When the time comes to stop feeding your baby breast milk, you should start the weaning process — and this will take a while. It is important not to rush this procedure, because suddenly denying your child breast milk can cause negative ramifications for both of you. Also, you will need a substitute for the physical affection that nursing provides, so you should hug, cuddle and hold your infant frequently while weaning them. Moreover, you could go straight from breastfeeding to a lidded spill proof cup, because many children prefer these to bottles.
It has been suggested that following an infant’s cues is the best way to determine the correct time to wean. According to the WHO (World Health Organization), babies should be breastfed for a couple of years or more. Notwithstanding, this does not always happen in practice, because some mums opt to weaned child before this. To decide when to start weaning, several factors ought to be taken into account — such as need, scheduling and the preferences of mother and baby.
Experts advise that, once children are six months old, they should eat meals with the rest of the family and be given food to consume with their fingers. Foods with a variety of textures can be provided, so infants become accustomed to eating a range of foods. Many mothers who practice infant led weaning say that their children enjoy more interesting diets, look forward to family meal times, and are more open to trying other foods when they get older.
As already stated, breastfeeding is a great source of comfort for the majority of babies, so you should compensate for this when changing their diet. To provide a weaned child with the same comfort he experienced during nursing, you should hold him while he eats or drinks – like you did during a breastfeeding session. In addition, you should try other tactics to comfort him when gets upset, like back rubs, lullabies or story time – particularly before he goes to sleep when he would usually nurse. Also, weaning an infant can be a good way for other carers to provide comfort that he could only get while breastfeeding previously. For instance, you could permit the grandparents or father to hold the infant during meals, once he has been weaned off breastfeeding. This way, he can be close to other members of the family too.
