Weaning

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (APA) recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months. After that, you can continue breastfeeding while adding solid foods or formula to your baby’s diet. Breastmilk (or formula) should still be baby’s main food source during the first year of like (“food before one is just for fun”). Continue until 2 years old or older, as desired by you and baby.

Weaning can be an easy process but it can also be difficult for both you and baby, both physically and emotionally. Here are some tips that can help make the process easier.

First, make sure you are ready to start. When it has been a warm and loving time, it can be hard to let that go. It can also be hard to let go when you’ve worked hard to achieve it. It’s okay to take some time to ready yourself and it’s okay to take things slowly. You may experience a sense of sadness or loss. This is partly due to the changes in your relationship with your baby and partly due to the changes in hormones that weaning induces.

Second, choose a method to start the weaning process. There are two main options. You choose the one that best suits you and your baby or transition between the two.

Mother-Led Weaning

You decide when the time is right. Drop one breastfeeding or pumping session per day per week and replace it with formula or solid foods, depending on the age of your baby. If you are breastfeeding 8 times a day, it will take you 8 weeks to completely wean.

This is a slow, gentle way to transfer your baby to formula or solids and reduce your milk supply.

Some parents like to keep one session (such as the bedtime feed) longer for comfort reasons.

If necessary, you can accelerate this process by dropping feeds sooner than a full week. Give at least 2-3 days per dropped feed.

Hug your baby often through this process!

Baby-Led Weaning

Your baby decides when the time is right. They naturally lose interest and wean on their own.

This may happen naturally as they increase solid food intake and become busy world explorers.

BLW is a gradual process occurring over several months. Follow your child’s lead!

A handy reminder for this type of weaning is: don’t offer, don’t refuse. Don’t offer your breast when they’re hungry or upset but allow them to breastfeed if they want to.

Breast Care

You may experience engorgement or discomfort during weaning as your milk supply regulates. Some things you can do to help alleviate this include:

• Observe your breasts for lumps and warm spots. Gently massage these spots during feeding or pumping.

• If you are uncomfortably full, hand express or pump just enough to relieve the pressure. Do not pump until empty. This will help send your body the cues it needs to produce less milk.

• Apply ice or cold cabbage leaves to your breasts.

• Sage and peppermint oil may help reduce supply.

• If you experience fever, areas that are red or hot, or lumps that won’t go away, contact your healthcare provider. This can be signs of mastitis.

Pause or Postpone Weaning If:

• Mother or baby is sick.

• Family is travelling, it is the holiday season, or other periods of high stress.

• Baby actively cutting teeth.

• Mother has mastitis.

• Baby is in a growth spurt.