Fast or Slow, Moms Need to Know How to Wean Children
Weaning or stopping baby breastfeeding from the breast sometimes becomes an emotional time for mother and baby. Not only because there will be changing the way babies get right nutrients, but since most babies get peace with direct breastfeeding from her mother's breast.
Do not worry, weaning does not always signify the end of the intimate bond between mother and child. Mom can look for other ways like hugging, playing or reading books together.
When to Wean the Right One?
Actually in determining when to wean the child depending on the choice of each mother. However, the optimal recommended period for infants to get exclusive breastfeeding is six months. While the general period of breastfeeding mothers is up to two-year-olds. After a six-month-old baby, he or she can begin to get additional nutrients in addition to breastmilk, through MPASI (Mother's Milk Food).
Some experts describe some baby signs we can begin to be weaned, among others:
- The baby has been able to sit with head upright in a long time.
- Opening the mouth and interested when he saw others eat.
- Eye, mouth, and hand coordination starts to work well, so it can take and put food into the mouth.
- The baby's weight has already doubled from birth weight.
In a one-year-old, he may start drinking from a cup and start looking for ways other than breastfeeding for comfort. Instead of breastmilk, you can provide vitamin C-rich, iron, and calcium-rich vitamins, such as cheese, vegetable pulp, cereal, and fruit mixed with breast milk or milk.
However, there are certain conditions that make You need to delay to wean the child. Some of these conditions include:
- Children at risk of allergies if eating foods or drinks other than breast milk. For the same reason, breastfeeding is recommended at least until the baby is six months old.
- If you or your child are ill, or if your child is teething, as this condition can make the weaning child more complicated.>
- If there's a big change, like you and your family move home or travel in the long run, because it can make your Little Stressed.
How to get started?
How to get started depends very much on the needs and character of each child and mother. It is important to know the signs of the child ready to be weaned, as described above. The following guidelines can be a common benchmark for how to start weaning:
- Start slowly - land
Start weaning gradually is not only beneficial for child, but also for you. Reducing the frequency of breastfeeding will slowly make milk production decrease gradually. This slow reduction is important to avoid the risk of breast swelling and pain.
- Try to wean in the daytime Babies usually suckle in the morning and evening to comfort. How to wean Children can begin gradually by stopping breastfeeding during the day, replacing them with solid foods, but still giving breast milk at night.
Keep following the same schedule for a week. Then, the next week add time as you feed the bottle and reduce breastfeeding directly. Baby one year and over can be fed cow's milk instead of breastmilk.
- Try to put your child to sleep naively gradually Create another fun ritual before sleep, like reading a book or listening to music. Make her feel comfortable by still hugging or stroking it.
- Start using more cup than right bottle
Place more water in a cup than in a bottle. Alternatively, place the child's favorite drink into the cup and place what he does not like very much in the bottle. For example, placing milk and juice (for babies over 6 months) in cups and mineral water only in bottles.
The most important thing when weaning is to focus on the comfort of your baby and yourself. No need to worry yourself by comparing how weaning children do other people, because each experience is unique. You may have your own deadline for when the child should not be breastfeeding, but it would be better to be flexible to the deadline.
