Gentle Weaning: What is the Process?
In this second article in our Weaning series, we will start the conversation about how to gently wean your baby and why pacing is so important in this process. If you are wondering when you will know when to begin weaning your child, check out our last article, What is Weaning and When Should I Wean my Baby?
At what pace should you wean your child?
Very slowly. The weaning process can take several months, as you want to make sure that both you and your child are adapting well to this new pattern of breastfeeding. Drop one feeding at a time (for example, from 6 times a day to 5 times a day) and try this out for a week or two. This will give your breasts time to acclimate and hopefully not become too engorged. This will also allow your child to get used to doing something else, or get his/her nutrition from another source at this time.
This process will most likely take a month to several months; depending on how many times your child is breastfeeding in a 24 hour period. Remember, weaning can affect you and your child physically and emotionally, so it is best to take your time and wean very slowly.
In this second article in our Weaning series, we will start the conversation about how to gently wean your baby and why pacing is so important in this process. If you are wondering when you will know when to begin weaning your child, check out our last article, What is Weaning and When Should I Wean my Baby?
At what pace should you wean your child?
Very slowly. The weaning process can take several months, as you want to make sure that both you and your child are adapting well to this new pattern of breastfeeding. Drop one feeding at a time (for example, from 6 times a day to 5 times a day) and try this out for a week or two. This will give your breasts time to acclimate and hopefully not become too engorged. This will also allow your child to get used to doing something else, or get his/her nutrition from another source at this time.
This process will most likely take a month to several months; depending on how many times your child is breastfeeding in a 24 hour period. Remember, weaning can affect you and your child physically and emotionally, so it is best to take your time and wean very slowly.
What are the risks for abruptly weaning?
It is very rare that a mother would have to abruptly wean her child from breastfeeding. The risks associated with abrupt weaning for the mother could be:
Breast pain
Engorgement
Mastitis
Breast abscess
There are also risks associated with abrupt weaning for the child. Remember, breastfeeding is not only a source of nutrition for your child, but also a sense of comfort and bonding. To suddenly remove this could be very confusing and scary for your child, especially if he/she is still developing his/her sense of attachment and trust. As with all methods of parenting, it is most respectful and effective to initiate change at a slow pace.
What physical and emotional changes should a mother expect when weaning?
All rights reserved, Susanne Klein photographeAs you begin to drop a breastfeeding session during the weaning process, you may feel fullness in your breasts, which can become uncomfortable. Here are a few tricks to relieve that fullness:
Pump or hand express, just to relieve the fullness. Don’t pump to drain or you just defeated the whole purpose of skipping that breastfeeding session.
Take a hot shower, which will help you leak a little and may reduce the pressure in your breast.
Cabbage leaf compresses – good old green cabbage wrapped around your breasts can help to reduce fullness.
Sage tea – drink sparingly while gently weaning, as it can really tank a milk supply when consumed in large quantities.
Emotionally, your body is going to go through some hormonal changes as you begin to wean. During the weaning process, prolactin levels begin to drop. Prolactin not only helps to stimulate your milk supply, but it also provides a sense of relaxation and calmness. Some mothers may even feel depression after weaning.
I remember feeling a sense of loss, that I had a difficult time describing, as I was weaning my son. It was somewhat temporary, but it definitely was there. I just felt sad that this aspect of mothering and comforting my child was coming to an end. Something that helped me adapt to this change was creating a different bedtime routine for the two of us. Instead of nursing my son to sleep, we now read a story together in his rocking chair. Then, I turned off the light and sang him a song as I rocked him into a state of sleepiness. My son is now five years old. At bedtime, we still read a story in his bed and then listen to a song on his IPod as I lie down next to him and snuggle. It is my favorite time of the day!
Now it’s your turn to share how you paced your weaning process with your child.
How long did it take you to wean?
What physical and/or emotional changes did you encounter?
Does traveling cause a dip in milk supply?
A close friend of mine was at a breastfeeding support group recently and was told that many moms see a dip in their milk supplies when traveling with their babies. My friend speculated that this may be a reaction to the stress of traveling with an infant. I told her I would look into this, since I couldn't fathom why traveling would make a mom's milk supply decrease. A mom's milk supply could surely decrease when traveling WITHOUT her infant, but why WITH her infant? After some internet and article searching, I couldn't find any scientific reasons that would cause this phenomenon. But, since a few moms have seen this happen, I thought I would offer some advice on how to make sure that this doesn't happen to you.
A close friend of mine was at a breastfeeding support group recently and was told that many moms see a dip in their milk supplies when traveling with their babies. My friend speculated that this may be a reaction to the stress of traveling with an infant. I told her I would look into this, since I couldn't fathom why traveling would make a mom's milk supply decrease. A mom's milk supply could surely decrease when traveling WITHOUT her infant, but why WITH her infant? After some internet and article searching, I couldn't find any scientific reasons that would cause this phenomenon. But, since a few moms have seen this happen, I thought I would offer some advice on how to make sure that this doesn't happen to you.
5 WAYS TO MAINTAIN YOUR MILK SUPPLY WHEN TRAVELING WITH AN INFANT
1. If traveling by plane, nurse your baby during take-off, landing, and turbulents. This will relieve the pressure in your baby's ears, thereby relieving your stress level.
2. Keep to your baby's regular feeding schedule. If this means you will have to nurse in public, practice before you go on your trip so that you are confident and comfortable. A baby wrap is a great way to nurse discreetly in public.
3. If you plan to go out and have someone else watch your baby, pump before you leave so that you are not full and uncomfortable while away from your baby. A hand pump should suffice for this moderate use.
4. Some babies have a difficult time sleeping away from home, so plan to take a few naps during your trip, so that you can make up for some lost sleep during those restless times.
5. Don't plan too many activities during your trip. Try to keep your stress level down, which will preserve your milk supply, making for a happier, more content baby....maybe even a rested and relaxed mommy!
Happy travels!
Secrets of Baby Behavior
One of the best trainings I have ever attended was taught by Jane Heinig from UCDavis. She teaches a workshop about understanding infant behavior. Check out her department's blog at http://www.secretsofbabybehavior.com/. Great advice for all moms about reading your baby's cues and understanding infant sleep patterns.
Welcome to The Sanity Spot
Sleep deprivation, diapers, feeding, crying.....sound a little familiar? And not just describing your baby??? All within a matter of minutes, your life has completely changed and sometimes all you want is for it to go back to the way it was.... pre-baby! But then, that sweet little baby of yours (or your three and four year olds, in my case) just look at you with those adoring eyes and you are brought to tears as your heart fills with so much emotion that it is impossible to describe. Welcome to motherhood... the most rewarding and, definitely, the most difficult job you will ever have in your life!
So sit back, put your feet up, lay your baby (infant, toddler) on your chest, and smell his/her sweet scent while he/she sleeps for a few moments. It is all about being present, in the moment (if you will), and taking a deep breath. For it is those moments you will remember the most. Hey, if we remembered all of the difficult times, we would never have any more kids.
