How to wean a child from breastfeeding: effective methods and advice from doctors. Goodbye GW! Basic principles of painless weaning and tricky techniques from experienced mothers How to wean a one-year-old child from the breast

No matter how long a mother breastfeeds her baby, at a certain time she still faces the question of how to wean her baby. At the same time, every woman wants to carry out weaning so that for the baby everything is as simple and painless as possible. Below we will talk about how to practice stopping breastfeeding and what young mothers need to remember so that breastfeeding ends easily and without problems.

When to start this process?

One of the most important pieces of advice about when is the best time to wean your baby off breastfeeding is this: you need to make this decision yourself. There is no need to listen to advice from friends and relatives about when to quit. After all, weaning from breastfeeding occurs at different times for everyone, and due to various factors, each mother tries to wean her baby at a certain period.

Some people can’t wait to finally stop being closely dependent on the baby, some strive to quickly restore their “pre-pregnancy” shape, others need to join the work schedule at some point. However, there are also less clear reasons why a child is stopped breastfeeding at a certain period. For example, you can still hear the belief that after some time milk becomes not only useless for the baby, but even harmful. There is no doubt that you should not believe such incomprehensible theories.

For those for whom the question of when and how to wean a child correctly from breastfeeding is relevant, you need to rely on the evidence of science and medicine. Therefore, it is important to understand exactly how milk production occurs in the body. It is produced due to the influence of the hormone. If the mother feeds the baby regularly, the amount of milk does not decrease even after a long time. And if the mother’s nutrition is complete, then the composition of mother’s milk will be as rich as in the first months after the start of feeding.

Therefore, weaning a child from breastfeeding is carried out no earlier than the baby turns one year old, of course, unless there are emergency reasons for this. If you follow WHO recommendations, then you need to stop natural feeding no earlier than the baby turns 1.5-2 years old. However, when weaning, one must first of all be guided by individual characteristics. It is very important that both mother and child are prepared for this process.

Feeding is a process that unites a woman and her baby. Therefore, she must be psychologically prepared for the fact that such contact will be broken.

It is not recommended to stop natural feeding too early, because until the age of 1-1.5 years the baby may not be ready for this. In addition, in such a situation, negative consequences may also appear for the mother, who, under such conditions, increases the risk of painful lumps appearing in the breast. With premature weaning, an early restructuring occurs in the body, which is fraught with the development of hormonal disorders, as well as prolonged release of milk from the breasts after the cessation of feeding.

Emergency weaning

Situations may arise in life when it is necessary to stop breastfeeding as an emergency. For some reasons, natural feeding has to be stopped completely, but sometimes it is enough to stop it for a certain time by taking a break.

If it is possible to resume lactation after a break, it is imperative to do so, especially if the baby is not yet 1-1.5 years old.

Emergency weaning is necessary if the following reasons occur:

open form ;
hepatitis ;
oncological processes;
treatment with drugs incompatible with lactation;
purulent .

If you have mastitis and use medications that are incompatible with feeding, you can stop lactation only for a while. To maintain milk production, it must be expressed regularly during treatment. When treatment is over, the woman can continue to breastfeed her baby. Gradually, milk will begin to be produced in the same volumes, and the baby will again begin to receive enough of it.

How do you know when it's time to stop feeding your baby?

When answering this question, you need to consider it from the perspective of both mother and baby, since this process is not easy for both.

So, for a woman, the main factor indicating her readiness to stop breastfeeding is the lack of breast filling for a long time - from 12 hours.

There are several ways to determine how long milk has not been produced. It will be very easy for mothers of babies who go to kindergarten to understand that the milk is not coming. If a mother does not feed her baby at night, then if there is no milk in the breast during the day, you can understand that it is decreasing. In this case, the woman should not feel pain in the mammary glands, and lumps should not form in them.

Sometimes it is difficult for a woman to restrain herself from feeding her baby during the day. In this case, you can leave the baby with one of your relatives so that there is no temptation to feed the baby.

If the mother is unable, for certain reasons, to apply the methods described above, then you can feed the baby from only one breast throughout the day, and watch the other.

Provided that the breasts do not fill within 12 hours, you need to count from 8 to 12 weeks, and after that the time will come when the woman’s body is completely ready to stop lactation.

But determining whether the baby is ready for weaning is more difficult. But still, every mother feels exactly what her baby needs and when, so it will be easiest for her, sometimes even on an intuitive level, to determine when the baby is ready for weaning.

However, every mother should think correctly in this case. An important criterion is the baby’s refusal of bottles, pacifiers, and pacifiers. Breastfeeding should be done from 1 to 3 per day. Moreover, this exact amount should be constant for 1-2 months. As a rule, such a period begins and, accordingly, weaning from breastfeeding at 2 years. True, you should take into account the individuality of the process and understand that this can happen a little earlier and a little later.

When should you postpone the completion of the GW?

It is important for every mother to understand not only how to wean a child from breastfeeding correctly, but also when not to rush into it. After all, such situations also happen.

You should not start weaning from breastfeeding if the baby is experiencing a period of stress for certain reasons or this may happen in the near future. For example, this does not need to be done if there is a move coming soon, the mother plans to go to work and invite a nanny to look after the child, the baby is going to go to a nursery, etc. All of these changes are stressful for the little person. The weaning process should be carried out either several months before expected stressful situations, or 2-3 months after such events.

According to Dr. Komarovsky and other pediatricians, you cannot stop feeding even when the baby is going through a crisis period. This happens when the child turns one year old, after a year, at three years old.

Also, you should not stop feeding immediately before vaccination and after this process. During the warm period of the year, such changes are also not recommended, since at this time there is a risk of developing intestinal infections increases sharply. After stopping breastfeeding, the baby becomes especially vulnerable to such infections.

If a young mother is already mentally and physically ready to stop natural feeding, and the baby is put to the breast no more than three times a day, this process can be completed.

You can stop lactation gradually or immediately and abruptly. However, it is gradual weaning that is preferable for the baby, since he tolerates it less traumatically. Without a doubt, when contact with the mother becomes less close due to the cessation of feeding, the baby will feel it.

But it is still important that the woman is confident and does not hesitate in her intention. The baby will immediately feel the mother’s doubts, and this will further aggravate the difficult process.

Frequency reduction

When the frequency of feedings decreases, this is already the stage of weaning. At this time, it is important for the mother to completely eliminate all moments that provoke her to feed the child. For example, you should not change clothes in front of the baby so that he does not see the breast and does not try to suck on it. Sometimes children may simply ask for breastfeeding - not for satiety, but to play, or simply out of boredom. In this case, you should distract the baby.

Weaning yourself from falling asleep with your breast during the day

Children who are accustomed to falling asleep with their mother's breasts need to be gradually weaned off this. First, you should teach your baby to sleep without breastfeeding during the day. Several times you can try to “talk” the child by putting him to bed and leaving, saying that mom needs to do something. Returning in a minute, assess the situation: if the baby demands the breast, it must be given. However, every day the period of mother's absence should increase, and after some time the baby will get used to falling asleep without his mother.

Sometimes the child may catch up with the mother when she leaves. In this case, you should not get angry, but calmly take the baby back to the crib.

Weaning yourself from falling asleep with your breast in the evening

When the child gets used to falling asleep during the day without whims about the breast, you gradually need to start teaching him to fall asleep in the same way in the evening.

Provided that the baby no longer requires mother's milk during the day, you need to reduce the duration and number of night feedings. But if, on the contrary, you have to feed your baby more and more often at night, this means that it is too early to think about how to stop breastfeeding. You need to step back a little and wait.

Unpreparedness for weaning can also be determined by the fact that the baby regularly sucks his lower lip, finger, or any object. This is how his inner feelings and unwillingness to stop being in close contact with his mother are expressed.

How can you not act?

There is no need to succumb to the persuasion of grandmothers and smear mustard on your chest. Such actions will cause serious stress in the baby, and, moreover, mustard getting into the gastrointestinal tract can have a bad effect on the stomach.

You should not deprive your baby of increased attention during the weaning period. Since this change in the baby’s life is very serious for him, the mother should hug and kiss him more and more often, stroke his head, and play with him. Such attention will help the baby find peace and reduce stress and anxiety.

You cannot be angry with your child if something goes wrong. Indeed, in most cases, weaning does not go “according to plan” - often something goes wrong, and you have to start all over again. But in any case, it is important not to be nervous, but to calmly assess the situation and try to make this time easier for the child.

When milk stops coming out completely

As a rule, with the smooth end of feeding, lactation gradually stops. Therefore, the question of what to do with breast milk after weaning is, as a rule, not relevant. Provided that milk is released and the woman misses feeding, it needs to be expressed. Pumping is carried out only until a feeling of relief appears. When expressing, the amount of milk decreases every day. After expressing, it is recommended to make a cold compress or apply cold cabbage leaves to the breast.

Although breast milk is the most suitable product for a newborn, there are situations when breastfeeding has to be stopped prematurely. Your local pediatrician, an experienced neighbor, and online forums will tell you how to wean your child off breastfeeding. Often advice about weaning is contradictory, some of it is useless and even dangerous. The mother needs to thoroughly understand the issue so that the process is painless for both her and the baby.

Optimal period to stop feeding

WHO studies have shown that it is easier to stop breastfeeding after one and a half to two years. It is until this age that experts recommend maintaining breastfeeding. And not up to a year, as many people think.

Experts share the concepts of weaning and natural completion of lactation. Natural cessation occurs against the background of involution of lactation in the mother and the extinction of the sucking reflex in the child. This usually happens at 2.5-3 years. If the child is not yet 2 years old, then this is precisely excommunication, that is, essentially a violent act.

At one and a half to two years, the child’s menu includes regular food, milk fades into the background. Now it becomes a way to calm down, to be with mom. And also - to obtain the necessary immune cells that the child himself is not yet able to produce.

At the age of two years and older, the immune system becomes stable, so the need for milk is reduced. Usually, it is at this time that babies themselves refuse mother’s milk, so weaning is gentle and painless for both parties.

A good doctor will tell the mother that when to wean depends on the baby himself, as well as many additional circumstances. For medical reasons, it is sometimes necessary to wean a child from breastfeeding even at the age of several months. This is done if continued breastfeeding may threaten the health of the mother or baby.

Regardless of what age the mother decided to wean the baby from breastfeeding, it is advisable to do this as gently as possible, gradually. Of course, if such an opportunity exists, and there is no need to stop feeding abruptly (in case of illness, for example).

In the case where weaning is not for medical reasons, a soft weaning will be optimal, which minimizes the traumatic nature of the situation. In addition, before weaning your baby, you need to make sure that he is ready for this.

Signs your baby is ready

In order for the completion of breastfeeding to pass smoothly and without stress, it is necessary to take into account the psychological and physiological readiness of the child himself to refuse mother’s milk. There are several signs of such readiness:

the baby's primary baby teeth have appeared;
the child reacts calmly to a change in diet, shows interest in “adult” food, and accepts complementary foods well;
does not suck fingers, pacifiers or bottles;
able to fall asleep without breastfeeding if mother is not around;
copes with stress without applying.

At this time, milk becomes more of a delicacy for the child, rather than a vital necessity, so it will be much easier to wean him painlessly. To reduce the stress of parting with your favorite “dessert” to a minimum, you need to end breastfeeding correctly - gradually, gently, without sudden refusals.

Features of weaning at different ages

The nuances of ending breastfeeding depend on the age of the child. They must be taken into account both when deciding to complete breastfeeding and when choosing a method. Weaning a child from the breast is difficult for the woman and for the baby himself, so you need to think through everything carefully in advance.

Up to a year

It is impossible to complete breastfeeding for the first six months, since the baby needs milk. A sufficiently significant reason to wean a baby before six months can only be serious harm to the health of him or his mother, or a threat to their life. For example, taking strong antibiotics (keep in mind that there are antibiotics compatible with breastfeeding), separation due to hospitalization. But even in this case, doctors advise maintaining lactation with regular pumping, in order to then resume breastfeeding.

Starting from six months, the baby receives complementary foods, although it can hardly be called complete nutrition - it is still an addition to the main food - mother's milk. Before weaning a child under one year of age, you need to think carefully about everything. Milk provides up to ¾ of the substances a child needs for full development. Feeding satisfies his need for physical and emotional contact with his mother. Milk forms a strong immune system, and no artificial mixtures, vitamins, dietary supplements or medications can replace this. Therefore, feeding for at least a year is what every mother should strive for.

When a child is weaned up to one year, the milk is gradually replaced with a suitable formula. To make it easier for the baby to get used to the bottle, it is better to entrust feeding to dad or grandmother for a while.

In a year or two

After the baby is one year old, weaning from breastfeeding will not fundamentally harm his health. Mom may think about this if feeding causes discomfort, fatigue, and the amount of milk has noticeably decreased. Many children give up breastfeeding on their own within a year or two, without requiring any activity from their mother in this direction.

Some one- or two-year-old babies stubbornly “hold on” to the breast; they already understand what they are losing: tasty milk, a pleasant sucking process, the soothing closeness of their mother. And weaning becomes difficult.

In this situation, the mother needs to determine for herself why she should stop breastfeeding. Under pressure from the public in the person of relatives and friends who say that feeding after a year is bad manners? Say that feeding up to a year is an outdated Soviet standard. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for up to 2 years of age and beyond.

Because of illness? Some old-school doctors recommend stopping breastfeeding even with a banal ARVI. Modern doctors take care of both mother and baby, selecting harmless drugs. There are approved tablets for headaches during breastfeeding and even antibiotics that are compatible with breastfeeding. But some diseases can really only be treated with heavy drugs, and then lactation will have to be interrupted.

Or because it's time to go to work? But at this age, 2-3 feedings per day (in the evening, at night, in the morning) are enough for a child, which you can easily afford with any work schedule.

Because fatigue has accumulated, your health has worsened? Perhaps you need to rest more, think through your diet more carefully and take vitamins. Many mothers who have stopped breastfeeding do not feel energized. On the contrary, if weaning is abrupt, then a hormonal imbalance is inevitable, which will worsen your well-being. The child will become more capricious and demanding, which means it will become more difficult for the mother.

Do you want to lose weight? Weaning doesn't always work. On the contrary, slow weight loss during breastfeeding is a very effective tactic. After all, lactation itself burns more than 500 kcal per day. This means it helps you lose weight.

But if the decision to excommunicate is nevertheless made, it is better to act slowly. At this age, as after two years, you can act on the principle of “do not offer, do not refuse.” The mother does not offer the baby the breast, but feeds only upon his request. Gradually, he will ask for it less and less, and lactation will disappear naturally.

Over two years old

The end of breastfeeding after two years occurs naturally - there is less milk, and the child no longer needs it as urgently as before. The breast turns into a means of calming, a source of pleasure from contact with the mother, rather than food. Self-weaning, when a child independently switches to “adult” food, is painless and does not injure any of the participants in the process.

Natural end of lactation

The natural end of breastfeeding usually occurs between the ages of two years and older. This is a virtually painless weaning, since the child no longer experiences such an urgent need for milk for normal development. Self-weaning occurs: the child himself stops asking for the breast and increasingly forgets about it if it is not offered.

Many mothers choose an intermediate option: when the baby is ready, they gently wean him off the breast. Based on “folk signs” and signs, you can determine whether the baby is ready to complete breastfeeding.

Correctly weaning a child off breastfeeding at this age is no longer difficult - it’s enough just not to offer him the breast until he asks. And if you additionally keep him occupied with games and walks, then the baby’s weaning from the breast will pass quickly, unnoticed by him. The main thing that a mother should remember before weaning her baby from breastfeeding is that everything should happen gently, gradually, without haste or pressure.

The most difficult thing is to teach a child to fall asleep without a breast. Most often, it is the “pre-sleep” feedings that are the last to go away. You should not replace them with “snacks” or a bottle. It is better to offer your baby a new ritual - reading a fairy tale, a lullaby, stroking or rocking in the crib. And for dinner it’s good to feed him porridge or kefir. On a full stomach, your baby will easily fall asleep. Co-sleeping can be ended during the weaning period, as the smell of milk will interfere with the weaning process. Some mothers find it more convenient to continue sleeping with their baby for a while, but in closed clothes.

Gentle weaning method

The most painless way to complete breastfeeding is gentle, gradual. But he will require patience from his mother, since refusal does not go away in one day. This is what AKEV consultants recommend to mothers if they need to finish lactation.

Soft weaning takes place in several stages:

One of the daytime feedings for infants is excluded (not before bedtime). For three days, the mother observes the baby’s behavior. At this time, he is not offered pacifiers or bottles; it is better to use cups or sippy cups.
If the child responds well, another daytime feeding is eliminated after three days. They observe again for several days. In this way, all daytime feedings are gradually removed, replacing them with regular food. During this period, it is very important to surround the baby with attention and care so that he understands that although he no longer has his mother’s milk, her love has not gone away. This will help him cope with the “loss” more easily.
Stop breastfeeding in the morning when the baby wakes up.
The next stage is saying goodbye to food at night.
Night feedings are usually removed last.

It is advisable to distract the baby - walk more on the street, play with him, offer cookies or juice. It is very important to ensure that he has enough liquid instead of milk. It is also worth abandoning your usual feeding rituals. If previously a woman occupied a certain chair or place on the sofa for this purpose, she should temporarily avoid these places so that the baby does not ask to feed him. Mom continues to breastfeed before daytime and nighttime sleep. These feedings are the last to go.

If the process is organized correctly, children often wean themselves - they demand it less and less, because they quickly wean themselves, being distracted by other food.

Abrupt weaning

Of course, gentle, gradual weaning of a child from breastfeeding is the best way. But it is not always available. A sudden illness, the need to go to work earlier, or other reasons may require you to abruptly wean your baby off breastfeeding and end lactation. It happens that the soft method drags on for weeks and months, and the mother decides to “burn her bridges,” that is, to abruptly stop feeding. This method is very stressful for the baby, so you need to surround him with care and love as much as possible.

How many days it takes for breast milk to burn out will depend on how much milk is supplied to failure, as well as the method of weaning. Most often it takes 3-5 days, but occasional mild hot flashes will occur for several more weeks, this is the norm. Medicines can be used to speed up the process.

One of the most popular “milk” drugs can be called. It reduces prolactin production without affecting other hormones. But it has a number of side effects - nausea, headache, deterioration in health, palpitations.

What to do with the breasts after breastfeeding

Abrupt weaning is difficult not only for the child, but also for the woman. She will have to cope with the excess milk for some time, which is no longer necessary. To avoid lactostasis or mastitis, you need to take care of proper care of the mammary glands.

From time to time you will have to express milk, but not completely, but only until you feel relief, until the pain is relieved. This will tell the body that it is time to stop milk production.

To alleviate the condition, you can also take a warm shower, apply cabbage leaves, and do a light massage of the breast. There are drugs to suppress lactation, but keep in mind that they greatly affect hormonal levels, have a lot of side effects and are therefore not harmless.

Traditional methods

To stop lactation, you should not resort to traditional methods. Tight ligation, which was often recommended in the past, does not help much in stopping milk production, but it may well damage the breast tissue and cause serious problems.

Also, breastfeeding consultants do not advise separating from the child to abruptly end breastfeeding, sending him to grandmothers or other relatives for several days. Not only did the mother stop reproaching, but she is also not around - this is fraught with extreme stress, psychological trauma and even subconscious resentment towards the mother.

Sage is known for its ability to suppress milk production. But the “milk” spell is unlikely to be an effective remedy.

When not to stop feeding

Weaning is already a difficult process, but there are times when it can become simply catastrophic. The famous pediatrician Dr. Komarovsky, like other pediatricians, believes that breastfeeding should not be stopped in the following cases:

during the baby’s illness and for a month after it;
in spring, summer;
during routine vaccination;
when teeth start coming in;
before traveling, moving, changing surroundings.

It’s not worth it, the baby can easily catch a virus or a cold, and milk supports his immunity. In summer, it helps prevent intestinal infections, and during teething, it helps to soothe pain and ease the process.

Weaning is a difficult period that requires patience and perseverance from the mother. It is very important to enlist the help and support of other family members during this time, to surround the little man with care and attention.

10 tips from experienced mothers

Here are some non-trivial tips from moms.

If you continue breastfeeding until age 2 or later, don't tell anyone. Most people don’t understand the meaning of long-term breastfeeding; they think it’s strange and wrong and won’t support you.
Play with your child with baby toy animals that first feed from their mother, and then grow up and don’t ask for more.
If you manage to teach your child to fall asleep without a breast before weaning, this is already half the victory. If the baby sleeps only with the breast, then during weaning you will have several difficult nights. Explain in advance that the tita will also sleep at night, and there is no need to disturb her. At night, give your child baby tea with soothing herbs, bathe him in warm water, put him to bed, tell him a story, stroke him, try to relax him. Some children will cry and fall asleep. On the third or fourth night the child gets used to it and it becomes easier. If the child throws a real tantrum and you cannot calm him down for a very long time, perhaps you were too hasty in weaning and the procedure should be postponed.
During weaning, feed more often and more “adult” food that the child likes.
In the evening, let dad put the baby to bed.
Explain to the child that “the tit is sick” and together cover it with an adhesive plaster.
Apply lemon juice to your breasts, tell them the milk has gone bad, and let them try. No mustard or pepper - this is a mockery of the baby.
Explain that the cat took the milk away from kittens (dog puppies, etc.) and there will be no more of it.
Wear closed, non-tight clothes, hide your breasts, and do not provoke the baby.
After weaning, hot flashes continue for some time. You need to pump until you feel relieved, but not completely. The chest can be smeared with Traumeel ointment.

It is difficult to explain the feelings a woman experiences when breastfeeding her baby. At this moment, an emotional connection is built between mother and child, and harmony in future relationships is born.

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

Breastfeeding should not be weaned during the peak summer heat or winter cold. Adults have difficulty withstanding climatic stress, and a baby is a sensitive barometer that finds it difficult to independently adapt to climate changes.

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

When is it time to wean your baby?

As the child grows, pediatricians determine the time for introducing additional foods into the diet. A standard scheme for introducing complementary foods has been developed. The decision to change the diet is made by the doctor together with the mother. Natural weaning occurs as breast milk is replaced with other foods.

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

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

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

Rules for weaning after 1 year.

When such a decision is made, be in a positive mood with the whole family. Mother 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. A child is not a clockwork mechanism. Even if everything goes smoothly and according to plan, at any moment the baby can change the course of things. Then change your plans and adapt to his desires.

Rules for weaning after two years

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

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

A natural way to gradually wean. Gentle and stress-free

Natural weaning should begin by reducing daily milk intake. Avoid feeding between breakfast and lunch or lunch and dinner. You should not deny your baby breast milk during main meals.
You should change your uniform. If previously, for convenience, a woman wore blouses or dressing gowns with fasteners, then during weaning it is better to switch to T-shirts. Even feeling the buttons evokes memories of breast milk in the child’s mind.
Maximum active lifestyle. Walk more in the fresh air, play active games. You can’t limit your baby’s physical contact. We need to let him know that his mother is nearby. Hugging him for any reason, stroking him, giving him a massage.
A lot can be agreed upon. Of course, if the child is not in a state of stress or sleep at night, you can explain to him the refusal to breastfeed. This will not solve the problem immediately, but the mother’s affectionate insistence will be heard over time.

Reducing daily applications

We refuse feeding between main meals. For example, eliminate 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;
We replace one daily breastfeeding with formula or liquid milk porridge from a bottle;
We replace feeding between lunch and dinner with warm tea or dried fruit compote.

Daytime sleep without breasts

It is worth cleaning up feeding after sleep. It is better that it is not the mother who is next to the baby when he wakes up. 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 you avoid feeding before naptime. If the weather permits, it is better to take naps outside after an active walk.

Sucking a pacifier will calm a tired baby and give him the opportunity to fall asleep with the usual sucking process.

How to eliminate evening feedings?

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

Reduced lactation with gradual weaning. Drugs and other methods

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

This method should be carried out under the supervision of a gynecologist or family doctor. It is the doctor who recommends a drug that will reduce lactation. All of them are aimed at reducing prolactin production. Women's hormonal levels change.

The drug "Dostinex" 649 - 1898 rubles, made in the 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 unless measures are taken to ensure the baby’s psychological adaptation to a decrease in milk supply.

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

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

Contraindications: age under 16 years, severe heart disease, stomach ulcers 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, made in Israel.

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

Products that can reduce milk supply:

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

Methods for rapid weaning

The technique of abruptly stopping feedings is used in case of emergency.

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

"Breast bandaging method"- not recommended by modern medicine. This method does not lead to a rapid decrease in lactation and can cause mastitis;
"Pumping method"- this is when a mother pumps instead of feeding. This helps relieve pain in the chest and prevents lumps from forming. We must not forget that you do not need to express yourself completely, otherwise this will provoke the reverse 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 with what?

The technique is based on the fact that in the child’s mind a bitter taste or 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:

brilliant green;
furatsilin solution;
“No-spa” tablets, solution in water;
medical bile;
drops "Hilak forte".

Herbal tinctures:

motherwort;
aloe;
sagebrush.

Not all products are safe for babies. Mustard can burn the mucous membranes of the mouth. Hilak Forte drops, on the contrary, will improve digestion and will not cause harm. Practice shows that the method works selectively. Some children grimace, but endure the bitterness, continuing to ask for their mother’s breast.

Komarovsky's technique

Doctor's advice for weaning:

reduce the amount of liquid you drink per day. This means not drinking additional volumes of liquid, as was done in the past, to increase milk supply;
reduce sucking time. Distract the baby with a toy or even interrupt the sucking yourself;
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, fermented milk 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 your baby at night

How to wean your child off nighttime breastfeeding after one year, but continue breastfeeding until two years of age. There is no need to force weaning. By the age of one year, the frequency of such feedings decreases on its own. Only in rare cases, especially demanding children, do not want to change their eating habits.

Effective techniques for weaning without harm to the child

Be the first to cancel daytime feedings at the baby's request, when it is too early to feed according to the daily routine, and the baby asks for the breast.
Reduce your breastfeeding time.
Replace snacks between main feedings with a game or a walk.
Eliminate feedings before or after naps.
As recommended by your pediatrician, introduce additional complementary foods.
Stop breastfeeding before falling asleep at night. Swing in your arms or tell a story.
Stick to a schedule and reduce the number of night feedings.
Wear closed blouses and T-shirts so that the child does not see the “food”.
Support your child psychologically. Say more kind words, add hugs and touches.
Leave your baby with relatives. He must get used to short-term separations. Increase the time gradually.
Pediatricians recommend replacing one of the feedings with formula. The norm for a one-year-old baby is 1/9 of body weight.
Delight your child with his favorite dishes. Increase the amount of liquid you drink per day.

If you can't wean

Like any biological process, weaning from breastfeeding occurs individually. Often, only the mother’s decision is completely insufficient. Some children happily switch to complementary foods and forget about their mother's breast on their own, and some children are closely dependent on the sucking process. It is almost impossible to break this connection without the child’s desire.

If aggression is observed in the baby’s behavior, then the weaning process should be suspended. Stay at one of the stages. When it is not possible to give up night feedings, but it was possible to replace 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 him refuse mother’s milk as food. If you fail, you need to try again after a while. Use methods that have not been used before.

What not to do

You cannot set specific deadlines; if the feeding process is established and there is enough milk, quick weaning will not work.
Wean during the period when teeth are being cut or the child is sick.
Stop feeding when the child is experiencing emotional distress.
Leaving the baby without a mother immediately and for a long time.
Apply folk remedies to nipples. This can cause burns to the baby's nipples and mouth and lips.
Replacing night feedings with a bottle of formula or sweet compote. This can cause tooth decay in the child.

find a lactation consultant. These are specially trained medical personnel who will help with practical advice individually;
independently, without the recommendation and supervision of a doctor, do not interrupt feeding with medications. Hormonal medications can cause depression;
During the period of weaning from breastfeeding, you need to carefully monitor the baby's behavior. If the weaning process moves very quickly, this will result in aggressiveness or anxiety for him. Poor night sleep, sobbing are symptoms of emotional discomfort. A child may begin to bite, this is how he shows his anxiety; there is no need to ignore this symptom;
increase physical contact - hug, kiss, stroke the child. This will let him know that his mother is nearby and will relieve emotional stress.

Advice from experienced mothers:

feed heavily during the day. Leave the night for sleep;
if you reduce daytime feedings, then start with “snacks”, leaving feedings before and after naps;
tell stories and lull in your arms, replacing feedings before bed;
find out what the baby likes from complementary foods and give when he asks for breastfeeding;
do not smear your breasts with various nasty things, but cover your nipples with a plaster;
smear some green paint and tell them that mom is sick;
drink or eat foods that spoil the taste of milk. Effective in the last stages, for final failure.

Video on how to wean your baby from breastfeeding

Dr. Komarovsky will tell you how to wean a child from breastfeeding:

What mistakes should be avoided when weaning a baby:

The best food for a newborn baby is mother's breast milk. It helps develop immunity, protects the child from diseases, and promotes close contact between the baby and mother.

When the baby grows up, he has teeth, he begins to eat solid food, walk, and the mother thinks about weaning. Many women approach this process incorrectly, they are afraid of harming the child’s psyche, and when the child begins to get nervous, they immediately give up. Therefore, the process of weaning is delayed and painful for both parties.

Previously, pediatric doctors specializing in breastfeeding called the weaning age at 1 year. Now there are no age limits; each woman decides for herself exactly when to wean her child.

This is explained by a shift in age norms among pediatricians. The system, depending on the age of the child, was replaced by a natural framework. Weaning begins only when the baby is emotionally, mentally and physically completely ready for the transition to solid food. For each individual baby, such a period can begin at a completely different time.

The International Dairy League (IML) recommends relying on the child’s condition and the mother’s intuition when weaning from breast milk.

Early weaning

Weaning before the baby is one year old:

Immunity develops weaker than that of peers who are fed breast milk.
The child becomes more capricious (needs not being met), often cries, and asks to be held.
The process of falling asleep becomes lengthy. At first, the baby may wake up 10-20 times a night and fall asleep in his arms, refusing to sleep alone.
Early loss of psychological contact (symbiotic connection) with mother.
The feeling of security becomes dull, the child seeks it in another manifestation (skin contact).
Weaning off breast milk before 1 year of age can lead to bad habits: biting nails, pens, chewing gum, and others.

Late weaning

When a child turns 1.5 years old, awareness of his actions begins to come to him. He understands perfectly well that “in order to eat, you need to pull out the tita.” To wean an adult child (after 2 years), he needs to explain that it hurts his mother (if he bites) or that the tit is now an unnecessary thing. Having realized that he will no longer receive breasts, the baby will endure weaning from breast milk with dignity.

Weaning problems

For these reasons, it is imperative to make sure that your baby is ready to go through weaning from his mother and from his mother's nutritious, healthy milk.

Is the child ready for weaning?

By constantly observing the child’s mood and actions, you can determine his condition. Signs by which you can know that he is ready to give up breast milk:

The age of weaning has approached, the mother clearly understands that it is time to begin the process. We choose the method that suits you.

Ways to wean a baby

Soft weaning.
Abrupt weaning.
Traditional methods of weaning.
Medical weaning.

Gentle weaning method

Step1. The time of all feedings is reduced to a minimum.

Step 2. Feeding during the day is removed. Gradually.

Step 3. Night feedings are reduced by 2 times.

Step 4. All night feedings or all day feedings are removed. Leave only evening.

Step 5. The child refuses to breastfeed on his own or you remove the last feeding.

The method is common among modern mothers. Weaning occurs slowly, gradually. By gradually refusing feedings, the amount of milk produced decreases (prevention of lactostasis and mastitis).

The disadvantage of this method is that after the baby’s screams and nervous whims, the mother may give up and postpone weaning until better times. A sure sign of the end of weaning is the child’s refusal to feed at night.

Abrupt weaning

Step 1. Feeding time is reduced.

Step 2. If possible, all feedings are removed at once. If this is not possible, then daily applications are removed.

Step 3. Complete refusal of attachments.

The method is stressful, especially for a baby. You must remember to hold the child in your arms, play with him and talk to him. Such weaning is difficult for those children who have been fed more than twice a day. If there was little milk or the child did not ask for the breast, then such weaning will go smoothly.

If a child is abruptly weaned off breast milk, you can go for a walk while feeding and falling asleep, leaving him with your husband or grandmothers, or leaving for a few days so as not to provoke the baby into hysterics. The child does not see his mother - it is easier to tolerate weaning.

Grandmother's ways of weaning

Spread mustard on your chest. You can often hear this advice from your mother or grandmother. But this is absolutely forbidden. Mustard is a powerful allergen and is contraindicated for children. After eating mustard, a child may develop gastrointestinal upset. And this situation will have a negative impact on the child’s psychological state. The baby, wanting to cling to his mother's warm breast, receives a bitter mixture. There is a risk that the child will become stressed. This can lead to sudden illnesses and sudden mood swings. The child may begin to suck his finger, which in the future will negatively affect the formation of the bite.
Spread the breasts with brilliant green. Delicious mother's breast suddenly becomes bitter. This can cause psychological trauma to the baby.
Spread the hot sauce over the breasts. This method is unsafe for both mother and child. The spicy product irritates the sensitive skin on the chest and can burn the delicate mucous membranes of the mouth.

Medical weaning

The medicinal method of weaning a child includes taking special medications. After taking the first pill, the mother can no longer breastfeed - breast milk is poisoned by hormones. The drug method refers to abrupt weaning. It is not recommended for women sensitive to hormonal medications.

Video - weaning. When should you wean your baby?

Features of weaning:

When weaning from feeding, you should not provoke the baby to ask for the breast. Sing a lullaby, do not appear in open T-shirts, with bare chest;
did the baby ask for the breast/began to pull it out on his own? You urgently need to switch your attention to any interesting things;
You can't forbid a child. Forget the words “you can’t”, “I won’t give you”, “titya left/ran away”, “titya was taken away” and the like. Careless statements can provoke fear of people (who have taken away what he loves most).

There is no need to end breastfeeding abruptly; this process should be as gentle as possible for both parties. It is enough to consider the possible FS methods of weaning your baby and settle on the one that suits your family. Remember that breastfeeding should be enjoyed. If it becomes a burden for the mother, then you should think about stopping feeding.

Hello, Lyudmila. Thank you for your articles and courses - I breastfeed with pleasure!

But here's the thing - my son is almost a year old and, no matter how you look at it, he will have to finish lactation. I want to be fully armed. Tell us in more detail how to prepare for this, when and how to wean your baby correctly? Thank you in advance.

Judging by the number of letters on the topic of weaning, it worries many mothers. Today we will discuss this. We can talk a lot about excommunication, but let’s touch on the most important thing.

Breastfeeding is a defined process. This means it has a beginning, duration and logical conclusion.

It resembles pregnancy: conception, gestation, childbirth.

No sane mother strives to give birth 2-3 months faster, no matter how tired and sleep-deprived she may be.

Because he understands that this is fraught with health problems for the child: some systems and organs of the baby are not yet fully formed.

How much time and effort will it take to care for a premature baby?

It's the same here. Breastfeeding is the next important stage in the life of the baby and mother after childbirth, during which the child, in addition to physical development, develops immunity and basic trust in the world.

Note! The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding children until age 2, or longer if mother and child agree.

Is it time or not: consider the baby’s age

Up to 6 months, breast milk is the only thing a child should eat. Plus, constant contact with mom is simply necessary.

If you decide to wean your child at this age for some reason, then think a hundred times.

From 1 to 2 years

Important! In milk, which is produced after a year, the volume of substances that help form and strengthen the baby’s immunity sharply increases.

Just at this time phrases begin to rain down on mom from all sides: “Are you still feeding? Yes, he is already big - stop feeding him with tits. There’s nothing useful there anymore - stop doing nonsense!” Sound familiar?

And my mother is tormented by vague doubts - maybe she really needs to be weaned off.

Often, the mother’s desire to quickly wean her child from breastfeeding at the age of 1 is justified by the child’s bad behavior:

walks like a tail;
constantly hanging on the chest (read about the reasons in the article A child hangs on the chest after a year: what to do >>>);
does not eat regular food well (read the article A child eats poorly in one year >>>);
sleeps only with the breast.

But this behavior of the child has nothing to do with breastfeeding. These are moments of education and weaning does not solve these problems. On the contrary, it makes it worse.

After 2 years of age

Yes, around the age of 2, the child already understands more and becomes more independent. You can negotiate with him: “I’ll give it to you when we get home or when you eat porridge.” And be sure to do this so that the baby develops trust in you and confidence that everything is fine with the breast.

You can also distract your baby, for example, with an interesting game or reading a book. So the question is: how to wean at 2 years old? , is already appropriate.

How exactly should you not excommunicate?

If you have already decided to wean your baby and have taken into account the characteristics of his age, then first learn how not to wean:

Sharp.

Abrupt excommunication is very cruel to both.

The baby is in danger of:

compromised immunity;
whims and hysterics;
stuttering;
urinary incontinence;
long-term illnesses, etc.

His trust in his mother and in the world is violated.

Leave.

The baby is used to his mother always being there. He feels safe with her. And then suddenly my mother is gone, and for a long time too.

The child does not perceive the grandmother’s words that you will arrive soon - he is not oriented in time. It seems to him that his mother has disappeared forever.

Not only is there no titi, but also the closest person. Tragedy! When weaning, the child needs support. And only a mother can give support.

Pullbreast.

When tugging, blood circulation in the breast is disrupted, milk production is worse, which, of course, will lead to a decrease and then to the cessation of lactation.

But! Along with this you will receive:

milk stagnation;
complication in the form of mastitis (read more about mastitis in a nursing mother >>>);
spoiled breast shape.

I tried this method - the sensations were not pleasant. Moreover, the milk, as if by magic, did not disappear anywhere.

Apply to the chest.

It seems: what’s wrong, spread it with greenery or mustard and it’s done. The baby will wean itself off the breast. But it's not that simple.

Imagine, the baby sucked at the breast for a long time, worried about illnesses and fears. The chest is safety for him.

And so they show him the green tita and say: “Ugh, the tita has gone bad, she’s bad, come on…”. And the breast is associated with the mother - which means the mother has become bad, spoiled.

The child subconsciously draws the conclusion - since I love my tit and my mother, and they are now bad, then I am bad. I think it's sad.

Use medications.

They are used, for example, when an accident happens to a child after childbirth. And mom simply has no one to feed.

The body experiences a powerful release of prolactin, which is responsible for lactation. To completely suppress this process, doctors may recommend this method. Please note that you need to take the pills for more than one day, so you won’t get rid of milk quickly.

Attention! Medications to stop lactation have many side effects, including difficulties with further conception and pregnancy. This is a powerful hormonal imbalance in a woman’s body.

We wean correctly: make a plan

The most important thing in this process is confidence, the mother’s willingness to teach about breastfeeding, and her positive attitude.

So, how to wean correctly?

From now on, wear closed clothes. Do not change clothes in front of your child. In general, exclude all moments that provoke the baby.
Notice how many times you feed a day and how many times the baby just latches on for a minute if the mother suddenly sits down.
Start weaning with the simplest feedings, when the baby is awake.

He can easily be distracted by a game or a book. Go for a walk or even visit. The main thing is not to sit still - the child perceives this as a hint to suck the tit. Stick with it for a while.

Next comes feeding. to wake up from sleep.

Get up before your child. After sleep, let him get used to being alone for a while.

When you wake up, distract yourself with something interesting. Not necessarily a toy. You can suggest looking out the window or throwing away the used diaper. Or go straight to the kitchen to eat food at the table.

So we got to feedings to fall asleep.

This is usually the longest stage. Its purpose is to space out sucking and falling asleep. Come up with a post-feeding ritual that your baby will associate with sleep: reading, hugs, massage. And keep it.

Then try in a similar way reduce number night feedings. He spun around and was stroked. And so we gradually wean the baby off the breast at night. .

If something is not completely clear to you, you need more ways, you want to create a personal weaning plan taking into account the characteristics of your baby, come to the course