At some point, either you or your child will be ready to stop breastfeeding. Weaning from breastfeeding is the process of switching a baby’s diet from breast milk to other foods and drinks. Read on to learn more about when and how to wean.

When to Wean

When to wean is a personal decision and will be different for everyone. Each child may be ready to wean, or stop breastfeeding, at different ages. Some children will gradually start to show more interest in eating solid foods and less interest in breastfeeding. Others may want to stop breastfeeding more suddenly. You may be ready to wean at different times too. This is a personal decision.

If you and your child have decided it is time to wean and your child is younger than 12 months old…

• Give your child infant formula in place of breast milk.

If you and your child have decided it is time to wean and your child is 12 months or older…

• Give your child plain whole cow’s milk or fortified unsweetened soy beverage in place of breast milk. He or she does not need infant formula or toddler milks, drinks, or formula.

How to Wean

To make the process easier for you and your child, wean over several weeks or more. As you slowly stop breastfeeding, your body will start producing less breast milk and eventually your body will no longer make breast milk.

Weaning gradually can help your child…

• Get used to the new taste of infant formula (for your child younger than 12 months old) or plain whole cow’s milk or fortified unsweetened soy beverage (for your child 12 months or older).
• Adjust to drinking from a bottle or cup.

Start weaning by replacing one breast milk feeding a day with a bottle of infant formula (for your child younger than 12 months old) or with a cup of plain whole cow’s milk or fortified unsweetened soy beverage (for your child 12 months or older). Continue to replace more breast milk feedings over time.

Knowing when and how to wean baby can be confusing. Learn how you can make the process a positive one.

For many parents, knowing when and how to wean their baby can be confusing. While breastfeeding is recommended for baby's first year, there is no set time to stop breastfeeding. You should breastfeed as long as it's working for you and your baby.

WHAT IS WEANING?

Weaning from the breast begins when you start to replace breast milk with formula, other beverages or other foods. These are often called solid foods or complementary foods.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends:

• Give your baby only breast milk for the first 6 months of their life.
• About 6 months, continue breastfeeding, but begin adding complementary foods to your baby's diet as they are ready in their development.
• After 12 months, you can continue breastfeeding as long as you and your baby are comfortable.

Your baby's doctor can help you decide if your baby is ready for complementary foods.

WHEN SHOULD YOU WEAN YOUR BABY?

Baby-led Weaning
It's easiest to wean when your baby starts the process. For most babies, this happens when they are getting more of their nutrition from complementary foods.

Babies who are ready to wean usually do so gradually. This is different from a nursing strike, when your baby may suddenly refuse the breast. When your baby is ready to wean, baby may start to skip feedings or nurse for only a few minutes at a time. Over several weeks, baby will drop one breastfeeding session at a time. Eventually, baby will only nurse once a day or less.

Weaning may pause or slow down if:

• Your baby is sick or teething. Then, baby may need the extra comfort and antibodies from breastfeeding.
• A major change has occurred at home. Try not to start weaning during a time of major change, like when you first return to work or school.
• Your baby is struggling to wean. If your baby is resisting, they might not be ready. Try again in another month or two.

Mom-led Weaning
Waiting until your baby starts weaning on their own is best. But some parents may decide to actively wean before their baby shows signs of wanting to wean.

If you are considering weaning your baby, speak with WIC breastfeeding staff. They can help you consider if you should wean or help you get through a tough time in your breastfeeding journey. If you decide to start weaning, it is important to go slowly and focus on your and your baby's needs.

WHAT DOES MY BABY NEED IN A DIET TO REPLACE BREAST MILK?

If you wean your baby from breast milk before baby is 12 months old, then you will need to supplement their diet with infant formula. Keep in mind that babies should not drink cow's milk, fruit juice, tea, sweet or caffeine beverages before their first birthday.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO WEAN YOUR BABY?

Weaning is most comfortable for mom and baby when it is done slowly—over several weeks or months. These things can affect how long weaning takes:

• Your baby's age.
• Typical number of times you breastfeed each day.
• If your baby is ready to wean.

HOW CAN I AVOID ENGORGEMENT WHILE WEANING?

Weaning slowly will help you avoid breast engorgement.

HOW CAN I WEAN MY BABY TO A CUP?

One step in the weaning process is teaching your baby to use a cup. Your baby must learn this new skill. To make weaning easier, use a cup at the feeding baby is least interested in. Or try it at meals when other family members are drinking from cups.

To help your baby learn to drink from a cup:

• Hold the cup for your baby.
• Put small amounts of breast milk or infant formula in a cup.
• Feed your baby slowly so that baby can swallow without choking.

OTHER TIPS

When you and your baby are ready to wean:

• Try a "don't offer, don't refuse" approach for one nursing session at a time. This means, at the usual feeding time, don't automatically offer your breast. But if your child asks to nurse, don't refuse. Typically, the last breastfeeding sessions babies drop are the ones before they fall asleep or after they wake up.
• Serve solid foods at the table in a high chair. This assists with weaning and helps your baby start a new routine.
• When you would normally breastfeed, distract your baby with an activity. Reading a book with your baby is a special way to bond in place of breastfeeding.
• Give your baby lots of extra love and attention. Weaning can be emotional for both of you.

When it is time to wean, it’s better to do it gradually rather than all of a sudden. And while there is no right or wrong age to wean, it’s best to continue breastfeeding until your baby is at least six months old. Prolonged breastfeeding, whenever possible, is good for your baby.

When you and your baby are ready to wean, there are few things to remember that will make the experience a more positive one for both of you:

• If you can, it’s easiest for you and your baby if weaning is gradual – over several weeks, months or even longer. A sudden, abrupt wean should only be considered in extreme circumstances and is hard on both of you.

• The transition to weaning may be easier if you first introduce your baby to a cup instead of a bottle. Breastfed babies easily learn to drink from a cup as early as six months of age (try expressed breast milk).

• Start off by substituting one feed, the least ‘favourite’ one of the day. Someone else may need to offer this feed for your baby to accept it.

• When you’re ready to wean even more, substitute the next least favoured feed at the opposite time of the day. Continue this way, substituting one feed at a time. The pace of weaning is up to you and your baby, but in general, the slower the better. Wait at least a few days in between each new feed before substituting another one.

• You may want to try a ‘partial’ wean instead. This means you substitute one or more feedings with a cup or bottle and breastfeed at other times. This can work well if you are going back to work but still want to breastfeed. When you do this, make sure you check your baby’s weight gain regularly.

• If your breasts are uncomfortable while you are weaning, try expressing enough milk so that you are comfortable. Over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen can also help. Cold compresses or gel packs applied to your breasts can also be of some comfort.

• You shouldn’t bind your breasts or drink less fluids while you’re weaning. Check your breasts regularly to make sure you aren’t developing a blocked duct, which will feel like a firm tender area of the breast. If you do, see your doctor or lactation consultant. These problems are more likely to occur during an abrupt wean.

• Watch the cues you give to your baby. If you sit in the same chair you usually use when you’re nursing, he’ll likely want to breastfeed. He probably won’t be satisfied with a cup or a cuddle.

• Some mothers choose what is called ‘infant-led weaning’. This means watching your baby’s cues and weaning at his pace (that is, never refusing the breast but also not offering the breast when he is not interested). With infant-led weaning, breastfeeding may continue for two to four years. This type of weaning is practiced by many non-western cultures.

Sometimes your baby goes on a ‘nursing strike’ and suddenly refuses to breastfeed. This doesn’t mean your baby is ready to wean. It can be caused by many different factors, such as teething, an ear infection or other illness, the onset of your period, or a change in your diet, soap, or even deodorant.

Try making feeding time quiet and spend more time cuddling your child. Don’t ‘starve’ him, but instead, try offering the breast when he is sleepy. If you can’t figure out the reason for the strike, see your doctor. Remember that a nursing strike does not mean your baby is rejecting you.

If this happens, be sure to pump your milk so you don’t develop a blocked duct.

If possible, avoid an abrupt wean, which can be uncomfortable for you and upsetting for your baby.

Sometimes you may have no choice, such as if you are very sick, if you and your baby have to be separated for a long time, or if you have to take certain drugs, like chemotherapy. If that’s the case, try some of the previously mentioned suggestions. If your breasts get uncomfortable, express your milk to avoid blocked ducts, mastitis or a breast abscess.

Babies who are sick should not be abruptly weaned.

Appropriate substitute feedings depend on how old your baby is when you start to wean:

• Under 12 months: iron-fortified infant formula.

• 12 to 18 months: follow-up formula or whole milk (3.25%).

• 18 to 24 months: whole milk.

• Two years and over: whole or 2% milk.

After 12 months of age, your baby should not take more than 24 ounces of milk products per day. Otherwise, she’ll fill up and won’t want to eat solid foods. Also, she may develop iron deficiency anemia.

If your baby has a milk allergy, talk to your doctor about appropriate substitute feedings.

Between four and six months, you’ll start to introduce solid foods into your baby’s diet. When this happens, your baby will begin to take less breast milk.

Introduce solid foods one at a time and in small amounts at the beginning. Some babies get very constipated if they are given too much solid food early on.

You can also offer your baby small amounts of water once or twice a day, usually after six months of age. You can give 100% fruit juice, usually diluted with water, but it has no real advantage over water and should not exceed a few ounces per day (two to four ounces). Too much juice can lead to dental cavities, obesity or even poor weight gain and diarrhea.

Your weaning experience is ultimately up to you and your baby. Try to follow his cues whenever possible. If you’re feeling ‘blue’ or if the baby is not taking what you consider to be enough other foods or liquids, you should see your doctor.