How to Effectively Wean Your Breastfed Baby

Don’t Stop Breastfeeding Cold Turkey

If you plan on weaning your baby, please don’t stop nursing cold turkey. It can be very painful and emotionally challenging for you and your baby. Stopping cold turkey can lead to engorgement, painful breasts, clogged milk ducts, breast infections, and even breast abscesses (deep painful infections that can get out of control very quickly). Not only can you cause physical problems but weaning cold turkey but it can lead to depression due to your hormones fluctuating too quickly.

If a doctor or health care professional, tells you that you should stop breastfeeding cold turkey. Please get a second opinion before stopping breastfeeding your baby suddenly unless there is a major medical necessity. Instead, try to slowly wean your baby by cutting down on a feeding every few days. Your body will adjust to the changes fairly quickly, breastmilk is produced based on supply and demand. So as you cut out a feeding every few days, your body realizes that it doesn’t need to produce as much milk.

Sallly Weans from Night Nursing by Lesli Mitchell

If you have a toddler, I highly suggest that you get a copy of “Sally Weans From Night Nursing by Lesli Mitchell”. She wrote a book to help moms and dads to help explain to their toddler about weaning, including cutting out the night time nursing session. Leslie did a fantastic job writing this story and illustrating this book.  I wanted to share it with this post because it will give you some ideas and you can share the story with your child. Plus, it will help reinforce your plans to start weaning your child. Remember it will be a time of transition for both you and your toddler. Try and replace those special feeding sessions with extra hugs and cuddles. You can also give your child their favorite blanket or lovey at night time if they need something to snuggle while they are sleeping.

World Health Organizations Recommends Extended Breastfeeding

The World Health Organization reminds moms that you should exclusively breastfeed you babies for a minimum 6 months of age without introducing any solids.You can continue breastfeeding your child along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or older as long as you are comfortable. In fact, you don’t have to give up breastfeeding entirely and you can continue to nurse your toddler as long as you feel led and your baby is interested. It doesn’t have to be an all or nothing situation you can cut out several nursing sessions when your toddler is eating full meals and then nurse your toddler two or three times during the day until you are ready to fully wean. Don’t feel pressured to discontinue your breastfeeding relationship until you and your child are both physically and emotionally reading to give up breastfeeding.

How did you wean your baby from breastfeeding? Please share your experience to help other mothers who are planning on weaning their breastfed baby soon.