Weaning – When and How Can It Be Done?
Index
Breastfeeding is a mother’s greatest pleasure and a true love act of motherhood. According to the World Health Organization, the baby should be breastfed exclusively with breast milk until the 6th month of life. After that period new foods and drinks can and should start to be part of the baby’s life with or without weaning. Some mothers are able to breastfeed the child until the second year of life and this is great for the child’s health and bond between mother and child.
However, for some greater reason or even when the inevitable time of weaning comes, some fears or doubts may reach the mother. Will the baby suffer from weaning? Is it really the right time to wean? How to wean? The first and best thing to do is to definitely talk to the pediatrician about the subject, he can indicate the best form of weaning for your case and advise how it should be done, however some decisions may start to be made regarding weaning. Depending on the baby’s age, if the mother has to return to work, she may start to leave her own stored milk to give to the baby when she is not at home. Milking is a great option for cases where weaning has to be done during the day precisely because of the mother’s return to work. Although they currently have laws that ensure times for the mother to breastfeed her baby, a certain period outside the home requires the woman to adjust these feedings.
Another case is when the baby is over 2 years old and the pediatrician advises or even by the mother’s own will or force majeure, weaning has to happen. A child over 2 years old can continue to be breastfedin the breast due to the mother’s will, but we must emphasize that all the nutrients that she would receive via breastfeeding can and should be introduced in solid form to help her natural development. With the introduction of new foods to facilitate weaning, the baby can take great pleasure in the new food options being offered and make everything much easier, including some babies leaving the breast of their own accord and without any procedure having to be done. made for weaning. The introduction of another milk is very important and this should and will be recommended by the pediatrician who accompanies the baby.
But how do you wean if the baby is very used to the breast?
There are some techniques for weaning, some somewhat radical, such as total abstinence from the breast (absolute and one-time withdrawal) and some techniques such as passing something with a bad taste (aloe, bilberry, etc.) to show the baby that the he liked it so much it was bitter. There are two ways that can be efficient but somewhat traumatic for the baby. The ideal would be gradual weaning, where the mother gradually withdraws the feedings that are not so important for the baby. These feedings can gradually be replaced by snacks, fruits and even natural vitamins or juices.
Finally the most important phase, the feedings that remain, that is, complete the weaning itself with total withdrawal. These feedings that were normally used are those at night, in which the baby has more intense contact with the mother at bedtime after a whole day without being at the breast. These are the most complicated and most difficult to remove … Difficult for the mother, because breastfeeding is an emotional bondvery strong with her son, it is a moment of intimacy and that completes and very much a woman. Difficult for the child who was always used to the comfort of the breast and maternal food. Weaning from night feeding can happen by replacing the breast with affection, a moment of attention and lap together with a new snack or milk appropriate for the child’s age, of course it will not be the same thing as the complicity of feeding and eye contact , but it will greatly ease the lack of those moments, for the baby what matters is to have the attention and the mother close by.
I want to wean, will I still have milk? No, normally with the stop of breastfeeding the tendency for the milk to dry on its own, but if it doesn’t, there are medications that can help this happen and just talk to a gynecologist or even the baby’s pediatrician. Remembering that if everything goes well but the emotional side weighs more , going back and offering the breast again is not bad or ugly, of course it can happen. Of course, with the conscious mother, all the previous procedures must be done again at the time of weaning or even waiting for the child to leave on his own.
Blogger’s note: Weaning can be a very complicated time for the mother, the feeling of “loss” can speak louder amid the whirlwind of feelings. But know, you will not be a worse mother for weaning your baby. There are certain situations that call for weaning to happen regardless of your will. If you can breastfeed on demand until the 2nd year of the child’s life, great! But if there is no such possibility, I believe that no mother would do anything to harm her baby, especially forced early weaning for no apparent and greater reason. The entire weaning process must and will be supervised by doctorswho are experts and know the best for the baby. Breastfeeding exclusively until the 6th month and then introducing food is a natural process and every baby goes through it sooner or later in a natural way.
See also: First Feeding – Baby Food
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.