Refusal of breastfeeding Komarovsky. How to end breastfeeding in an emergency. What are some ways to finish feeding quickly?

Komarovsky considers weaning a purely individual process, but he is sure that both the mother and the baby should be ready for it. The most famous doctor in the country in his TV shows more than once discussed the topic breastfeeding and each time informs parents that weaning should be slow and painless for the baby. Komarovsky believes that it is useful to breastfeed a child up to 1.5 - 2 years, but most important period When a baby needs mother's milk, this is the first 6 months from birth.

For some women, weaning a baby from the breast is often a painful and lengthy process. Many specialists in the field of pediatrics, like Dr. Komarovsky himself, believe that if the mother follows certain rules and behaves correctly, then weaning will pass easily and unnoticed. There is an opinion among young mothers that the older the baby, the more difficult it is to wean him. Therefore, many, in order to avoid problems in the future, stop lactation at the age of 6 months, which makes a big mistake.

There are many reasons why a woman decides to stop breastfeeding. Some women simply do not have enough patience, but given the benefits such feeding brings to the child, it is worth to be patient. Others don't have enough milk to meet their needs little man, and for others, there is a situation when it is time to go to work or feeding becomes impossible for health reasons. Regardless of the cause, it is very important that the process of weaning the little one from the breast is slow and painless. Dr. Komarovsky does not agree that the sooner weaning, the better. The doctor believes that after 1 year it is easier to wean a child from the habit of breastfeeding, since during this period the baby can fully eat and is quite capable of doing without lactation.

Valery Olegovich at the same time repeatedly repeated to parents that breast milk is simply an invaluable product for a child, so mothers, before making hasty conclusions, need to think carefully and choose right time to wean the baby from the breast. The most important period when a baby needs mother's milk is the first six months from birth. Feeding up to 1 year will not be superfluous. Some doctors believe that after 1 year, breast milk is no longer as important as it was a few months ago, but basically allows the baby to feel the closeness of the mother. Every mother has to stop the process of feeding, but some do it up to 1 year, and others up to 2-3 years. In order for the weaning to go right, and the child does not get stressed, Komarovsky gives parents helpful tips, as well as from their own observations to share information on how to properly wean a child from mother's milk. Before considering the advice and techniques of Komarovsky, it is worth mentioning to mothers how useful breast milk is for a child and how it affects his growth and development!

The benefits of breastfeeding

Breast milk is an invaluable and indispensable product for a child. Manufacturers of infant formula have been trying for several years to develop an alternative to breast milk, but so far they have been able to create only mixtures that are close to the composition of this miracle product. Many doctors, like everyone's favorite Dr. Komarovsky, are sure that in the first 6 months, a mother should do everything possible and impossible to breastfeed her baby. It is mother's milk during this period that is a strong foundation that allows 100% to provide the little one with all the necessary substances for healthy growth and development.

Even when by medical indicators mother has to interrupt feeding, she needs to express milk and direct all her efforts to further establish breastfeeding. According to studies by the American Association of Pediatrics scientists, it was found that breastfeeding after 6 months and up to 1.5 years provides 75% of the child's body with the necessary substances, and complementary foods during this period are only a supplement. If a woman cannot or does not want to feed a child for some reason, she should think not only about how to wean the baby from the breast, but also about whether she is doing the right thing, depriving the baby of such useful product. And so the main benefit breast milk is as follows:

  1. Breast milk is the main supplier of useful, valuable and irreplaceable substances. The composition of this product contains a huge amount of vitamins, enzymes, trace elements, as well as protein. It is the composition of breast milk that provides the baby with healthy development and growth.
  2. Strong immunity. It is known that children who are breastfed get sick many times less than those who try to formula.
  3. Reduces the incidence of allergies. In breastfeeding children allergic reactions appear 5 times less than those who try with mixtures.
  4. Correct bite, speech. The same studies by American scientists showed that babies begin to speak much earlier than artificial babies, and they also form the correct bite, which in the future helps to avoid many dental problems.
  5. Correct development. Infants very rarely have problems with lack or excess weight They are also less likely to suffer from indigestion.
  6. Substantial savings family budget. It's no secret to anyone that artificial mixtures good quality have exorbitant prices, and sometimes it is very difficult to find the mixture that will be ideal for the baby and mothers have to conduct a real experiment in selecting the right artificial nutrition. In addition, as the child grows, his need for the amount of the mixture will increase and literally by 6-8 months 1 package with the mixture will be enough for 3-4 days, which will significantly affect financial opportunities young family.

This is not the full benefit of breastfeeding, but in any case, it's up to the mother, because she is fully responsible for the health of the crumbs. The most unpleasant moment is that some women, having enough milk, refuse to feed the baby, referring to a change in figure. Such mothers are always scolded by doctors, because it is less offensive when a woman does not have milk or, for medical reasons, feeding is impossible, and another thing is when a woman herself does not want, but has the opportunity. After all, every mother should take care of her child and create all the conditions for his full growth, comfort and development.

The best period for weaning

There is no consensus on when it is better to wean a child from the breast, because in life there are different situations and the woman herself must make the decision. However, there are recommendations from experts who unanimously say that it is important to continue breastfeeding for at least 6 months. Starting from 6 months, the baby begins to introduce complementary foods, so doctors are sure that from this moment it is possible to reduce breastfeeding. Some mothers are of the opinion that after 6 months breastfeeding is not necessary, but Komarovsky, like his colleagues, is sure that breast milk is useful in any period of a child's life and, if possible, it can be continued up to 2 years or more.

Experts do not recommend weaning too early, because it is harmful not only for the little one, but also for the woman herself. So earlier weaning threatens a woman with lastostasis, in which dense and very painful seals appear on the chest. It also increases the risk hormonal disorders, which can lead to prolonged secretion of milk from the mammary glands, too rapid weight gain and other conditions that worsen the general well-being of a woman.

The World Health Organization considers that the ideal period for breastfeeding is up to 2 years of age and beyond. However, in currently it is difficult to find a woman who would breastfeed a child for more than 2 years. The reason for this phenomenon is considered not only the lack of milk, but also going to work, the entry of crumbs into kindergarten and other situations that do not allow prolonging breastfeeding. Breast milk is useful at any stage of a child's life, so doctors recommend feeding the baby as much as possible if possible.

Grandma's methods - how effective

If a woman has decided to stop breastfeeding, she needs to think about how to properly complete lactation so as not to harm herself and her baby. Among the people, there are several ways that promise to painlessly wean a small one from the chest, but almost all methods are not praised by doctors, because they have certain risks or do not bring any effect.

One of the ways that has been known for decades is breast pulling. But doctors are sure that such a technique will not wean the child from the breast, but will only lead to the development of mastitis in women. Many people think that tight breasts reduce the amount of breast milk, but this is far from the case.

Some believe that lactation can be completed if too little liquid is consumed, but experts are also of the opinion that this method will not bring the desired results, and the amount of breast milk produced directly depends on the baby's appetite.

Many mothers, in order to wean the child from the breast, resort to smearing the nipples with mountain foods: mustard, brilliant green, but doctors believe that such methods cannot be carried out, since they can be dangerous for both the woman herself and the baby. For example, mustard can cause a burn of the oral mucosa in a child and cause the development of stomatitis. The use of brilliant green causes a certain stress in the child, because he does not understand what happened to his mother's breasts, which always calmed and fed him.

Another way that many resort to is taking medications, the mechanism of action of which is aimed at stopping lactation. Such drugs do exist, but they should only be taken as prescribed by a doctor. Most of these drugs are hormonal, so after their use in the body of a woman, various failures of the hormonal system may appear.

Komarovsky is sure that in almost 80% of cases folk ways don't bring desired result, but only worsen the situation and often become a cause for the development of mastitis.

What do the experts say?

Dr. Komarovsky, like many of his colleagues, is extremely negative about early weaning. They unanimously say that such weaning can cause significant harm to the health of both the woman herself and the baby. A child who has been torn from his mother's breast can change a lot in behavior, become irritable, refuse to eat through a bottle, his sleep and, accordingly, his mother's calmness will be disturbed. It is known that at fast weaning the baby receives some stress from the breast, since it is breastfeeding that strengthens the bond between mother and child. For a woman who refuses to breastfeed, the consequences can also be not pleasant, since 75% of women develop mastitis. Doctors are sure that it is necessary to wean the baby from mother's milk at the age of 1.5-2 years. It is at this age that the child is completely ready for separation from the breast, he begins to eat other tastier foods. Quite often, even when a woman no longer has milk or its amount is minimal, the child remains a habit. For example, many children will not fall asleep without their mother's breasts even when they are well over 2 years old. In such cases, weaning should be slow, and a separate bed for the child will become an assistant in such a situation.

Weaning by the Komarovsky method

Dr. Komarovsky more than once in his television programs told parents what weaning from breastfeeding should be like. It all depends on the situation, but in any case, such excommunication should not disturb the peace of the child and not harm the mother. The doctor gives some advice to parents and offers his own methods to painlessly wean the baby from the breast.

In the first case, the mother needs to leave for a few days, leaving the baby with relatives. Initially, the baby will be capricious, but after a few days he will get used to falling asleep in a new way, without his mother's breast. In the absence of a mother, relatives can give the child to drink from a bottle or teach him to eat from a spoon and drink from a mug. At night, a mixture from a bottle or plain water can replace mother's breasts. This method is quite good, but not always the mother agrees to leave the baby with her loved ones, and sometimes even close people do not want to stay with the baby.

The second and quite good way of weaning is the same separation from the mother, but only at night. The baby should sleep separately in his own crib, and his father, grandmother, nanny or sister can try to put him down. After a few days, the baby will get used to new faces and forget about his mother's sissy.

It is good to carry out weaning from the breast during the period of involution, when the mammary glands produce little milk. Quite often, children after 1 year suckle breasts out of habit, so mothers need to create conditions that will help the child forget about the breast. Dr. Komarovsky, as always, gives useful tips for "soft" weaning of children after 1 year:

  1. Starting at 6 months, mothers begin to introduce complementary foods. Initially, these are small portions and not a large assortment nutrition. After 1 year, the crumbs menu needs to be diversified, then after eating, the baby will not remember the breast.
  2. From 7 to 9 months, parents should teach the baby to eat or spoon, drink from a mug. This activity is mostly liked by children and after a few weeks the child will forget about both the bottle and mother's breast.
  3. If a woman has decided not to breastfeed, then at night, when the baby wakes up and cries, you can give him water from a bottle or make a light mixture. After a while, the child will not look for his mother's breast in a dream and will be able to sleep peacefully the whole night.
  4. Before going to bed, the child needs to be fed, bought and put to sleep in clean linen and a freshly ventilated room. You can not steam the child, otherwise he will not sleep well, wake up at night, respectively, intuitively look for mom's breasts.
  5. You don’t need to rock the baby in your arms before going to bed, because this can also become a habit, which is also difficult to get rid of. The child should fall asleep in the crib, but the mother should be nearby, rock him, sing, stroke his head and soothe him. If the baby is naughty and demands mother's breast, you can give him milk or water to drink.
  6. If the child refuses to sleep in his crib, the mother can take him to her, but try not to breastfeed.
  7. If in daytime the child is naughty because there is no mother's breast, he can be distracted by something, and he will quickly forget about his demands.
  8. If a woman decides to wean the baby from the breast, she does not need to take the baby in her arms and hold him like when feeding, because the baby remembers these positions and will wait for the next feeding.
  9. Hide your chest from the baby, one more effective way. A woman needs to wear more closed clothes so that the child does not see the mother's breast.

Komarovsky believes that almost every second mother faces the problems of weaning a baby from the breast, but in any case, weaning should be correct and completely safe. Of course, it is impossible to wean a baby from breastfeeding in one or even two days. A woman needs to be patient and she will definitely succeed.

Slow weaning

Slow weaning - prolonged, but effective method, since it does not bring any psychological and physical discomfort to both the little one and the mother. Dr. Komarovsky is sure that if you replace unnecessary breastfeeding with walks, games or spoon-feeding, within 1-2 weeks the baby will refuse to breastfeed. Also, the doctor advises not to use the breast as a sedative, even when the child requires it. Many mothers cannot stand the crying or whims of the child, but all babies cry, because in this way they show their displeasure. The doctor also believes that in the morning it is better to give the child porridge, then soup, and so on. If you diversify the child's menu, then he will not have time for his mother's breasts.

Komarovsky assures parents that after 1 year, the child should be offered adult food, so he will quickly forget about his mother's milk. Weaning a baby from the breast is not as difficult as it seems at first glance, the main thing for the mother is to be patient and not succumb to the provocations of the little one.

emergency weaning

Of course, slow weaning is the best and most acceptable way, but sometimes there are situations when a woman is forced to abruptly stop feeding. This most often happens when the mother is ill or the woman uses medicines. If the disease is minor, then breastfeeding can be stopped for certain period, but there are situations when feeding becomes completely impossible. Common causes when emergency weaning is required, the following illnesses of the mother are considered:

  1. HIV infection.
  2. Hepatitis.
  3. Syphilis.
  4. Tuberculosis of the open form.
  5. Purulent mastitis.
  6. Taking medications that pass into breast milk.

When breastfeeding becomes impossible, a woman needs to express her breast milk regularly, while feeding the baby with a mixture that the pediatrician will advise.

When is it unnecessary to wean a baby?

Sometimes there are situations that even if the mother wants to wean the baby from the breast, this is not worth doing. A woman should understand that a breast for a child is not only a way to get food, but also a symbol of stability and security. Komarovsky reports that it is absolutely impossible to refuse a baby to breastfeed in the following situations:

  1. Moving a child to another room or apartment.
  2. Child illness.
  3. Vaccinations.
  4. Anxious night sleep.
  5. Thumb sucking habit.
  6. Work disruptions nervous system or her immaturity.
  7. Premature babies.

It is these children who are not ready for early weaning, so the mother needs to be patient and feed the baby as much as the situation requires.

Weaning - parents' mistakes

Sometimes when strong desire mothers to wean the child from the breast, parents make mistakes without thinking about possible consequences. Most frequent mistakes Parents are considered the following actions of adults:

  1. If the child wants to receive the mother's breast, the woman goes to another room and leaves crying baby alone, hoping that he will calm down.
  2. Wean from feeding during the period when the baby is sick.
  3. Various products are applied to the nipples that have a bitter or unpleasant taste.
  4. They push the child away when trying to get the little one to the chest.

All these methods can sometimes help wean a child from breastfeeding, but they are quite painful, cause stress to a child who will sleep poorly, eat, and gain weight in the future. There are risks for the mother herself, because in the absence of regular expression of milk, she can earn inflammation of the mammary glands or mastopathy.

Dr. Komarovsky repeatedly warns parents that weaning should be gentle and completely safe for the health of the child. The doctor once again gives advice to parents that every woman who wants to wean her baby from the breast should follow:

  1. Mom should limit herself to fluid intake. The doctor thinks that less woman drinks any liquid harder for a child feeding is given.
  2. Reduce the frequency and duration of feeding.
  3. Reducing the duration of feeding. Sometimes breastfeeding can be skipped and the baby switched to some interesting activity.
  4. Stop expressing milk.

All the methods that the doctor offers are aimed at making breastfeeding not easy for the child. The doctor believes that the more the baby understands that breastfeeding is impossible, the sooner it will become uninteresting to him and he will refuse the breast on his own. Despite the advice that Komarovsky gives to parents, he believes that a woman should strive to create all the conditions for full breastfeeding, since not a single mixture or soup can notice mother's milk.

Mother's milk is the most valuable for the baby, but, despite this, the time will come when the baby needs to be weaned. It doesn’t matter if this is done out of necessity for the mother or because the baby has already grown up. Most importantly, this moment in time is usually not given due attention in terms of mom's feelings. You can find a lot of discussion on the topic of what to do to wean a child from the most expensive and enjoyable activity for him, but here's how to be a mommy with overflowing mammary glands? This is exactly what I want to talk about.

We wean the baby

For those who are faced with this issue for the first time and have not yet decided how the baby will be weaned from the breast, I offer information on options. Those who have decided on this issue, you can safely proceed to reading the next part of the article.
Everything that I want to tell the reader of MirSovetov, I myself experience at a given moment in time, therefore I build my judgments and conclusions on real feelings that are not muffled by time, as a rule, these experiences are quickly forgotten, like any other unpleasant events.
Age. The first dilemma that mothers face is at what age this should be done. It is believed that the younger the child, the easier it will endure the process of weaning. And another opinion tells us that the longer breastfeeding (BF) lasts, the healthier the baby will be. Again, others believe that long feeding leads to inhibition in the development of the child. Perhaps each of these statements has its own reasons and is true in its own way. But I propose to approach this issue from a different angle. Nursing mother's condition main criterion. One way or another, after birth, a child is already a separate life, and although he is closely related to his mother, you cannot force a woman to be a “victim”. Therefore, wean your baby from the breast when you feel the need to. Only your emotional and physical state can be 100% indicator. In addition, the confidence and readiness of the mother will have its positive influence and on the baby. My baby turned 1 year and 2 weeks old, at the moment when I decided to take him away from breastfeeding. Previously, I asked this question for 2-3 weeks, sometimes I told my son that the milk would soon run out and I would have to eat on my own. Apparently when my inner voice he told me “enough”, I came with the child from the street in the evening and said: “That's it!”.
Ways. How to tell or explain to the baby that mom has no more milk? This is the question that scares me the most. In fact, this is a contrived problem. Subconsciously, every mother understands that with the termination of breastfeeding, the thread between her and the baby will become weaker. On the second day, I wanted to spit on everything and continue breastfeeding. The sensations were as if you were tearing off a piece of your heart, but on the other hand pain in the glands they were forced to hold on, as she perfectly understood that sooner or later everything would start all over again.
So the options might be. Put on closed clothes so that the child cannot reach the breast and, when he tries, explain that there is no more milk, only in a mug. Let him drink and eat as much as he wants, having had enough, the child will stop his attempts. I have chosen this method.
As an option, very common, the child is sent for 2-3 days to his grandmother, so that he does not see his mother. This method is good for mothers, but, in my opinion, it is morally more difficult for a child. Imagine that he will not only be weaned from GV, but also from his mother! It's double stress.
With older children, you can already negotiate. Starting from about 1 year and 4 months (but again, children are different, so judge by your child, his level of development and perception). You can buy a skin-colored band-aid and seal the nipples so that the halo is also covered. When the child reaches for the breast, tell him that “the tit is now like this and you can’t take milk from her anymore.” My friend used this method when weaning her one and a half year old son. The child was puzzled, but no longer approached with this question. The first night I cried in my sleep, but then I calmed down, and I didn’t have to raise this issue anymore.
Another similar option is the suggestion of the concept of "titya - kaka." nipples smeared lemon juice or other unpleasant tasting food (usually something bitter). After 2-3 attempts, the child no longer wants to try to attach to the breast. The only thing is to choose such "lubricants" that will not harm the child. For example, I have heard about using mustard for this, but it is not only bitter, but also pungent. There are also special ointments that can be purchased at the pharmacy. But here is the individual decision of each mother.
Gradual weaning. IN Lately psychologists advise to stretch the process of weaning for 2-3 months. To do this, it is recommended to gradually reduce feedings, starting with one in the morning and gradually reducing to once a week or two, reducing them to zero. That is, we remove the morning feeding, the next two weeks later, and so on. Last but not least, we remove night feedings. This method is also considered favorable for the mother, since the milk is supposed to burn out gradually. But it seemed to me that this is not a very good option when feeding on demand, and not according to the regimen.
Weaning period. How many days will the child wean? From 2-3 days to several weeks. But this does not mean that the child will require the breast all this period. He just needs time to forget this process. Therefore, try not to appear topless in front of the child for the first month (or longer) so as not to disturb his memory and desires. He will reach for his chest, you will need to be sensitive to his behavior and give him food or drink. Tears and tantrums about this different children last different time. For example, I weaned my eldest daughter with the help of my mother, it was three or four sleepless nights for her. But I decided to excommunicate my son on my own, next to me he endured all this easier than I expected. We cried only on the first evening when we went to bed, but after 20 minutes I found something to distract him and he fell asleep. You can distract with a toy, a phone, something else that the child will show interest in, in our case it was the melody of Wind Music - I think everyone is familiar with this thing.
Weaning from breastfeeding provides an answer to another question: when do children stop eating at night. When you no longer need to breastfeed. For some time the child will wake up at night, you need to give him a drink. It can be milk, tea or just some water. I gave milk for the first three nights, but, seeing that he drinks no more than 3-4 sips, I realized that he does not wake up from hunger and replaced milk with tea. When the child is not bothered by anything, he sleeps all night without waking up at all.
It is desirable to drink the child from a mug, and not from a bottle. This is due to the fact that the child needs to wean from innate reflex sucking. If you use a bottle, then after a while you will have to fight the attachment to the bottle. And after weaning, you will continue to get up at night to feed the baby, but from the nipple.

Now let's talk about mom's feelings. Unfortunately, there is no way to tell the mammary glands that more milk is not needed. We no longer feed the baby, but the milk continues to abide. As a result, the chest is greatly stretched, and the sensation becomes more and more unpleasant and painful with each flush. It is recommended to wear a bra during this period of time. It should be pitted, but dense cotton (natural) fabric and should not stretch. That is, to play the role of a corset. If you don’t have one in your wardrobe, you can wear any, but get ready for the fact that it can crash into the body and cause itching: stretched skin becomes more sensitive. You will need to wear it until the milk completely burns out. Alternatively, it is recommended to tighten the chest with an elastic bandage or something else. But it is more painful and unpleasant.
Troubles begin on the second day, when there is a lot of milk. Choose for yourself which option you prefer. You can express milk little by little, this will help alleviate the "pressure", you can use a breast pump and express to soft breasts, but leaving some milk. In the first variant, the burnout of milk will go faster, but a few days will be mass discomfort. In the second, there will be no painful sensations, but the burnout process will be delayed. To some extent, this is the same as taking the baby off the breast gradually.
When expressing according to the first principle, different women the moment of cessation of milk production can begin on 3-5 days. I pumped a little on days 2 and 3, the hot flashes stopped on the 5th day. These days, give up hot and liquid food: soups, tea, etc. Or rather, reduce to a minimum, arrange for yourself fasting days. It is better to keep the restriction in liquid until the milk in the glands completely burns out, that is, until the moment when the breast returns to its pre-feeding size, becomes soft and all seals disappear, even small ones. After that, for about another 1-2 months, give up anything that can help restore lactation. Especially from beer, because after drinking it, hot flashes can resume. Or do not abuse these products, eat in small quantities and monitor the body's reaction to them.
The process of burning milk is also accompanied by certain, not very pleasant sensations. If during hot flashes it is felt how the skin is stretched, then combustion is accompanied by the reverse process - “stretching”. It's less painful, but also unpleasant. Something seems to be sucking out the contents of the glands from within, and at times there is still a tingling sensation. After the tides stop, the "resorption" will last another 5-7 days.
Pain and psychological condition(despite the fact that most women during childcare are already depressed) lead to nervous breakdowns And hyperexcitability. Therefore, it will be necessary to show patience to the mother herself, and care for her husband and other family members. You can drink sedative herbs or antidepressants.

Suppression of lactation

It's no secret that there are a lot of recommendations on what to eat and drink to improve lactation. Did you know that to suppress lactation there are also various means? These can be specially made drugs that can be purchased at a pharmacy, but it is better to use them only as directed by a doctor (in agreement with him), or folk remedies. I want to talk about both options, because I think that this knowledge can sooner or later be useful to any woman (and caring husbands too).
Medical (chemical) preparations. There are many different drugs that can be prescribed by a doctor to suppress lactation in various situations that require it. All these drugs have a hormonal composition that affects the functioning of the brain, or rather, the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland, forcing it to work in an inhibited (suspended) state. The course, depending on the drug, can last from 1 to 14 days. Here are some names of such drugs: bromocriptine, parlodel, dostinex, microfollin, norkolut, turinal, acetomepregenol, orgametril, dufaston, primolyut-nor, utrozhestan, cabergoline. All of them are created on different hormones and in different concentrations, this is what explains such a time interval for taking them. These preparations are produced both in the form of tablets and in the form of solutions for injection.
Because it hormonal preparations there are a number of side effects and harmful effects for a woman's body, you can decide on their use only after consulting a doctor and under his strict supervision. There are contraindications for some drugs: hypertension, varicose veins veins, kidney and liver diseases, diabetes, thrombophlebitis, and various diseases and deviations in the work of the reproductive organs of a woman.
I also want to draw your attention to the fact that prolonged pain in the area of ​​the mammary glands, non-absorbable seals during the period of cessation of breastfeeding can be a sign of mastitis. If there is any doubt or suspicion, immediately contact your attending gynecologist for a check, it is in such cases that the use of the drugs listed above to suppress lactation is most often recommended.
Folk remedies. And now let's talk about the means that each woman can use on her own during the completion of lactation. Before special pills were invented, to suppress lactation, liquid restriction was added to such simple procedure like taking diuretics. There is no need to drink chemicals and pills, because there are a lot of herbs that have this effect.
When you stop lactation, your task is to get rid of excess fluid, thereby stopping the production of milk, contributing to its “burnout” or “resorption”. Drinking diuretic herbs should be started on the first day and continued for 5-7 days, then as needed, but most likely this will be enough. I started taking an infusion of a diuretic herb on the 4th day (before that, I just didn’t know that something could be done), after 2-3 hours the hot flashes stopped, and literally after 5-7 hours the sensations from the by-catch changed to the sensations of “burnout » milk. The chest became softer, tightness and pain began to weaken.
Here is a list of some herbs that have diuretic and diaphoretic effects: bear ears (bearberry), lingonberries, basil, Russian beans, wintering horsetail, madder dye, garden parsley, elecampane. In general, it will not be difficult to find such herbs, they are in every pharmacy.
But the most interesting thing is that there are herbs that contribute to the cessation of lactation. Salvia officinalis is most often mentioned for these purposes. One of his healing properties is the cessation of lactation in nursing mothers. For this, tea is made and drunk for several days, healers say that 2-3 days are enough to completely stop this process. In addition, he provides beneficial effect on a woman's health, treats infertility and strengthens the body. Other herbs: white cinquefoil, jasmine, common belladonna.
I managed only with diuretic herbs, but since after stopping feeding, milk production can resume for another 6 months, I think you can also drink herbs to inhibit lactation if you wish. MirSovetov warns that if you find milk in the glands after a six-month period from the last breastfeeding, you should seek medical advice, as this may be a sign of some kind of disease.

Weaning is a very important moment in the life of mother and child. It should be a conscious decision that won't hurt both of you. Breastfeeding provides the baby with a special emotional bond with the mother, so weaning can be a big stress for the baby. How to wean a baby from breastfeeding, while avoiding problems and helping the baby quickly switch to regular food, you will learn further.

When to start weaning a baby

Our parents were advised by doctors to wean the child at 11 months. At that time, this was in line with established medical standards. But over time, everything has changed, WHO recommends doing this between one and a half and two years. This is in tune with the old customs, when a child was fed until two or three years old. In different sources, you can see information that will present you with different information, but in reality it all depends on physiological features your child.

For its part, each nursing mother can help ensure that the moment of weaning is as painless as possible. Exist favorable periods which are suitable to stop feeding, and periods when this is best avoided. In addition, there is also a mother's own instinct, suggesting that the baby is already ready to be left without milk and switch to a varied feeding.

How to wean your baby from breastfeeding

If you do not know how to wean your child from breastfeeding, do not listen to the advice of those who suggest doing it abruptly. Forced cessation of feeding can turn into a huge stress for the child, therefore it is better to do it gradually so that the child gradually weaned:

  • You can start by replacing one breastfeed with complementary foods (porridge, vegetables, dairy products).
  • After a week, replace another feeding - the baby will eat new food with pleasure, perceiving it with interest.
  • Morning breastfeeding is easy to replace with fermented milk products, they are light, tasty, healthy.
  • Last on the list will be evening feeding, because it also serves as a way to calm and lull the child.

From night feedings

You can start weaning from nighttime breastfeeding as soon as you introduce complementary foods. This happens somewhere around the age of 4-6 months. Since the baby eats well during the day, consumes additional products, feeding at night is no longer necessary. The child is unlikely to get hungry at night, but will still wake up because of his formed habit. Therefore, you must understand that the process of weaning from night feedings can take some time.

If the baby is experiencing a certain crisis (he has not seen his mother all day, he is teething or his tummy hurts), the presence of the mother next to the crib is simply necessary. The child may want to handle, suck on the breast or bottle. To minimize these situations when you wean your baby from breastfeeding, try to be around during the day, giving the baby as much time as possible. So you will provide the baby with maximum psychological comfort, and he will not have such a pronounced need to see his mother at night.

Options for weaning from night feeding:

  • replacement of feeding with warm water;
  • reduction in the duration of feeding;
  • increasing the intervals between two feedings;
  • mixture or porridge before bed;
  • restriction of access to the chest at night.

From daily feedings

So that a one-year-old baby does not ask for breasts during the day, you need to come up with another interesting activity. It's easy: play with him, distract him with games, books, swings, etc. When it's time to breastfeed, replace your breast milk with something equally healthy. Baby food may consist of formula milk, vegetable juices, baby yogurt or milk diluted with water.

You can try to break the feeding ritual by changing the usual place for the crumbs to have lunch. The new environment will disrupt the usual feeding circumstances and distract from the breast, which will help you quickly switch to a bottle or a bowl of porridge. If the baby began to behave aggressively, is naughty, there is insomnia, he cannot fall asleep without his mother, this may be a signal that you have decided to end breastfeeding prematurely.

Ways to stop breastfeeding

For those who decide to stop breastfeeding, milk production is no longer a necessity. However, even after completing the feeding, you may encounter the fact that the milk will arrive. The chest will begin to suffer from severe stretching, this will be accompanied by painful sensations. But all the consequences can be minimized so that the end of feeding is painless not only for the child, but also for the mother.

The natural way to stop lactation

Be sure to wear a tight bra natural fabric. You must not part with it until the milk is gone. Instead, you can bandage your chest with an elastic bandage, but be prepared for the fact that this is a painful process. If a lot of milk accumulates in the breast, you can pump a little to reduce pain, and over time, milk will simply stop being produced in such a volume. You can use a breast pump, pumping until your breasts are soft. This method will help stop lactation much faster.

Medical method

Modern drugs will help you stop the process of lactation, but you can use them only as directed by a doctor, because this hormonal agents, which an experienced specialist can choose correctly. Such tablets are indicated for oral administration, they act on the hypothalamus and stimulate the production of substances that block the appearance of prolactin. They can be taken only in accordance with strict adherence to the instructions. There are also non-hormonal drugs, the course of which lasts a long time, but side effects are almost not observed.

Folk methods

If medications are contraindicated for you, the production of breast milk can be stopped with the help of folk remedies: application medicinal plants was popular among our great-grandmothers, such methods may be useful to you. Sage does this well, because it contains a substance called phytoestrogen. It is an analogue of the human hormone, which is responsible for correct work female organs and production of breast milk.

Sage has a good effect on the state of the body as a whole. The use of herbs helps to significantly reduce the lactation period, reduce unpleasant, painful sensations in the chest area. To enhance the effect of the tincture, you can make special oil compresses and follow a diet. For compresses, take 250 ml of any vegetable oil and mix with two drops of sage, cypress, geranium, and peppermint oils. Soak a gauze in the resulting mixture and apply to the chest. Repeat the procedure every day.

Don't know how to wean small child from breastfeeding by doing it quickly? Take your time, because there are several rules that absolutely cannot be violated when weaning a baby from the breast:

  1. It is better to avoid stopping lactation in the cold season: the child's immunity is reduced, frequent colds may appear. Only mother's milk can provide reliable protection due to the high content of immunoglobulins and antibodies.
  2. Summer isn't the best either. right time because it's hot outside. There is a risk of infection.
  3. Even if you have already started the weaning process, you can make an exception when the baby is excited or scared. This will give the baby a sense of security at first.
  4. Even if you want to stop breastfeeding because you're pregnant, you don't have to leave home, as some suggest. This can cause stress for you and your baby.
  5. The period when the baby is sick, teething or he was vaccinated, according to reviews experienced mothers will not be favorable for cessation of lactation. Now give the baby as much milk as he wants to calm him down.

If you like the advice of experienced thinking doctors, you can listen to the methodology of the pediatrician Komarovsky. He will tell you how to properly wean a child with minimal problems. His methods are somewhat unconventional and can come across as harsh. They are divided into two categories: some help reduce lactation, while others show how to take the baby from the mother's breast. Watch the video and draw your own conclusions:

Until recently, a newly-made mother was nervous that breast milk was not enough or it was of the wrong quality. But somehow everything smoothly got better, the baby has grown up and is already actively eating porridge, meat puree, dairy products. He has his first teeth, and mom intuitively knows that it is time to stop breastfeeding.

How to do this painlessly for the child and your own body is a serious question. In addition, on women's forums on the Internet, where a woman will definitely climb in search of answers, they are always ready to intimidate and intimidate her to such an extent that she will generally change her mind about weaning the little one from her breast. Famous children's doctor Evgeny Komarovsky tells how and when to stop breastfeeding and what to do with lactation.




When to stop?

Breast milk is a very nutritious and valuable product for a newborn, and no mixture, even the most modern, expensive and adapted, can compete with the very nature of the food provided for the baby. Evgeny Komarovsky claims that after the appearance of teeth, a person no longer has a biological need for breast milk. When he can already eat thicker food, his body begins to require a qualitatively different composition of food than his mother's breast can offer. This occurs after the child is one year old.




When deciding to stop breastfeeding, a mother must remember that she is not only a walking milk factory, but also a member of society, a social being, and she needs to perform not only her biological functions (feed the baby), but also engage in her social functions (go out to people work, socialize, study).

She may eventually become ill and require medications that are incompatible with breastfeeding, a possibility that cannot be ignored.

If adherents of breastfeeding up to three years want to forget about social functions mother and her personal desires, then this is their business. Breast milk will not harm two year old, nor a five-year-old. But also great benefits - too.

Komarovsky believes that the mother, who honestly fed the baby for up to a year, can be calm - she fulfilled her biological duty in full. It's time to think about how to wean a child from breastfeeding after a year.




Where to begin?

It's hard to get started, warns Komarovsky. A kid who, at 12-14 months old, knows perfectly well what a delicious mother's tit is, is unlikely to want to give it away without a fight. He will fight like last time, yell, throw tantrums, demand.

Not every, even a very nervous mother, can withstand such conditions. At some point, she will give up, let you suck a little, and you will have to start all over again. It is impossible to stop lactation of milk while the child irritates the receptors on the nipple.


To start an action to wean a child from the breast, you need to be determined and understand that the dependence on breast sucking in crumbs is no longer physiological, but psychological, and he will live quite normally without breast milk. Mom and grandmother, as well as other relatives living in the same living space, need to stock up on valerian.

It is best to separate mother and child for a few days, says Yevgeny Komarovsky. Sending a mother to a dacha or a sanatorium for 5-7 days will be enough for the child to learn to do without breast milk. After the mother's return, there may be encroachments of the child to the selected pleasure, but they should be resolutely suppressed. Of course, the child will be unhappy, and may cry. But the mother should not change her mind, otherwise the process of weaning will stretch for months and years and cause a lot of moral suffering to all household members.


If persuasion doesn't work, try ruining the taste of the milk. To do this, according to Komarovsky, it is enough to eat garlic or spread mustard on the nipple.

If a child receives a breast with such a “product” several times, the next time he will think carefully whether to ask her again or do without. Although this method does not work for everyone: some babies really like mom's "garlic" milk, and Strong smell doesn't bother them at all.

The information that for a child the refusal to breastfeed is the strongest stress and trauma for life, according to Yevgeny Komarovsky, has no basis. All these are speculations far from medicine and even psychology, mothers who are fans of breastfeeding up to five years. Stress will be minimal and will be forgotten by the baby very quickly if mom does everything right. This means - quickly, decisively and irrevocably.



Best time

You can finish feeding at any time of the year, says Yevgeny Komarovsky. Winter outside or summer, it doesn't matter. But it is important whether the child is ready for change. There are several situations in which it is better to wait with weaning:

  • Baby sickness. If he is ill, not the most good idea make it even worse.
  • Painful teething. If the process is in full swing, it is better to give the usual breast and not injure the already inflamed gums. In addition, breast milk contains a large number of antibodies to various infections, and it has antibacterial properties.
  • A change of scenery. If you yourself have to move in a week or two with a child or go on vacation, you should not start weaning. It is better to leave it for later, when the child gets into a familiar environment.

After recovery, after a few days, you can proceed to your plan.

For a very long time, it was believed among the people that it was impossible to stop breastfeeding in the hot season, and at that time it was quite reasonable - after the abolition of breast milk, the incidence of intestinal infections almost always increased. Now is the 21st century, and elementary observance of hygiene standards makes it possible to stop feeding without problems when the mother needs it.



Cessation of lactation

It is quite difficult to stop the production of breast milk, since her psychomotor mechanism is very stable. But nothing is impossible, says Evgeny Olegovich, and if the first stage - weaning - has taken place, and the mother has withstood the persistent child for several days, then it's time to make sure that the milk becomes as small as possible.

To do this, the doctor recommends drinking less fluids. This doesn't mean mom needs to dry herself to death. You just have to follow drinking regimen the way it was at the time of the formation of lactation and its maintenance is no longer needed. In no case should you express milk, even if it so happened that the child fell ill a few days after the start of the action to wean him from the breast. Pumping starts the production mechanism.

Mom Komarovsky strongly advises to do active sports- run, do push-ups, pull ups, lift the barbell, do anything, just to sweat more. The more sweat, the less breast milk will be produced.

A baby, accustomed to eating mother's milk for a year, or even more, receives not only the nutrition he needs for development. Undoubtedly, the love and attention of the mother is of great importance, daily physical contact with which contributes to close psychological connection between her and the baby. It is a feeling of extraordinary intimacy that lasts a lifetime. Therefore, it can be very difficult to stop breastfeeding, because it is so painful for the baby. How to wean a child from breastfeeding after a year and how to do it in the least traumatic way?

New mothers who have given birth for the first time often worry about the question of when to complete breastfeeding, because exact dates practically does not exist. Doctors, with good lactation, recommend feeding children for at least a year, if it is necessary for the baby and suits the mother. Of course, much depends on the health of the woman and her child. The first year of life for a newborn is very important, since his organs are not yet perfect and need further, proper formation.

In addition, for a year, mother's milk helps to make his immunity strong, which will protect him throughout his life.

It is not advisable to complete feeding before 12 months, however, this may have its own indications:

  1. Poor quality or lack of breast milk;
  2. Chronic or infectious diseases of the mother, due to which the baby may suffer;
  3. The unwillingness of the woman herself to continue feeding for various, sometimes quite good reasons.

The optimal time for weaning an infant from the breast is the age of 1-1.5 years. During this period, it is no longer so much food that the baby needs - for him, it is rather a way to relax, calm down, feel safe. The child values ​​communication tactile touch, the warmth of the native body.

When a woman begins to experience discomfort, especially knowing that milk is no longer the first need of the baby, then, probably, it is worth considering the end of lactation. At the same time, you should not be upset for your child - this will not bring harm to his health.

There is an opinion that it is best to start the weaning process when the baby is one year and a month old. This is due to the fact that by this time digestive system already developed and the child can be transferred to ordinary human food. It is also important that the personality traits of the baby's character should also be formed - his independence, the ability to serve himself - if the child is constantly at the mother's breast, this can make him infantile and weak-willed, which will almost immediately affect adaptation to the conditions of social society.

Abrupt and natural weaning from breastfeeding

There are two options for completing lactation - fast and natural. Sometimes it's not even about what the mother wants. It is clear that any mother does not want to injure the psyche of her daughter or son. But there are reasons forcing a woman to make a decision about emergency weaning baby from breastfeeding:

  • Tumors that require immediate surgery;
  • Inflammatory processes of the mammary gland;
  • Mastitis, purulent lesions of the chest;
  • Metabolic disorders, diabetes;
  • Chronic ailments of the liver, heart, kidney system that can affect the health of the baby.

Some situations require a temporary cessation of feeding, but sometimes you have to refuse it forever.

At abrupt weaning a woman should not drink more than 700 grams of any liquid per day, if it is not in oncology, when due to a large number water the body is better cleansed of toxins. At the same time, milk is not completely expressed, the mammary glands are not bandaged, as this interferes with normal blood supply, increases the risk of inflammation and milk stagnation.

Also, during the emergency termination of feeding, drugs that reduce the content of prolactin can be taken. Of course, this is done when necessary.

Supporters of the natural end of lactation explain their opinion by the fact that it is too cruel to abruptly tear off the child, moreover, milk in the breast can stagnate. In general, it is not necessary to stretch the whole process for for a long time. Even natural weaning can be completed much faster if daily portions and number of feedings are reduced.

This is done as follows:

  • First, feeding is stopped during the day, when it is in no way connected with daytime rest and sleep of the baby;
  • Next, the following is removed daytime sleep feeding;
  • Then there will be a refusal to feed at night and in the morning.

All these phases should last no more than 14-15 days. Most difficult period- this is the weaning of the baby from food during the day, all other stages, as a rule, are easier.

Knowing how to wean a child from breastfeeding after a year, the mother will be able to do this as correctly as possible, compensating for the stress of the child increased attention, care, distraction to interesting, cognitive things for him.

How to wean a child from breastfeeding after a year

To understand how to act intelligently in case of breastfeeding failure, you can again return to the two main methods - sharp and gradual, passing naturally.

The quick completion of feeding provides for several individual methods that are the most proven and quite effective:

  1. Ligation of the mammary glands which reduces milk synthesis. In such a bandage should be in the daytime, and you can remove it only at night. In this case, the baby is temporarily assigned to the parents of the mother or father or other relatives. At this time, he begins to take regular food, and if he is a little over a year old, formula milk. For bandaging, a woman should use only natural material- it can be large pieces of fabric.
  2. Parting. Unfortunately, one of effective methods is the separation of mother and child for the time it takes the baby to wean from the usual diet. Moral aspect such actions cannot be called correct, but often such actions are due to difficult, insurmountable circumstances, for example, the need for a mother to undergo an operation.
  3. The traditional way, used by our ancestors - spreading the nipple and halos with hot spices, mustard, sauce, any product that is unpleasant for the child. This technique works flawlessly, but is still doubtful, since there is always a danger of an allergic manifestation in a baby. In addition, the delicate, barely formed digestive organs are unlikely to endure such abuse, and dyspepsia can be the result. We must not forget that the baby will also react very negatively - for him this is a real stress, which can adversely affect the state of the nervous system.

Gradual weaning from breastfeeding is considered more benign and physiological, besides, the production of milk in the mother with this approach decreases naturally. The process should begin as early as 5 months or six months, adding porridge, fermented milk products, juices, vegetable puree. It is also useful to supplement the baby's diet with yogurt and cottage cheese, and at 10 months give him baby food with meat and fish. In a year, a child can already enjoy eating steam cutlets, fish meatballs, and boiled vegetables.

The child still consumes breast milk at 11 months, but only at night. The child quickly gets used to the new diet, he begins to develop normal taste preferences. Of course, this method is the best, but, alas, not everyone and not always can use it.

Completion of breastfeeding: when it is contraindicated

It is impossible to refuse a child to be breastfed when he is one or three years old. This is due to the special physiological and psycho-emotional vulnerability of children at this time.

There are also unshakable rules according to which:

  • It is not recommended to do this in summer and winter;
  • When the mother again begins to engage in professional activities and leaves the decree;
  • If the family moves to another place of residence;
  • When determining the baby in kindergarten;
  • In the event that the child stressful condition or he is sick.

In fact, after one and a half, two years of feeding, the involution of the milk production process begins in a woman - its quantity gradually decreases, and the composition is not so nutritious, and becomes similar to colostrum during its primary excretion. Therefore, the mother has every reason to complete the lactation period.

The way how to wean a child from breastfeeding after a year, the parent will choose the most suitable for herself and the child. After all, it doesn't always depend on her. During weaning, she needs to be affectionate and attentive to the baby. Realizing that the time has come for other interesting knowledge in life, the child will make a decision native person, especially since the beloved mother will go through life side by side for a long time, supporting and protecting her treasure at every step.

How to wean a child from breastfeeding after a year: advice from Dr. Komarovsky