As your baby grows, the time will eventually come where your baby will not breastfeed or drink formula anymore. This timing is very individual and we’re here to give you some guidance around deciding when and how to wean your baby.
To give you an idea of what to expect, we chatted with our expert Maggie Towe, who holds a Master of Science and is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist as well as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant.
Maggie is the Berlin-based owner of Towe Nutrition, offering nutrition and lactation services to families in Berlin and worldwide. She is passionate about providing individualized breastfeeding and nutrition support convenient for families - either in their own homes or virtually.
Her passion for breastfeeding and nutrition support started with her education as a American Registered Dietitian and evolved as she breastfed her own two girls, became a lactation consultant and worked as a pediatric dietitian in a newborn intensive care unit. Originally from the U.S., Maggie has worked with families for over 15 years and has called Berlin home for the past 12 years.
What can be some of the deciding factors when deciding to stop breastfeeding your baby? And what does this look like for bottle fed babies?
Deciding when to stop breastfeeding is a personal decision that includes many factors, including age of baby, baby’s readiness for solid foods, mother’s health, baby’s health, and lifestyle factors such as returning to work or travel.
Everyone’s weaning process is individual.
There are some similar factors for bottle fed babies or combination-fed babies (meaning the baby receives both breastmilk and formula). For example, baby’s readiness for solids, but also timeliness of introducing sippy cups or open cups and the transition to full-fat cow’s milk or a plant-based alternative.
It is important to remember that however you are feeding your baby, breastmilk or formula remains their main source of nutrition until age one and solids are complementary foods.
The World Health Organization recommends introducing solids at 6 months and continued breastfeeding to one year and longer as mutually desired by mom and baby. Formula transition to whole milk from a cup should occur around 1 year.
What are your recommendations for how to start the weaning process? What are some of the things to keep in mind?
Introduction to solids (which is also termed weaning in British English) should start around 6 months when the baby can sit independently, can reach for foods and bring them to their mouth, and can move food from the front of the mouth to the back. A
longside this increase in solid foods, babies will continue to be breastfeed or bottle feed. Learn more about the introduction of solids in our article: “Introducing Solids to Your Baby: How and When?”
Here are some of the different scenarios for the weaning process and what to keep in mind:
“Natural weaning”
Natural weaning is the least stressful for mother and child and the baby will drop feeds on their own over time. A gradual transition to increased volume of solid feeds and decreased breast or bottle feeds is recommended by the World Health Organization.
Proactive weaning
However, sometimes, natural weaning is not possible or not your desire. If you choose to actively wean from breastfeeds, keep the evening and naptime feeds for last to wean and eliminate the other daytime feeds first.
Weaning a baby under 1 year of age
If you are weaning from breastfeeding and your baby is under one, you will need to offer expressed breastmilk or formula from a bottle or cup. (It’s important to know that babies under one year of age cannot have cow's milk as a drink but it can be used to make foods like mashed potatoes.)
Weaning a baby over 1 year of age
If your baby is over one, you can offer milk or a plant-based alternative in a sippy cup or open cup. You won’t need bottles at all – in fact, drinking whole milk or any other beverages from a bottle can cause baby-bottle tooth decay.
Returning to work, Kita start or other separation
If you are weaning from breastfeeding due to a return to work or a separation from baby, you may need to hand express or pump in order to relieve engorgement and reduce the risk of plugged ducts or mastitis. If your baby is under one, you may choose to continue to pump in order to provide expressed breast milk.
If your child is older, you can explain the process of weaning in a simple and positive manner and reassure them of your continued love with extra cuddles, closeness and alternatives to breastfeeding.
If weaning is associated with a start to Kita or return to work, practice separations and pumping for comfort or in order to continue to provide breastmilk to daycare. I recommend starting to pump a bit extra about 3 weeks before returning to work if you plan to continue to offer expressed breastmilk and your baby is under 1 year. This will help relieve mom's stress as they will have some stores of breastmilk in case they have days where they are too busy to pump at work, there is a short-term drop in milk supply or they have to travel or be separated from baby for some reason.
General tips
For moms, it is important to stay hydrated, reduce stress and eat healthy foods to reduce the risk of plugged ducts or mastitis (this really is true for the whole time you are breastfeeding as well as the weaning period). Emotional support from family and friends may be important during this time.
Many breastfeeding mothers experience a range of emotions around the time they stop nursing their baby, such as joy to have gained back some freedom but also feelings of guilt as well as major hormonal changes. What is your recommendation on how to prepare and handle these varying kinds of emotions? How can their partner and family support them?
Again, the natural weaning process is the least stressful for mom and baby as hormones and emotions are not as strong when breastfeeds are dropped gradually over time.
Still, feelings of guilt or sadness are common, so reach out to your partner, family and friends for help coping with strong emotions.
Your partner can help by distracting the baby at times of dropped feeds by taking them for a walk, playing, or offering an alternative feed.
If extreme feelings of sadness or anxiety are encountered, please speak to your doctor about what you are experiencing.
Anything else that families need to know?
Sometimes, families are ready to wean from breastfeeding and offer expressed breastmilk or formula from a bottle, but the baby refuses to take the bottle! Take your time and continue to offer the bottle in a low-stress situation.
Some moms may find the weaning process takes longer than they expected due to the baby's desires or health. Try to be patient - no stage with babies lasts forever and soon your little one will be feeding themselves with the family and drinking from a cup by themself.
Hang in there and keep the process as positive as possible!
Thanks, Maggie!
If you have any further questions or need support with introducing solids, reach out to Maggie via her website: https://www.towenutrition.com/
