Discontinuation of lactation: we properly wean the baby from the breast

The first thing you need to do to stop lactation - correctly guess the moment when the baby is ready to move from my mother's breast to other ways of eating. It is extremely difficult to name exact terms, because every kid is very individual. Today, one can find cases of both early weaning - from 4-5 months, and later - after 2-3 years.

The phase of cessation of lactation begins at the age of 12-13 months and to two or three years the child no longer has a physiological need for breastfeeding - his diet already has all the nutrientsand vitamins. At this age, applying breast is more psychological. The kid used to fall asleep at the breast, to seek in her consolation and peace.

At the age of 1 to 3 years, the baby's breast is applied before a day or night sleep, during "fading" feeding. The child can also ask for a breast if he is bored, and the mother sits, busy with her own affairs, at the computer or preparing to eat.

Ideally, the behavior of the baby itself should tell mom about the imminent cessation of lactation. A child ready to switch to mash and puree takesbreast less often, sooner by habit than necessary, the number of breastfeedings decreased to 1-3 times a day. Also, the baby is able to sleep without breast during the day and not wake up for night feeding.

If these signs are present, then the childready for excommunication and stopping lactation occurs calmly. Mammary glands of the mother also gradually give off less and less milk, and by its qualities it again becomes like a colostrum - the very first milk.

Such milk is extremely saturated with useful substances, maternal antibodies and gives good protection to the baby. If there are such signs, then lactation entered the phase of involution, and hence the mother is physiologically ready to stop lactation.

In the period of natural cessation of lactation several times to offer the child instead of breast "distracting maneuver". Let the baby be laid by the father or grandmother, let the mother give the child a toy for entertainment, read to him or sing a song.

At night you need to prepare your baby a drink in a cup or a casserole - If the kid wants to drink in the middle of the night, then you should offer him this drink instead of breast. In different cases, the process of natural weaning takes from several days to several weeks.

But what if we need to be weaned out of the breast in an emergency?

The reasons for the early cessation of lactation canbe different. Some moms are keen to get back to restoring the figure, others are afraid that prolonged breastfeeding will lead to delays in the development of the child.

But, unfortunately, there are cases when the early cessation of lactation is caused by some illness of the mother. The fact is that when infectious and someother types of diseases, there is always a risk of passing the infection on to the baby with the mother's milk. In addition, the treatment of such diseases requires the use of strong drugs, components of which can also be passed on to a baby with milk.

In such cases, breastfeeding should be discontinued: temporarily or permanently. Temporary weaning of the child from the breast provides for the restoration ofrecovery. To preserve lactation, it is recommended that the mother express the milk manually or with the help of a breast pump. Temporary excommunication is recommended for children under the age of one year or more, up to six months. A child older than a year can be completely weaned.

How to properly wean from the breast: immediately or gradually? Each of these methods has its ownadvantages, and disadvantages. The cessation of lactation "in one fell swoop" on the one hand is a very strong stress for both the baby and the mother. But on the other hand, this way of stopping lactation shortens the period of adaptation to new conditions to a minimum.

In the case of a gradual weaning from the babygradually becomes weaned from breastfeeding and more easily transfers perestroika to a new regimen. Reducing the amount of milk from the mother also occurs gradually, which is undoubtedly much better for her health.

A sharp cessation of lactation causes mommy very unpleasant pain and often requires the means for artificial suppression of lactation. For these purposes, a special regimefeeding the mother and consuming less fluid. By appointment, the doctor can take bromocriptine - a special drug for suppressing lactation.

Some mothers use the "old grandmother method" - bandaging the breast or wearing a tight bra. However, this method is fraught with the development of inflammation of the breast - mastitis, therefore it is extremely undesirable to apply it.

Whatever the method of cessation of lactation, starting the process of weaning is possible only when the baby is fully healthy, and if he suffered a disease, then at least 3 weeks must pass. It is impossible to begin an excommunication if in the life of the baby serious changes have begun: accustoming to a pot, getting a mom to work, sickness, moving, etc.

but If the mother expects the birth of another child, then we need to start weaning from the breast - Now the mother's body needs a maximumvitamins and nutrients to provide them with the fruit. By the way, often the child himself refuses from the breast when the mother is pregnant. This is due to the fact that the hormonal background of the mother changes during pregnancy and the taste of milk also changes.

Termination of lactation is a difficult period, not only for the child, but for the mother. She realizes that the baby becomes more mature and theirthe relationship is not as tight as it used to be. But do not be afraid - for the baby mom will always be the most loved, the strongest and the kindest person in the whole world!