Breastfeeding is the most intimate act in the relationship between mother and baby. This is not just a meal, it is an exchange of emotions, feelings and knowledge. It is not for nothing that the expression “absorbed with mother’s milk” has been used since ancient times. As he grows up and assimilates the world, the child gradually establishes an autonomous mode of existence. It is difficult to say unequivocally at what age he will cross this milestone of "maturity" - independent breastfeeding.
Instructions
Step 1
It is believed that the sooner you decide to wean your baby, the faster and more painlessly everything will go. However, experts advise, if possible, not to stop breastfeeding until 1-1.5 years old. Determine for yourself and your baby a comfortable time frame, taking into account the individual characteristics of the child: disposition to complementary foods, the level of immunity, the degree of "breast" dependence, etc.
Step 2
In the absence of emergency situations, it is better to wean the baby smoothly. Replace one breastfeed (eg, morning) with complementary foods. Don't serve your breasts as a snack. If the baby insists, distract, switch attention, or as a last resort, offer some expressed milk from a bottle.
Step 3
After 5-7 days, replace the second meal (lunch), etc. Walk more on the street, play, do with him (draw, sculpt, etc.). Try to "repurpose" the form of contact between the baby and the mother as much as possible, smoothly replacing the pacifying effect of the breast with other types of tactile and emotional communication.
Step 4
With regard to night feeding, it can be excluded either in advance (before daytime), or after. Before going to bed, the child needs to be nourished, preferably with porridge. In order not to disturb the baby in the middle of the night with the smell of mother's milk, ask dad, grandmother or another “beloved” adult to pump the crumbs, picking them up at the stage of half-asleep groaning. You can offer some water or dried fruit infusion, if necessary.
Step 5
If there is no one to replace mom, it will be a little more difficult. The main thing is to stay calm, because the baby catches and reacts to minor fluctuations in mother's mood better than any radar. Carry the child in your arms, resting his head on your shoulder, away from your chest, monotonously "purr" to the beat of the rocking motion. If the child is completely awake and naughty, switch his attention to a flashlight or an unusual night light. If all else fails, do not despair - you only have to hold out for a night. It will be much easier on the next one. Even the biggest wreckers "give up" on the third, and peacefully snore until the morning.
