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When Is Too Old For Breastfeeding? There are many views on the topic of breastfeeding in terms of when you should stop it. Ultimately, this is a decision that should be made by you and your child, but there comes a time when every child has to make that break from breastfeeding and start focusing on a more adult based diet. The question is when. There are several things to keep in mind when allowing your child to keep breastfeeding beyond the age of one. In the United States, this is considered normal, but in most other countries, children up to the age of four will breastfeed. Keeping this in mind, you will need to make some plans and adjustments. What To Do Now If your child is not yet ready to stop breastfeeding, there is no reason to stop them from doing so, assuming they are under the age of four. During this time, though, you will want to move away from the constant breastfeeding and use it more as a once in a while treat. It is essential to keep in mind that a child at the age of six months should be starting to eat solid food. Health wise, they need to be consuming solid food in stages starting at six months. After this time, most of their calories should be coming from their food, not from breastfeeding. This also allows them to not need to constantly nurse to sustain themselves. During this time, it can also be appropriate to give your child breast milk. They do not need to breastfeed to get this milk, though. You can place it in their cereal and other foods. They can also drink it in a cup. It is appropriate to do this up through preschool, if you feel it is important to do so. They should not be relying on breast milk for calories though. Eventually, you will need to make the break from breastfeeding totally. It is often important to keep in mind that children can breastfeed too long. Those that do may have a higher reluctance to ever stop. Rather than allowing this, a mother needs to make sure that the child is emotionally stable and completely well fed outside of breastfeeding. Be sure to consult with your paediatrician if you feel that your child is struggling with any aspect of weaning or if you are unsure how to approach the process with your child. Baby Weaning: Incorporate Cuddle Time Baby weaning is the process to enabling a baby to stop breastfeeding and instead to work towards eating either from a bottle, if the child is younger, or drinking from a cup and eating solid foods The time frame for doing this is really up to the mother and the child as natural baby weaning should always be the parent's goal. Yet, when the time comes to start working towards weaning, you may want to consider why the child is resisting. It may be thy are hungry and that means adjusting their meals to incorporate more calories. For many other children the need to breastfeed is not about eating, but instead is about time together with mom. There is a lot of bonding that happens between a mother and her child during the breastfeeding experience. This bond is what enables the child to be comfortable and feel secure as he is young and as he develops. Eventually, there will come a time when the child needs to stop breastfeeding, but a problem can happen where the child is less willing to do so because they are craving and in fact need this intimate time with their parents. The good news is that you can help them through this process successfully. It is necessary to consider baby weaning in terms of emotional strength. Encouraging babies to wean often means still giving them that close bonding time they need. Only mom will do in many situations, but dads should feel like part of the process. For example, since the child needs that close proximity, it may be a good idea to spend some time each day cuddling rather than nursing. For example, perhaps your child nurses each day at 11 am. You have fed them solid foods and are now sitting down to spend some time watching a favourite television show. Cuddle with them at this time. They have a full tummy and just need the feeling of security that usually accompanies breastfeeding. With some cuddle time, though, they can stop the breastfeeding without losing that needed security. As you can see, the process of breastfeeding is one that incorporates a wide range of different things. You will need to meet the child’s physical needs of eating enough calories. But, you also have to take into consideration the child's need for security and comfort. When you can meet both of these needs, everyone involved will be in a better place. Baby Weaning One Meal At A Time There are many ways to encourage baby weaning to happen. There comes a time when you need to make the first move, though. If it is time to consider baby weaning, you may want to do the process one step at a time. More appropriately, you want to do the process one meal at a time. Doing so can help you and your child to do well in terms of managing the process. If you are ready to start weaning, consider the one meal at a time approach to doing so. Pick A Meal The first step is to choose a specific meal to start with. Choose a meal you are not rushed at and one that you are most comfortable with giving up first. There is no specific requirement as to what meal to work with. The goal is just to choose one that works best for you. Once you know which one it will be, stop breastfeeding at this meal. Instead, incorporate a healthy solid food meal for the child. Depending on the age o the child, you may need to work through the steps of giving a baby solid food including choosing cereals first and then vegetables and fruits, and s on. If the child is already eating solid foods, you will just replace one of his or her meals at the breast with solid foods. Next Up Keep at this for at least a week. You do not want to cut the child off from breastfeeding too quickly as this can cause the child to face a number of different feelings, including emotional loss. Instead, each day for the next week, feed the child that same meal in solid foods. Do not sit in the same location you have sat for breastfeeding, too Once this has been successful for a full week, you can make the transition to the next meal. Pick the next normal breastfeeding and skip it by replacing it with a healthy meal for the child. Again, it does not matter which meal it is, so much as it matters how you go through the process. You are simply replacing a second meal at the breast with a meal at the table. Continue to do this, allowing a full week between each change. You will find some resistance long the way, but in most cases, the process will be successful. Take your time and work at a pace appropriate for you and baby. Benefits of Extended Breastfeeding For those mothers who are unsure of whether they should go through the process of baby weaning just yet, consider some of the benefits of extended breastfeeding, or breastfeeding your child past the age of six months. Remember to keep an open mind when it comes to considering when you should wean your baby from breastfeeding. It should be a decision left up to your baby, when he or she is finally comfortable to let go of breastfeeding and instead favours all solid foods. While not all mothers need to use extended breastfeeding, for some, it seems like what the child wants. There is nothing wrong with feeding your child by breast longer than what is considered average. Rather, consider a few of the benefits of the process instead. 1. Breastfeeding gives you baby the benefits of immune system. In other words, they get the immunological advantages that naturally come from drinking human made mil. As a child is just a few months old, this benefit can help them to remain healthy longer and to fight off many of the infections young children get. Toddlers are healthier if they breastfeed longer. 2. Many babies feel that breastfeeding is more than a source of food. It is also the place to go when they need comfort from mom. When they are scared, upset about something or simply hurt, this is one of the best ways to aid the child in improving their feelings. 3. You avoid many of the common complications associated with non human milk, especially allergies. Many children can also reap from the rewards of a lower cancer risk from breast feeding for a longer amount of time. Perhaps the biggest benefit to extended breastfeeding is simply aiding the child is making the decision on his own. There are a lot of misconceptions about the process including that the child will be simply become too attached to his mother if he breastfeeds for too long. This is simply not the case. Rather, the child is likely to be healthier and have a stronger bond with their parents. In addition, they get to help make the decision to stop, and they are emotionally and physically ready to do so. Extended breastfeeding is an option for more parents than realize it. There are few, if any, reasons to stop breastfeeding your child earlier. In fact, you may find that it is much more acceptable to keep at the process a slightly longer amount of time. Back To Top Next Page |
