How and when to wean a baby. Rules for natural weaning. Sudden weaning of the baby

Sooner or later, every breastfeeding mother thinks about when to stop breastfeeding and how to make it a painless weaning for the baby. In this article, we will try to touch on all the significant aspects of this important step, both for mom and baby.

When should a baby be weaned?

The most important rule is not to listen to the examples of girlfriends, neighbors and grandmothers. There are those who are guided by the desire to lead an independent lifestyle, the desire to start actively playing sports (although breastfeeding is not at all an obstacle to this), strange beliefs that milk after a certain time (after 9 months, after a year, after a year and a half, etc.) becomes not only less nutritious, but also harmful.

Otherwise, as a belief, you can’t call it. It's something that "Grandma said." But we, as literate and modern people, should not rely on fairy tales, but on scientific evidence, medicine and physiology. Milk is produced under the influence, with constant breastfeeding, its amount will not decrease, and with good nutrition, its composition will be as rich as in the first months of breastfeeding.

You can wean a child from breastfeeding no earlier than one year, if there are no reasons for emergency weaning. According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, the termination of breastfeeding should be after one and a half to two years.

But everything is individual, it is very important that not only the child, but also the nursing mother herself be ready for this. Indeed, for a woman, this is also an important psychological moment, this is close contact with a child. It is important not only for the baby, but also for the mother.

Too early weaning is not recommended, since it is impossible to wean a child from breastfeeding before 1.5-2 years, not only because the child may not be ready for this yet, but also because there may be consequences for the woman. In this case, the risk of lastostasis, the appearance of painful seals in the mammary glands, increases. There is also an early hormonal restructuring in the body, which can lead to various hormonal disruptions later, as well as a prolonged release of milk from the mammary glands after breastfeeding is completed.

emergency weaning

Sometimes situations arise when a woman needs to urgently stop breastfeeding. A number of reasons require stopping breastfeeding for a long time, but there are reasons when it is only possible to take a break from breastfeeding. The second option, of course, is better, if it is possible to continue breastfeeding in the near future, and the child has not yet reached the age of 1.5-2 years, then you need to maintain lactation.

Reasons for emergency withdrawal may include:

detection of HIV infection
hepatitis A
syphilis
open form of tuberculosis
cancer in a woman
development
taking medications that are not compatible with breastfeeding

The last two reasons may allow you to continue breastfeeding. To do this, you need to express milk during the period of treatment, and at the end of it you can continue to breastfeed, the volume of milk produced will become the same when the child again consumes his usual amount of breast milk.

How do you know when it's time to stop breastfeeding?

Consider this issue from two sides - from the side of the mother and from the side of the child. Indeed, as already mentioned, not only the child, but also the mother should be ready, since it is difficult not only for the baby, but also for the woman herself to stop breastfeeding.

The main criterion that determines the readiness of a woman is the cessation of breast filling for a long time (from 12 hours). This can be found out in several ways.

If the child goes to kindergarten, then this is quite simple. In the absence of feeding at night, it is enough just not to breastfeed the baby all day. In this case, the chest should not be filled, there should not be pain, seals in the mammary glands.
You can ask a grandmother or other relative to sit with the child during the day so that neither you nor the child are tempted to feed.
If it is not possible to use the previous methods, then during the day you can feed the baby from one breast and observe the second.

If this criterion is met and your child is ready for weaning, then starting from this moment you need to count 8-12 weeks, this will be the time when your body will be completely ready to complete lactation.

The readiness of the child is a little more difficult to determine. Most women are very sensitive to the needs of the baby, and it is often the mother who knows best when her baby is ready to wean. But here you should not rely on your own desires and needs, but on the needs of the baby, you should not subconsciously give yourself arguments that you need, and not the baby.

Also an important criterion is the refusal to suck on nipples, bottles and other things. At the same time, attachments to the breast should be from 1 to 3 per day, this number of attachments should be constant for 1-2 months. This period, as a rule, comes in two years, sometimes a little earlier, sometimes a little later.

When is the best time to delay the end of breastfeeding?

A very important question is not only how to wean from breastfeeding, but also when to do it.

You can’t do this if the child has stress or it is possible in the near future, for example, the time is right for moving, the mother’s going to work, the appearance of a nanny for the child, his going to kindergarten. All these events will be stressful for the child.

Therefore, it is necessary to wean from the breast either 2-3 months before them, or 2-3 months after them. The same applies to the crisis ages of the child, as a rule, they occur in a year or after a year, as well as at 3 years.

You can not stop breastfeeding shortly before vaccination and within a month after it.

You should not wean from the breast in the warm season, since during this period it is possible to expand the diet, due to the appearance of a large amount of fresh fruits and vegetables, the risk of intestinal infections in the summer also increases, and in the near future after breastfeeding is completed, the child is more vulnerable to them.

How exactly should weaning take place?

So, your body is ready to stop lactation, the baby is applied to the breast no more than 3 times a day, now you can proceed to complete breastfeeding.

What is the right way to stop it? Gradually or immediately abruptly, once and for all? It is possible to use both methods, but gradual weaning is more preferable, it is less traumatic for the child's psyche. After all, for a long time he had such close contact with his mother and its abrupt termination would be a great stress for him, but sometimes this path is possible.

It is very important that the mother does not hesitate when starting weaning. The child will feel any of her doubts and this will only add to his anxiety. If the mother is confident in her actions and the correctness of her decision, then this decision will be much easier for the baby.

Reducing the frequency of feeding is already a stage of weaning

At the same time, it is important to exclude all possible “provocations” of the baby for attachment to the breast. There is no need to change clothes with him, walk in open blouses, because very often the child may not be hungry, and when he sees his mother’s breast nearby, he will want to suck her out of boredom. If a child asks for a breast for a couple of minutes for the sake of play, then you just need to distract him, if you can’t ignore it.

If the baby falls asleep only with the breast, then the next step is to teach him to fall asleep without the breast.

First, the baby needs to learn how to fall asleep during the day without a breast. To do this, during his usual daytime sleep, put him in bed, tell him that his mother needs to leave for a minute to do something. Leave in 30-40 seconds, and then return, if the child demands a breast, then give it, but every day the time of your absence should increase and in a couple of weeks your efforts will be crowned with success, when you return, you will see your baby sleeping sweetly. If the child runs after you when you leave, then do not be angry with him, just take him back to bed.

The next step is to teach the child to fall asleep without a breast at night. It is carried out in the same way as the previous stage.

If during the day the child does not require a breast, then gradually reduce the number and duration of night feedings. If, on the contrary, their number has increased dramatically, it means that the child is not ready for weaning and it is worth taking a step back. This may also be indicated by the fact that the child began to suck on the lower lip, finger, or something else. This suggests that the child is experiencing this situation very hard internally and is not ready for it. Then it is better to postpone the excommunication for a while.

What should not be done?

Smear the chest with mustard, as some grandmothers advise. This is not only stressful for the baby, but also very harmful to the baby's stomach.
Deprive him of increased attention during this period. The end of breastfeeding is a difficult period for a child, even if he is ready for it. That important and close contact with his mother, which he had all his life from birth, is lost. During this period, it is very important for the child to pay more attention, hug him more, kiss him, praise him, stroke his head. He himself will demand it from you much more often than before. This will give the child peace of mind, reduce anxiety and stress.
Get angry at your child when things don't go according to plan. Often weaning goes on the principle of "one step forward, two steps back" and this is normal. Get ready for the fact that this will not be an easy period for you, but even more difficult for the child. He will need your support and your confidence in what is right.

In our country, finally, the creation of conditions for full-fledged motherhood and childhood has begun. How to wean a child from breastfeeding at 1.5 years? Decent conditions in maternity hospitals, the opportunity to purchase inexpensive baby clothes, a three-year parental leave, maternity capital ... All these moments, quite natural for a civilized country, were until recently inaccessible to mothers of current women in labor.

It is completely incomprehensible to today's mothers how a six-month-old child can be sent to a nursery in connection with going to work. And 30-40 years ago, apparently, it was women who had recently given birth that formed the basis of the working class. But children up to 2-3 years old actively need a loving and caring mother in order to grow up as full-fledged loving and caring people in the future.

In those years early weaning from breastfeeding was due to production needs. It was considered the norm, since work for the good of society was more important than any personal problems. That is why our grandmothers are now surprised when they see a young mother with a 2-year-old “baby” hanging near her chest. Or they are indignant if the baby “rips” the dress on the mother in transport. At the same time, completely forgetting that in even more ancient times, when Russian women "gave birth in the field", breastfeeding up to 3-4 years was considered the norm.

But, we will leave the older generation with the mistakes and shortcomings of society half a century ago and return to the wonderful “today”, where a young mother hears from everywhere about the benefits of breastfeeding. At the same time, she is completely does not want to wean a child from breastfeeding at either 1.5 or 2 years. Numerous websites, TV shows, piles of books are dedicated to promoting a long-term close relationship between mother and baby. After all, in addition to the fact that the child receives with breast milk a lot of useful substances already studied by science, he gets used to gentle touches, hugs, gets used to falling asleep sweetly near a warm mother. And it is in this subtle world that everything good and eternal is laid.

So, the modern young mother is reading and listening about the benefits of breastfeeding. She fully eats, has no bad habits and is ready to feed her child to the bitter end. The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined the stages of breastfeeding as follows:

up to six months is required
up to 1 year - preferably,
after 1 year - at the discretion of the mother.

Recent studies have shown that there is nothing harmful in breast milk after a year, and even, on the contrary, immunization of the child's body continues with its help. That is, a young mother, who loves her baby and is attuned to everything that concerns him, is ready not to let her child go from her breast, even before going to first grade.

Are there legitimate reasons to stop breastfeeding other than medical reasons? Definitely there is. And these reasons are psychological.

In the second year of life, the child begins to actively develop his psycho-emotional baggage. Everything is interesting to him, he grabs various objects, examines them, does not know what to do with them, throws them, cries with annoyance. Sometimes he is bored - he looked at everything, nothing new appeared around him - sadness, longing.

He moves a lot, therefore, gets tired quickly, needs rest, cries, torments himself - he cannot fall asleep from his own crying. All these troubles happen to the baby due to the instability of the psyche to external influences.

How to wean a child from the breast psychology

Our task is to show him how to play with an old toy in a different way, find something interesting in a familiar room, help him move from an active game to a more relaxed activity. That is, at this age, the child is already able to switch his attention with the help of an adult and, thus, fully develop without harming the psyche.

And here the selflessly loving nursing mother mistakenly believes that she has a valuable trump card. Any discomfort, crying, sadness, fatigue is relieved by offering breasts. It’s easier to stick a breast on a child than to look for other ways to entertain him. At an older age, such a mother will offer the child a piece of cookie in every case of mental discomfort. As a result of maternal fatigue, laziness or inexperience, the child does not train the will and grows up a lazy, weak-willed creature, moreover, plump from such care.

By the age of one and a half, a healthy child already has an internal mental resource in order to cope with various states of discomfort with the support of an adult.

Another reason why most mothers decide to stop breastfeeding is the placement of the child in kindergarten. Usually this happens closer to two years, when the baby is already physically and emotionally ready to perceive the children's team. Not just ready, but in need of communication, in the experience of peers. Very often, completely non-speaking children or children who do not perceive the potty, after two months of being in kindergarten, solve their problems.

In short, an adequate mother realizes the importance of a new stage in the life of a child and understands that it is necessary to begin the process of weaning a child from the breast.

How to plan for weaning your baby before kindergarten

You need to start in advance, already in the spring of the year when you plan to go to kindergarten. In no case should you combine the fact of weaning with the moment of exit, since the stress of separation from your mother will be aggravated several times and, most likely, on the very first day you will be returned a restless, never sleeping child ahead of time.

Stages of weaning from breastfeeding:

Gradually reduce all daytime feedings until there are only pre-nap, nap and night feedings.
Abruptly remove feeding before bedtime.
Gradually eliminate night feedings.

The most difficult thing is to abruptly part with feedings before bedtime. The child, after running for a day, is tired, wants to sleep. But the mechanism of falling asleep in the baby was charged with the sucking process, and now it is incredibly difficult for him to turn off without the usual ritual.

Why should you stop feeding before bed? In order not to torment either the child or yourself for a long time, since the process of parting is really painful. Everyone, for sure, at least once in their life heard how in the evening or at night, behind the wall of the neighbors, a child was tearing himself up. The hour yells, another. And we think: “Here is a mother, a cuckoo, she cannot calm a child! He’ll tear his throat or go crazy!” It may very well be that there, at the neighbors, this very process of parting with the mother's breast took place.

Here, the main thing is to endure and not regret the little screamer. Because in this case tomorrow you will start this process from the very beginning. Usually, children from one and a half to two years old need 3-5 days to get rid of breast addiction.

How to properly wean a child from breastfeeding at night without a mother

How, technically, can this be done? Much faster results can be achieved by sending mom on vacation, for 3-4 days. So mom left. Well walked up and therefore tired, the child is fed, washed and dressed for bed. The baby's bed is pushed close to the adult's bed. A close relative goes into the room with him, creates the most positive calm atmosphere for him, lies down on his bed himself and invites the child to lie on his pillow. At the same time, you can sing a lullaby and stroke your back. For a while, the child will scream and run around the bed. Trying to pick him up is practically useless, as he is too upset. How long this will last depends on how busy his day was and how tired the baby is. At this stage, the relative must show spiritual firmness and wait until the child calms down, lies down and starts blinking slowly.

No matter how successful breastfeeding is, sooner or later, for each specific mother-baby couple, the question arises of how to wean the child from the breast. Regardless of the reasons for stopping breastfeeding, it is almost always the most stressful for the baby and mother. That is why, when the task arises to wean a child from breastfeeding, this must be done as correctly and correctly as possible.

Modern pediatricians agree that it is not advisable to wean a child from breastfeeding before he is 6 months old, since babies in their first six months of life do not need any other food than mother's milk.

Theoretically, you can gradually stop breastfeeding your baby after he is 6 months old. But if the mother and the baby have the opportunity and desire to do this, then it is better if the issue of stopping breastfeeding is raised after the baby is one year old. This will protect the child from infections, maintain a close psychological connection between mother and baby, and the baby will undoubtedly feel better psychologically, feeling secure.

There is an opinion that it is possible to stop breastfeeding in infancy, but only the child should be one year old, and this will be correct. But also modern medicine has good reason to believe that breastfeeding can be continued until the child is 2 years old. Mother's milk is priceless, it is good for the baby's body and supports its immunity. And if mother and baby wish, then breastfeeding can be successfully extended to two years or more.

How to know when it's time to wean your baby

As a rule, the need to wean a child from breastfeeding arises more in the mother than in the baby. For a child, mother and mother's breasts are the most dear thing that exists in his life and is associated with a sense of complete security. Therefore, in the process of weaning, you need to focus primarily on the readiness of the baby.

It is not recommended to take the breast from a child under the age of one year. As a rule, a one-year-old child should be transferred to an "adult table", but this does not mean at all that he cannot be supplemented with mother's milk, although after a year the need for it is no longer as great as during the first six months of life. If you have the desire and opportunity, you can continue to breastfeed your baby until the age of two.

Usually, certain signs can tell a young mother that it may be time to wean her baby from the breast:

The baby is two years old.
The baby loses interest in the breast, turns away.
Mom has very little milk, it "burns out".
Mom is physically tired.
Mom needs to go to work (to engage in social activities, etc.).

Maybe some more food

Sometimes a situation arises when it seems like it’s time to stop breastfeeding, but it’s better to wait a little.

Not the best time to wean a baby from the breast is when his teeth are being cut, if the child is sick. It is also better not to wean at a time when major changes are taking place or brewing in your family's life (moving, mom going to work soon, etc.).

The process of weaning from the mother's breast is stressful for the child in itself, and you should not aggravate it with additional circumstances.

Baby won't sleep without a breast

Perhaps one of the most difficult tasks for many mothers is to wean the baby from feeding at night. Many babies after a year may persistently persist in the habit of falling asleep under the breast. It can last up to three years. This is especially true of the last feeding before night and night waking up to “hang” on the chest.

After a year, you can try to teach your child to fall asleep to lullabies, strokes, fairy tales. Weaning from the breast and replacing night feedings with the transition to this method of laying the child requires a certain amount of endurance of the parents. The desired result can be achieved if your actions are consistent and constant. Teach your baby to fall asleep at the same time in a calm environment. Alternatively, a child can be taught to fall asleep by rocking him in his mother's arms.

After two years, you can try to teach your baby to fall asleep on his own without the presence of his mother. How to do it right? Let dad or grandmother deal with the issue of motion sickness. At the same time, the mother should pay as much attention to the baby as possible during the day so that he does not feel abandoned.

As for night feedings, a one-year-old child does not have a physiological need for them, it is rather a habit on a psychological level. At the same time, the child feels a sense of security, which allows him to fall asleep peacefully. If you plan to wean your child from breastfeeding, then after a year it is worth gradually reducing the number of night feedings.

Rules for safe weaning

If possible, it is better to wean the baby from the breast no earlier than after a year.
WHO recommends breastfeeding children up to two years of age.
You should not strive to quickly wean the baby from the breast using radical methods.
You can teach a child to quickly fall asleep without a breast by rocking to his favorite lullaby, following the same ritual of falling asleep every day.
It is possible to refuse night feedings as quickly as possible if you have a warm drink for the baby in a bottle on hand.
Avoiding nighttime feedings won't make your little one sleep better, so be prepared for that.

What are the options for stopping HB?

In fact, there are several ways to stop lactation and wean a child from breastfeeding:

Medical cessation of lactation. In modern medicine, hormonal agents are widely used that help to painlessly stop the production of breast milk. Their action is aimed at suppressing the hormone prolactin.
Natural cessation of lactation. Involution - the body of a woman independently stops the production of breast milk. It is also possible for the child to self-wean from the breast.
"In the old fashioned way." Among our mothers and grandmothers, the method of pulling the chest with sheets was popular.
Gradual reduction in feedings.

Side effects of the chosen method

Any of the possible methods of stopping lactation and weaning a child from breastfeeding has its negative sides. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to achieve the set goal absolutely painlessly, and you have to choose the most sparing option.

Stages of weaning crumbs from the breast

You should not strive to quickly wean the child from the breast, it is better to do it gradually, in several stages. To make this process the least painless for the crumbs, it can be stretched for several months.

It is necessary to pay more attention to the child during the day, hug and kiss him, pick him up. Thus, weaning the baby from the breast will be less painful and traumatic for him.
It is not necessary to accustom the baby to fall asleep in the parent's bed.
Teach your baby to fall asleep without a breast until the moment of weaning.
To stop breastfeeding, it is better to choose a cold season. Thus, you can significantly reduce the risk of intestinal infections.
It will be easier for the baby to refuse mother's milk when he regularly receives complementary foods (from ten months - at least 3 times a day).
Do not give the baby to relatives at the time of weaning. This is the strongest stress for the baby and mother.
If the child has a persistent habit of falling asleep under the breast, then it must be replaced, for example, with motion sickness.
Weaning from breastfeeding at night will require mother's stamina and patience. At first, you can use a bottle of water or sweet tea, which must be prepared in advance.
Do not wear low-cut T-shirts and blouses when you are weaning your baby.

Dear moms, in this article we tried to describe in as much detail as possible when and how to stop breastfeeding a baby. Undoubtedly, in the life of each particular family, there are various circumstances that do not always allow you to properly wean the baby from the breast. In no case should you invent “mistakes” for yourself, blame yourself and get upset if something went wrong. In addition to breast milk, you can give your child no less valuable warmth, affection, love and care that your baby needs so much.

Be happy and grow up healthy!

Breastfeeding a baby is a very touching moment of unity between mother and child. One can talk endlessly about the importance of this process, but, sooner or later, there comes a moment when it is time to stop breastfeeding. It is very important for both mother and baby to competently complete the lactation process. What options exist and how to make the right choice - you will learn by reading our article.

Possible ways of weaning

If you decide that it is time to stop lactation and wean your baby from the breast, then there are three ways to do this:

"Soft" weaning- this method is based on the gradual reduction of breastfeeding until complete cessation. It requires patience from the mother and some time for a smooth weaning.
Taking hormonal drugs- after taking special pills in the body, the production of the hormone prolactin, which is necessary for the formation of breast milk, stops. This method is not suitable for all women, has many side effects and requires consultation with a gynecologist.
"Grandma" or folk method- you leave home for a while, and leave the baby with a close family member. This method can frighten the baby and put him in a state of stress.

The Best Way: How to Wean Your Baby Naturally

In recent years, "soft" and gradual weaning from breastfeeding is chosen by more and more modern mothers.
This is not at all surprising, because it is this method that allows you to maximally smooth out the stressful state of a baby without a mother's breast, and for the female body to nullify the appearance of mastitis and lactostasis. Let's find out what the essence of this method is.

How long does a soft weaning last?

It takes a month and a half to wean a child from the breast in a natural way - about one week for each of the stages. Let's consider them in more detail.

Main stages

Lactation consultants have conventionally divided the process of "soft" weaning into four stages:

At the very beginning, you should exclude all attachments of the baby to your breast without the purpose of further falling asleep. If during the day the child tries to climb under the T-shirt on his own, you should in every possible way distract him from this activity. Go to visit, to the park, look at colorful illustrations in books, draw - come up with any activities that will distract the "lover of my mother's sissy."
The next stage is the replacement of feeding after waking up from daytime sleep. At this stage, you will again come to the aid of distracting the attention of the child.
Keep on hand an interesting book or toy that he will like. Remind your child that exciting adventures await him and immediately start the planned program after he wakes up. Starting from the age of one and a half years, you can try to negotiate with children.
Explain that you will not breastfeed. Do not raise your voice, do not hit on the hands and do not punish the baby for trying to get his mother's breast, so familiar to him. Gently but firmly, refuse him, take the children's hands away from your T-shirt and switch the child's attention to other things.
The next step is to teach the baby to fall asleep without the help of the breast. Here, the creation of rituals for the night and the help of loved ones will come to your aid. Creating bedtime rituals is a daily repetitive activity that will precede falling asleep in the evening.
It can be reading a book together, taking a bath, watching a cartoon - in general, any quiet and calm actions, after which the baby will know that he will soon fall asleep.
The creation of such rituals has a calming effect on the children's nervous system, because the baby is already consciously preparing for actions that he has already mastered well. It is the routine performance of actions at the same time that develops a sense of habit in the baby.

As a variant of falling asleep without a breast - the help of loved ones. Dad or grandmothers can prepare him for bed - bathe, change into pajamas, sing a lullaby and be around until the baby sleeps. Not seeing his mother, he will not be nervous about the lack of breasts before bed, so falling asleep should be more relaxed.

If falling asleep is possible only with mom, then lie down next to the child, kiss, stroke, hug - let him feel that the absence of a breast does not mean the absence of a mother nearby. Do not forget that during the period of weaning from breastfeeding, you should wear tight T-shirts or even golf - such clothes will not provoke additional interest in your breasts.
The final step is to remove night feedings. If your child is used to waking up several times at night to drink mother's milk, then now the most important thing for you is not to breastfeed.
Take the awakened baby in your arms or put it next to you and put him back to sleep. A bottle of water or milk sometimes helps to replace the breast at night, but control the amount of liquid you drink at night.
Over time, as soon as the baby woke up, do not rush to immediately put a bottle of drink in his hands - try to give him the opportunity to learn to fall asleep on his own. If you can’t immediately completely remove breastfeeding at night, do not despair.

Gradually reduce the time the baby stays under the breast, replace this process with drinking water or let dad get up to him at night. As a rule, after 2-3 nights, the baby will stop demanding his mother's breast at night, and each time his sleep becomes calmer and stronger - to the delight of his parents.

Important! Do not give your baby sugary drinks, compotes and other goodies in a bottle as a substitute for nightly breastfeeding. The child will like their taste and he will specially wake up at night in order to drink them, in addition, do not forget that sugar destroys the thin tooth enamel in children.

Video: how to wean a baby from the breast

The benefits and harms of the method for mother and child

Using the method of "soft" weaning, it is difficult to find cons. A gradual decrease in the number of attachments to the breast triggers a decrease in the level of prolactin in the blood, which leads to a natural extinction of lactation.

For the baby, this process is also painless - interest in mother's breast is replaced by other interesting things, gradually and gently, mother's milk first fades into the background, and then completely disappears.

The only drawback is that not every mother is able to resist the crying of her baby. But do not give up, especially if you notice progress in this matter. If a quick result is important to you and you do not have time to organize a gradual weaning, then there is another way - with the help of hormonal drugs to stop lactation.

Did you know? After lactation is completed, a minimum amount of milk can be stored in the female breast for six months, this is due to the restructuring of the body. In this case, the most important thing is not to express it, so as not to provoke the production of new portions of breast milk.

Is it possible to wean a child from the breast with medication?

Medical cessation of lactation should be used in rare cases when it is necessary to abruptly stop the production of milk by the female body.

Medications should be prescribed exclusively by obstetrician-gynecologists and only after personal consultations. It is important to understand that this method is based on intervention in the hormonal system of a woman, which carries certain risks.

Basic principles

The action of drugs that suppress lactation is based on slowing down and stopping the production of certain hormones, among which the hormone prolactin plays a special role - it is he who is responsible for the quantity and quality of milk produced.

Bromocriptine and cabergoline are the active ingredients that can make such serious changes in the functioning of the hormonal system of a nursing woman.

Possible risks and side effects

First of all, you should familiarize yourself with the contraindications to the use of these drugs:

cardiovascular insufficiency;
high blood pressure;
stomach and duodenal ulcer;
kidney failure;
Raynaud's syndrome;
postpartum psychosis;
individual intolerance to the components contained in the preparations.

Taking drugs based on bromocriptine or cabergoline very often causes side effects, including: nausea, dizziness, sharp jumps in blood pressure, cramps in the abdominal cavity, convulsions, vomiting, headaches, decreased vision, heart rhythm disturbance, irritability, lethargy and drowsiness.

It should be noted that the simultaneous use of alcohol, as well as certain antibiotics and drugs to suppress lactation, may increase the manifestation of adverse reactions.
Interference with the production of hormones in the body can lead to hormonal disruptions after the cessation of lactation. Often, after taking bromocriptine-containing drugs, women complained of seals in the chest, which soon turned into mastitis or even mastopathy.

Important! If your baby does not want to calm down and constantly cries without your breast, then perhaps his nervous system is not yet ready for weaning. If possible, postpone the process of cessation of lactation for several months. Thus, you will not injure the psyche of the baby, and also save your nerves.

How to wean a baby from the breast "grandmother's way"

A few decades ago, this method of weaning was considered the norm, and nursing mothers saw no other way than to leave home and leave the baby with someone close.

Video: folk ways to stop lactation

The essence of the "separation" method

You will have to leave home for a while so that the baby does not see you and does not ask to suck on the breast. Over time, he will wean himself from this need and forget about his mother's sis. When mom comes home, he will no longer crawl under the T-shirt.

Is it worth using the method: advantages and disadvantages

This method can be called the most stressful for the child. Without seeing mom and her breasts with delicious milk, the baby is unlikely to think about something else. The period without a mother will pass in a lot of stress. The consequences of a long separation from the closest person can remind you of yourself for a long time.

For a nursing mother, this method is no less difficult and dangerous - on the one hand, the experience and stress of separation from the baby, on the other hand, breasts full of milk, which can be very painful. This method of weaning often causes lactostasis.

When is it worth weaning a child: is it necessary to wait for involution?

Involution of lactation (involution of the mammary gland) is a natural process in the body of a nursing mother, when, with a reduction in the number of attachments to the breast or with a complete cessation of breastfeeding, the glandular tissues are converted into fatty tissues in the mammary glands.
In other words, the chest is “rebuilt” into its previous form. Most often, the involution of lactation occurs in the period from 2 to 3 years. At this age, children no longer need their mother's milk so badly, their diet is varied, and their range of interests expands significantly.

The amount of milk produced by the female body becomes less and less, and gradually this process stops. Some mothers believe that after a year of breastfeeding there is nothing useful in milk, they say, milk becomes like water.

But that's not the case at all. The composition and appearance of breast milk does change over time - at the very beginning it is sweeter and fatter, and closer to two years it is more watery. Such changes are due to the adaptation of milk to provide the necessary nutrients for a growing organism.
It has been proven that after a year it contains significantly more immunoglobulins, fats, trace elements and other active components necessary for the full development of the nervous system and intelligence in a child. Such completion of breastfeeding, according to modern pediatricians and mammologists, is the most correct for both the baby and the female body as a whole.

Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) unanimously declare that in the first six months of a baby's life, his only food is exclusively mother's milk. Continue breastfeeding, but taking into account the timely introduction of complementary foods and with a gradual expansion of the diet, it is recommended up to two years.

Above this age - at the request and ability of the mother. A long lactation period has several undoubted advantages - a stronger immune system in a child and the prevention of breast cancer and hormonal imbalances in his mother.

Moms opinion

What about long term breastfeeding? In fact, feeding up to two or more years is not an easy task. The cessation of lactation is often associated with reasons that are beyond the control of a nursing mother.

Taking antibiotics and hormonal drugs, health problems, the need to send the baby to a nursery, repeated pregnancy - all these factors significantly reduce the possibility of prolonged lactation. Do not forget that this process affects the skeletal system, the condition of the hair and nails of a woman.

Many mothers note that over time they begin to get tired of breastfeeding. The once touching process of unity with the baby begins to be inappropriate, annoying and cause only irritation. Such a reaction can be a signal from the body that it is time to end breastfeeding, and you can find out further in our article how to understand whether the baby is ready for weaning.

Video: when to wean a baby from the breast

How to understand that a child does not need a breast: obvious signs

Observing the behavior of her child, an attentive mother may notice some signs by which it becomes clear that lactation can be stopped:

The teeth erupted, and the baby learned to chew solid food.
The baby does not suck on his fingers, bottom sponge or other objects.
There is at least one feeding - "adult" food adapted for the child.
If a child wants his mother's breast, it is easy to distract him with a book, a toy, or some other activity.
Your baby may fall asleep without your breast or her presence nearby.
The baby easily tolerates separation from his mother.
Waking up at night, the child can fall asleep again without application.
You breastfeed no more than three times a day.

In order for the mother to make such an important decision to stop lactation, it is important to listen to her own inner feelings and emotions.
If you are overcome by doubts about the correctness of the decision made - do not rush, try to return to this issue in a month or two, because only a mother, like no one else, knows what exactly will be useful and necessary for her baby.

Weaning from breastfeeding: the opinion of Dr. Komarovsky

If you turn to this question with the main expert in children's health - Dr. Komarovsky, then his advice on stopping breastfeeding is extremely simple. He suggests that his mother leave for a few days, and entrust the care of the child to her grandmother or husband.

Thus, having lived two or three nights without mother's milk, the baby will forget about his need for it. It is possible that after the mother returns home, the baby may try to get under the clothes in search of a breast, so it is very important to immediately stop these attempts and divert his attention to other interesting things.

Video: how to wean a child from breastfeeding In order to stop the production of milk in the female body, you can take special pills, which the attending gynecologist will help you choose.

Did you know? There are affordable folk ways to reduce milk production. For example, drinking sage tea - it contains phytoestrogen, which affects the production of prolactin, but is much "softer" than its medicinal counterparts.

When choosing a method of weaning from breastfeeding, do not forget about the psychological comfort for your baby. Sudden cessation of lactation will adversely affect the nervous system of the child, and may also be harmful to your health. Follow your intuition and the recommendations of modern doctors, and this process will be smooth and painless.

Two years of age is a time when many mothers feel the need to stop breastfeeding. This desire in most cases is dictated by the need to go to work or other circumstances. Some women simply feel very tired, so they want to stop breastfeeding. When making this decision, they ask - how to wean a child from breastfeeding at 2 years old? The child is used to it, so women understand that just like that, he most likely will not want to change the way he feeds. One way or another, but it needs to happen. "Popular about health" will tell you several ways how this can be done.

According to doctors, breast milk is especially valuable for a child up to one year of age. At this time, the diet of the crumbs is still quite meager, because he receives most of the nutrients from his mother's milk. In addition, it contains antibodies that help the child's body cope with infections from the external environment. Pediatricians insist that a woman continue breastfeeding for at least a year, and preferably longer if circumstances permit. They advise, if possible, to do this until the baby is two years old. Why?

At 2 years old, the diet of the crumbs is already becoming diverse, kids eat almost everything - vegetables, fruits, meat, dairy products, cottage cheese, bread. The child's body already receives all the necessary substances from food, while breast milk by this time loses its original value. Children from one and a half to two years old need the breast more as a means of communication with their mother, and not as a source of nutrition. They feel tactile contact, play with the breast, calm down with it, fall asleep, that is, children at the age of 2 experience a purely psychological attachment to the breast. If a nursing woman is tired or she has a need to go to work, then 2 years is the right age when it is time to wean her baby from breastfeeding, without depriving the baby of something valuable. But how to do that? Consider some effective ways to stop lactation.

How to wean a child from breastfeeding at 2 years?

It is known that our grandmothers used not the safest means to stop lactation. Among them were such - bandaging of the mammary glands, lubricating the nipples with mustard, garlic and other substances with an unpleasant taste and smell. However, modern girls rarely resort to such methods. First, bandaging the breast is dangerous for the health of the mother. Stagnation of blood and milk will lead to mastitis, which is a very serious disease. Why take the risk when there are more gentle methods of weaning.

We send mom to grandma for a week

This method is the easiest and most painless, but it is suitable if you have already left the baby with other relatives. As a rule, upon the return of the mother, the child quite calmly manages without a breast.

This method requires a preliminary reduction in the number of feedings. That is, it cannot be used sharply, so as not to provoke lactostasis. Ideally, you should gradually come to the fact that the child suckles only before bedtime.

Medical method

If you want to wean your baby quickly, consult your gynecologist about taking hormones that reduce prolactin production. There are several drugs to stop lactation, but they have side effects.

Gradual reduction of lactation

If time permits, start preparing your baby in advance for parting with the breast. It requires effort, patience, but the result will be justified. Reduce feeds gradually. Do not let the child just “hang on the chest” for the sake of fun. At 2 years old, children already understand everything, they can be explained that sisya is not a toy, she is tired. Allow suckling milk only before daytime and nighttime sleep. Stop feeding at night, which will significantly reduce milk production. If you manage to do this, then a short-term departure will be very useful, the baby will painlessly transfer it and forget about the chest.

How to reduce milk production?

So that the mother does not suffer in the process of weaning, you need to use techniques to reduce the production of milk in the glands. How?

1. Drink less liquid.

2. Go in for fitness (during physical exertion, milk comes less).

3. Don't pump.

4. Reduce the number of attachments.

5. Completely refuse feeding at night.

Reducing the number of attachments will certainly affect the baby - his need for tactile contact will be unsatisfied. How to compensate?

Increase your time with your baby

Since the baby will lose the breast, which is a source of comfort for him, it is necessary to pay more attention to the baby. Every time he asks for boobs, distract him, play together, hug and kiss. When putting the baby to bed, lie down next to him, stroke the child so that he feels your warmth and closeness. This will help satisfy the psychological need of the crumbs for tactile contact.

It is easier to wean a child at 2 years old than a younger one, since he already has more understanding. You will have to show patience and perseverance. Relatives - dad or grandmother can help with this. Let them also devote more time to playing with the child and caresses, so that he feels psychological support from various sources, and not just from mom and her breasts.