Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Starting the process
• Part 2 of 3: Taking care of yourself
• Part 3 of 3: Meeting Your Child's Needs
• Tips
• Warnings

Not all women experience a painful process of weaning a baby, especially if they listen to the baby's needs and do it gradually. However, weaning is uncomfortable for some women. Some mothers even have difficulty weaning their baby from the nipple! Knowing effective ways to wean your baby can help you achieve your goal faster and with less effort. In this article, you will learn a few simple tricks to help you finish breastfeeding more smoothly.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Starting the process

1. 1 Start gradually. Start the weaning process slowly and slowly. Any abrupt cessation of breastfeeding will stress your body and cause pain and discomfort. If you stop breastfeeding abruptly, your body is unlikely to be able to quickly adapt to this change and the process itself is likely to be painful.
   • The body adjusts to the baby's needs based on how often the baby lays on the breast. The body will not be able to stop producing milk immediately; it takes some time for it to realize that it no longer needs milk.
   • The negative effects of abrupt weaning can include breast swelling, mastitis, and clogged milk ducts.
   • If you stop breastfeeding gradually, the milk will gradually disappear over several weeks or months. If you end breastfeeding abruptly, the time it takes for milk to drain will depend on the amount of milk you are making. If you fed your baby often and a lot, then you will need several weeks or even months for the milk to disappear.
2. 2 Watch for signs that your baby is ready to be weaned. Most likely, your baby will tell you in one way or another when he is ready to wean. For example, he will begin to show a great interest in solid foods and lose interest in breastfeeding. However, remember that doctors do not recommend stopping breastfeeding or bottle feeding completely before 12 months, nor is it recommended to give cow's milk to babies under one year old.
   • You can follow the self-weaning philosophy of the child, which means that you will allow food from the common table when the child begins to reach for it. Gradually, the baby will begin to eat more food than breast milk.
   • Follow your intuition about your baby's readiness to stop breastfeeding. Remember that you are a mother and no one knows your child better than you. Listen to your baby.
   • Remember that every child is different. Each mother is also different. You can learn how other mothers have weaned their babies, but don't follow their example if you feel differently. Your own experience and intuition will be your best guides.
   • Around the age of five to six months, a baby may want other foods even though he has no teeth. It is believed that the child is ready for the introduction of food when he becomes more mobile, can sit without assistance, watches with interest how you eat, and makes chewing movements.
   • Some people think that weaning can begin when the baby has its first teeth, but this is not the case. It is perfectly normal to continue breastfeeding even when the baby has teeth, just remember that sometimes the baby may bite. Try to make the child understand that it cannot be done this way and stop doing it.
3. 3 Enter complementary foods. The moment food becomes the main source of nutrients, weaning can begin. The baby's digestive system is still developing and until 12 months old the baby needs milk or formula. You can start complementary foods with cereals and cereals at about 4 months, and then gradually start giving food from the common table.
   • When you feed complementary foods for the first time, you can add some breast milk to the one-grain porridge. Thanks to this, the taste of the porridge will seem more familiar to the child, and it will be easier to chew the porridge. Complementary foods should be introduced no earlier than six months.
   • From 4 to 8 months, you can enter fruit, vegetable and meat purees.
   • From 9 to 12 months, small unpurified foods such as rice, baby biscuits or minced meat can be introduced.
4. 4 Start decreasing the number of feeds. If the baby lays on the breast every three hours, then by about nine months you can feed the baby less often, every four to five hours. You can start weaning by skipping your baby's least favorite (or most difficult) meal. Just skip and follow the reaction. If the baby hasn't noticed anything, just always skip this feed.
   • A few days or weeks after that, skip another feed and see if the baby notices. If the baby is still okay with the lack of feeding, then you can continue to gradually, one by one, skip breastfeeding.
   • You can only leave morning and / or evening feeds. There is often a lot of milk in the morning, so it is important to leave the morning feed to avoid stagnation. Evening feeding, which is part of bedtime preparation, also plays an important role in allowing the baby to eat before bed and sleep better. Evening feeds are usually the last.
   • Eliminate nighttime feedings by asking a loved one to be with the baby and rock him to sleep again.
5. 5 Substitute formula for breast milk. If you want to wean a baby under one year old, then you need to replace breastfeeding with formula milk. Changing breastfeeding to formula milk usually ends breastfeeding after a few weeks.
   • Try replacing your breasts with a bottle. If you always breastfeed when your baby is hungry, try giving a bottle and see how the baby reacts.
   • When you put your baby to bed, and he is almost asleep, try to take the nipple out of his mouth and substitute the bottle.Thanks to this, the baby can quickly get used to the taste of the mixture and to the shape of the nipple without even realizing it.
   • If the child does not want a bottle, try different ways of bottle-training, for example, have someone else (such as dad) bottle feed, give a bottle or sippy cup when the child is tired.
   • If the baby is over a year old, you can give cow's milk instead of breast milk.
6. 6 Reduce the number of pumpings gradually. If you are expressing mostly or at all, it will still take some time for you to stop breastfeeding - do it gradually. The same principles work here as with breastfeeding: reduce the number of pumpings per day. The first step is to reduce the number of pumpings to two, preferably 12 days apart.
   • After canceling one pumping, wait a couple of days before removing another pumping.
   • When you only have two pumpings a day, shorten the duration of each pumping.
   • After that, leave only one pumping and wait a few days.
   • Reduce the duration of this last pumping.
   • When only 30-80 ml of milk has been collected while expressing, you can stop pumping.
   • Even when expressing, you must be careful about your body, because all the same problems are possible: blockage of the milk ducts, chest pains and a feeling of swelling.

Part 2 of 3: Taking care of yourself

1. 1 Use cold compresses to relieve milk stagnation. Cold compresses can reduce blood flow to the breasts, resulting in less milk production. They also help reduce soreness so you can feel more comfortable.
   • Specialty bras with gel bags are available. The gel bags must be frozen and then placed in a special pocket in the bra.
   • If you do not want to spend money on buying special gel bags and bras, you can simply take a towel, soak it in cold water and put it on your chest. Change this cold compress as often as possible. You can even freeze the towel as body heat quickly heats up and dries up the fabric.
2. 2 Avoid breast pumps and nipple stimulation. Both make your body think that the baby is breastfeeding and more milk needs to be produced. Of course, this is not in line with your goal of stopping lactation.
   • However, if the breast is really full, it is unsafe to leave milk in it, as there is a high risk of blockage of the milk ducts. Try manual pumping or simply pump some milk with a breast pump to relieve pain. Be careful and pump a little to reduce your milk production.
   • A warm shower can help you pump, but do not use a warm shower too often, as it can increase your milk production.
   • Use breast pads if you are worried about milk leaking from your nipples when your breasts are full. Many women feel uncomfortable seeing this leakage through their clothes. Special gaskets help to cope with this problem.
3. 3 Try cabbage compresses. Cabbage leaves have been used for centuries to reduce lactation. To accommodate the cabbage leaves, use a tight-fitting bra and keep it on, even when you sleep. If the bra is too small or too large, you may feel uncomfortable.
   • Cabbage leaves secrete enzymes that help reduce lactation, so be sure to remember the leaves in your hands or with a rolling pin before placing them on your chest to release the enzymes.
   • Place one large, cool cabbage leaf in each of your bra cups and replace them if they wilt every 24 to 48 hours.
   • Try not to wear underwired bras.
   • If cabbage compresses don't work after a few days, stop using them and find another way to reduce discomfort and stop lactation (for example, cold compresses).
4. 4 Massage your breasts. Start massage right away if you feel lumps (lumps) in your chest. If this happens, it is likely that the milk ducts are blocked. Try to pay more attention to these areas and massage them more often. Your task is to get rid of this blockage with massage.
   • A warm shower can also be helpful and will make the massage more effective, but showering too often is not recommended as heat promotes milk production.
   • Apply warm compresses before massage and cold compresses after massage.
   • Watch for any chest pain or redness or fever. This could be a symptom of mastitis.
   • Contact your doctor if after a day you have not been able to get rid of the blockage of the milk ducts with the help of massage. If you find a lump in your chest and you have a fever, you are more likely to develop mastitis. In such cases, it is necessary to see a doctor as early as possible, since mastitis can lead to very serious complications if it is not treated in time.
5. 5 Ask your doctor to recommend pain relievers. Talk to your doctor and see if you can use ibuprofen as a pain reliever if the pain gets severe and other remedies are not working.
   • Paracetamol is also a popular pain reliever.
6. 6 Be aware of possible mood swings. Hormonal changes with decreased lactation can affect mood. Weaning is not only a physiological experience, but also a psychological one. Allow yourself to feel what you are feeling.
   • Don't be shy if you feel like crying. It is likely that you will feel sad, and crying is a good way to deal with the sadness that your time with your baby while breastfeeding is over.
7. 7 Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Continue to eat well and drink plenty of fluids. If you are healthy, all of your body's functions will function as expected.
   • Continue taking vitamins to keep your body getting enough while it tries to adjust to the change.
   • Get enough sleep. Your body is undergoing major changes and good sleep will be beneficial. Sleep is one of the best ways for the body to recover and heal.
8. 8 Talk to your doctor. Talk to a breastfeeding specialist or pediatrician. Breastfeeding specialists can be found in some clinics and private health centers, you can ask friends or find such a specialist on the Internet.
   • Tell us about your situation in as much detail as possible, only in this way the doctor will be able to give the most accurate answers to your questions.
   • Many clinics and health centers offer training seminars, meetings and sessions on breastfeeding, during which the topic of weaning is necessarily addressed. Specialists who teach such classes can be a good source of information, they can provide useful advice based on the experience of real women.
9. 9 Chat with more experienced mothers. If you're having trouble weaning and can't find answers to your questions, talk to other mothers. Ask them how they weaned their babies. You may be surprised to learn about their experiences and get some advice. Very often, other mothers can be a great source of information on everything about breastfeeding, weaning, and other parenting topics.
   • You can even write down whatever is advised to you, any information may be useful.

Part 3 of 3: Meeting Your Child's Needs

1. 1 Calm the child down. Remember that it can be difficult for your baby to adjust to changes.After all, excommunication for a child can mean not only that he has lost his mother's breast, but also that he has lost time when he is so good with her. Find alternative ways to fondle your baby, reassure that you are there and that you love him that he can be good with his mother, even without her breast.
   • Spend more time with your baby, hug him more, and show affection in every way, such as stroking and kissing. This will help your baby get used to the reduction in physical contact after weaning more quickly.
   • Spend more time alone with your child.
   • Avoid simulations such as TV, phone and tablet apps, reading, and anything else that can distract your attention.
   • Add the time you spend with your baby to your schedule so that you don't forget, and try not to use your phone during those precious moments of communication with your baby.
2. 2 Distract your child. Try to distract the baby's attention from the breast. Distracting a child is often easy, and there are many different ways to do it.
   • Try some fun game at a time when you usually breastfeed your baby - perhaps the baby will completely forget about feeding.
   • Try not to sit down or lie down where you used to feed.
   • Change your daily routine so that you don't do things in the same order as before breastfeeding, so that nothing can remind your baby about feeding.
   • Rearrange the furniture in the room where you used to feed your baby so that he no longer has the association with the fact that this is a feeding room.
   • Ask your husband or loved one to participate in games and other activities to distract the baby from feeding, such as taking them for a walk while staying at home.
   • Do not prevent your child from becoming attached to a soft toy or blanket - such a small detail can be very important for the child emotionally during the weaning process.
3. 3 Be patient with your child. During weaning, most babies become moody and irritable - this is a completely normal reaction to change. Over time, you and your child will move on to a new chapter in life, but until then, try to be patient until this important stage of life is over.
   • Play with your child often, because play is the most important way to explore the world, allowing you to experiment and communicate.
   • If your baby is crying because you are not breastfeeding, you should not try to rock him. It is much better to just put the baby in the crib or ask someone else to calm him down, you can also put the baby in the stroller and take a walk, or you can just sit quietly next to him, sing to him and stroke him.

Tips

• La Leche League is a breastfeeding organization. Their official website has a lot of important and detailed information for breastfeeding mothers. Just visit their website and you will easily find what interests you. You can also attend their meetings or events if they are in your city.
• Do not wean your baby when he is sick or slightly unwell. Breastfeeding while sick is the best way to get your baby to drink enough fluids and heal faster.
• If other big changes are expected in your child's life, such as the appearance of teeth, the appearance of another child, or a move, then try to postpone the onset of weaning until the baby adapts to these changes.
• You may find it more comfortable to wear a tight-fitting bra during weaning, but remember not to be too tight, as this can lead to blocked milk ducts and mastitis.

Warnings

• Seek professional help if you develop severe or prolonged depression while weaning.
• Try not to shower for too long as warm water stimulates milk production.
• See your doctor if signs of mastitis become evident. Mastitis requires proper treatment and should never be ignored. An antibiotic is usually prescribed in this case. The symptoms of mastitis are:
  • temperature over 38.3ºC
  • wedge-shaped redness on the skin
  • swelling in the chest
  • chest pain
  • feeling sick or lack of energy