Weaning from breastfeeding: tips and strategies for a smooth transition

Weaning is a natural stage in breastfeeding that can occur at different times and for different reasons. Whether it's a planned decision or a necessity, it's important to proceed patiently and attentively, for the well-being of you and your child. Here's a guide to help you through this transition.

 

When should you wean your baby?

There is no ideal age for weaning a baby. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for up to six months, followed by the introduction of solid foods and continued breastfeeding for up to two years or more. Weaning can be initiated by you or your child, and is often a gradual process rather than a sudden stop. Weaning can take months or even years. Lady sapiens breastfed her children until at least the age of 3, and perhaps until they were 5 or 6.

How to start weaning?

Proceed gradually:

• Start by eliminating one feed at a time - the one that bothers you, for example, or the one of the day, since it's often the easiest to replace. In fact, there's no rule.
• Wait a few days before eliminating another feed, allowing your body to adapt to the reduced milk demand and avoid engorgement. Wait until your breasts are actually supple. Again, there really are no rules. This is going to be very individual.

Replace feeds with alternatives:

• For babies under six months, replace feeds with bottles of expressed breast milk (at the time of the removed feed) or commercial infant formula.
• For babies over six months of age, you can start introducing solid foods, while maintaining a few feeds until your baby gets used to his new diet. Be careful, they do not replace milk. Breast milk remains the main food until the age of 2!

Managing physical and emotional discomfort

Prevent engorgement :

• Express a little milk to relieve pressure if your breasts become engorged, but without stimulating further production. You can express milk until your breasts are supple, unclogged and comfortable for you. And you can change your mind at any time and decide to delay weaning a little and simply put baby back to the breast to relieve the engorgement. We recommend debottlenecking over a hand-held milk bottle. Hand massage will also help relieve congestion.
• Use cold compresses to reduce inflammation and warm compresses to help empty the milk ducts.

Maintain an emotional bond:

• Weaning doesn't mean the end of the emotional bond you have with your baby. Continue to offer plenty of cuddles and moments of closeness to compensate for the reduction in feedings.

Strategies for successful weaning
Don't offer, don't refuse:

• This method involves not offering the breast, but not refusing it if your baby asks for it. This ensures a natural, gradual reduction in feedings. It also allows you to respect your desire to put baby back to the breast if you wish.

Distraction and substitution :

• Offer activities or games to distract your baby when he asks to nurse. You can also offer snacks or a little water to replace feeds. Basically, the milk should replace the skipped feed. That said, if baby has already had his bottle of breast milk (or formula), and wants to breastfeed, you can offer him a little water. Absolutely avoid snacking on cookies for the health of these babies.

Change routines:

• Change daily routines to help your baby adapt. For example, change the place or time of activities that used to be associated with breastfeeding.

When to wean

Weaning quickly:

• Sometimes, rapid weaning is necessary for medical reasons. In this case, it's important to consult a healthcare professional to manage this transition as well as possible.

Temporary weaning:

• Weaning may be temporary, for example when medical treatment is incompatible with breastfeeding. Once the treatment is over, it's possible to resume breastfeeding, but it's very complicated. Our advice is to pump at the time of feeding and, unfortunately, to discard the milk. This way, you continue to stimulate production. We urge you to seek medical advice if this is your case.
• If you stop breastfeeding without pumping and want to resume after treatment, it's possible. With support. You'll need to go through a phase where you pump your milk to re-stimulate lactation, and then put baby to the breast with a lactaid to get him to breastfeed with supplements. This requires follow-up because it's not easy. And last but not least: the longer you stop breastfeeding, the longer the relactation period will obviously be!

Natural weaning

Baby-initiated weaning :

• From the age of 2-3, some children wean themselves naturally by gradually reducing feedings until they are no longer interested in the breast. This process is often the gentlest and most respectful of the child's rhythm.

Conclusion

Weaning is a normal part of breastfeeding. It's no more important, no more delicate than any other time during breastfeeding. Think of it as something wonderful, a pride in an accomplished breastfeed, a baby who's grown well. By proceeding gently, patiently and flexibly, you can ensure a smooth transition for you and your baby. Don't hesitate to seek advice from healthcare professionals or support groups to help you through this process.