Weaning: The right time and methods

Whether you are still fully enjoying breastfeeding or already looking forward to regaining more freedom soon – weaning will eventually come for every breastfeeding mother and her child. If you are contemplating this, you might also be asking yourself about the perfect timing and the right method to gently end the breastfeeding period with your child. In this article, you will learn which circumstances influence weaning and how you can proceed.

When is the right time to wean?

Exclusive breastfeeding until the sixth month, followed by breastfeeding on demand in addition to complementary foods until the second year of life – this is the recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO). By the age of two, most children are already eating enough that additional breast milk or infant formula is no longer necessary. For many mothers and their children, the start of weaning therefore coincides with the beginning of complementary feeding. Other mothers, on the other hand, continue to breastfeed their child beyond the second birthday or wean completely before that. Ultimately, the duration of the breastfeeding relationship is always a personal decision from mother and child, where the individual life circumstances also play a role.

There is no single right time to wean, but there are nonetheless Signs , which you can see that the End of breastfeeding has come for you and your child:

• Your child is showing increasing interest in solid foods or purees.

• He drinks only briefly and less often.

• You have a desire for more freedom and self-determination over your body.

• Breastfeeding regularly causes you pain.

• Health conditions or the use of medication prevent you from continuing to breastfeed.

The following situations, on the other hand, are, contrary to popular belief, no compelling reason to wean :

• Your child is getting teeth.

• You are getting your period again.

• You are pregnant again.

• You are taking medications that are compatible with breastfeeding.

• Your child is easily distracted while breastfeeding – this is completely normal when your child begins to explore their environment more and more between the fifth and sixth month.

• Your body produces less milk – there can be many different reasons for this, and weaning is not always necessarily required. It’s best to consult your midwife or your doctor.

No matter when the right moment for you to wean has come: Whenever possible, you should choose a time when your baby feels comfortable. Teething, starting daycare, or other changes are exciting enough and not necessarily the best conditions for this big change in your little explorer's life.

Weaning by you

Just as there is no perfect time to wean, there is also no standard program that works for every mother and child pair. However, it is advisable to end breastfeeding if possible to let it take its time Many babies and toddlers find it difficult to wean from the breast, and a gentle transition (possibly over several months) makes it easier for them. What else you should pay attention to depends on the timing and circumstances.

Weaning before the fourth month of life

If you decide to end breastfeeding before the fourth month of life, the meals your little explorer has received so far through your breast will be replaced by a bottle, either in the form of infant formula or expressed breast milk. When switching from breast milk to infant formula, it is advisable to first replace the milk feed with a bottle, choosing the one with the least milk in your breast – for most moms, this is in the afternoon or evening. This is gentler on your body, and your breasts can gradually reduce milk production. Your baby will probably initially accept only small amounts of formula from the bottle. Therefore, get it used to this gradually and increase the amount of milk from the bottle step by step. You can read about what to consider when preparing infant formula in our article .

As long as your body is still producing milk, your baby will smell it and probably want to continue breastfeeding whenever you're nearby. This can make feeding times quite challenging. If bottle feeding doesn't work at all, it might help if initially your partner or another caregiver gives your child the bottle. Also, putting your baby to bed or other situations that have previously been associated with breastfeeding can possibly be handled by your partner for the time being.

With the switch to a bottle, many things in your daily routine will surely change, but your child's need for affection remains unchanged. When breastfeeding, it had always been completely automatic. Physical contact with you. Therefore, make sure that these intense cuddling sessions are not neglected, even outside of breastfeeding – but that will surely not be difficult for you. :)

Weaning at five months or older

Once your child is at least five months old at the beginning of weaning, you can gradually replace milk feedings with porridge - as recommended by the . Since your baby has only been introduced to breast milk so far, it may take some time for it to accept the new food and for its body to get used to it. The amount of porridge it actually consumes will still be very small at the beginning, and breast milk will remain its main source of nutrients and energy for several months unless you replace it with infant formula. Therefore, start by feeding your child a few spoonfuls of porridge before breastfeeding. You can then gradually shorten the breastfeeding duration while increasing the amount of porridge. When your child is ready for complementary foods is quite individual. Most children are ready between the fifth and seventh month. You can read about the signs that indicate the right time and how to make the gradual transition to porridge in the article “ “.

For the transition, it can be helpful to your usual Still position to change to a less cozy one, for example from lying to sitting. This way, your child not only notices that something has changed but also learns at the same time that affection and physical contact are not dependent on breastfeeding. You can also calmly communicate to your little explorer that you will gradually be offering the breast less often, explain why this is, and assure them that you will still be there for them just as before. Depending on your child's age, you can even agree together on how to shape the end of breastfeeding. Perhaps it helps you to temporarily fixed times to be agreed upon, where your child can nurse at the breast, for example in the evening before going to sleep.

During gradual weaning as part of introducing solid foods, your body adjusts to the decreased demand and produces over time less milk . The milk glands themselves also gradually regress, but they are still functional for at least a month after weaning and can even still contain milk for months or years afterward. If excess milk in your breast causes you pain in the meantime, you can do something Express or pump out milk . Try to remove only as much milk as necessary until the pressure decreases, in order not to stimulate milk production further.

Night weaning

In the first months of its life, you fed your baby around the clock whenever it was hungry. From the 9th to the 12th month, this is no longer necessary; your little explorer's digestion has developed enough that it no longer needs additional nourishment at night. Many toddlers still drink the most at night, before going to sleep or after waking up at the breast, even when they are already eating solid foods during the day. The reason for this is usually not hunger, but the Need for security Your child's: The familiar and cherished breastfeeding ritual calms, provides security, and helps them fall asleep. We have gathered some tips and tricks to gently approach the end of nighttime breastfeeding for you and your child:

• Quiet your child at night first, but without them falling asleep. Instead, cuddle with them and soothe them through physical contact.

• Calm your child in the next step at night with words or by picking them up, but not through breastfeeding. Even if it's difficult, stay firm: after two to three nights, they may have already gotten used to the new routine. If they cannot be soothed without breastfeeding, your partner can also take over the nightly comforting, as this has so far been associated with you as a person and breastfeeding for your child.

• If both of you are emotionally ready, you can try to have your child sleep in their own bed or own room. Sometimes it helps if your child doesn't smell the milk or if it's not constantly available.

• Many children also want to (often before falling asleep) from a non-nutritive The sucking need continues to be satisfied because it calms them to suck on the breast. If your child shows a strong sucking need in the evening, you might consider giving them a pacifier to fall asleep. However, this should be used sparingly so that your little one does not suck on it all day, but limits its use to falling asleep. Your pediatrician can also answer any questions you have about handling the pacifier at any time.

In the video, LILLYDOO sleep coach Julia explains how to gently wean your little explorer from sleep feeding.

However, keep in mind that the end of breastfeeding does not necessarily mean that your child will sleep through the night from now on. It is quite possible that your little explorer will still wake up at night and may need your help to fall back asleep.

Weaning by your child

The end of breastfeeding does not necessarily have to come from you. It may also be that your child naturally shows less and less interest in the breast, gradually drinking for shorter and shorter periods and less frequently, and thus weans itself . For some children, it happens as early as around twelve months, while for others, this natural weaning process begins later. Most children wean themselves between the second and fourth year of life. You will probably notice when your child's interest in your breast gradually diminishes. If your child is also eating with full appetite, they probably just slowly want something other than breast milk – a completely natural developmental step and no reason to worry. Then you can stop actively offering the breast and instead only breastfeed when they ask for it.

However, in newborns and younger infants, there may be other reasons behind it when they suddenly no longer want to drink. For example, it could be that you get your period for the first time after birth, and the milk tastes different because of it. A new scent or a new body lotion can also initially cause confusion for your baby and lead to more cautious drinking at first. Additionally, health reasons such as a blocked nose, a , oral thrush, or stress can be the cause of reduced intake for a period of time. In such cases, it can help to temporarily feed your child with expressed milk from a bottle. If that doesn’t work or if you feel that your infant is regularly taking in too little milk, you can consult your pediatrician or a breastfeeding counselor.

No matter when weaning begins with you and whether it originates from you, your child, or both of you: it is a Process , which does not always have to proceed in a straight line. On average, weaning takes three months, but ultimately the duration is very individual and varies from mother-baby pair to mother-baby pair. External circumstances also have an influence: for example, if your child temporarily has a greater need to breastfeed during illness, teething, or the stranger anxiety phase, this is nothing unusual.

Weaning due to external circumstances

Gentle, gradual weaning is recommended, but it is not always possible: illness, medication, or other circumstances may require stopping breastfeeding within a few days or even abruptly. Even if you are able to provide your child with formula in such a situation, the sudden end of breastfeeding can sometimes pose particular challenges: breastfeeding is not only about nutrition but also about physical closeness and affection. Give your child and yourself plenty of love and support, especially in the case of an abrupt cessation. Attention and intensive Cuddle sessions .

In addition to changing your routine, abrupt weaning can also physical complaints to bring with it. Since your body does not stop milk production overnight, it can lead to breast infections and milk stasis. As a result of milk stasis, a so-called milk fever with flu-like symptoms such as fever and chills can also occur. But no need to worry: the milk fever is harmless and usually resolves within three to four days.

Tips for weaning

• Drink sage or peppermint tea Both are traditionally recommended to inhibit milk production.

• Cool your chest with compresses or quark wraps. This inhibits blood circulation and acts preventively against breast inflammations.

• Massage your chest every now and then, to prevent a milk duct blockage. If the pressure becomes too high, gently massage or pump out some milk – but only enough to relieve the uncomfortable tension, as otherwise milk production will be stimulated.

For all questions about breastfeeding and weaning, you can contact your midwife or a breastfeeding counselor at any time. The consultation with a midwife is usually covered by your health insurance, but you have to pay for the breastfeeding counseling privately.

Whether you decide early on not to breastfeed anymore or allow your child to nurse at your breast for as long as they want – the most important tip for weaning is: trust your gut feeling and don't feel obligated to anything. Only you and your child decide when and how your breastfeeding relationship ends. Whatever approach you choose, we wish you all the best on your personal journey!