WHO

When should you wean your little one from the breast? When you feel, and know that the the time is right for both you and your baby.

Some mothers who choose to breastfeed beyond 6 months or 1 year of age for that matter may find that they face ridicule or lack of social and family support. This is true even though our U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina M. Benjamin, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization recommend exclusively breastfeeding your child for the first 6 months of life before introducing complementary foods; with moms being encouraged to continue breastfeeding their child up to the age of 2 years, and beyond if they so desire.

Our society tends to promote an ideal that mothers should aspire to be all things to everyone. For this reason, moms in the workforce tend to bear the brunt of that expectational burden; portraying themselves as the driven career woman who can do it all while juggling motherhood effortlessly. As a result, career moms may feel more pressure to wean their child from the breast sooner than later, as compared to their counterparts who are stay-at-home mothers. Nevertheless, mothers must remember that they should not feel compelled to buy-in to any unrealistic ideals of motherhood that are thrust upon them by the media, their peer groups, families or professional circles. It’s better to trust yourself, and use your heart and mind when choosing what is best for you and your family.

For many mothers, including breastfeeding into a busy schedule filled with work, school, family and community obligations can force them to reassess their breastfeeding goals, or for that matter, give up much too soon. That decision has the potential to be detrimental to them, and more importantly their child’s health and emotional well-being. Personally, I have successfully juggled being a breastfeeding mom, while maintaining a career and attending graduate school. I may have made it look easy, however, challenges persisted in even the most ideal situations, with time management and my daughter’s disdain for the bottle being my biggest hurdles. Fortunately for me, at the time I was nursing, I was employed with an organization that is breastfeeding friendly. They have lactation rooms throughout the institution. Historically most working mothers have not had access to this much-needed amenity in the workplace. The good news is that the tides have turned with the newly enacted Affordable Care Act from the Obama Administration, which requires that businesses with over 50 employees provide private, safe, and clean accommodations for mothers to express their milk, and they must allow for adequate break time to do so. For this reason, nursing moms everywhere may not have to wean their baby prematurely because of lack of workplace support for breastfeeding. A triumph for the breastfeeding movement in the United States!

With all this in mind, moms can be proactive when planning for the weaning process, as it is a process and should not be done abruptly as to prevent undue stress, frustration, and emotional duress for you, your baby, and your family.

Below are a few things to consider when contemplating weaning your baby:

Begin discussing the plans to wean with your spouse, partner or other support persons.
Develop a plan with your child’s pediatrician.
Weaning does not have to be an all-or-nothing approach. You may choose to only nurse at night and give your baby a bottle or sippy cup with your expressed milk during the day; with a gradual separation from the breast as the ultimate goal.
Pay attention to your baby’s cues. As they mature and begin to eat solid foods, they may become increasingly distracted and disinterested in nursing. If so, this may be a good time to begin the weaning process.
Introduce a new soft plush toy for your child to enjoy and find comfort in. This is how they can channel their need for comfort that they are no longer receiving from nursing.
Explain to your child that they are growing up and no longer need to nurse like when they were a baby. Be reassuring. Hug and cuddle them when they approach you to nurse, and reaffirm to them that they can now drink a beverage from a cup like a big boy or girl.

For more information, KidsHealth has great tips on how to wean your baby. And for direct weaning support contact The National Breastfeeding Helpline at 1-800-994-9662.

Happy Nursing & Weaning!

In Love & Health – Stay Healthy & Wise

Ericka L. Abrams, Public Health Practitioner

This information is purely education and is not a substitute for the care and advice of a licensed healthcare provider.