Breastfeeding is undoubtedly good for the baby, but sooner or later the time comes to wean the baby. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of the physiology of the child and the nursing woman, otherwise you can get a lot of problems. To give up breastfeeding (HB) without tears and whims, you need to take advantage of the periods of extinction of the sucking reflex.
The extinction of the sucking reflex is the period when the baby's need to suck not to get food decreases. At this time, it is easiest to wean your baby from breastfeeding. As a rule, the extinction of the sucking reflex occurs after two years - the child already eats solid food well, drinks from a mug, sleeps according to the regimen.
There are also intermediate stages when the extinction is temporary and less obvious. For example, many babies at 7-8 months give up pacifiers or even breastfeeding. This is due to the introduction of complementary foods and the emergence of new interests - after all, at this age, the baby is already crawling and standing up. Another suitable period is after a year, when the child begins to walk, talk, eat adult food and feel almost independent.
How to tell if a baby is ready to give up breast:
• The baby can be reassured in another way - with a dummy, a rattle, a toy;
• A baby may fall asleep without a breast, for example, during motion sickness;
• If distracted, he may not think about his chest for a long time.
Unfortunately, it is not always possible to choose a convenient moment for weaning, sometimes circumstances force the mother to refuse GV at the most inopportune time. There is nothing wrong with that, today there are many mixtures and complementary foods that can satisfy the needs of the baby. So that the child does not feel rejected, pay more attention to him, pick him up more often.
Some, on the contrary, advise to move away from the child or even leave for a few days. This is, indeed, a more effective way, but it will not be so easy to regain the child's trust. A week or two is enough for the baby to get used to doing without breast milk, but you will have to get used to the idea that he will need you much less.
Weaning is less painful if done gradually. Replace first one feeding with another food (mixture, complementary foods or a full meal, depending on age), then another, third. Save only the last evening feed for last. If the baby won't pick up the bottle, experiment with a nipple - short or long, soft or hard, small or large.
Don't forget about yourself. To reduce milk supply, tighten the breast, at night you can bandage it with a diaper. It is also worth limiting your fluid intake. Check for milk congestion, breast lumps.
