Weaning a baby from breastfeeding is a personal decision that mothers make at a variety of different ages of the baby's life. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusively breastfeeding for the first six months of the baby's life, followed by continued breastfeeding as long as the mom wants to. However, some women wean their babies earlier because of their own medical problems or the need to return to work. Weaning a baby is easy for some but very difficult for others, especially those who have older babies such as toddlers. Using certain techniques can help to make weaning a baby easier for both the mother and her baby.
Take It Slowly
According to BreastfeedingBasics.com, weaning a baby quickly can cause the woman's breasts to become painfully engorged and can also cause emotional distress for the baby. It is a better idea to take it slowly, so that both the mom and baby can gradually adjust. Parents.com states that if a mother decides to introduce formula to her baby, she can gradually increase the number of formula feedings per day while decreasing the number of breastfeeding times. They recommend giving formula once per day on the first day of feeding, followed by two times a day and then three times per day over the course of a week. If the baby is old enough that formula isn't needed, the mother can do the same thing with solid foods, increasing the number of solid food feedings while decreasing breastfeeding.
Let Someone Else Feed Your Baby
Babies and toddlers have a strong sense of who is feeding them, and this is why breastfeeding is so comforting to babies. When a woman decreases the number of times she breastfeeds a baby, the baby may become needy and distressed. Parents.com recommends letting another adult, such as the baby's father or grandparent, feed the baby formula, food or whole milk, if he is old enough for it. This way the baby can start getting used to being fed by another adult, not just the mother.
Focus on Foods
At around six months of age, most babies are ready to begin eating solid foods like rice cereal, pureed vegetables and pureed fruits. This can be a helpful tool in getting babies to wean, as they can then eat food instead of breastfeeding. BreastfeedingBasics.com also states that when a baby is 1 year old, he can start drinking whole cow's milk, which can also be given to replace breastfeeding several times per day.
Set Limits
With other babies especially, setting limits is essential for mothers who want to wean their babies. BreastfeedingBasics.com states that one way to wean a baby is by shortening each feeding and deciding when to take the baby off the breast. Gently taking the baby off of the breast and saying something like, "That's enough, we're done" can help a mother to set a limit so that her baby knows when breastfeeding is no longer allowed.
