As a mom, in most cases, breastfeeding becomes essential because it forges an unbreakable bond between mom and baby.
Apart from that, breastfeeding is convenient and wallet-friendly, as the milk is with mom all the time and is accessible free of charge.
What happens when mom has to stop breastfeeding for various reasons? Here are five hassle-free ways to stop breastfeeding:
- Reduce breastfeeding frequency gradually– According to Healthline, it is helpful to begin by dropping the breastfeeding session that your child seems to be less interested in. “Many people maintain the early morning or bedtime breastfeeding sessions for last. Unless you are going cold turkey, there’s no need to give up those sleepy snuggles right away,” they said.
- Offer distractions – National Childbirth Trust (NCT) suggests that mothers who are trying to stop breastfeeding should develop new associations, rather than feeding the child to sleep; such as introducing a story, song or music to get them ready for bed instead. “Distract them with other activities at the time they’d normally breastfeed, such as going to a park or playing a game. Offer a snack at about the time they’d normally feed, or before or after a short feed,” said NCT.
- Shorten nursing sessions – Baby Centre advises moms to limit how long their child is on the breast. If they usually nurse for 10 minutes, moms should, for example, try five minutes.
- Manage engorgement – As a mom who was breastfeeding, your body will continue producing milk despite the weaning session. Medical News Today suggests that if pumping for a few minutes does not help, moms can apply cabbage leaves to the breast. Chilling the leaves can help with swelling. Or applying warm compresses to the breasts before feeding, or taking a hot bath.
- Have a caregiver distract them during feeding times– To avoid your child expecting you to breastfeed them when you hold them, NCT advises that if there is another adult in the room, rope them in to helping you to distract the baby by holding them for you.
Also see: 5 effective tips to put baby to sleep
