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There is no doubt about it, nursing your child for any amount of time is the best start for that child's life. The nutrients that a mother can provide for her child are so bountiful and the bond that nursing creates is like nothing in this world. However, it must come to an end at sometime.
Deciding to wean your baby from the breast is a major decision. Questions that may arrise can include:
How should I go about weaning?
How will it affect my baby?
How will it affect me?
Once weaning is complete, how can I keep the closeness?
All of these questions are reason to be concerned, but with a little basic knowledge, they are easily answered.
Most babies are weaned by their first birthday. However, it is not unusual for a mother to nurse her child well after their first year. A child nursing after the first year is not in any way in need of nutrition from the mother, but is solely nursing for comfort. This is okay as long as the partnership is mutual. Either way, there are seveal tactics that can be used to begin the weaning process.
First, start by cutting back on feedings. Replacing feeding time with another project is a good idea. Read a book or play with a toy with your child. This is good distraction. Try replacing a nursing session with a cup. You don't necessarily have to give whole milk as a substitute. Juices and water work just as well.
Take it day by day, gradually cutting back on the number of feedings. Doing this will make it less tramatic than quitting cold turkey. The baby is then not thrusted into change and is given time to adjust to a new routine. You will probably go through some changes as well. Weaning your child will put you through some hormonal, as well as physical changes. You may expirience some discomfort in your breasts as you wean. But, rest assured, after you have totally weaned, you will return to your original state in no time. Emotionally, you may feel a sense of loss. Loss of the bond that once connected you so closely. Feel confident, that even after weaning, you and your baby will still be as close as ever. Feel proud that you have reached a milestone in your lives. A new found independance for you both, if you will.
Nutrition is another concern. By the time a baby is a year old, he or she requires much more in their diet than milk. Talk to your pediatrician about a suitable diet for your child.
Lastly, ask questions. If you have any concerns about weaning, it is better to be safe than sorry. Your weaning expirence should be as memorable as yor nursing expirence. Doing it the right way can make that possible.
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