The dictionary defines weaning as "addictive young mammals to other foods besides breast milk." Perhaps the animals so simple, but in humans this process is more complicated. Weaning - a natural part of growing up the child and take place at this stage, everything should just naturally. If you do everything slowly and be guided by the love of a child, everything goes well.

Ideally, the baby should breastfeed until he outgrows the need. This is called natural weaning. Each child has its own characteristics and different needs. For example, one baby constantly wants to sit on their hands while the other quietly played himself in the arena for hours. Some children sleep a lot - three to four hours during the day and even all night - at the age of a few weeks, and the other children and two years awake at night. Therefore, it is not necessary to set strict limits and in other areas of child development, deciding for him, at what age it should start to sit up, roll over, walk and so on. Instead, you should watch for signs by which one can determine whether it is ready for a new stage of development. This also applies to the cessation of breastfeeding.

In fact, you started weaning is when the child was offered to try any other food other than breast milk. Weaning - it is a long process, not an event. Depending on your decision, weaning can be abrupt or gradual, and may take days, weeks or even months. Abrupt weaning is best avoided if possible. If you suddenly stop feeding, you will have stagnation of milk, may develop an infection or breast abscess. Hormone levels plummet, which can cause depression Depression . Especially women, who in the past suffered from depression should avoid such a scenario.

Pitfalls process

Sudden weaning can cause emotional trauma in the child as feeding - a source not only of food but also of emotional comfort. You can not explain to a child why you suddenly stop to breastfeed. However, if you do it gradually, you will be able to compensate for the reduction in the vicinity, which the child feels during breastfeeding, other kinds of attention.

If you need to stop breastfeeding for medical reasons, be sure that it is really necessary. For example, if a doctor wants to prescribe a drug at reception which can not breastfeed, be sure to ask if there is an alternative, do not interfere with feeding. If you are not sure, ask for advice from another doctor, best of all - a pediatrician. If you still need to interrupt breastfeeding for the duration of medication, you can then go back to it. During the forced break you should express your milk to avoid stagnation and to be able to continue to feed the baby after.

In a long breastfeeding Breastfeeding: notes   many advantages, and in early weaning from the breast - quite a few. (World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding up to two years.) But any time when you are breastfeeding, talking to his advantage. Even if it's a few days, weeks or months, feeding is good for health of the child, the mother and establish an emotional connection between them.

But feeding should not be infinite endurance test. If you decide that it is time to baby weaned at a relatively early age, do not suffer from feelings of guilt, just do it an important change in the child's life smoother. Follow these tips:

• Try to make the process as gradual as possible. Undo one feeding every few days, to have reduced the amount of milk. After a few weeks you will feed your baby a couple of times a day. Usually, the last remaining breast in the morning and before bedtime. If you have no reason to hurry, you can leave the feed for another week or two.
• Discuss with your doctor any baby food Baby food - what to feed the baby?   he recommends. Babies under one year should not be given cow's milk, so you should find the right mix. Since the child has a need to suck, offer a replacement chest - a bottle or pacifier. Some children begin to suck his thumb. There is nothing wrong, by the way, these children fall asleep faster and safer to travel with them.
• Do not deprive the child's physical contact at this time. Many mothers stop hugging the child during the weaning because it embraces associated with feeding the baby. Be sure to hug the child, provides physical contact, even if you are not pressed against his chest.

Most children at that age, when they start to walk and eat solid food, physically ready for weaning. However, some of the children at this age do not show the desire to cease to breastfeed, and they may have some difficulty. It is clear that the child, for many months accustomed to the chest, will not easily give up the pleasant habit.

Here are some tips on weaning older child:

• If possible, dedicate this stage a few weeks.
• Do not offer, but do not refuse if the child himself asks chest.
• Encourage your child to eat or drink on a regular basis that he did not feel hunger and thirst. In addition, children are often asked to chest for comfort, of boredom or because they are used as fill. Try to change your daily routine. For example, if a child asks to feed it out of boredom, distract him a meal or a stroll. You were with him and breastfeed him during an afternoon nap? Try instead to read a book or rocking him.
• Involve the child's father in the process of weaning. Let it often rises to the child, if he wakes up at night. If you normally feed the baby in the morning, let the father raise his breakfast and feed. However, if the child does not want to totally abandon the morning or evening feeding, do not push him, let him enjoy it a little longer.
• With an older child, who already understands you, you can negotiate, for example, promise to feed him at home instead of taking a walk.
• Replace breast feeding on demand when you want.
• Reduce the length of feedings. Put a certain limit - five minutes or three minutes, then gently take away the child from the breast.

So, weaning - a process that begins when you start to feed the baby any other food (very convenient - if you are asked whether you started weaning, confidently answer "yes"). Children stop suckle at various ages, as well as in children at different ages appear teeth. Deciding when to take the baby from the breast, it is up to you, but it is best to focus on the child's signs of readiness to do so.

Breastfeeding is beneficial for both mother and child. Gradual weaning is better than sudden, although there are cases when you have to quickly stop the feeding, for example, for medical reasons. Focus on your child's ability and willingness to not give in to feelings of guilt and follow the above tips will facilitate weaning.

Related Articles

Weaning: how to do it?

Weaning: what to expect

Weaning: why not hurry?