Breast milk is the best form of nutrition during early childhood. Breastfeeding protects the infant from a variety of infectious. With few exceptions, the breast milk alone (with vitamin D) fulfills all the nutritional requirements of infants up to six months.

Weaning from BreastfeedingThe natural weaning occurs when the infant begins to accept increasing quantities and types of complementary foods while continuing to be breastfed on demand. In case of natural weaning, it usually occurs between two and four years. The planned withdrawal occurs when the mother decides to wean her baby without him/her to give evidence that he / she is ready to stop breastfeeding. Some of the reasons often cited for carrying out a planned withdrawal include a lack of milk or concerns about the growth of the baby suckling or painful mastitis, a return to work, a new pregnancy, the desire that the partner or another adult looks after feedings or teething baby.

These situations may result in premature and full withdrawal, although the mother intended to continue breastfeeding. It’s good that the doctor informs and supports the mother, whether she wants or not to continue breastfeeding. If the doctor is not sure how to provide this support, he may consider directing the mother to a lactation specialist.

The natural weaning should not be confused with a nursing strike. A sudden refusal of the breast may occur at any time and be followed by a full withdrawal if the mother interprets this as a personal rejection. The strikes are temporary and suckling can result from several causes, such as the onset of menstruation of the mother, an amendment to the diet of the mother, using a new soap, a new deodorant or the appearance of the teeth or illness of the child. Simple measures can be adopted to deal with a strike of a feeding, including the following:

• Making the nursing period special and quiet, and reducing distractions to a minimum.
• Increase the amount of petting and coaxing.
• Offer the breast when the baby is about to fall asleep or has just woken up.
• Do not starve the child to force him into submission.
• Take frequent different breastfeeding positions to offer the breast, and offer each breast alternately.

A mother may feel mixed emotions when she begins to wean her baby. She can be pleased with this new-found freedom, but she can also be mourning the end of a phase of intimate relationship with her child. As long as the mother begins the process with flexibility and sensitivity, the experience should be positive. The physician’s role is to support and inform the mother while ensuring that the infant benefits of proper nutrition. Need more information about weaning from breastfeeding – click now.

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