How To Stop Breastfeeding | A Guide For Your Body And Your Baby
Learning how to stop breastfeeding is a must for moms who want to wean their babies. This is because weaning is quite a challenge especially if they are first-time mothers. To help moms succeed in their quest to weaning their babies, here are some strategies on how to wean their baby off breastfeeding.
How to Stop Breastfeeding In 5 Easy Steps
In this article:
- Step 1: Know the Best Time to Stop Breastfeeding
- Step 2: Gradually Reduce Breastfeeding Sessions
- Step 3: Combine Breastmilk and Formula
- Step 4: Start Weaning
- Step 5: Comfort your Baby in Alternative Ways
Step 1: Know the Best Time to Stop Breastfeeding
The first thing to bear in mind on how to stop breastfeeding is the best time to do it. Is your baby ill? Are your breasts hurting badly? Find out the reasons why you want to stop breastfeeding and know when to start. Also, make sure you and your baby are ready to go past this phase. Most moms take into consideration the following items below before deciding to wean off their baby from breastfeeding.
6 Reasons Why Moms Stop Breastfeeding:
- Painful breasts
- Lack of breastmilk supply
- Busy schedule due to other responsibilities
- Expecting another baby
- Other health-related problems
- The child is ready to wean off from breastfeeding
Step 2: Gradually Reduce Breastfeeding Sessions
Rather than abruptly stopping breastfeeding, it’s best to gradually reduce the sessions instead. Babies between 6 months and 1-year-old feed less than the rest, so reducing the sessions won’t be a problem for this range. If before you have a session every 3 hours, then now you can try every 5 hours.
Step 3: Combine Breastmilk and Formula
One of the best tricks on how to stop breastfeeding is creating a combo. Get your baby’s formula and mix it with breastmilk and observe how your baby will take this. If your baby reacts like nothing’s wrong, then you can start doing this right after you cut out the breastfeedings.
Step 4: Start Weaning
After reducing the breastfeeding diet sessions and combining it with formula, you can now start weaning your baby. Introduce solid foods but make sure these are soft and the sizes are suitable for your baby’s age. You can start at the 6th month but always ask for a doctor’s professional advice before proceeding.
Tip: For a more appetizing baby food, try to mix a small amount of breastmilk to the solid food you’re going to feed to your baby. Just like the trick you can do with the formula, this will make your baby like the food eventually.
Step 5: Comfort your Baby in Alternative Ways
By the time you stopped breastfeeding your baby, you must think of ways on how to make him/her feel loved and comforted. Due to the separation from his/her mom, the baby will sort of feel disconnected and therefore, another way of security is expected from moms like you.
4 Ways to Comfort your Baby after you Stop Breastfeeding:
- Carrying your baby more often for skin contact
- Playing and singing with your baby
- Reading bedtime stories/rocking the baby to sleep
- Giving your baby a pacifier
After checking out the steps above, here’s a video to watch from Howcast channel about how to stop breastfeeding to further guide you and your baby in the next phase you’re about to enter:
The right timing will always lead to a peaceful relationship with you and your baby. Once you put your child’s health and happiness a top priority, you’ll eventually learn the essentials on how to stop breastfeeding like a pro.
Did we miss anything on our steps on how to stop breastfeeding? Tell us in the comments section below!
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