Weaning: When and How to Gently Wean Your Child!
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- Опубликовано: 9 июл 2024
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Weaning: When and How to Gently Wean Your Child: www.mamanatural.com/weaning/
Let's start by weaning,
Weaning is when your baby stops receiving breast milk. This usually occurs when the baby is receiving nutrition from solid foods and is old enough to drink other forms of milk, though sometimes weaning occurs before that. If the baby is too young to rely on solids, weaning may mean substituting breastmilk with formula.
The Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends babies breastfeed exclusively for the first six months, and breastfeed along with solids for at least one year or more “while mutually desired by mother and baby.” While the World Health Organization (WHO) also recommends breastfeeding exclusively for six months and then “up to 2 years of age or beyond.”
While most kids are able to wean from a nutritional standpoint at 12-18 months or so, most children aren’t ready to emotionally separate from breastfeeding until somewhere between 2-4 years old.
If you need to wean for whatever reason, here are some suggestions to make the weaning process easier for everyone:
First, make sure that you are really ready. I thought I wanted to wean Faith and then caved after weaning her for 5 straight days. Several months later, I knew deep down in my soul that it was time for many, many reasons. I made the commitment and never looked back. You don’t want to send child mixed messages so be sure you are all in body, mind and spirit as children can pick up on your energy. Weaning also involves support from your partner so you want to be considerate of other peoples’ efforts too.
If you haven’t already, night wean as babies over 12 months don’t biologically need the calories or nutrition.
Start talking to your child about weaning… that you love them… that you’ve loved nursing… but it’s time for milkies or whatever you call your breasts… to say bye bye. Tell them often that you love them… that you aren’t mad at them… that they are precious to you
Every time you nurse baby, bring a lovey or stuffed animal that they can hold. At first, you might have to hold it… but they will begin to associate this lovey or animal with comfort.
Don’t initiate or offer breastfeeding. This alone can drop several feedings.
Start with dropping one nursing session at a time. Create another special ritual during that time like go for a walk, color together, have child take a bubble bath or serve them a yummy new snack.
You can try creating an alternative like warmed cow, goat or coconut milk with a touch of maple syrup. Or try a smoothie. My son Griffin took to warmed, sweet milk and was super easy to wean when I was pregnant with his sister.
Wait at least two days and then drop your next feeding. This is going to help you with engorgement. Each mom produces different amounts of milk so some may need to wait 4 days before they drop next feeding. Let your breast fullness be your guide. You can also do a little hand expression to take some of the discomfort away but don’t do too much as expressing milk will ultimately boost your supply.
Wear a big bulky shirt or sweatshirt so that your child doesn’t have easy access and can’t smell your milk.
Distraction is key. This is a time to give snacks maybe you wouldn’t normally give them. To have special toys or activities or even to watch a little show. Remember, this isn’t permanent. These are just crutches to help you through this transition.
Hug, tickle, kiss and rock child as much as you can with your thick sweatshirt on. Let them know how much you love them.
Some moms put lemon juice or apple cider vinegar on nipples to make it taste bad. I never did but thought I would share.
You could also explore drinking parsley or sage tea which naturally reduces breast milk supply to help with engorgement but to also give baby less of an incentive to nurse if there isn’t as much milk. As weird as it sounds, cold cabbage leaves on breasts is an old school remedy for engorgement.
As children love their before bed nursing session having a partner or trusted caregiver take over at bedtime can also help you drop that final feeding.
Whew, so hopefully those tips will help you and your child have a gentle experience. Do know that some kids only take a few days to wean while others may take weeks to even months. The process of weaning is extremely individualized, so there is no one timeframe that is normal.
Just make sure the process isn't abrupt because it could cause:
Engorgement, which can lead to plugged ducts or mastitis.
Hormonal imbalances that can be distressing for both moms and children.
More tantrums, clinginess or insecurity from child
Illness, teething, or a growth spurt can also interfere with weaning, so it’s best to start the process after these pass. 
Развлечения
Lovely tips for gentle weaning
Just trying to get him to fall back asleep more independently at night since he will be almost 2 when Baby #2 comes! So hard but there is slow progress. We have had a great bf journey so far, but the nursing aversion with ptegnancy has made it hard. I can't imagine having to keep him latched all night just to stay asleep while having a newborn on top of it. I am hoping to just nurse for morning wake up, nap, and right before bed for limited times.
I am so happy I came across your video, thank you!❤️
I'm so glad!
Very helpful video, thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Love this video, all helpful tips. If I am pumping during the day and we are dropping a nursing session, I assume we are also dropping a pumping session. Do I wait to pump until the next scheduled nursing session? Thanks!
If you are intentionally dropping feeds/weaning, then yes, you would reduce pumping as your reduce nursing.
Thank you so much ma
You are most welcome
In the UK, weaning has a slightly different meaning. It means the introduction of solid foods.
Very helpful, I didn’t want to wean until 18 months but I need to go on thyroid medication so here we are ☹️
You got this!
Thanks for the tips however i still have some questions! My breast milk supply is very low right now but, it doesn’t seem like my baby is going to wean off! he likes them as much as he liked them before 😢
Do babies really wean off on their own?
I am trying to not give him breast during the day at all, but for the naps and the night i will give him for a few days. is it a good idea?
Thank you so much for this amazing video. I’m gearing up to wean my 2.5 year old and I feel hopeless and stressed. She’s so attached!
Glad it was helpful!
My daughter is 2 years and 4 month old, she,s very addicted to breastfeed specially when she feels sleepy, I tried every method but didn't work in even gradually,I really hope she withdraw on her own , pray for me
How about now ?? Did she stop or not ??
Hahah that's not addiction, modern society just fooled is to believe that. If you still need advice I can help you regardless.
@@beautifullthingsHi! I'm in the same "boat". Can you help?
same my baby is exactly same like your daughter 😢😢😢😢
do they really wean off on their on?
Mine is four years she is persistent. Tried aloe which is bitter which stopped her bit she got used to aloe so doesn't deter. What should I do chili powder?
that sounds so painful, i got some on my cheek once, and it buuurns!
Please help me 😭😭😭😭my 13 month old baby wakes up every 2 to 3 hours at night to breastfeed.how do l wean him off night time feeds.
I have a post at MamaNatural.com all about weaning.
I have a 2 year old she just turned 2 on Saturday. Honestly she "nurses" about 9 x a day. I am just noticing I really need to drop them all. But also I know she only plays with them. At night time she wakes up and stays on them for about an hour I cant sleep well anymore 😕. How do I drop them all. Do I drop them every couple of days?? Thank you so much!!
Yes I would suggest slowly dropping nursing sessions-when she asks see if distracting with her favorite toy or activity works!
@@mamanatural ok thank you I will do that!
@@hellooli2825 any update
Is she sleeping through the night now?
@@thendralnirmal hi! Yes I found out I am pregnant beginning of August and I started hurting really really bad when I nursed her. I started explaining to her that I was hurting a lot and I would have aggressive reactions. So I told my little one no more because I was hurting a lot. She started dropping them all instantly and she dropped all day only one at night and all of a sudden at night time I told her no more and she just crie a little bit and then 3 nights later we were completely done. She would cry here and there but she knew I was hurting so me stopped.
Daughter is 1.5 years old and is OBSESSED with nursing and i tried to wean but she is now not eating because she is so sad i cut on demand
My son just turned 4 and I’m so desperate to bring nursing to an end 😞
Oy, I sympathise with you mama 😥
My doctor says to stop night time feedings now that my baby s 4 months old. Not sure why they would want to suggest that but I searched online that it is ok to do that at 4 months. I think it might be to help my baby sleep through a night, which is good for them to do. I read online that after 13 pounds or so they dont need nighttime feedings for nutrition but I suppose they want them for comfort.
4months?! I wouldn't listen to that Dr. My son is 14months and wakes 1-2 times to feed still
@@daniellefawaz8719they wake up because it's practically part of their routine to wake up to nurse, but they most definitely do not need it, especially at 14 months.
@@seadragonpirate8195 haha! My daughter is 14 months and if she doesn't nurse 2 to three times a night she freaks out and no one sleeps.
Its hard for my baby dropping her feeding at night time and napping for the daytime..she doesn't sleep until i feed her..