Weaning a Breastfed Baby

When to wean a baby is a personal decision and one that many mothers leave up to the child, although some mothers encourage weaning for reasons of their own. The American Academy of Pediatrics promotes breastfeeding for at least a year, however there really is no maximum length of time. The benefits of breastfeeding continue for as long as the breastfeeding relationship does so you should continue for as long as it is mutually agreeable for you and your baby.

Once you do decide that it is time to wean your child, a gradual process is best and easiest on both you and your baby. Abruptly removing your baby's major source of food and comfort can be quite upsetting to your child and can cause engorgement issues for you that could actually lead to breast infections.

Gradually remove one feeding at a time, approximately one feeding per week. Eliminate the feedings your baby cares least about first. Once the feeding your baby is least interested in has been substituted with other feed, wait about a week to give him and your breasts time to adjust before removing another one. The early morning and late night feedings are generally the hardest ones to eliminate and should therefore be the last ones to go. A good way to determine which nursing sessions are most important to your baby is to use a "don't offer, don't refuse" approach. Don't breastfeed your child just because it's the usual time, wait for him to show signs that he's ready. Removing his nursing sessions using this method will also help to decrease your milk supply in a gradual manner. Your breasts may continue to have small amounts of milk present for several months after you've weaned your baby, although that uncomfortably full feeling will usually only last for a day or two.

If you experience uncomfortably full or engorged breasts during the weaning process, you can use cold compresses to help with the swelling, or use a pump to remove just enough milk to relieve the pressure.  Be sure not to completely empty your breasts if pumping as that will only encourage them to keep producing more milk. Another way to soothe engorged breasts is to wear cold green cabbage leaves in your bra for several days, changing them when they become limp. This will help reduce the swelling as they help to dry up your milk supply.

Some mothers think that if they don't wean their baby, he will never quit breastfeeding.  As they grow older babies eventually outgrow the need to nurse and this happens sooner for some babies than for others.