7 Tips To Help Wean Your Baby That'll Make The Process As Smooth As Possible
byOlivia Youngs
Weaning. It's the word that every breastfeeding mom dreads, but one that has to be dealt with eventually, in some form or another. Whether you stay home with your baby or are going back to work, your baby is younger or you're nursing a toddler, there comes a time in every child's life when it's time to wean. Luckily, there are a few tips to help you wean your baby that'll ensure the process is as smooth and trauma free as possible.
Although experts recommend that you exclusively nurse your baby for the first six months before introducing solids, any mom knows that life happens and sometimes you have to adjust your plan. This does, however, affect the weaning process slightly. Parents notes that if your baby is younger than one year, the weaning process may be more difficult than if you're nursing an older baby or toddler, who generally wean more easily on their own.
For my first daughter, I had grand aspirations of nursing her for well over a year (maybe even for two). But after I got pregnant with her sister, the combination of nausea and lower milk supply caused us to stop at 13 months. I'm still nursing my second daughter and, just as before, have no plans to stop, but I know that when the time comes, it will be a smooth and easy transition, with the help of tips like these.
Most children will gradually drop feedings on their own, making the process much easier than if you were to forcefully drop them. However, some parents need to wean their babies sooner than others, if that's the case for you, the next tips will help make the process as trauma-free as possible. But no matter your opinion on how long to breastfeed, you will have to wean them off the breast eventually. And these tips will come in handy regardless of the age of your child.