Weaning

Weaning

 

A baby is considered “weaned” when he or she has fully transitioned from breastfeeding to receiving all nutrients elsewhere. All good things must come to an end, but when’s the right time to wean? Turns out, it’s different for everyone. Here’s a FAQ from Baby Center:

“When should I start weaning?

You’re the best judge of when it’s time to wean, and you don’t have to set a deadline until you and your child are ready. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that mothers breastfeed for at least a year – and encourages women to breastfeed even longer if both you and your baby want to.

Despite what friends, relatives, or even strangers may say, there’s no right or wrong way to wean. You can choose a time that feels right to you, or let your child wean naturally when she’s older.

Baby-led weaning: Weaning is easiest when your child begins to lose interest in nursing, and that can happen any time after she starts eating solids (around 4 to 6 months). Some babies are more interested in solid food than breast milk by 12 months, after they’ve tried a variety of foods and can drink from a cup.

Toddlers may become less interested in nursing when they grow more active and aren’t inclined to sit still long enough to nurse. If your child is fussy and impatient while nursing or is easily distracted, she may be giving you signs that she’s ready.

Mother-led weaning: You may decide to start weaning because you’re returning to work. Or maybe it just feels like the right time. If you’re ready but your child isn’t showing signs she wants to stop nursing, you can wean her off the breast gradually.

When it’s the mother’s idea, weaning can take a lot of time and patience. It also depends on your child’s age and how she adjusts to change.

It’s a good idea to avoid the ‘cold turkey’ approach to weaning. For example, a weekend away from your baby or toddler is not a good way to end the breastfeeding relationship. Experts say that abruptly withholding your breast can be traumatic for your baby and could cause plugged ducts or a breast infection for you.

How do I wean?

Go slowly, and expect to see signs of frustration from your baby at first. Ease the transition by using these methods:

Skip a feeding. See what happens if you offer a bottle or cup of milk instead of nursing. You can substitute pumped breast milk, formula, or whole cow’s milk (if your child is at least a year old).

Reducing feedings one at a time over a period of weeks gives your child time to adjust. Your milk supply also diminishes gradually this way, without leaving your breasts engorged or causing mastitis.

Shorten nursing time. Start by limiting how long your child is on the breast. If he usually nurses for ten minutes, try five.

Depending on his age, follow the feeding with a healthy snack, such as unsweetened applesauce or a cup of milk or formula. (Some babies younger than 6 months may not be ready for solids.) Solid food is complementary to breast milk until your baby is a year old.

Bedtime feedings may be harder to shorten because they’re usually the last to go.

Postpone and distract. Try postponing feedings if you’re only nursing a couple of times a day.

This method works well if you have an older child you can reason with. If your child asks to nurse, reassure him that you will soon and distract him with a different activity. If he wants to nurse in the early evening, explain that he has to wait until bedtime.

To ease your baby’s transition to a bottle, try putting a few drops of breast milk on his lips or tongue before slipping the bottle’s nipple into his mouth. You can also try giving him a small amount of breast milk in a bottle a couple of hours after breastfeeding but before he’s so hungry that he’s impatient and frustrated.”

Want more tips? Check out this  Age-by-Age Guide for weaning from breast to bottle by Parents Magazine.  We hope these tips are helpful on your breastfeeding journey!

Breastfeeding in Public

Breastfeeding in Public

Breastfeeding in Public

Breasts are celebrated on magazine covers, in advertisements, and all over beaches. Ironically, however, they’re not always so readily embraced by the public when they’re serving their functional purpose of baby-feeding.

Not quite sure about unbuttoning in public to feed your hungry baby? It can be uncomfortable the first time. You might wonder about the legality of public breastfeeding; as it turns out, federal law protects your right to publicly breastfeed in all 50 states!

This guide from What to Expect will have you ready to breastfeed publicly with confidence in no time at all. It’s full of information you need to know about your right to feed your baby. Here are a few  of their tips for feeding baby in public:

  • “Dress for (nursing) success. Give baby easier access to his or her lunch—and yourself more privacy—with two-piece outfits (no dresses, unless they have a wrap-style front or open from the front). Ideally, opt for shirts that button from the bottom up, lift up or pull to the side easily.
  • Practice. Before you head out, have your baby latch on while you watch in the mirror to see how much exposure you’re getting, or ask your partner or a friend to observe. If you’re not comfortable with the full-frontal view, you can practice turning to the side until you find what angle works best.
  • Try a cover. Put a blanket, shawl or poncho over your shoulders so that it drapes over your baby’s head. To make sure he or she has room for easy feeding and breathing (and doesn’t get overheated), be sure it’s well-ventilated. If you’re eating out together, a large napkin can even provide cover.
  • Wear your baby. A sling makes public breastfeeding extremely discreet (people will just think your baby is snoozing) and incredibly convenient.
  • Scout out nursing spots. Find an out-of-the-way table in a restaurant, a bench under a tree, a quiet corner with a roomy chair in a bookstore or a dressing room in a department store. Turn away from people while your baby is latching on, and turn back once your baby is well-positioned at your breast.
  • Ask for special accommodations. Many public places, including large stores, shopping malls, airports and even amusement parks, now offer special nursing rooms complete with comfy chairs and changing tables.
  • Feed before the frenzy. Don’t let your baby get so hungry that he or starts to fuss and cry. It’s much easier to nurse discreetly if you’re both calm.
  • Know your nursing rights. And feel good about exercising them.
  • Do what comes naturally. If feeding your baby in public feels right, go ahead and do it. If it doesn’t, even after some practice, opt for privacy whenever you can.”

While you’re at it, take a look at this this video from WhatsUpMoms; it’s empowering AND funny.

Challenges of Breastfeeding

Challenges of Breastfeeding

Most moms will tell you breastfeeding is both the most rewarding and the hardest thing they do. Know that you’re not alone, because even with the best intentions, sometimes things don’t go as planned. Never fear! Here’s a great guide from Today’s Parent on 15 of the most common breastfeeding challenges and their solutions. Check out the following excerpt about spitting up:

““The baby spits up after every feeding. Is she eating enough?” Most babies spit up sometimes, and some spit up a lot. If you have overactive letdown, your baby may just be getting too much milk and this is how he gets rid of it. If your baby is a “happy spitter” —that is, he spits up but doesn’t seem distressed and gains weight well, don’t be concerned. Just keep a towel handy. If your baby is spitting up and miserable, is not gaining weight or vomits so forcefully that the milk hits the wall six feet away, consult with your doctor or midwife to rule out medical problems.”

Is your baby fussy when it comes time to feed? Take a look at this excerpt:

The baby is gulping, choking and always seems fussy at the breast.” Some mothers produce more milk than their babies really need and often the milk flows so fast and forcefully that the baby seems to be trying to drink from a firehose. These babies often have frothy green poops as well. A couple of strategies that can work: try switching sides every two or three minutes, to equalize the flow. If this isn’t helping, try what’s called “block feeding:” Pick a block of time —say, four hours —and every time the baby wants to nurse during that time, give him the left breast. The right breast will become quite full, but that’s the idea —the fullness signals the breast to make less milk. Then switch and use the other breast for the next four hours.”

Still struggling? We love this post from Babble that gives plenty of tips and tricks to solve eight of the most frustrating baby-feeding troubles, including what to do if you encounter plugged milk ducts:

“Your milk ducts deliver breast milk from milk-making cells in the breast through the breast tissue and nipple pores to your baby. When they become plugged, the results are hard, tender areas on the breast. The plug can occur deep in the breast or may be close to or right under the areola. If a mom has a milk blister, this will be on the nipple and will look like trapped milk, resembling like a pimple. Clogged nipple pores may prevent efficient emptying of the breast, which can lead to plugged ducts.

If plugged milk ducts are not properly tended to, they can become quite uncomfortable and sometimes lead to mastitis. Infrequent feedings and tight-fitting bras may cause plugged milk ducts. Treatment and care of the plug is very much the same as mastitis. The difference here is that there is no infection present. The goal is to resolve the plug quickly to avoid an infection.”

Babble suggests using these tips to treat plugged milk ducts:

  • Use warm compresses.
  • Massage gently before and during feeds.
  • Use ice packs on your breasts after nursing or pumping to the affected area.
  • Feed frequently to promote emptying!
  • Rest.
  • Talk with a lactation consultant for tips on prevention and healing.
  • Call your doctor if you start running a fever or feeling achy-you may be developing mastitis.
  • Vary feeding positions to promote emptying.