When and How to Wean Your Baby Off of the Breast

That connection we form with our babies through breastfeeding is such a strangely beautiful part of motherhood. They look to us for sustenance and comfort for the entire beginning of their lives. However at some point we've got to put breastfeeding behind us and get our precious little one on to the next phase. Lets talk about when to start this process, and how.

It's recommended that our babies breastfeed AT LEAST for the first 6 months of their lives. Many women have been known to breastfeed well into the second year and even further. There are a few factors that contribute to when you should start considering the weaning process if you do want to go past the 6 months mark. The biggest factor is health. Our breastmilk is a special nutrient that is formulated just for your baby. In fact your breast will create new specially formulated milk for each baby you have. Some babies are incredibly healthy from the start while others need more time and patience to reach certain milestones. If you feel that your baby is falling behind on these milestones, continuing to breastfeed them can have an incredible impact on how quickly things turn around. In fact babies who are breastfed experience increase disease protection with a reduction in risks of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), obesity, and cardiovascular disease. It also helps increase brain function especially the longer they are breastfed.

Another factor is your own health. Studies show that breastfeeding for longer than a year help reduce the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, as well as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. So the longer you breastfeed the more benefits for BOTH of you!

Keep in mind that it can take weeks or even months after you wean, before you will stop producing milk, so the sooner you wean, the sooner you'll be able to wear that one shirt you've been trying not to stain with leaking milk!

Once you decide its time to wean you have a few options as to how.

The first is to limit the amount of times per day you breast feed. Mix in baby foods as new part of the babies diet. You can even mix breast milk with the baby food to aid in the baby accepting the new taste and texture. By doing a partial weaning first you prepare your baby for being off of breastfeeding completely.

The second thing is to give lots of cuddles and attention when they are drinking from a bottle or eating from a spoon. Often the baby will miss the close contact they once had during feeding. As cuddles and being held was once synonymous with having their tummies filled, maintaining that close contact can make a huge impact on their willingness to adapt to the new routine.

Lastly distract your baby by making new food exciting! A new unique routine should be crafted from their bib to the type of spoon you feed them with. This will be difficult at first as they are accustomed to a set schedule but the longer you press on and stay consistent, the quicker they will adapt.

Our babies will miss that connection with breastfeeding but so long as we are consistent with whichever route we choose, they will be just as happy after weening.