It is highly recommended that you exclusively breastfeed your baby for the first six months of their life. Beyond six months, breastfeeding still gives your baby tons of benefits such as fighting off infections and providing the balance of nutrients your baby needs. Thus, it is up to you and your baby to decide when to quit breastfeeding. But just like any journey, it will come to a time when it has to end, sooner or later. To help you with that, here are some suggestions that you can consider to start weaning.
1. Recognize the signs
Before you begin to wean, look for the signs that your child is ready. According to the National Health Society, the signs may include
- holding their head in an upright position
- sitting without support
- losing their active tongue-thrust reflex
- expressing interest in what you are eating
- acting indifferent or cranky during nursing sessions
The weaning journey is not only for your baby but also for you, as a nursing parent. You should also be the one who is ready to quit, which is a fairly valid reason to wean.
2. Set a timeline
As you prepare to stop breastfeeding, allow yourself a full month to move through the process to give you and your baby space to take it easy with challenges and setbacks. If possible, avoid weaning off during major life changes such as teething, starting daycare, moving houses, and more.
3. Start slowly
To help you and your baby adjust to the change, you may start by dropping just one breastfeeding session per week. Choose the most inconvenient feeding or the one your baby's least interested in. Then, gradually drop more sessions or stretch out the times between sessions until they are solely having bottles and/or solid foods.
By doing it slowly, you will also produce less and less milk, which will make the experience more comfortable for you. You may even avoid triggering mastitis or clogged ducts.
4. Provide physical comfort
Breastfed babies get used to skin-to-skin contact and the comfort it gives. So when you start weaning, it might help to provide physical connection in other ways that keep them emotionally stimulated such as cuddling together while reading a book or singing lullabies, or massaging your baby's back.
5. Let your baby lead
Some babies are a champ at weaning when they have control. If you are fine with your little one leading the way, you may try the "don't offer, don't refuse" method. It is when you nurse only when your baby shows interest, but you do not initiate it. It is not the fastest weaning strategy, but it ensures your baby's needs are met.
