Weaning a baby from the breast is often a painful process for the whole family. And it's not that it's not physiological, dangerous or unnatural.

Often, the mother simply does not know how to do it quickly and without consequences.

As a result, troubles are obtained in the form of severe pains in the mammary glands, the crying of the child for several days.

To avoid this, it is enough to follow modern recommendations, apply a little skill and cunning.

Breastfeeding raises many concerns and questions. The current mothers are especially tormented by the dilemma - to wean the child earlier or later?

There are a lot of opinions in society, even pediatricians are not unanimous on this issue.

However, the main points that all doctors agree on are the following:

• No adapted formula can replace mother's milk in the first months of life.
• Breastfeeding is not essential for a one year old baby. By this time, children eat enough ordinary foods, and mother's feedings are more likely to strengthen the immune system.
• After a year, the child often has a persistent association of the breast in the mouth with a signal that it is time to fall asleep.

  As a result, this interferes with independent sleep and exhausts parents. Such a child can wake up for a long time for night feedings.

• It has been proven that after six months the child needs to be introduced to ordinary foods to replenish the reserves of vitamins and iron.

  Breast milk can no longer cover the needs of a growing body in full.

The popular pediatrician Komarovsky has repeatedly told his opinion about breastfeeding in many videos.

The thoughts of the respected doctor can be formulated in several theses:

1. When to wean a child from the breast, only his mother decides.
2. No need to listen to friends, compassionate neighbors. Aunt Glasha does not know exactly what is right for your baby.
3. If breastfeeding makes mom forget about rest, and she manages to sleep a couple of hours a day, then the question arises: is it worth it?
4. In the modern world, it’s great if a mother has fattened her child for six months. This time is enough for the baby to get the most necessary.
5. The physiological need for feeding at night disappears in an infant by about 9 months.
6. After a year, it is much more difficult to wean children, as psychological aspects join.

Methods of weaning after a year

The baby already has a few teeth, he celebrated his first birthday, he stomps on his own. During this period, mothers think about weaning from the breast.

The simplest weaning schemes after a year are as follows:

• Abrupt cessation of breastfeeding. A popular method since the time of our grandmothers.

  The mother simply abruptly stops any attachment to the breast, replacing the milk with a nipple with formula.

  To facilitate the process of weaning the child, if possible, leave for a few days with grandmothers. This procedure is not painless for either mother or baby.

  The abrupt end of lactation is stressful for the female body, swelling of the mammary glands and stagnation in them threatens the mother with mastitis, swelling of the breast.

  All this is often accompanied by severe pain. Obstetricians and pediatricians do not recommend such a radical method, only in emergency situations does it take place.

• Smooth transition to milk formula. This excommunication has a lot of positive feedback on the forums.

  At the planned time, the mother begins to smoothly replace breast sucking with a bottle. The process takes at least a month, you need to be sensitive to the condition of the child.

  It happens that parents are in a hurry and end up with tantrums from their children.

  It is most correct to clean the chest in the following sequence according to the time of day: lunch - afternoon snacks - evening - night and morning. Night feedings are replaced with plain water. You do not need to accustom your baby to sweet drinks in a dream.

• Temporary cessation of lactation. Mom removes her milk from the child's diet due to illness, treatment, departure.

  To maintain lactation, a breast pump is used, which stimulates milk production.

  Later it is possible to start breastfeeding the baby as before, but some people move away from breastfeeding completely with greater ease.

IMPORTANT! After a year of breastfeeding, lactation cessation pills (bromocriptine, etc.) do not work, as they do not act on all mechanisms of milk production.

The benefits of taking such a drug are minimal, and side effects are frequent and severe for the mother.

How to teach a child to fall asleep at night without feeding

Babies after a year sometimes fall asleep only with breasts in their mouths. Of course, such a phenomenon is completely inconvenient and wrong for the development of the child.

It turns out that weaning also threatens with a problem with falling asleep. Sleep experts advise to teach from the age of 6 to 9 months to sleep without a breast.

To do this, you need a lot of mom's work, to teach the baby to sleep without feeding really.

The advice boils down to this:

1. Don't let him fall asleep with his breast in his mouth. The sleeping baby is weaned and placed in the crib. At first, children feel uncomfortable.

   But after about 10 - 20 days (depending on what kind of child) hanging on the chest for a comfortable sleep is no longer necessary.

2. Replace the chest before going to bed with other things - a massage, a book, singing songs. This is how a bedtime ritual is developed.
3. Pediatricians advise mothers to monitor the well-being of the child. Some children require 1 or 2 night feedings up to a year and a half. Perhaps your child is from such a group.

What can you put on your chest

Friends give advice like this: “Spread your chest with this and that and that and that, and the baby will not even want to touch it!”.

Breastfeeding consultants categorically do not accept this method, they see many disadvantages in it:

• Fright of a child when mother's breast was a source of comfort and protection. After spreading, the baby gets scared, and this severe stress can cause problems in behavior, sleep, and nutrition.
• What is advised to smear the chest can undermine the health of a woman. For example, a solution of brilliant green dries out the skin, it can cause severe dermatitis.

  Oven soot contains alkali, which can damage the delicate skin of the nipples.

It is easy to negotiate with an older child. Explain that my mother's breasts are tired and she needs to rest.

During weaning, the mother should not wear revealing clothes so that the child does not see the breast, and you should not change clothes in front of him.

Spacious T-shirts and dressing gowns without a cutout are well suited. The less the child sees his mother's breasts, the easier the process of adaptation goes.

With proper skill and the right approach, even weaning can be a pleasant and easy procedure.

Useful video

Cessation of lactation is always an unpleasant situation for a mother and her baby. Especially when the sucking reflex has not yet died out in the crumbs. In this regard, the logical question arises, how to wean a child from breastfeeding. On the forums, you can often find answers that weaning is a long and painful process. Even when the peanut is more than one year old, you need to gradually refuse natural feeding so as not to cause him stress.

Baby's readiness for weaning

This problem is of interest to mothers who are physically and emotionally tired of daily feedings, the desire to go to work, who have become dependent on public opinion, or they have difficulty with lactation. How to understand that the time has come to wean the child from the breast and thereby replace natural feeding with another product?

Advice from Dr. Komarovsky! Every loving mother should and is simply obliged to breastfeed - this period can last 1, 2, and even 3 years. After all, no other product can compare with mother's milk, which is the most nutritious and healthy for a child.

If a woman decides to wean, then it is better to do it painlessly for the child. Sometimes there are cases that closer to the year the baby refuses milk on its own. This behavior indicates that his body is strong and ready to receive more adult food. At the same time, weaning the baby from breastfeeding will be much easier and easier.

Weaning technique

1. Grandma's way.
2. Through medical treatment.
3. Natural or light.

All of these methods have their advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, the choice and the final decision remains with the nursing mother.

Babushkin

This is one of the best methods for properly weaning a baby from night and daytime feedings. This method is somewhat reminiscent of shock therapy. The baby was left in the care of the grandmother, and in the meantime, the mother pulled a sheet over her chest and walked like that for two weeks, trying to artificially stop lactation.

The downside is that in addition to worries and discomfort (overfilling of the mammary glands), the mother endangers her health. As a result of seals formed around the breast, there is a high probability of developing a disease such as mastitis, which very often leads to surgical intervention. It will also be difficult for a toddler to adapt to a new diet, because his digestive system has not yet lost the habit of night feeding.

The only advantage of the "grandmother's" method is that within 10-14 days you can stop breastfeeding very quickly.

medical

A look into the past. A few decades ago, not a single woman could imagine that with the help of medicines, lactation can be reduced. One of these drugs is Dostinex, which in the shortest possible time is able to suppress the production of prolactin, a hormone that is responsible for the processes of lactation in a woman's body.

Dostinex is not effective if the woman continues to breastfeed her baby day and night. Of course, you can not abruptly wean the baby from breastfeeding. Most pediatricians advise reducing the number of feedings gradually.

In some cases, this drug can adversely affect the health of the mother and cause side effects. For example, dizziness, insomnia and frequent headaches. Such troubles are caused by a violation of the hormonal background in the body. Therefore, before taking the drug "Dostinex" it is necessary to consult a gynecologist.

How to quickly and painlessly stop breastfeeding

In modern pediatrics, there are already well-established ways to painlessly stop breastfeeding a one-year-old child. The list of rules includes the following actions:

• grease the nipple with mustard, brilliant green or tincture of wormwood;
• ask relatives for help. During attachment, dad, grandparents should wean the child from breastfeeding, by communicating with him, reading fairy tales, playing games or just having fun;
• refuse night feedings, and to make it easier for the baby to lull to sleep - rock in the cradle or in your arms;
• do not wear clothes with an open neckline, as it provokes the baby to reach for his mother's breast.

Weaning a child from breastfeeding with medication will not give a quick result. Therefore, you need to be patient and wait a bit.

In the first few days, the lactation process will not change much. As before taking medication, a breastfeeding mother will feel her breasts full of milk. To alleviate your condition, you can gradually express it. It is impossible to empty the entire chest, as the swim will resume in the same volume. Gradually, lactation will decrease, and soon it will disappear altogether.

The downside is that any intervention in the female body can adversely affect the health of the mother.

Natural way to stop lactation

This is the longest journey, which can last more than 6 months. To quickly wean your baby from the breast, follow these rules:

• Gradually reduce the number of daytime feedings, even when the baby asks for comfort or is simply tired. Try to distract him with other activities, such as showing him a new toy, playing fun games, or going for a walk outside;
• Apply to the breast as little as possible before putting the baby to sleep at night. So that the little one does not feel hungry, it is better to feed him a hearty dinner;
• Reduce at least 2 times the number of night feedings, replacing them with warm hugs and motion sickness.

Subject to the successive implementation of the above points, it is possible to wean a child from breastfeeding even in one year. The main thing is not to rush, do everything gradually and luck will smile.

Dr. Komarovsky recommends taking note of the "natural way to stop lactation." He considers him one of the most successful. This method allows mother and baby to quickly adapt to new living conditions. With smooth weaning, the child's body does not experience sharp psychological stress, and the woman's hormonal background is restored to its previous prenatal position. In addition, the lactation process decreases naturally and over time, the milk will simply disappear.

Also Komarovsky is a supporter of method 1 - "grandmother's". He believes that weaning from breastfeeding can be done by reducing the flow of milk or spoiling its taste.

List of main actions:

• as often as possible, perform physical exercises that help reduce lactation;
• use garlic to spoil the taste of milk;
• during the period of weaning, reduce the amount of fluid intake (water, tea);
• refuse to breastfeed at night;
• gradually reduce the number of feedings during the day;

• start weaning the baby from the breast when he is not yet ready for change;
• if the child is ill (ARVI, infectious diseases);
• when the first teeth begin to cut.

Conclusion

Remember that the process of weaning will not be easy and may take up to 1.5-2 months. It will be especially difficult at night. After all, the child has already developed the habit of eating several times during this period of time.

A baby, accustomed to eating mother's milk for a year, or even more, receives not only the nutrition he needs for development. Undoubtedly, the love and attention of the mother is of great importance, daily physical contact with which contributes to a close psychological connection between her and the baby. It is a feeling of extraordinary intimacy that lasts a lifetime. Therefore, it can be very difficult to stop breastfeeding, because it is so painful for the baby. How to wean a child from breastfeeding after a year and how to do it in the least traumatic way?

Young mothers who have given birth for the first time are often worried about the question of when to complete breastfeeding, because there are practically no exact dates. Doctors, with good lactation, recommend feeding children for at least a year, if it is necessary for the baby and suits the mother. Of course, much depends on the health of the woman and her child. The first year of life for a newborn is very important, since his organs are not yet perfect and need further, proper formation.

In addition, for a year, mother's milk helps to make his immunity strong, which will protect him throughout his life.

It is not advisable to complete feeding before 12 months, however, this may have its own indications:

1. Poor quality or lack of breast milk;
2. Chronic or infectious diseases of the mother, due to which the baby may suffer;
3. The unwillingness of the woman herself to continue feeding for various, sometimes quite good reasons.

The optimal time for weaning an infant from the breast is the age of 1-1.5 years. During this period, it is no longer so much food that the baby needs - for him, it is rather a way to relax, calm down, feel safe. It is communication, tactile touches, warmth of the native body that is valuable to the child.

When a woman begins to experience discomfort, especially knowing that milk is no longer the first need of the baby, then, probably, it is worth thinking about the end of lactation. At the same time, you should not be upset for your child - this will not bring harm to his health.

There is an opinion that it is best to start the weaning process when the baby is one year and a month old. This is due to the fact that by this time the digestive system is already developed and the child can be transferred to ordinary human food. It is also important that the personality traits of the baby's character should also be formed - his independence, the ability to serve himself - if the child is constantly at the mother's breast, this can make him infantile and weak-willed, which will almost immediately affect adaptation to the conditions of social society.

Abrupt and natural weaning from breastfeeding

There are two options for completing lactation - fast and natural. Sometimes it's not even about what the mother wants. It is clear that any mother does not want to injure the psyche of her daughter or son. But there are reasons that make a woman decide to urgently wean a child from breastfeeding:

• Tumors that require immediate surgery;
• Inflammatory processes of the mammary gland;
• Mastitis, purulent lesions of the chest;
• Metabolic disorders, diabetes;
• Chronic ailments of the liver, heart, kidney system that can affect the health of the baby.

Some situations require a temporary cessation of feeding, but sometimes you have to give it up forever.

With a sharp weaning, a woman should not drink more than 700 grams of any liquid per day, if it is not in oncology, when due to a large amount of water the body is better cleansed of toxins. At the same time, milk is not completely expressed, the mammary glands are not bandaged, as this interferes with normal blood supply, increases the risk of inflammation and milk stagnation.

Also, during the emergency termination of feeding, drugs that reduce the content of prolactin can be taken. Of course, this is done when necessary.

Supporters of the natural end of lactation explain their opinion by the fact that it is too cruel to abruptly tear off the child, moreover, milk in the breast can stagnate. In general, it is not necessary to stretch the whole process for a long time. Even natural weaning can be completed much faster if daily portions and number of feedings are reduced.

This is done as follows:

• First, feeding is stopped during the day, when it is in no way connected with daytime rest and sleep of the baby;
• Next, the feeding following the daytime sleep is removed;
• Then there will be a refusal to feed at night and in the morning.

All these phases should last no more than 14-15 days. The most difficult period is the weaning of the baby from food during the day, all other stages, as a rule, are easier.

Knowing how to wean a child from breastfeeding after a year, the mother will be able to do this as correctly as possible, compensating for the child’s stress with increased attention, care, distraction to interesting, educational things for him.

How to wean a child from breastfeeding after a year

To understand how to act wisely when breastfeeding is denied, you can again return to the two main methods - abrupt and gradual, passing naturally.

The quick completion of feeding provides for several individual methods that are the most proven and quite effective:

1. Ligation of the mammary glands which reduces milk synthesis. In such a bandage should be in the daytime, and you can remove it only at night. In this case, the baby is temporarily assigned to the parents of the mother or father or other relatives. At this time, he begins to take regular food, and if he is a little over a year old, formula milk. For bandaging, a woman should use only natural material - these can be large pieces of fabric.
2. Parting. Unfortunately, one of the effective methods is the separation of mother and child for the time it takes the baby to wean from the usual diet. The moral aspect of such actions cannot be called correct, but often such actions are due to difficult, insurmountable circumstances, for example, the need for a mother to undergo an operation.
3. The traditional way, used by our ancestors - spreading the nipple and halos with hot spices, mustard, sauce, any product that is unpleasant for the child. This technique works flawlessly, but is still doubtful, since there is always a danger of an allergic manifestation in a baby. In addition, the delicate, barely formed digestive organs are unlikely to endure such abuse, and dyspepsia can be the result. We must not forget that the baby will also react very negatively - for him this is a real stress, which can adversely affect the state of the nervous system.

Gradual weaning from breastfeeding is considered more benign and physiological, besides, the production of milk in the mother with this approach decreases naturally. The process should begin as early as 5 months or six months, adding porridge, fermented milk products, juices, vegetable puree to milk. It is also useful to supplement the baby's diet with yogurt and cottage cheese, and at 10 months to give him baby food with meat and fish. In a year, a child can already enjoy eating steam cutlets, fish meatballs, and boiled vegetables.

The child still consumes breast milk at 11 months, but only at night. The child quickly gets used to the new diet, he begins to develop normal taste preferences. Of course, this method is the best, but, alas, not everyone and not always can use it.

Completion of breastfeeding: when it is contraindicated

It is impossible to refuse a child to be breastfed when he is one or three years old. This is due to the special physiological and psycho-emotional vulnerability of children at this time.

There are also unshakable rules according to which:

• It is not recommended to do this in summer and winter;
• When the mother again begins to engage in professional activities and leaves the decree;
• If the family moves to another place of residence;
• When determining the baby in kindergarten;
• In the event that the child is stressed or sick.

In fact, after one and a half, two years of feeding, the involution of the process of milk production begins in a woman - its quantity gradually decreases, and the composition is not so nutritious, and becomes similar to colostrum during its primary excretion. Therefore, the mother has every reason to complete the lactation period.

The way how to wean a child from breastfeeding after a year, the parent will choose the most suitable for herself and the child. After all, it doesn't always depend on her. During weaning, she needs to be affectionate and attentive to the baby. Realizing that the time has come for other interesting knowledge in life, the child will make the decision of a loved one, especially since the beloved mother will go through life side by side for a long time, supporting and protecting her treasure at every step.

How to wean a child from breastfeeding after a year: advice from Dr. Komarovsky

It is natural for a mother to breastfeed her baby for quite a long time. The longer this period is, the stronger the child's immune system will become. However, over time, the end of breastfeeding comes, and the mother has a question about how to properly stop lactation so as not to harm her health and psychological trauma to the child. Let's figure out how to draw breast milk correctly.

Breastfeeding is good for both the baby and the mother. This process has a positive effect on the hormonal background of a woman. There are ways in which the cessation of lactation almost does not entail discomfort. To suppress the synthesis of prolactin, you can use special medicines or herbs.

How to gradually stop feeding

The process of breastfeeding has certain stages, starting with its formation and ending with involution. The final period is carried out gradually. Sometimes the fading of the synthesis of breast milk occurs earlier than the baby is 1 year and 2 months old. The criterion for assessing the state of the mammary glands will help to understand that the start of involution has begun. This period is characterized by a decrease in the production of prolactin, the breast is soft all day.

Gradually, when we finish the lactation period, only one nightly feeding should be left. Of course, then it will be necessary to abandon him, while the baby will still have a sucking instinct for a long time. In order to satisfy him, it is recommended that the baby be fed from a bottle with a dairy product, compote, tea.

Advice: to reduce the synthesis of milk, the mother should breastfeed less. Thus, the amount of milk will be produced in a smaller volume, based on the needs of the crumbs.

What are some ways to finish feeding quickly?

Many women are interested in how to stop breastfeeding in a quick way. However, it is important to understand that these methods are not humane. Most children find it difficult to understand that the time has come when they should stop sucking milk from their mother. Most often, the following methods are used for these purposes:

• Quite often, the baby is sent to the next of kin for this time. It turns out that he has no contact with his mother for 2-3 days. This sometimes leads to serious stress for the baby, since the process of stopping feeding is associated with a feeling of losing the mother. In addition, the woman continues to synthesize milk in the usual way, she has an increased risk of developing mastitis.
• To reduce milk, pulling with an elastic bandage is used. Thus, you can stop lactation at home after 3 days. In this case, it is desirable to limit the use of hot drinks.

How to do a chest pull

Before you properly draw breast milk, it should be understood that this method causes a lot of physical discomfort to mommy. If a woman decides to overtighten, then for dressing you should use the help of loved ones, since it is impossible to do this on your own. First, the dressing is applied to the ducts that are located above the area of ​​​​the glands, be sure to look at the photo and video for the correct constriction procedure.

Stretch for the first time at night. The next day, with a bandaged breast, it is recommended to make a small decantation of milk. An indicator that it is time to stop pumping is the absence of discomfort, the elimination of chest pain.

If you express too much milk, then in this way you can only increase its synthesis. This procedure is often accompanied by fever, soreness, hardening of the breasts. If such symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Folk methods to help stop lactation

Wraps with camphor help to stop feeding. They suppress lactation, restore the skin, minimize the possibility of the formation of hardened areas. First, it is recommended to soak the bandages with pre-warmed camphor oil. Then they need to be applied to the chest area, covered with cellophane on top, put on underwear. This procedure should be carried out at night. However, before putting on underwear, it is important to remember that, due to the strong smell of camphor, it will have to be thrown out afterwards.

Herbal preparations will help stop lactation, which can be used not only for internal use, but also for rubbing. The most widely used herbs have a diuretic effect, among them mint and sage are widely used. These funds contribute to a gradual decrease in milk production. After 7 days, the woman feels significant changes.

Before you complete breastfeeding, you can drink the following herbal decoctions:

In what cases is medical cessation of lactation used?

It is highly undesirable to stop breastfeeding a child by taking medications. Since these methods can cause negative consequences for a woman's health. They are usually used for abrupt cessation of feeding, such as when returning to work or when doctors stop breastfeeding. Before using tablets, you should consider the following recommendations:

1. You can take medications only after consulting a doctor, after an examination. This will help you avoid side effects from inappropriate medications.
2. Medicines can be drunk only when there is no time for other solutions.
3. Before you start taking the pills, you should understand that it will be impossible to restore the synthesis of prolactin.

Usually the process of stopping breastfeeding is a serious stress not only for the child, but also for his mother. The transition to adult nutrition does not have to be abrupt. However, it happens that a woman has health problems, she loses the opportunity to breastfeed her baby. At the same time, milk continues to be secreted, discomfort occurs, accompanied by pain and bursting. Therefore, so that there is no problem with the question of how to stop lactation, Komarovsky, a well-known pediatrician, gives recommendations on the end of the breastfeeding process. First of all it is:

1. Restriction of fluid intake by the mother. This means that she should not force herself to drink more than was necessary when feeding.
2. In addition, you should think about reducing the sucking time, you can distract the child during this period, offer him entertainment.
3. No need to express milk.
4. It is useful to engage in sports activities, because during sweating, less milk is produced.
5. Do not eat foods that stimulate the production of mother's milk.
6. You can try to spoil the taste of milk, for example, include garlic, onions in the diet.

Before stopping breastfeeding, Komarovsky advises not to eat soups, foods that cause increased water intake. Instead of tea, it is better to drink decoctions of herbs that have a diuretic effect. Dr. Komarovsky recommends using decoctions of basil, cowberry, horsetail, elecampane. For this, 1 tbsp. l. herbs or herbs, pour 1 liter and drink throughout the day.

How to understand that the child is ready to stop breastfeeding

As a rule, crumbs tend to refuse breasts on their own. However, there are those who find it difficult to part with this habit, but anyway, sooner or later, the end of the lactation period will occur. The main thing is that both the baby and the mother should be psychologically prepared.

From the point of view of doctors, when to stop breastfeeding - Komarovsky argues that it is easy to understand about the approach of this time. Usually, the initial symptoms of involution begin to appear when the child reaches 1 year and 2 months. But this can come earlier with a hormonal change in the background of a woman.

The following signs will help to understand the readiness of the mother and crumbs for involution:

• Previously, mom from breastfeeding experienced only positive emotions. Now emotional fatigue has come to replace it. She feels discomfort in her chest;
• lack of discomfort in the mother with long intervals between feeding;
• the baby does not have enough breasts, he feels hungry and often asks for breasts.

Completion of breastfeeding

So is it necessary in the presence of these signs to refuse the crumbs in the chest? Pediatricians say that this should not be rushed. Since the milk is replaced, it becomes similar in quality to the colostrum that was formed after the birth of the baby. This composition contains many antibodies and can protect the baby for six months from infectious diseases.

An important condition for the end of breastfeeding is the necessary emotional state. The main thing is that the baby understands that he is only weaned, but not deprived of his mother's love. In this difficult period, he should be given more attention and tenderness.

Breastfeeding issues can be attributed, perhaps, to the most "hot" in the entire parenting topic. On this occasion, not just disputes are being waged, but real battles with the withdrawal of heavy artillery into the arena in the form of a sense of guilt. How to feed, how long should this period take and how to wean children from the breast? In this article, we will consider the point of view of the popular pediatrician E.O. Komarovsky on these topics.

When is the best time to wean a baby from breastfeeding?

Dr. Komarovsky covers in detail aspects related to this subject of discussion.

We read: according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), natural feeding should be continued until the child reaches the age of two years. During this period, breast milk is able to protect the baby from intestinal infections and the likelihood of protein deficiency. The doctor himself believes: if the rules of hygiene are observed in the family, there is a stable material wealth, then the best option is to breastfeed the baby for up to a year.

After this milestone, the completion of breastfeeding will not affect the growth and development of the baby.

Dr. Komarovsky never said that it is harmful to feed children older than a year. His recommendations boil down to a call to follow common sense and listen to parental intuition. Biologically, a woman who breastfed a newborn for up to a year fulfilled her maternal duty one hundred percent. What to do next is a matter of desire and taste of a particular family.

Referring to personal research, the doctor writes that the health of a baby older than a year does not depend on the way of nutrition.

The season for stopping breastfeeding does not matter, you can start weaning in any month.

How to wean from breastfeeding after a year?

If you timely and systematically introduced complementary foods into the diet, then by the year your offspring eats four to five times a day, approximately like this:

• fermented milk products (cottage cheese, kefir);
• milk porridge;
• soups;
• mother's milk once or twice a day.

The menu also includes vegetable purees, fruit juices, egg yolks, and meat products. Breast milk is losing its status as a staple food.

There are no emotionally painless ways to wean babies. If you want to save your child from stress, then be consistent. Having decided to stop feeding, you should not give up because the baby has cried. History may repeat itself, and the process will stretch for weeks and months - and this is the most painful path for both mother and child.

Follow your choice. Of course, the little one will not like it, but his bad mood will last a maximum of two days. Try to hold on: you should not give a breast under any circumstances. There is simply no other way. An important wish is not to make drastic changes in the life of a child if he is sick. Wait until the baby is healthy again.

Weaning from breastfeeding and the social role of women

Dr. Komarovsky does not support long-term contact of the baby with the breast (up to three years and older). Indeed, prolonged feeding has become fashionable now, until lactation stops by itself (natural involution). However, the propagandists of this method themselves say that breastfeeding in this case has little to do with food. This is already a process of communication, which should lead to the emergence of spiritual closeness, emotional attachment between the child and mother. Allegedly, this contact will last a lifetime. The idea of ​​co-sleeping is here.

However, the doctor writes, an attentive and caring relationship between children and parents exists in those families where they stopped giving breasts after a year, and where children grew up on artificial feeding. To establish a trusting relationship, emotional intimacy, there is a whole arsenal of more convenient and civilized ways.

Based on work experience, the doctor believes that women who cannot part with their child for a long time are much more likely to have problems with maintaining a family. Not every man is able to withstand a joint dream with a baby and a constantly excited wife. And a full-fledged, happy family, a comfortable psychological climate for the health and development of a child are much more important than prolonged breastfeeding.

Dr. Komarovsky urges young mothers to remember that in the modern world a woman bears not only biological, but also social responsibility, and to a greater extent. It is quite natural to want to go to a beauty salon, a gym to look great. You can arrange a gastronomic feast with your girlfriends or leave for a couple of days to relax and switch. Therefore, after a year, you have every right to put an end to the issue of breastfeeding and return to social tasks without guilt. In a healthy, full-fledged family, the interests of one of its members should not outweigh the desires of others, because you can always find a balance. Only this path will lead to universal happiness.

Dr. Komarovsky on the transition to artificial feeding (video)