attention as possible to the baby 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 on a psychological level. At the same time, the child experiences a sense of security, which allows him to fall asleep peacefully. If you plan to wean your baby from breastfeeding, then after a year you should gradually reduce the number of night feedings.

Rules for safe weaning

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

What are the options for stopping breastfeeding?

As a matter of fact, there are several ways to stop lactation and wean a child from breastfeeding:

1. Drug cessation of lactation. In modern medicine, hormonal agents are widely used to help 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 independently stops producing breast milk. It is also possible for the baby to self-wean.
3. "The old fashioned way." Among our mothers and grandmothers, the method of pulling the chest with sheets was popular.
4. Gradual reduction of feedings.

Side effects of the chosen method

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

Stages of baby weaning

You should not try to quickly wean your baby from the breast; it is better to do it gradually, in several stages. To make this process as painless as possible for the baby, it can be extended over several months.

1. It is necessary to pay more attention to the child during the day, hug and kiss him, and take him in your arms. This way, weaning your baby off the breast will be less painful and traumatic for him.
2. You should not teach your baby to fall asleep in the parent's bed.
3. Teach your baby to fall asleep without breastfeeding until weaning.
4. To stop breastfeeding, it is better to choose a cold season. This way you can significantly reduce the risk of intestinal infections.
5. It will be easier for the baby to refuse mother's milk when he regularly receives complementary foods (from ten months - at least 3 times a day).
6. You should not give your baby to relatives during weaning. This is extremely stressful for the baby and mother.
7. If a child has a persistent habit of falling asleep under the breast, then it needs to be replaced, for example, by rocking.
8. Weaning off breastfeeding at night will require the mother's perseverance and patience. At first, you can use a bottle of water or sweet tea, which should be prepared in advance.
9. You should not wear T-shirts or blouses with a low neckline when you are 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 make it possible to properly wean the baby. Under no circumstances should you invent “mistakes” for yourself, blame yourself and get upset if something goes wrong. In addition to breast milk, you can give your child no less valuable warmth, affection, love and care, which your baby so needs.

Be happy and grow up healthy!