The correct way to remove milk

The stage of weaning a child is very difficult, because when the child becomes dependent on breast milk, the child will have no interest in other foods and will be overly dependent on his mother. When weaning a child, not only will the child often cry, but the woman will also feel special breast pain. Moreover, weaning is seasonal, and most people will choose to wean in summer. So what is the correct way to wean a child?

1. When should a child be weaned? How should he be weaned? How long does it take to wean him?

Some mothers anxiously ask these questions shortly after their baby is born. Why do we think about weaning right after breastfeeding? The main reason is probably due to some social prejudices against breastfeeding, which believe that babies should be weaned early at a certain stage. These new mothers watch their babies suckling sweetly and are deeply afraid that they will not be able to wean when the time "should" be. In addition, I have heard rumors like "the earlier the weaning, the easier it is, and the older the baby is, the harder it is", which makes me even more anxious about weaning.

"Weaning" sounds very decisive and fierce in Chinese, but in fact, the word "wean" in English comes from the root meaning "satisfaction" and also means "gradually". Throughout the long course of human history, weaning has always been a natural process, indicating that the child has finally had enough milk and no longer needs breast milk. However, today, due to prejudice and lack of information, many mothers no longer view weaning as a joyful, natural process, but rather a terrifying experience filled with pain and struggle. In fact, the weaning method adopted by the mother plays a vital role in the physical and mental comfort of the mother herself and the child. If the weaning method is appropriate, no matter at which stage the weaning is done, it will be very smooth; if the method is inappropriate, it will cause harm to both mother and child.

The most important thing to avoid is sudden weaning. Some mothers take measures such as going out or sending their children to other places to abruptly wean their children. Doing so will cause great physical discomfort to the mother (the pain of breast engorgement) and will also lay the groundwork for more serious health problems in the future. At the same time, since breastfeeding is not only a source of food for children, but also a source of comfort and intimacy, sudden weaning can cause trauma to children's hearts.

Some mothers apply chili peppers, bitter medicines, etc. on their nipples to prevent their children from breastfeeding, which is also a very inappropriate practice. It will make the child feel deceived, develop a sense of distrust towards the mother and even the world, and will also cause anger and anxiety in the child.

In extremely rare cases, when mothers have to wean their babies suddenly due to medical reasons, they should take some measures to alleviate their discomfort: wear loose and supportive bras, eat less salt and drink more water, regularly express some milk to relieve the pain of breast engorgement, etc. Don't bind your breasts or take so-called "milk-reducing drugs." Studies have shown that these traditional practices do more harm than good.

At the same time, children who are suddenly weaned also need special care and attention. Choose the right milk substitute based on your child's age. Your child also needs extra hugs and attention. Some mothers use the cold method to treat their children as a way of weaning, which actually goes against the needs of the children. What a child needs most during the weaning stage is for his mother to reassure him that he is still loved.

2. How to wean infants in a planned way?

Many mothers have to wean their babies off breast milk when their babies are not ready for weaning due to work or other reasons. Planned and gradual weaning is far better than sudden weaning. The best way is to skip a breastfeeding meal every two or three days. This way, the mother's milk secretion will gradually decrease, and there will be less discomfort from breast engorgement. At the same time, the mother will have enough time to observe whether the baby adapts to such changes, and give the baby enough extra care to replace the intimacy between mother and child during breastfeeding. Some babies have a strong need to suck and may look for alternatives to the nipple, such as the thumb, during weaning. At this time, the mother can choose to give the child a bottle or pacifier to meet his sucking needs.

Many of the practical aspects of weaning an infant vary depending on the age of the baby. Mothers should consult an expert to find out what nutrients are best to replace breast milk. Younger children will need to transition to formula and bottles, but children approaching one year old who have learned to drink from a cup and eat solid foods normally do not need to use a bottle.

For younger babies, the biggest consideration during weaning is nutrition. Replace breast milk with formula every two or three days. After about two weeks, your baby will gradually transition to only breastfeeding once or twice a day. If you are not in a hurry to completely wean your baby, you can continue breastfeeding for two weeks. As long as the baby eats, there will be enough milk for him.

3. How to wean a toddler?

Breast milk provides rich nutrition no matter how old your child is. However, for older children, the emotional aspect of breastfeeding becomes more important. Therefore, weaning at this stage may require weeks or even months of careful planning, conditioning, and care. Dr. Sears said, "A smart baby will not give up the breastfeeding relationship that he enjoys very much unless there is an equally fascinating emotional nourishment to attract him away." According to the weaning experience of many mothers, the following points will make the weaning of infants smoother:

1) Give your child regular meals and drinks to avoid hunger and thirst. At the same time, you should also observe other reasons why he needs to breastfeed: the need to be intimate with his mother, the need to suck, the need for comfort (when injured, sick or sad), boredom due to having nothing to do, habit, or the need to fall asleep, etc.

2) Don’t feed actively, but don’t refuse either. That is to say, give the child food if he wants to, and don't feed him if he doesn't ask.

3) Try changing your child's schedule. Some children will ask to breastfeed at a fixed time and place. Changing these original habits will help eliminate the child's request for breastfeeding.

Encourage the child's father or other helpful relatives and friends to play an active role in the weaning process. If your child usually asks for feeding before going to bed or when he wakes up, you can have someone else help him go to bed or get up and dressed.

4) If you feel your child is about to ask for breastfeeding, provide alternatives or divert his attention. It is best to offer a substitute before your child asks for milk, because once he asks for milk, giving him a substitute will make him feel rejected. Alternatives should be healthy snacks and drinks rather than sweets etc. In addition, taking him to an interesting place will further divert his attention from breast milk.

5) For children around two years old, if they already understand the meaning of waiting, you can avoid breastfeeding by delaying feeding; for older children, you may be able to use negotiation to persuade them to give up breastfeeding.

6) One of the benefits of planned gradual weaning is that it allows the mother to have flexibility in special circumstances. Mothers must pay attention to their children's reactions, respect their choices, and see which methods are more suitable for their children. At the same time, if breastfeeding in certain situations (such as when sick, injured, or before going to bed) is essential for the child, the mother can allow the child to continue breastfeeding, first stop breastfeeding in other general situations, and finally stop breastfeeding in special situations.

4. Natural weaning

Although today's society generally expects babies to be weaned before their first birthday, throughout human history, in most cultures, the average breastfeeding period for children is 2 to 4 years, and natural weaning is the most common method of weaning. Some mothers choose to wean naturally because they think it is the right thing to do; some mothers choose to wean naturally because they know it is the least troublesome.

Many mothers are afraid that if they do not take the initiative to wean their children, their children will continue to breastfeed and will never be able to be weaned. In fact, children will always outgrow the need to feed on their own, just as they will gradually outgrow childish behavior. How long will this take? There is no definite answer. Just like there is no uniform timetable for starting to walk, growing teeth, controlling urination and defecation, etc., there are huge differences between individual children. Automatic weaning allows each child to develop according to his or her own unique rhythms and to wean according to his or her own schedule. One thing all children have in common is that they will eventually stop breastfeeding.

5. The child’s needs and the mother’s feelings

If the mother has tried every possible means to divert the child's attention, but the child still cries and insists on breastfeeding, this indicates that the weaning process may be too fast and the child is not yet able to accept it. Other signs that weaning is progressing too quickly include changes or regressions in the child's behavior, such as stuttering, frequent wakings at night, excessive clinginess, excessive anxiety, biting, or even physiological phenomena that have never occurred before, such as gastrointestinal discomfort or constipation.