Breast milk is the most valuable and indispensable thing a mother can give to her baby. It meets all the needs of the child, nutritious and filled with vitamins. Mother's breast milk contains unique proteins and fatty acids that cannot be found in any formula, even the best and most expensive. Another, the most important feature of breast milk is that it contains immunoglobulins and biologically active and necessary substances to maintain immunity in a tiny man. Despite what it says on formula boxes, these essential micronutrients cannot be found in synthetic formulas.
But sooner or later, the mother will face the question: how to end breastfeeding? But before you start this process, you need to figure out when to do it. With a competent and timely approach to this issue, there will be no problems with weaning.
When is the best time to stop breastfeeding?
There is an opinion that the longer you breastfeed your baby, the better for him and for his mother. It's not exactly a myth, but it's notquite true.
The best time to breastfeed your baby is under one year of age. Only after this period, one can wonder how to properly end breastfeeding.
Why should you not delay feeding?
Many mothers feed their children not only well after a year, but even after two and three years. This is an absolutely unnecessary and useless activity at that age. Firstly, a child of one and a half years and older receives good nutrition along with adults. He consumes the first (soup, borscht), the second (meat, cereals), fruits and vegetables. From food, he receives a sufficient amount of essential vitamins and minerals for proper growth and development.
Breastfeeding after a year is more like pampering for a baby. From milk, he no longer receives those nutrients and in the amount that he consumed in the first six months of life.
In addition to unnecessary attachment to mother's breast at the age of one and a half - two or more years, for the nurse herself, this phenomenon is already more of an inconvenience than a necessity. A nursing mother of an adult child has repeatedly encountered an unpleasant situation when the child wanted to “sisu” here and now, even if there are guests around or you are in a restaurant and so on. It comes down to the public "achievement of the goal", which introduces mom into the paint. This is one example that a mother might face.
So the optimal time to stop breastfeeding is a year (plus or minus a couple of months) -will be comfortable for mom and baby. The big plus of choosing this age is that the baby does not experience weaning as much and for a long time as at an older age.
How to stop breastfeeding at 1 year old?
For the first six months of a baby's life, the breast is the main and only source of nutrition. After six months, pediatricians recommend introducing complementary foods into the baby's diet according to a certain scheme. Most often they start with vegetables, later meat, cereals and so on.
After this innovation in the nutrition of the baby, you should be careful. When a child eats a full portion, for example, soup, you should not give him a breast. He, of course, will ask for the first days, but this is nothing more than a habit. After three days at this meal, the baby will get used to the fact that he is not allowed to breastfeed, and will stop demanding it. It's not hard, but it's the first step on how to end breastfeeding painlessly for mom and baby.
Later, after the introduction of the following products, it is worth following the same strategy. If the baby had a hearty breakfast, lunch and dinner, ate all the necessary portion, he no longer needs the breast. So, gradually over several months, the question for the mother, how to end breastfeeding, will not cause difficulties.
Last step
Thus, the last step will be night feeding. After it, there are no problems with the breast, the milk gradually burns out, without causing pain, lactostasis and other unpleasant consequences.
When not to wean?
There are several unfavorable periods during which you should not wonder how to end breastfeeding.
Such moments include:
- The child is sick. Be it a cold, intestinal infection, etc. During this period, the baby is in a stressful situation, and weaning will only affect in a negative light.
- Vaccination. If the baby is scheduled for a preventive vaccination in the coming days or has just been given, it is worth waiting five to seven days. Immediately after vaccination, the temperature may rise, which lasts an average of up to three days. It will take a couple more days for the baby to fully recover.
- Adventure. If you have planned a trip to another country where there will be a change in climate. During this period, it is also worth delaying the weaning.
If such situations are not expected, then the question of how to properly end breastfeeding will become an urgent topic for thought for the mother.
Granny's methods
Many years ago, our grandmothers, and even great-grandmothers, used more radical methods of weaning babies. This is due to the fact that maternity leave was only a few months, and some of them did not sit out due to difficult times. Therefore, they resorted to drastic measures of weaning, and how the child reacted, they probably forgot. Probably more than one new mother has heard advice from the older generation on how to end breastfeeding, and they are often repeated.
1. Give the baby to grandma for a few days.
A child about a year old is very attached to his mother. This feature of age is inherent in absolutely all children. The abrupt disappearance of the mother for the baby will be a strong stress, which is unlikely to lead to the expected result. In addition, a grandmother with a headache from the constant cry of her beloved grandson will also not jump for joy. But the most important thing is that the attempt to excommunicate will be fruitless.
2. Spread the bitter product on the chest.
This is also not the best option. First, the selected substance can cause an allergic reaction. Secondly, hidden dislike is formed, which will manifest itself in the future.
3. Replace attachments with a bottle.
Some mothers try to replace frequent attachments with a bottle of compote or sweet water. This threatens the early development of caries in the baby.
4. Bandage the breast so that the milk is gone.
This tip is the most dangerous of all. Bandaging the breast often leads to severe lactostasis in the breast, hardening in the mammary glands. This quickly develops into mastitis, which brings incredible pain to the mother. Mastitis is not always curable without surgery.
Cessation of lactation
After breastfeeding has been completed, the milk will not go away immediately. In the case of large flushes of milk, before its amount decreases, you can resort toartificial methods of stopping lactation. There are several options:
- Medical cessation of lactation.
- Folk methods.
- External use of funds.
- Restriction in products.
Medicated lactation cessation
The most common and easiest way to stop lactation are medicines, which contain substances that can reduce the flow of milk. These drugs are:
- "Bromkreptin".
- "Sinestrope".
- "Dostinex".
- "Bromhexine" and others.
Before purchasing a certain drug, it is imperative to consult a gynecologist.
Folk methods
Traditional medicine recipes are also widely used to stop lactation as soon as possible. These are herbal teas with sage, elderberry leaves, horsetail, peppermint and basil leaves.
When choosing a certain herb, pour boiling water over it and let it brew for 5-7 minutes. Mint, sage and horsetail are used separately, without mixing with each other, with other herbs. Elder leaves and basil should be brewed together.
External use of funds
The use of external compresses also has a good effect in terminating lactation.
Compress with camphor oil affects the synthesis of milk in the glands. Oil should be applied to the skin of the chest, bypassing the halos and nipples. Put wool on topthe cloth. It is recommended to keep no more than half an hour.
Cabbage compress removes excess fluid from the body and suppresses milk production. A leaf of white cabbage should be pre-kneaded and applied to the chest. Top with a woolen cloth. Keep the compress for 2 hours.
Product restriction
Certain foods in a new mom's diet are also important for milk production. During the period of reduced influx of breast milk, you should limit the intake of hot liquids (tea, soup, etc.). Also exclude s alty, smoked and spicy foods, flour. In addition, you should limit the amount of liquid.
After the end of lactation, a woman may experience a slight discharge of milk from the nipples. This phenomenon can continue for 1-3 months.
