The Bittersweet End Of An Era: Stopping Breast Feeding

Once a woman has made the decision of whether they will be breast feeding or bottle feeding with formula, it is simply a matter of doing it. For those women who choose to breast feed, there’s not any kind of feeling quite like it in the world. The closeness of the baby and the primal satisfaction of nourishing another human being are like nothing else in the world. Both starting and stopping breast feeding can have their ups and downs.

The Complications Of Weaning

When you begin breastfeeding after your baby’s birth, it can be a painful experience at first until your body becomes accustomed to the process. Once you and your baby settle into a routine however, things usually go along quite well. Then comes that day when you consider when would be the best time to think about stopping breast feeding.

Stopping breast feeding can happen for several reasons. One of the most common reasons is the return to work by the mother. Pumping breast milk is always an option, but it can often have its own complications and be a lot different than breast feeding. If you are returning to work and have decided that stopping breast feeding is the best choice for you, it will probably be better if you gradually wean your baby. Feeding them a little less each day from your own milk and offering a little more formula each day can soon have the baby switched over to a bottle completely.

Many babies do not ever need to be weaned by their mother; they will gradually do it all by themselves. Once a baby reaches a certain age, stopping breast feeding will be their own idea. They will want to feed a little less each day and will start eating more solid foods. A baby stopping breast feeding on its own can definitely vary by each baby’s preferences and readiness, so there is not really a definite time when a baby will wean itself.

Stopping breast feeding can be an emotional decision, whether you choose to stop or your baby makes the decision for you. Before you know it, your baby will be eating solid foods and becoming a little person in their own right. stopping breast feeding is a very personal decision, and if you need or want advice ask for it, but don't let anyone else make that important decision for you and your baby.