My child does not want to leave the breast, what can I do?
Our child may be reluctant to give up breast milk, so it is important to do it gradually.
The benefits of breastfeeding are widely known. Breast milk has carbohydrates, proteins and fats in the right amounts for the baby, as well as minerals, vitamins, hormones and antibodies that help prevent the baby from getting sick. Many studies confirm that a breastfed baby will suffer fewer allergies, infections, respiratory illnesses, or digestive problems such as diarrhea, constipation, or gas during infancy. In addition, these babies are believed to be less likely to develop diabetes, obesity, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome .
Breast milk formula is inimitable. But it is not only beneficial for babies. Breastfeeding is creating a very special bond between mother and child. The mother will also reduce the risk of suffering diseases such as ovarian or breast cancer , osteoporosis or heart disease. If we add to all these benefits the savings that it entails by avoiding the purchase of prepared milk, the option of breastfeeding our child seems undoubtedly the best.
However, the current pace of life makes it difficult for mothers to breastfeed their children and practice breastfeeding. Although institutions such as the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months , the employment situation of many women prevents them from carrying out this important recommendation. Many other entities recommend combining breastfeeding with another type of feeding during the first two years. Some mothers advocate breastfeeding at a later age, even at preschool age . Although it is true that this movement is not to the liking of all women and that according to some studies beyond the year breast milk progressively loses its properties, there is no deadline for stopping breastfeeding.
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WHAT IS THE TIME TO QUIT
A woman who decides to breastfeed her child and has no problem preventing her from doing so must also decide when is the right time to stop. In some cases they will be forced situations, for work, for example. At other times it will be the children themselves who begin to reject the breast . However, if the latter has not happened yet and the mother, for whatever reasons and when she decides, wants or needs to stop breastfeeding, it is best to plan how to carry out this transition.
Although weaning often occurs naturally, it is a fact that is a big change for both the mother and the babies and can be critical at times. The mother may feel contradictory emotions if this weaning is carried out forcibly due to some cause, generally work incompatibility . While it is true that the mother has more freedom and a more flexible schedule, if the decision has not been hers, but is imposed, the mother may feel sorry or guilt when breaking that bond with her child. The baby, on the other hand, may be frustrated if the breast is denied if he was not ready yet. If he had not rejected it on his own initiative, surely weaning will be something that the baby does not like.
Therefore, the ideal is to carry out weaning gradually. This gradual transition is not only important to regulate feeding and the emotional impact on the baby, but also to control the problems that a sudden cessation of breastfeeding can cause the mother, such as breast engorgement, blockages, mastititis or abscesses. . If suction progressively decreases, as occurs during gradual weaning, these problems tend to decrease.
TRICKS TO GRADUALLY LEAVE THE BREAST
But, what happens if during weaning our child refuses to leave the breast? A basic rule of thumb is “don’t offer and don’t decline.” That is, we will not offer the breast to the child in a routine way, but if the child demands it, it will not be denied either . This form of weaning is less radical for the child, but it does not guarantee the time that the process can be prolonged.
Another gradual way to act if the child refuses to leave the breast is to skip a feeding. Normally, the noon feed, being the shortest and the one that can interfere the most in the mother’s routine, is usually the one chosen to avoid in the first place. Eliminating feeds and replacing them with another type of feeding (either formula milk or solid foods, depending on the age of the child), makes the little one get used to the withdrawal of the breast. Normally, the last feeding to be eliminated is that of the night, since many mothers experience it as an intimate and special moment with their child before going to bed.
In addition to substituting breastfeeding for another type of feeding, it is also important to include in the weaning process a series of activities through which children have other types of moments of intimacy with the mother .
If the child is still young, the bottle will be given in the usual place where he was breastfed. If we can also continue giving breast milk through a breast pump, even through the bottle, the better. If the child is older, at the time when they used to breastfeed, some other type of activity or game can be done, such as reading a story. Any kind of distraction that parents can do at the time when the child used to breastfeed will help him forget about the feedings .
It is also important to let him maintain some habits that he may develop during weaning, such as thumb sucking, the pacifier or becoming very attached to some type of object or toy. In any case, unless it is strictly necessary, starting weaning should be avoided if the child is going to experience an important change in his routine , such as a change of address, a sudden change in his parents’ schedule or the start of daycare . These situations can make children even more reluctant to breastfeed.
Be that as it may and no matter how difficult it is to stop breastfeeding, it must be clear that sooner or later the children themselves will end up rejecting it. Even mothers who practice late breastfeeding and who have decided to stop breastfeeding only when the child demands it , find that the child who has already started another type of feeding will progressively lose interest in breastfeeding.
Dr. Tabriella Perivolaris, Sara's mother and fan of fashion, beauty, motherhood, among others, about the female universe. Since 2018 she has been working as a copywriter, always bringing to her articles a little of her experience and experience as a mother and woman.