Weaning A Toddler

Weaning a toddler can happen for different reasons - you may want to wean for yourself whilst your toddler wants to continue toddler breastfeeding, or your toddler might wean by himself.

For you as a mother you may feel that you are beginning to feel increasingly drained and want to find other ways to meet your child's need for closeness other than breastfeeding.

You may find yourself too tired to cope with toddler breastfeeding as well as the demands of being a mother, partner, home provider, working, and the numerous every day jobs that we all do. Perhaps you are noticing that you are losing your temper and generally feeling unhappy more than usual.

Weaning a toddler may be the best solution even when your toddler is adamant that they want to continue. You need to remember that you can continue providing love and affection throughout the weaning process and beyond. You will be developing the relationship that you have already built.

Weaning a toddler during pregnancy is quite common. During pregnancy you may be unwell, tired, have back ache and tender breasts. At the beginning of your pregnancy the composition of your milk changes and it will taste more salty and by mid-pregnancy the milk supply has gone down and therefore your toddler may wean himself. However, the most common reason for weaning a toddler during pregnancy is painful nipples.

Weaning is easiest when it's a gradual process. Weaning abruptly can cause problems for you as you are more likely to become engorged and then get mastitis. Signs of mastitis are red patches on your breasts, very tender breasts and you will get a fever - see a doctor or breastfeeding counsellor as soon as possible. Try and drain your breasts as best as you can but you may need antibiotics to clear the infection.

Ideas to wean your toddler

• Switch from breastfeeding on demand to a predictable pattern
• Decrease the amount of time that your toddler breastfeeds at each toddler breastfeeding session
• Partial weaning: drop the number of toddler breastfeeding sessions per day
• Wean your toddler off at particular feeds i.e. last feed at night or feeding during the night
• Wean at a slow pace - know that you are making progress in the right direction even if it's slow
• see night weaning

Be flexible - if it is not working try something else!

Weaning a toddler requires you to really take time with your toddler to spend quality time together. You need to designate time where you and your toddler can have special time together. You need to show him that you have a special bond together whether you are breastfeeding or not.

Sometimes your toddler is very happy to wean and it's the mother than feels left behind! Don't worry - you have a special bond and if your toddler is happy to stop feeding then he's contented!

Take time with your toddler to read on your lap, have cuddles, watch some telly together, be close and have fun together. As well as quiet activities be outwardly active too. Take him out and do special activities: go swimming, go the park, take a ball and play together. Your toddler is naturally more adventurous now and he will enjoy moving using his skills to explore what he can do. Have fun!

Weaning is inevitable and is a step to growing up. Weaning a toddler is the sign that your breastfeeding relationship, which is a very special relationship, has come to an end. But take heart that your relationship with your toddler remains special and close and this can be experienced in continued and new ways.