Weaning From Breastfeeding: Weaning Baby

Weaning from breastfeeding is an emotional experience for both mother and child, and the process differs significantly depending on the baby and their age. The technical definition of weaning in humans: is to make a baby become accustomed to food, rather than breast milk. It is not a single event, but rather it is a process that begins the first time the baby is offered food.

How long weaning takes is partially a conscious decision. You may choose to wean your baby abruptly, or through a gradual process, which can take weeks or months. Weaning your baby abruptly can be dangerous both for the mother and the child. From the child’s perspective, breastfeeding is not only a source of nutrients, but of comfort and security. If this is suddenly removed, the baby has no idea why, and can experience emotional trauma. Abrupt weaning can cause severe hormonal changes in the mother, often resulting in depression. Additionally, the breasts will continue to produce milk at the same rate for some time, and there is a risk of developing a breast abscess or infection.

Weaning your baby gradually helps the process to be less painful emotionally, and allows you to substitute other forms of affection throughout the process. Every child is different, they have unique desires and interests, and reach milestones at different times. Thus, it is important not to set an arbitrary time on when you will stop breastfeeding your baby, but instead respond to emotional and behavioral cues from them. Often it is entirely possible to let the baby set the pace for weaning. As the child ages, they begin to nurse less and less, often naturally.

One popular series that examines weaning a baby from breastfeeding is Baby-Led Weaning. This guide to introducing solid foods examines the idea of following the cues from your baby in the transition from breastfeeding to solid food. The authors suggest that the traditional method of weaning babies onto spoon-fed purees is not necessarily the most useful approach. They consider what the advantages and disadvantages to each way are, as well as general ways for helping your child to wean off breastfeeding. In the cookbook, another book in the series, the authors present 130 nutritious recipes that will help your child to learn and grow during this period.

Any one of the books suggested in this article provide detailed knowledge and expertise about weaning your baby, and help the parent to prepare and work through this process with minimum stress or concern. Weaning does not need to be a stressful point in the life of the baby, instead it is a natural part of their development, and one that is an important step towards the rest of their lives.