Stop Breastfeeding Gradually

Posted by  in Tuesday, June 29th 2010   
Topics: Breast Feeding
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9 Comments
Stop Breastfeeding Gradually

Opinions vary throughout the world regarding when to stop breastfeeding. Different cultures and customs fix different times for weaning away the babies from breastfeeding and even different women have their own ideas regarding this matter. WHO advises mothers worldwide to keep on nursing their babies for at least two years but it should really be the decision of the mother and her ability to feed.

Babies Might Resist Weaning

According to experts, some babies would not like to get weaned away from breastfeeding till the age of 7 years but the average age for weaning is between 2 ½ and 7 years. If you attempt to wean the baby against its wishes, it will naturally retaliate as it enjoys the taste of mother’s milk and it likes the warmth and emotional closeness of its mother. While drinking breast milk, your baby’s blood pressure comes down, its heart rate reduces and its stress level drops. This is good for the baby’s health.

Go Slow In Weaning Away Your Baby

There are far too many advantages of breastfeeding than attempting to stop breastfeeding unless you experience some problems that can also be tackled easily. At the end of the day, breast milk provides the much-needed immunity to a baby and until the baby acquires enough immunity towards all sorts of diseases, especially family allergies it is advisable not to stop breastfeeding. Moreover, the low cost of breastfeeding is also a big factor that must be considered. In any case, it is advisable to wean off your baby gradually. Slow weaning will also enable you to look out for any indications of allergic reactions to formula milk and it will enable you to avoid engorgement of the breasts.

How To Start Weaning Away Your Baby

The best way is to start slowly and give one formula feed either in the day or in the night and if you find that there is no reaction either to the baby or to your breasts, you can replace another nursing in a few days and so on. In the process of weaning, you should take care of your breasts, wear a supportive bra, and use ice packs to reduce swelling or engorgement of the breasts. You should allow your breasts to remain full and as such, you should express only the necessary amount of milk so that the suppressor peptides in the milk will act as inhibitors of further milk production. Drinking three cups of sage tea a day for three weeks will also inhibit milk supply.

You should watch the reactions of your baby when you start feeding formula milk exclusively and in the meantime, you should keep on expressing your milk. The common reactions of a baby who can’t get used to formula milk are: spitting, vomiting, gas, crying sessions, rash on the body, redness on rectum, watery stools, wheezing and runny nose.

Although the breasts might feel full for a few days after full weaning, you need not be worried and some experts suggest that you should start taking birth control pills, which will reduce the milk supply and help to stop breastfeeding. However, please consult your doctor or lactation consultant before taking such pills.

Irrespective of what you do to stop breastfeeding, it is important to go slowly and gradually wean away your baby from your milk.

Watch the video related to bra breastfeeding

Carriwell Lace Nursing / Feeding Bra This cotton/lace nursing bra has been specifically designed for your breast feeding convenience and comfort. The stretchy soft lace follows the natural curves of your body and the easy-to-open cross-over style enables baby to nuzzle up to mom’s breast very easily. Cross over design for easy & convenient nursing. Ideal as a medium support day bra and sleep bra. Softest quality lace & fabric ensure no chaffing or irritation. No underwire clips or buttons ie soft on delicate breast tissue. The wide under band & sports style back increases comfort & support. Skin-to-skin contact; commonly known as Kangaroo Care; encourages contact between mother and baby; especially during nursing. Mothers will find this bra extremely flexible for night use, making it easy to lie down comfortably and nurse baby in the prone position; increasing skin-to-skin contact whilst you cuddle and nurse your baby. Ideal to hold in breast pads at night.

Help answer the question about bra breastfeeding

Does wearing an underwire bra to bed during breastfeeding the possible reason for all my breast infections?
Is it bad to wear an underwire to sleep in? im nursing my three month old and keep getting breast infections….this stems from an earlier question i asked and thanks for all of your advice.

About Author

Apurva Shree -
About the Author:

How to stop breastfeeding and the time to wean your baby away from breast milk is one question which most of the breastfeeding mothers ask. Visit the free online resource Breastfeeding for more information on this and other issues such as, cost of breastfeeding, tips to increase breast milk supply, engorgement, use of birth control pills and much more.

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9 users responded to this post

ikra_chyornaya said in June 29th, 2010 at 9:53 am    

It doesn't stay forever. you can quit cold turkey if you wish and it will be just fine. but gradually quitting is for your own comfort, it can possibly be painful to quit cold turkey. but no matter how you do it the milk all dries up and goes away, none of it stays in there forever.

http://www.howtodothings.com/family-and-relationships/a1711-how-to-dry-up-breast-milk-supply.html
theres a site on how to dry up your milk, i'll search more for anything else i can find.

ashtono said in June 29th, 2010 at 10:20 am    

Your body is adjusting. I don't know how your cycle was prior to stopping breastfeeding but before I stopped I did not have a period at all for over a year. Since it tends to affect your cycle directly I would give it some time. If in doubt you could always test later.

21 y/o single mum to Liam :) said in June 29th, 2010 at 5:55 pm    

You can go out, just do like the rest of us and take a pump or hand express. Yes pumping in the bathroom sucks, but its not the end of the world.

You *can* drink in moderation, if you want to get wasted then you would have to have expressed milk for the baby to drink until you are sober enough to drive.

He doesn't use you as a dummy, that's impossible. Dummies/pacifiers are MOMMY REPLACEMENTS. A mommy simply can not be a mommy replacement. Babies mature and no longer need mommy as much.

You enjoy breastfeeding, you know its more convenient and cheaper. The hormones involved in breastfeeding also reduce the severity of depression so that could get worse if you stopped.

Look he's 6 moths old, even if he will not take breastmilk from a bottle, cup, or spoon he will not starve to death if you go out for 4-5 hours with your friends. Neither of mine would take a bottle and I still go out, they get water and some food and they are fine. They know grandma doesn't have breast milk so they don't even seem to want it. Last night I was unbelievably sick and I slept for 6 hours and my husband watched the kids, I was shocked my baby didn't want milk but he was fine.

Breastfeeding is no excuse not to go out, I suspect that you actually aren't going out more because you are depressed. Many moms have difficulty getting out of the house because of the hormones. So just get out if *you* need to.

Aimee's Mommy said in June 30th, 2010 at 1:03 am    

it took mine about 6 weeks to stop leaking… i was miserable!! and then i had lumps really bad for about 2 months after that!! good luck i hope yours is quicker then mine was

thatgirl said in July 1st, 2010 at 12:41 am    

Pump every single hour until it gets back up, if it's been close to diminishing. Seriously, the fastest and best way to get your supply where it needs to be is to attach yourself to that pump and just dump the milk out. Every time they fill up with the tiniest bit of milk, pump it out – breastfeeding success relies on supply and demand. You can't make more milk unless you've drained what you've got. If you just let it sit in there for too long, it signals your body to say you don't need that much milk and to make less. If you know you're not producing enough when it's time to breastfeed again, you can also supplement with formula in the meantime, but when you are making enough breastmilk again, stop formula entirely so that your breastmilk stays where it needs to be.

Anonymous said in July 1st, 2010 at 11:15 pm    

You need to find a new doctor. Today. The advice this one is giving is HORRIBLE.

Babies are never allergic to breastmilk, and stopping breastfeeding won't solve anything. And if you DO choose to wean, you must do so slowly and gradually. You will get mastitis if you wean cold turkey.

If your milk is bothering your baby, it's probable that baby is allergic to something in YOUR diet. So, rather than weaning to formula (a far inferior food), I would look at your diet and try to determine what you are eating that is upsettting him. (Remember, a baby with severe allergies is probably going to do worse on formula — a VERY allergenic food.) Cows milk is a common allergin, so if you drink a lot of milk, cutting that out would be the first step. You should see improvement in a week or so.

If dairy isn't the culprit, other possible problem foods would include eggs, citrus, wheat, soy, seafood, etc. If baby is very miserable, you might consider a strict elimination diet and then add foods back in until you hit the food that's upsetting your baby.

Of course it's also possible that baby's problems have nothing to do with your milk OR your diet. Some babies are just fussy. Some are just gassy or colicky, or he may have some other medical problem. Be sure your new doctor does a complete exam/evaluation.

Cassius L said in July 2nd, 2010 at 2:33 am    

Congratulations for making it to 6 months, Mama. As a breastfeeding mother myself (I'm still nursing my 13 month old son) I understand the commitment it takes.

My understanding about weaning is that it's best for it to be a gradual thing. I was recently talking to the ladies at my La Leche League meetings and they all use the 'don't offer but don't refuse' method. But they are weaning babies over the age of 1, when formula doesn't have to be substituted. When it comes to bottles and formula I think it is also a slow transition. Perhaps replace one feeding with formula from a bottle for one week, then two feedings with a bottle the next, then three the next… and so on.

As far as how long it takes for the milk to dry up ~ it varies. One woman I know was recently telling me that she's still lactating (small amounts) 6 months after weaning. And I've read that some take up to two years to stop producing minute amounts of milk. There is a tea that I saw called No More Milk Tea by Earth Mama Angel Baby at kidbean.com

Hope this helped.

Here are a couple links that might provide you with more information as well.

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/weaning/weaning_faqs.html
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/2/T026400.asp

Best wishes. And congrats on breastfeeding you little one… you're providing her with the best start!

sobermama said in July 2nd, 2010 at 1:01 pm    
Need to Know type Person said in July 2nd, 2010 at 2:01 pm    

once I was done it took about 5 months for me to completely dry up. I didn't leak at all I just had a small amount left when would check. Just let it happen naturally.

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