How to Stop Breastfeeding

Everyone tells you how to start and keep going, but no one tells you how to stop. Try a Mom-Tested, Baby-Approved almost completely painfree way to ease both of you into a new routine.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Patience
• Sippy Cup or Bottle
• Lovey (a blanket or stuffed animal)

1. First things first; clarify exactly why you must stop feeding. Hold steadfast to this reason because there are trying times in your future. The pro-lactation party leads you to believe that you can continue breastfeeding indefinitely. In the real world, this is not the case. All good thing must come to an end. You will feel guilty. You may be tempted to fold. Having a decisive reason to your cessation will alleviate these feeling. Once you have your reason, set your goal. Give yourself no more than a month for you and your baby to transition.

2. Begin by cutting one feeding a day. A less urgent one, like after the afternoon nap is easiest. Before your child is terribly hungry, offer the bottle or cup in a position you do not nurse in. Expect an adjustment period, with the child getting accustomed to the idea that this is not a toy. Offering the alternative fifteen minutes or so before a regular mealtime will give some leeway. When you do feed, ritualize it. Exact time, exact spot, exact positions will cement the idea of 'breast time' for the baby. Try to deviate as little as possible. If you're at the mall at lunchtime, offer the breast at the exact time you would at home. If baby sleeps late, go to the feeding spot as soon as child awakens. As the child gets used to this, up the ante to include lunch with the cup, then morning snack, until you get to the nighttime breastfeed, which should be the last to go.

3. Realize that after a certain age, much of breastfeeding is comfort. Instead of the breast, offer a lovey, such as a stuffed animal or blanket. Lovey should be well seasoned and smell like you. In a bind, let baby have with your t-shirt or camisole. Rocking, cuddling, and lots of extra Mommy time can do a world of good. You may find that the same attention accompanied with a bottle negates the need for breastfeeding for that sitting without even trying.

4. Make less milk. Implementing milk reducing agents. Sage, Peppermint Oil, Spearmint, Parsley, Chickweed, Black Walnut, stinging nettles, Yarrow, Herb Robert, Lemon Balm, Oregano, Periwinkle Herb, Sorrel, and Vitamin B6 are all shown to reduce your milk supply. If you are still getting engorged, express just enough to relieve yourself.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure to offer the bottle or cup in a position not conducive to breastfeeding, like baby's back to your chest with you both looking at a book. That way, there is no confusion.
• Multi-task your problems: Lining your bra with cool cabbage leaves can calm soreness while reducing your milk supply. Mommies love a multi-tasker. Ending breastfeeding will be the first time many women start ovulating since giving birth. An oral contraceptive keeps this going while drying your milk. Peppermint and sage steeped together make a nice relaxing tea. You'll need it. Now is a great time to get back to your pre-pregnancy self. Doctors don't suggest reduced calorie diets while breastfeeding, so now your ready. Exercise also makes milk taste sour, and added incentive for baby to try the cup.
• Do not waffle. A single breastfeed in the middle of the night can rain down havoc on your schedule.

Resources

• Other Information on Stopping
• More on Stopping

[Lucite]

on 11/12/2008 Great article. Now I know when to stop. Thanks a lot miss lady.