2/7/2018 1 Comment Weaning 101Recently, I was asked on my social media platform about weaning and whether I offered a course (shout out to Melanie!). Well simply, I do not, but maybe in the future! With that being said, I decided a blog post related to weaning was needed!
The preferable method for weaning is what we call “baby led weaning.” What the what? As the name states, it is essentially when your baby decides, on their own terms, that they are done with breastfeeding. If you can continue to breastfeed and are comfortable with extended breastfeeding, baby led is the way to go. First and foremost, I want you to ask yourself “why am I weaning?” Are you weaning because you just want to stop, are you wanting another child, are you overwhelmed, are you returning to work? All of these are valid reasons, but when armed with a bit more information, you might change your mind. Let’s first start with facts: globally, the normal range for weaning is anywhere between 2.5 - 7 years (when first molars erupt). Before you run away screaming from this post, let me say that I know that sounds like an obscene amount of time since I am from a Western culture, where the most common ages for weaning are between 12 months and 3 years, and in the United States, between 3 and 6 months (that’s obscener to me than the first set of numbers!). Remember that statistic is based on EVERY country worldwide. They may not have clean water, easy access to food, etc. Therefore, they breastfeed their children for so long for pure survival and necessity. My point is: if your baby is nursing at 2 years old and you’re panicking because your husband, sister, or mother in law keeps saying “is that baby still on the boob??” Calm down, you’re not an oddball, you’re not a freak, your baby will one day stop nursing, he or she will not go to college still requesting a nighttime feeding, I promise (but if they do, technically they are the freak and you’re in the clear…just kidding). Baby led weaning is the natural and biological way of a child determining when they are ready to move on to the next best thing! So how do you know when this is happening?
What if you don’t have the time or patience to wait for this to occur? Then we call that “mother led weaning.” What the what? Again, exactly as the name states, its when mom decides breastfeeding is done without the baby initiating these steps. Again, I want you to ask yourself why are you weaning? Make sure it feels right to YOU and keep in mind your baby’s needs and understand that they might have some difficulty during this time. If you want to initiate weaning, start gradually, do not go cold turkey. You will suffer, and your baby will be super confused.
Be wary of weaning too quickly:
Another option is to practice what is called “minimal breastfeeding,” which is a nice compromise between the two. You work your way down to 1-3 feedings per day and maintain that level until the baby is ready to completely wean on their own terms. This is an option when mom and baby need to be separated for periods of time during the day but still want to maintain the connection and benefits of breastfeeding to some extent. If you wanted to do this, you would use the mother-led weaning until you reached 1-3 of your favorite feedings, when you know you’ll always be with your baby. Then offer baby other snacks, drinks, and activities while you’re apart or not having nursing sessions, and only breastfeed those 1-3 times per day until your baby decides they want to decrease it further. Remember to watch your baby’s cues very carefully before, during, and after weaning. Some reasons your might mistake that your baby is ready to wean:
At the end of the day, it’s your baby, it’s your body, and it’s your choice. How you wean should be left up to you. My final piece of advice is to make the decision that best meets the needs of your baby and yourself. Next time someone says, “is that baby still on the boob??” Smile, nod and reply “are we still obsessed with my boobs??” You got this mama.
1 Comment
Melanie Carp
2/7/2018 07:18:36 am
Thank you for this! I have been struggling with the stigma of others and wanting to begin the process of having another baby. I want my son to not be traumatized by the experience of weaning...he loves "boo juice" this is such a great resource. Thank you for all you do!!
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February 2019
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