Is sudden weaning really the solution to your problems? Moms who have tired of breastfeeding often think the best way to wean is by stopping “cold turkey.” But, unless it’s absolutely medically necessary, this may not be a great idea. Aside from the emotional toll it can take on a child, sudden weaning can be, literally, a pain for mom.
Breasts make milk on a supply-and-demand basis. Your breasts won’t have time to adjust if your baby is nursing six times one day and the next day you decide to cut nursing out completely. Sudden weaning can painfully engorge your breasts, leading to plugged ducts and mastitis.
Sudden weaning also will cause a sudden drop in hormones, making you feel moody or depressed.
What about the impact on baby of sudden weaning?
Nursing is a relationship. In order for breastfeeding to succeed, both mom and baby have to be happy with the current arrangements. Usually, baby is perfectly content but it’s mom who’s about to crack.
Babies don’t view breastfeeding as just a way to get nutrition—it’s also highly comforting to them, building the basis for a strong emotional bond. Nursing is safety and babies come to rely on it for emotional stability. That’s why sudden weaning can be so hard on a child. The comfort they grew up with have suddenly vanished and your baby is left confused and fretful.
Weaning is a learning process. And as with any other learning process, change happens gradually, with guidance. Babies must be guided to replace nursing with healthy snacks, playing, or some snuggle time. Gradual weaning eases baby of the breast to explore other ways of comforting and nutrition.
Depending on your baby’s age, sudden weaning may go against worldwide and national breastfeeding guidelines. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends breastfeeding for at least one year and the World Health Organization (WHO) encourages nursing for at least two years.
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