Being a mother is a gift to a woman. This is the only process which will never be changed by the time (at least till robots take over humans!). A newborn baby is fed by the mother for several months. But, it is important to understand that a baby cannot be solely fed upon a mother’s feed for a longer term. This article is about the tips for one such commonly raised questions by moms which is “How to stop breastfeeding a two years old?”. All the why’s, if’s and when’s are taken care of regarding the subject matter. Read on for more.
Quick Navigation
- Symptoms to look for in a baby before putting efforts on how to stop breastfeeding a two years old
- When to stop breastfeeding and why?
- How to stop breastfeeding a 2 years old
- What should not be done when trying to wean the baby?
- Effects of stopping breastfeeding on baby
Symptoms to look for in a baby before putting efforts on how to stop breastfeeding a two years old
Stopping the toddler from taking the breastfeeding can be a cumber some task for a lot of mothers. Tricking the baby to wean practically needs a well-thought course of action. The fact here is not all babies need the efforts of mothers to wean. You won’t require much of effort investment if the baby shows such symptoms. Thus, before we hop on the solutions of the subject question, let us first explore the major symptoms which indicate that the baby is naturally ready to wean-
- Decrease in the time duration of taking feed.
- More interest for solid food and drinks.
When to stop breastfeeding and why?
Feeding your baby on your own is a wonderful experience for every mom. Research says that breastfeeding of more than 1 year is not required. Relying on mother’s feed for a longer term have side effects for both the baby and feeding mother. Mother’s feed is not sufficient for a healthy growth of the baby and thus solid foods must be provided for consumption by the baby. You may start with semi-solid foods yet as nutritious food as possible for the baby. Baby starts lacking nutrients and may develop symptoms of malnutrition if not taken care of the former.
Now the questions like- what happens to your body when you stop breastfeeding are most likely to strike in your mind. Needless to mention, mother’s body adjusts gradually to the change for naturally preventing the milk production completely in the breasts. There are many unexpected changes a mother experience once the breastfeeding is stopped. Mothers usually experience mood swings, normal menstrual cycle, saggy breasts (which often happens with pregnancy) but these are all normal.
Related: What is the Best Way of Breastfeeding for a Baby?
How to stop breastfeeding a 2 years old
Fortunately, there are multiple ways you can adopt for stopping breastfeeding. The basic idea is to keep yourself away from baby’s sight as long as possible to prevent baby from the breastfeeding. The baby will eventually get habitual by the time. Have a look at the below-
Family support system– Involving baby more with family members will help to diverge the baby’s focus on them. The reason here is involvement with others will help to keep the mother away from baby’s sight for a longer duration.
Don’t deny to baby– Even when the baby wants your feed, go for it. Just try reducing the feed duration with the help of distractions. Introducing her favorite solid food or toy can serve the purpose.
Playtime with other family members or babies– This will involve the baby to spend more time with others. Keeping the baby engaged in activities will prevent reminding him about the feed.
Bedtime stories– Try bedtime stories instead of the bedtime feed. Take help of your partner to read the baby to sleep and even to sleep beside the baby. Thus, even when the baby gets to wake up at midnight, your partner will be able to get her to sleep without involving you.
What should not be done when trying to wean the baby?
Well, as we now know the dos for our quest of How to stop breastfeeding a two years old”, there are certain don’ts as well. Babies adapt the ways, schedule, habits as we teach them. As far as a 2 years old baby is concerned, the habits like feeding on mom’s breasts even at bedtime are being strongly followed by the baby now. If you all of a sudden restrain the baby from taking the feed, it might affect the baby’s emotions negatively. Thus, this makes the below list more important to be followed. Have a look-
- Give baby the time to adjust- Don’t rush to wean the baby. You must give the baby the time to get adjusted to the changes. After all, weaning doesn’t happen overnight.
- DO NOT scold the baby- Scolding the baby will affect the baby negatively or might make the baby even more obstinate.
- Do not use any kind of product on breasts to wean- Using products like red pepper, garlic paste or anything disgusting to prevent the baby from sucking is strictly prohibited.
- Do not scare the baby- Scaring the baby with the superstitions like “sucking the milk will let the devil come”- are not at all welcomed.
Effects of stopping breastfeeding on baby
Now when you have decided to wean your baby. This question strikes- “what happens when you stop breastfeeding”. Expert advice- Don’t worry. Don’t be too emotional. It’s okay to wean a two years old from breastfeeding. Here are certain effects of weaning on baby–
- Baby has more of a solid food. This leads to the consumption of other nutrients and essential nutrition for baby’s growth.
- It is a sigh of relief for working moms. Since the baby is no more dependent on mother feed.
- Baby has the opportunity to explore more of the world with other family members.
Conclusion
A lot of Hope the information answers all your doubts regarding How to stop breastfeeding a two years old. Practically speaking, even the simplest methods would test your patience. It might take few days as well as weeks to wean the baby. From bearing the labor pains, weaning, potty training, schooling, developing food habits- each step demands patience. Have a happy time weaning!
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