Sooner or later, breastfeeding must end. But what if your baby simply refuses to stop nursing? Many mothers face this problem, but a few simple tips can help ease the pain of weaning for both mother and child.
For many mothers and their children, stopping breastfeeding comes naturally. The baby begins to take an interest in the foods that others around her are eating and begins to eat solid foods by herself. The more solids the baby eats, the less he wants her mother’s breast milk. However, some infants simply refuse to stop breastfeeding voluntarily, and many mothers may feel upset, tired, and not sure how to stop breastfeeding completely. If you are having trouble giving up breastfeeding, the following tips may help.
Avoid going cold turkey. This is usually very upsetting for the child, which in turn leads to tantrums. Instead, it’s best to reduce the number of feedings during the day, perhaps replacing feedings with a bottle or cup of expressed breast milk. This gradual reduction in the time spent suckling at the breast will ease the baby’s sense of loss or discomfort, especially if he is bottle-fed with breast milk. Eventually, breast milk could be replaced by formula.
Many children cry when they wake up in the middle of the night. Usually it is the mother who tries to soothe the baby back to sleep. Unfortunately, this calming process may mean nursing the child. It might be best if the baby’s father, or someone else the baby feels safe with, takes care of the baby. Many mothers will instinctively go to their child if the child is crying, so it may also be a good idea to try to stay out of earshot. The child may take a long time in this new regimen, but perseverance is the key. Eventually, when the child has been weaned from these night feeds, the mother can rearrange her back for the night.
With an older child, who is able to speak and understand what is being said, you can start by setting limits on where and when to breastfeed. Say, “We only breastfeed at nap time and bedtime” or “We only breastfeed when it’s dark outside.”
When she’s ready to stop completely, you could simply say, “You’re a big girl now, and big girls don’t breastfeed.” It is important to remember that with children this age, the emotional stress caused by stopping breastfeeding can be great. Therefore, replace the lack of nursing with more pampering; replace your emotional dependency on breastfeeding with other physical comforts.
It is also important to take care of your breasts during this time. Any anguish or pain felt by the mother will be picked up by the child, who will then also feel upset, thus aggravating an already delicate situation. By gradually reducing your nursing, you should help relieve your breast engorgement. Your milk supply should gradually decrease. If it isn’t and her breasts feel uncomfortable, then express her breast milk; You can give it to your baby in a bottle or cup. Cabbage leaves are known to help reduce waterlogging. Crush the cabbage leaves with a rolling pin if the leaves don’t conform to the shape of your breast. Wrap the cabbage leaves around the breast and leave for about 20 minutes. Twice a day is enough. It is usual to use the cabbage leaf treatment two or three times or less. You can use the cabbage leaves after each feeding and leave them until they wilt.
