How to gradually reduce the frequency of breastfeeding? Distracting attention is very effective

Many mothers are troubled by weaning. They worry that if they don't do it well, it will bring psychological trauma to their children. They also worry that their children will not eat milk powder and will be malnourished after weaning. There are always various reasons that make mothers very worried. The following is a guide from the 5th website on how to gradually reduce the number of breastfeeding. Distracting attention is very effective.

How to gradually reduce the frequency of breastfeeding

After the baby is one year old, some babies have a strong milk appetite and like to breastfeed even if they are not hungry. During the weaning period, you should use the method of "distracting attention" to reduce the number of breastfeeding. For older babies who can understand the truth, you can discuss with them that they cannot breastfeed for some reason, but we can replace them with other delicious things, such as some healthy snacks. Children like to play. During the weaning period, high-quality companionship is very important. As long as you play with your child more, he will easily forget about breastfeeding.

Which season is the best time to wean?

The best time to wean is in spring and autumn, when the weather is neither too cold nor too hot. Because being too cold or too hot suddenly changes the baby's lifestyle and can easily cause the baby to get sick. And before weaning, you should start paying attention to the addition of complementary foods and milk powder, and gradually reduce the number of breastfeeding times, so as to avoid sudden weaning that causes the baby to cry and feel bad.

When is the best age for weaning babies?

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends feeding at least until the age of 1, while the Chinese Nutrition Society and the WHO recommend feeding until the age of 2 and above. Although we support feeding longer, when to wean is a personal choice. Mothers who have to wean because of life and work do not need to blame themselves. The initiative is not in the hands of the mother, so there is naturally no such thing as when to wean. However, as mammals, humans are mostly weaned between 3.5 and 8 years old, so it takes a long time to wean naturally. Some babies who suddenly refuse to eat milk before the age of one are not actively weaning, but just a period of refusal to breastfeed.

How to take care of your baby during weaning

For babies, especially those over one year old, breast milk is not only a nutritional function, but also a close connection and psychological comfort with the mother. Therefore, when weaning, the baby should be given more care and hugs, so that the baby feels that what is leaving is only the mother's milk, not the mother.

Of course, when it comes to the original feeding time, such as feeding time before going to bed at night, if formula milk or solid food is needed, it is best for the father or other family members to do it instead of the mother, otherwise the baby may cry obviously or even refuse to accept it.

If your baby gets sick during this period, the demand for breast milk may increase. The weaning process may be interrupted or even regressed, but don't be impatient. Wait until your baby recovers before continuing the previous process.

Why is weaning a skill?

The traditional overnight weaning method is to not breastfeed or express milk when the breasts are swollen and painful, and let the milk "hold back" on its own in a short period of time. This weaning method is very painful and cruel to both mothers and babies.

This approach will have the following four hazards:

First, milk accumulates into lumps, causing unbearable pain to the mother;

Second, milk accumulates. The nutrient-rich milk provides a good environment for bacteria, which can easily lead to mastitis or even abscess formation, necessitating surgical treatment.

Third, it may cause the mother's breast to develop more serious breast hyperplasia or other lesions in the future;

Fourthly, the milk will clot and affect the milk production of the second child. This method of weaning is also very cruel to the baby.

For young babies, the sudden disappearance of sweet milk will make them feel insecure, anxious, unwilling to eat, unwilling to interact with others, irritable, crying violently, poor sleep, and even sick and weight loss. Therefore, it is not recommended to wean babies by using the overnight rise and fall method.