Weaning
Welcome to Breastfeeding Experiences!
As breastfeeding mothers, we all know that breastmilk is the best source of nutrients for the first six months of a baby's life. How about after that? As your baby's digestive matures, introducing solid food into their diet becomes essential.
Do you have any stories on weaning that you would like to share with other mothers? Please use this form to do so.
Weaning
Name: Sybil
Title: Starting to Wean
Story: I exclusively breastfed my son until five months, wanted to go to six but was under extreme pressure from everyone to start him on solids. He was feeding almost constantly, hardly sleeping and seemed pretty miserable, so I did. He was pretty big for his age, so maybe that made it harder, I don't know.
At seven months, we are still breastfeeding loads though, even with the added solids and a little finger food every evening. I overheard another mum telling the health visitor how often her daughter fed and it was the same as my son, even though he was twice her age and eating solids too. This worried me a bit until I asked the health visitor myself. She said that although my son was eating a lot, there was no danger he would get fat from my breastmilk, and that he obviously enjoyed it.
I haven't worried since then. If my son is happy, then I am. I'm not going to compare him to other babies any more, and I'll do what he wants and not worry about guidelines.
Name: Kelli
Title: Pregnant and Weaning
Story: My first daughter was weaned at 13.5 months. Looking back I wish I would've hung in longer but I was pregnant and in my second trimester with our second daughter and I was becoming very sick and tired so we weaned her.
This time we are delaying a second pregnancy until closer to her weaning age. I am hoping we can go to 16-18 months but time will tell! She is 11 months now and still going strong.
Name: Crystal Gold
Title: Extended Breastfeeding and Weaning
Story: Wow, how life brings you just what you need ... I just found this site today ... and I am sitting here in tears because this is the first night that my 29 month old son went to bed without asking to nurse.
We have been nursing on demand and have had a wonderful nursing relationship. We had a lot of problems in the beginning, but ended up with a really rewarding experience. Recently, I have felt ready to move on and wean, but it is still bittersweet. It is heart breaking to not have him at the breast and snuggling with me at night.
He is such an amazing and independent little boy. As much as I think I am ready to wean him, during moments like this I feel like I am not even close. What I am starting to realize is that it is not about me at all. This is a gift I have chosen to give my son, the gift of me. It is about him and what he needs and my role is to meet those needs in as loving a way as I can.
So, these are tears of sadness, for losing my baby, but tears of joy for finding the young man he is becoming.
Name: Mel
Title: When I Weaned My Son
Story: I listened to too many people and I think I weaned my son before he was really ready. To be honest I was a bit fed up with breastfeeding anyway, as my son was big for his age and seemed constantly hungry. I didn't think there was any way we could make it to six months, which in hindsight, I regret. At the time I think I wasn't confident enough to tell people giving me "advice" where to get off. I wish I'd had the courage to carry on as weaning him was a real struggle. I wish I'd done some more reading and research as it was one of the hardest things I'd done since becoming a mum. By the time I'd had my daughter a couple of years later, I was much more relaxed and felt more able to resist well-meaning people. We baby-led weaned at eight months and she was much more contented and happy. Always the way with a second baby!