
When to Stop Breastfeeding + Post-Pregnancy Tips

How Long Should You Breastfeed Your Baby
It is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) that babies should be fed entirely on breast milk for the first six months of life and continue to intake their motherβs milk in conjunction with complementary foods until at least the age of two years old.Β ThisΒ would, of course, depend on the motherβs and babyβs preferences, if theyΒ decide toΒ pursue breastfeedingΒ at all.Β
Breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months of your babyβs life not only provides theΒ nutrition thatΒ your baby needs,Β itΒ also provides health benefits for your baby.Β Babies at 11 to 16 monthsΒ canΒ stillΒ obtainΒ half of their daily calorie intakeΒ from breastmilk.Β Like many phases of motherhood,Β absoluteΒ breastfeeding milestones or cutoffΒ datesΒ donβtΒ really exist.Β SomeΒ mothers continue to breastfeedΒ intoΒ late toddler years,Β whileΒ other mothersΒ stopΒ breastfeedingΒ afterΒ several weeks,Β for many different reasons.Β Whatever decision you or your baby makes, know that youβre a great momΒ regardless. Your breastfeeding journey does not define you as a mother.
WhenΒ Should You Stop Breastfeeding?
The decision to stop breastfeeding your baby should be made byΒ you,Β thoughΒ in some cases,Β yourΒ babyΒ may βdecideβ.Β So often mothers think thatΒ theyΒ need to stop breastfeeding at a certainΒ point alongΒ their journey,Β when you reallyΒ donβtΒ have to stopΒ until you feel itβs best. Breastfeeding provides your baby the nutrition they need,Β but it also provides an intimacy andΒ aΒ bond for both parties involved.Β
I always looked at breastfeeding as a special bonding time with my children, especiallyΒ beingΒ a mother who worked full-time during the day. Breastfeeding was one of the things I looked forwardΒ toΒ doing when I got home from workΒ each night. It was a special moment I will never take for granted.Β Of course, like mostΒ otherΒ beautiful phases in a motherβs life, there comes a time that the breastfeeding journey comesΒ to an end.Β BelowΒ are some reasons youΒ may findΒ itβsΒ time to transition away from breastfeeding entirely.
ReasonsΒ toΒ Stop BreastfeedingΒ
- Breastfeeding your baby is startingΒ to hurtΒ or never stopped hurting.
- Youβre not producing enough milk no matter how hard you try.
- You are too tired to continue breastfeeding.
- Trying to pump at work isΒ extremely challengingΒ orΒ becoming overwhelming.
- You have made the 6- month mark and you are ready to stop.
- You have made theΒ 6-monthΒ mark and your baby is more interested in solid foods than milk.
- Your babyΒ wouldΒ rather take a bottle than the breast.
- Your baby does not seem interested in breastfeeding.
- It causes you and your baby more stress than anything that a bottle of formulaΒ seemsΒ more appealing.
- YouΒ becomeΒ pregnantΒ againΒ while breastfeeding and the thought of breastfeeding two toddlers isΒ too much to take on.
- Youβre takingΒ medication that prevents you from breastfeeding.
- ItβsΒ affecting yourΒ mental health.
- Your baby is having allergic reactions to your breast milk.
- You are going back to work and pumpingΒ wonβtΒ be aΒ possibility.
- YouΒ need moreΒ sleep andΒ toΒ focus on yourΒ self-careΒ and overall mood.
- Your baby has becomeΒ soΒ distracted with the outside world that breastfeedingΒ only bringsΒ frustration.
- Your baby is not gainingΒ adequateΒ weightΒ asΒ expectedΒ withΒ justΒ your breastmilk.Β
HowΒ toΒ Stop Breastfeeding
Weaning your baby is a processΒ where you prepare to stop feeding your baby breastmilk by starting to introduce more complementary foods alongside your breastmilk. This process typically begins when your baby is around six months old.Β WeaningΒ continues until your breast milk is ultimately replaced by other foods and drinks.Β The point of the weaning process is toΒ progressΒ gradually.Β An abrupt stop to breastfeedingΒ mayΒ have suddenΒ negativeΒ consequences both physically and emotionally for you and your baby.Β Although sometimes, it may appear that your baby suddenly refuses the breast altogether.Β Always check withΒ yourΒ babyβs pediatricianΒ if you have any concerns.
Steps to Stop Breastfeeding
- Baby-ledΒ weaningΒ is the processΒ when your babyΒ slowlyΒ reducesΒ the frequency andΒ length ofΒ breastfeedingΒ sessions. This is the most natural approach and your body most likelyΒ wonβtΒ experienceΒ intenseΒ physicalΒ side effectsΒ asΒ withΒ mom-led weaning.Β WithΒ baby-ledΒ weaning,Β the feeds will become much shorter and less frequent. I find thisΒ tendsΒ toΒ make the least impact on your body.
- Distracting your child and finding other ways to bond can help with weaning your baby as well. Many moms distract their children during the weaning processΒ by providing them with water and a snack.Β My kids loved their bibs and new water bottles, so getting themΒ some new baby gear to help with the process might be helpful.Β Connecting with your baby in different ways to establish bonding connections outside of breastfeeding could include cuddling,Β singing, carrying themΒ with youΒ or finding them aΒ special baby toy to play with.
- If at any time the weaning process becomes difficult,Β itβsΒ always encouraged to seek advice from your physician. In addition, I utilized my lactation support group and specialist for advice on breastfeeding and weaning.Β There are many breastfeedingΒ supportΒ groups around the country.Β Researching online to find the right one can really help you connect and make this weaning processΒ less daunting.Β ItβsΒ easierΒ to go through itΒ with support from other mothers that are in the same phase.
When & How to Introduce Solid Foods
Itβs recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics that you should introduce foods other than breast milk or formula products when your baby isΒ aroundΒ 6 months old.Β You should look for the following signs that indicate that your baby might be ready:
- Your babyΒ is able toΒ sit upright and hold her own headΒ up.
- Your baby is interested in everything around them includingΒ showing interest in food while youβre eating.
- Your baby lost theΒ βtongue thrustβΒ reflex.Β (This reflex is where the tongue automatically pushes food out of theΒ mouth.)
- Your baby seems unsatisfied after receiving her full amount of milk for the day (8-10 breastfeeding sessions orΒ anΒ estimated 32 ounces of formula).
Tips on Introducing Solid Foods
- Continue to give your baby the breast orΒ baby bottleΒ in the morning, before and after their meals and right before bedtime.
- SetΒ upΒ anΒ eating schedule.
- IntroduceΒ more solids as your baby grows. At 9 months your baby should only be intaking 20-28 ounces of milk every 3-4 hours. At 9-12 months, she should be intaking 16-24 ounces every 3-4 hours.
- At 4-6 months, feed your baby two meals a day providing her with 2-4 teaspoons of food. At around 7-12 months, feed your baby three meals a day, each mealΒ beingΒ no bigger than your babyβs fist.
- Introduce new solid foods every couple of days. Write down any signs of rashes or discomfort after trying a new food.
- Persistence in trying new foodsΒ and alsoΒ recognizing that maybe your baby isnβt readyΒ are key to this new journey in motherhood. Try again in a few daysΒ if your babyΒ losesΒ interest. She mightΒ not be readyΒ βΒ andΒ thatβsΒ okay.
Β Now that your baby is onΒ their journey ofΒ eatingΒ solid foods,Β check out these baby feeding products. One thing I did to engage my babies into eating solid foods was purchasing bibs, plates, bowls, utensils and sippy cups to get them excited andΒ to alsoΒ associate thatΒ when mom took out the baby products it signaled eating time.Β
Encouragement on Ending Your Breastfeeding Journey
Whether you breastfed your child for a few weeks, 6 months or 5 years you are an amazing mama. Breastfeeding memories can never be replaced.Β IβmΒ glad my body was able to not only bring two lives into this world, but also provideΒ nutrition for them.Β Itβs something that I will always be grateful for. Whatever route you decide to takeΒ withΒ breastfeeding, let it be yourΒ and your babyβs decision and no one elseβsΒ input (orΒ criticism)Β impacting that decision. If you want to breastfeed your child until theyβre 5 years old,Β then do so with no regrets.Β Only those who haveΒ breastfedΒ a baby willΒ ever know theΒ profoundΒ connection that is built during that journey of motherhood.
Congratulations for making it this far.Β YouΒ got this.Β Β