Weaning is an exciting time in your child’s life. It’s the point in their life when you begin feeding them less breastmilk and instead slowly introduce them to foods. For some babies, this is a natural process. Babies are curious and love to try new things, at least most of them.
Some babies are harder to wean off breastmilk, and it may take a while. When your baby is a year old, what is the best way to wean them without having a fussy baby? Try to wean off breastfeeding at 12 months. Let’s find out.
When Should You Wean?
You may wonder when the best time to wean your baby is. There is no best time, but it is recommended that you have at least a year of breastfeeding on your baby’s belt before you start weaning. Yes, try to wean off breastfeeding at 12 months. So 12 months is a good time in general, but it all depends.
Don’t Do It When Your Baby Has a Lot On Their Plate
Some mothers think that weaning during another transitional period, such as when the baby is learning how to walk, is a good idea. However, it is advised that the mother doesn’t do this. The baby having too much on their plate may make them feel like they’re under a lot of stress, and that’s never good. Instead, you should wait until there is a stable moment in the baby’s life. Some wean off breastfeeding at 12 months.
Don’t Do It Too Quickly
This especially applies if you decide to wean early. Your breasts will be filled with milk, and feel quite heavy. If you keep the milk in there, you could get mastitis, which is the inflammation of breast tissue. Mastitis could lead to infection. If you slowly wean, you won’t have to deal with this. If your breasts feel full, perhaps you can ice your breasts or pump a little bit of milk out.
Under 6 Months
If your baby is under six months, and you want to stop breastfeeding, you’ll have to replace it with the bottle. If the baby is under three months, they might not care as much. However, if they are over three, they are a little more aware and may hit you with resistance. You may feel annoyed, and your emotions may rub off on the baby. It is recommended that you try to use someone else to feed your baby with a bottle. You can check other ways here: https://www.whattoexpect.com/first-year/breastfeeding/weaning/
6-12 Months
If you want to wean around this time, you do need to make sure that it’s during a stable time. Babies are making quite a few transitions, from teething to learning how to crawl, and it can be a hassle to figure out when the most stable time is.
Sometimes, the baby naturally starts to lose interest in breastfeeding. They may do so before 12 months. While some mothers are happy not to breastfeed anymore, others may feel a little emotional over it.
Bottle Or Sippy Cup?
If your baby is over nine months, you may consider weaning them from the breasts to the bottle. However, they are close to the age where they will be drinking from a sippy cup. Because of this, many mothers will choose for their baby to transition from a breast to a cup instead of making two transitions. It’s less of a hassle and worth trying.
There’s No Right Way
With weaning, there are all sorts of techniques you can try, and there is no such thing as a right way to do it. Different babies will react to different weaning techniques, and we recommend you try them all out.
The Gradual Technique
Some mothers will choose to wean off the baby gradually. In other words, they’ll feed the baby less and less breastmilk while slowly introducing more foods for the baby to try. How slow will depend from person to person, but one technique you can do is to try to wean your baby off in two weeks. Every few days, like three to four, drop a feeding, especially the feeding the baby doesn’t seem to care about.
Replacing Feeding With Affection
The problem with weaning your baby from breastmilk is the fact that they get fussy. Not only do they like the food, but they like the attention as well. Your little one loves getting noticed when you feed them, so when you take that away, they get mad. So give the affection and love when they seem fussy.
Distracting the Baby
If your baby gets fussy whenever you stop breastfeeding them, it’s essential you have something that can distract the baby. You may try distracting them through a toy, TV, or something else that can get them thinking about more than just breastfeeding. Having toys readily available can make the process much more comfortable.
Clinginess And Cold Turkey
Despite this, some older babies will be even more clingy and will experience separation anxiety whenever the mother tries to wean from them. Separation anxiety is a sign that the baby is attached to you, and that’s a good thing in the long run, but it can be annoying when you just want to wean your baby.
If your baby is overly clingy, gradually weaning them may work, but sometimes, they just may not want to let you go. Some mothers will go the cold turkey route, taking the breasts away and letting the baby scream it out until they are over it. This can be a terrible thing, yet it may be the last resort.
Keep It Covered
It may be worth it to wear shirts that won’t show any cleavage or indication of a breast. If your baby sees some of your breasts, you may end up with a crying baby. Other mothers may avoid sitting in a breastfeeding position, too. These subtle clues your baby does pick up on, and they may think it’s time to breastfeed.
Conclusion On Wean Off Breastfeeding At 12 Months
Weaning your baby is a challenge, but with a little patience, you can be able to do it. Try it out and see if it works.
Wean Off Breastfeeding At 12 Months FAQs
How do I stop breastfeeding after one year?
As long as you can still produce milk, you can still continue breastfeeding up to 2 years old. But if you want to stop after one year, you can, but just make sure you are introducing solid foods that can still give the right nutrition to your baby (read more about it here).
How often should a one-year-old nurse?
For one-year-old babies, they may be breastfeeding once or twice a day. But there are still those who frequently nurse even if they turn one year old already. The frequency may still vary from one baby to another.
Do babies need breast milk after 12 months?
A baby should be fed pure breast milk from birth up to 6 months. After the baby has reached six months, you can try introducing other soft baby foods to supplement feeding aside from the breast milk.
How many breastfeed at 12 months?
At 12 months, babies are breastfed once or twice a day, unlike when they are still younger. But there are also those who still breastfeed a few times a day.
What is the average age for a child to stop breastfeeding?
Each mother has a different breastfeeding experience. And the ages of weaning may differ. But according to studies, the average age for weaning is 2.5 years old.
Are there benefits to breastfeeding past one year?
Yes, though it is only up to 6months that a baby is required to be breastfed, it is highly encouraged to continue breastfeeding even if the baby is already one year old or onwards. Studies have shown that breastfeeding reduces the risk of having certain illnesses.
How much breastmilk should a 12-month-old drink?
A 12-month-old baby may or may not stop breastfeeding. This is because they can already be feed with some solid foods. Medical experts cannot be certain on how much breastmilk should a 12-month-old drink, but they are certain that continuing to breastfeed your baby beyond six months is still a very good choice.
What is a right age to stop breastfeeding?
As long as moms can still produce milk, you can continue breastfeeding even beyond two years. But usually, others my stop breastfeeding at one or two years old. This may be due to work or if the baby has adjusted to solid foods already.
How do I wean my one-year-old from breastfeeding?
Weaning your baby from breastfeeding is not that easy. It takes a lot of patience and understanding for both the mother and the baby. One tip in weaning is to gradually let your child drink your breastmilk through bottles and have them breastfeed only once a day for them to get used to not having your breast all the time.
Is breast milk still nutritious after a year?
Yes, breast milk is still nutritious after one year. And it is always recommended as long as the mother has milk and the baby still wants to continue.
How does breastmilk change after one year?
Changes in breastmilk composition as time goes by is known to also adjust to the needs of the baby. According to studies, breastmilk develops more antibodies as your baby grows older or is about to enter the toddler years.
What percentage of moms breastfeed for one year?
In the United States, according to reports, there’s a large percentage of mommies who still nurse at one year old. This comprises 83%, while those still nursing at two years old is at 66 percent and those who nurse beyond that are at 44%.
Does breast milk have any nutritional value after one year?
Yes, breast milk still has nutritional value after a year of breastfeeding. In fact, it is known that after one year, breastmilk contains more antibodies to help your baby fight against infection as he or she is going into toddler years.
Is it OK to stop breastfeeding at 12 months?
Yes, it is ok to stop breastfeeding at 12 months. But it still depends on your child and the supply of milk that your breast produces.
How do I night wean my 12-month-old?
Experts suggest doing the weaning slowly and gradually. You can eliminate progressively feeding one at a time. Giving him solid foods throughout the day may also help.
Last Updated on June 24, 2022 by Jejomar Contawe
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