What is the easiest and most effective way to stop breastfeeding?

Question

My baby is now 1 yr and 4 months old, I don't have milk anymore so I would like to stop breastfeeding.

Answer 1

Firstly you never run out of milk..... babys have growth spurts which also makes you produce milk..... you may have noticed at times that baby just kept wanting to drink off you, he was bringing more milk through.... you may not feel like your producing enough milk but you are ...... what we did to wean our kids off the breast was (also to make it easier for you and the fullness of your breasts) slowly reduce the breast feeds i.e if you breastfeed 4 times a day, for a week take it down to 3 feeds and we replaced it with sweet fruits like bananas but made sure that they still had their night feeds so that they would settle at night eventually their feeds got down to one feed a day (before bed) and then I started replacing the breast with a sippy cup of something hot or cold to drink..... that way I was slowly reducing the milk flow and they didnt blow up like balloons and hurt...... and also there wasnt much fighting......
also having a day here and there without them helped too.

Answer 2

i am currently in the process of trying to wean my almost 1 year old only cows milk and here is what i have come up with:

1- dont offer, dont refuse-this way baby wont be as distraught.

2- Distract your baby with toys, food, drink etc.

3-Avoid situations that remind your baby of feeding, ie bathing together, feeding chair etc.

4- get a partner/friend/family member to take the baby when things get a bit much

5- or, just say NO!

this all said, i realise you have written the easiest and most affective way to wean but i really think there is no easy way.
Every situation is different and every baby will react differently to weaning. My baby is going to be very upset when i finally decide no more (which will be very soon) and so will I but i feel like i have done my bit and need my body back a bit.
Good luck and great job for feeding so long!

Answer 3

Oh my goodness, so many bad answers. Go to the website below, and call La Leche League, or a lactation consultant for advice.

The best way to transition is slowly... if you truely have NO milk left, than you're just going to have to offer a sippy cup with cows milk over and over again until the baby is thirsty enough to drink it. If you have a little bit of milk left, try and pump it and put it in a sippy cup... (make sure your milk and the cows milk is warm because that is what the baby is used to.)
There is no sense in going to a bottle now! Go right to a sippy cup.

Answer 4

simple give the child a cup not a bottle of milk

regular whole milk in a sippy cup
theres no need for a bottle at all your baby is too old for a bottle give a cup

when the child goes for your breast them him no no more and hand the cup. if he drinks great if not oh well as long as baby is eating a healthy diet lots of fruits veggies cheese eggs and meat drinking milk isnt that important

Answer 5

I found it easiest to just nurse them less and less frequently. First, I started a routine at bedtime that involved a story and song (we did the same song every night - a version of "Hush, Little Baby" that was about seeing different things in nature. Then, I cut out daytime feedings, then all night time feedings except for bedtime, then bedtime, but we kept the story and song as the routine. It seemed to settle them in very well. I also told them that they were getting big and strong and healthy and they didn't need to nurse like a baby any more. I still find the bedtime routine indispensable, as it also soothes them when we are travelling and they all seem to go to bed easily as long as we do the routine (even at 12!)
Good luck!

Answer 6

According to the Child Health community, its beneficial for your baby if you continue to supplement your baby's diet with breast milk for up to 2 years, and sometimes more in less developed countries. However, since in your case you are no longer producing enough milk, I think its time for you to stop and move your baby over to cow milk and proper food. My sister had a similar problem with weaning her son, and what she did was that she rubbed a little salt (or panado syrup) on her nipples, and because of the bitterness, her son stopped taking the breast after a couple of tries. Try this and maybe it would also work for you, Goodluck!

Answer 7

I nursed my first for more than two years....and she had been eating rice cereal since she was 6 months. She just liked the taste of breast milk.

What to do? I just made myself less available. I pumped just a little milk, and left her at my mom's for the day. With my other children...I just left them with dad for the weekend...and when I came back, everything was okay.


With children as old as mine were, it was only an attachment thing...and it helped since there were eating other foods.

Answer 8

are you sure you don't have milk. If your baby is feeding she is drinking something. They are more efficiant at that age so they are fast. Just because you may not be able to express any also does not mean it is not there. Continue if you want or just tell the baby "all gone".

Answer 9

The most effective way that I can see would be to try and start bottle formula feeding. The baby might not take it at first. Eventually he/she will be hungry enough to take the bottle once he/she figures out what it is for. However you could try substituting the breast for the bottle using this method: Start to breast feed how you normally would except put the bottle in the babies mouth instead of your nipple. hold the baby the same way you normally would and if he/she doesnt immediatly start to suck you might try rubbing the sides of the babies cheek with the back of your index finger to trigger a sucking movement of the cheek. Once the formula starts to feed into his/her mouth you probably wont have any problems after that. However, you should probably be starting on solid foods by this time.

Answer 10

Get the child interested in sippy cups :~)
ONLY give sippy cups, there will be messes; try not to give on carpets when starting. If the child insists on breast feeding,
keep refusing, just give sippy cup and tell the child, Momma has no more, all gone and give sippy cup :~)

Hope this helps :~)