Breast milk provides a host of benefits to your growing baby, including enhancing the immune system and providing the right balance of nutrients your child needs to grow. Breast milk also is easier to digest than commercial baby formulas, states the Mayo Clinic. However, eventually you will need to wean your child from your breast, which can be difficult both for the mother and the child. A few weaning tips may help the overall experience go smoother.
Avoid Abrupt Weaning
You should never abruptly end your breastfeeding, as this can be uncomfortable for the baby, as well as dangerous for you. When you immediately stop breastfeeding, your put yourself at risk for breast engorgement and possible infection. If for some reason you are forced to abruptly quit breastfeeding, such as with taking a medication that may be unsafe for your child if passed through the breast milk, continue manually pumping the breasts to prevent them from becoming uncomfortable and engorged.
Formula
If you choose to ween your child before the age of 12 months, it's important not to give your child cow's milk. Instead, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends using iron-fortified infant formula until the child reaches at least a year old, at which point you can experiment with cow's milk or other milk alternatives.
Reduce Feedings
To start weaning your baby, slowly cut down the amount of times you are feeding from the breast each day, replacing them with formula or other foods depending on the age of your child. The Pennsylvania Department of Health recommends starting by eliminating the feeding your baby wants the least, and then slowly eliminating more feedings over time.
Introduce Other Foods
Another way to help wean your baby is to start introducing other foods. Finding foods that your baby likes can make them less hungry, reducing their need for the breast milk, according to the Australian Breastfeeding Association.
Use a Bottle
If your child is having a hard time going directly from the breasts to a cup, try using a bottle as an interim helping device. A bottle allows the child to still get the same sucking satisfaction of the breast, but allows you to let your breasts return to normal. Just like weaning to a cup, be sure that you do not abruptly end weaning altogether. Take your time to slowly replace each meal during the day with the bottle until the child is completely off the breast. At that point you can work on weaning the child from the bottle to a sippy cup or regular cup.
