Contents
How to wean from breastfeeding after a year: weaning a baby
Together with breast milk, the baby receives not only all the necessary nutrients, but also antibodies that help him cope with colds and infections. Breastfeeding is of great psychological importance, so weaning is accompanied by childish tantrums and tears. Knowing how to properly complete breastfeeding, a woman will relieve herself and her loved ones from stress.
How to wean from breastfeeding after a year
The easiest way to painless weaning is to breastfeed until the breast runs out of milk. But since this process can last for years, it is interesting to know what other effective methods of weaning exist.
To wean from breastfeeding after a year, complementary foods are given in a bottle with a nipple
Complementary foods for babies are introduced at 6 months, and begin to wean at 1 or a year and a half. Interestingly, the World Health Organization recommends keeping breastfeeding for up to 2 years whenever possible.
If the process of breastfeeding is delayed longer, the child has a crisis of 3 years, he becomes moody. Completing feeding or breastfeeding at this age becomes problematic.
How to wean a baby and when not to do it
Correct weaning is planned in 4 or 6 months. Preliminary preparation of the baby and mother is required.
At first, out of 6 feedings, you can leave 2, before bedtime and overnight. Then gradually “forget” about day feeding, distracting the baby if he is capricious. Mom should wear closed clothes so that the little one cannot reach the chest.
Breastfeeding should not be stopped in certain life situations:
- when teeth are being cut;
- need to be vaccinated;
- the baby is sick;
- first time went to kindergarten;
- you have moved.
Weaning from nocturnal attachments early on is another common mistake. Night feeding cannot be replaced with porridge or kefir.
The worst option is abrupt weaning. If the mother leaves for a while to stop breastfeeding, the baby experiences double stress.
There are situations when the mother completes the feeding forcibly, in such cases the breast will fill up and hurt. Gentle expressing and applying cold to the mammary glands will help prevent the development of inflammation.
For a baby, a sudden cessation of feeding can result in nervousness, disobedience, and aggression. Therefore, the mother needs to show maximum care for the baby, and distract him with new activities.
It is better not to stop breastfeeding abruptly, but to complete it gradually, so that the mother’s breasts do not become inflamed and the baby does not have psychological stress.