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Weaning your child from breastfeeding is not the easiest thing
to do. As I understand it, weaning a baby from breastfeeding is
like quitting smoking or giving up chocolate. It's best not to
quit cold turkey. It's not easy for you or the baby, but it has
to be done. You can wean baby to a bottle or a cup. I recommend
weaning baby to a sippy cup. Some babies will make it easier on
you the mom, and start to lose interest in breastfeeding usually
around nine months or so, and some babies need their nightly
night cap, making it close to impossible for you to wean your
baby. Well for all you moms out there, whose baby needs their
nightly night cap, here are some tips to help make it easier for
you to wean your baby from breastfeeding.
Long before you even try to start weaning your baby from
breastfeeding you should get baby used to drinking from an
alternative source, a cup or a bottle; preferably a cup as
mentioned earlier. Still continue to breastfeed but give baby
either water, juice or breast milk from a cup. Try this at
mealtimes when feeding baby solids or when giving baby a snack.
For the stubborn baby who refuses to take a cup or bottle, it
can be a good idea to skip a breastfeeding session once daily
usually after breakfast or lunch, and only offer him/her what's
in the cup. This may be hard for three or four days, but after
that baby will get the idea. Once baby is used to drinking out
of a cup once daily, you can skip another breastfeeding session
and drink what's in the cup. Do this until you are only nursing
once at night before bedtime.
Wait at least a week in-between skipping a breastfeeding
session, so both your baby and your breasts get used to the
changes.
If baby is sick or there is another event such as a move or a
change in daycare postpone weaning baby for a couple weeks to
ensure baby is okay and ready to wean.
The last feedings to go are usually the morning and the night
time feedings, I recommend cutting out the morning feeding
first. Your baby will be hungry and will eat a good nutritious
breakfast.
When it is finally time to wean baby from the night time
feedings, it is easier to have your breasts out of sight. Having
your spouse put baby down for bed can make this transition
easier. Tell your baby goodnight and hand baby off to dad. It
takes a good week of dad putting baby to sleep for baby to get
the hang of it. Before you put baby to bed make sure baby is
full. Give baby a nighttime snack and a full cup of milk. When
the week is complete go back to your regular bedtime routine
only replacing breastfeeding with milk.
This isn't the easiest thing to do and it takes quite a bit of
time, but with some patience it will happen for you and your
baby. Good Luck!!
About the author:
Brooke Schuman writes articles on the internet about babies. As
a mother herself of a one year old boy, Brooke is experiencing
first hand the joy and the challenges for raising a baby. She
loves being a full time mother and asks you to please visit her
Baby Blog and her baby website when you have a chance. baby.ideas-from.us
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