Quitting Breastfeeding, How?

Other women say with envy about mothers who successfully breastfeed their children for a long time: “Lucky girl!” But if the baby is one and a half to two years old, and he doesn’t even think about giving up his mother’s milk? Psychologists, doctors and, of course, mothers who have somehow coped with this difficult task told Seven Nannies magazine about their views on the problem of weaning a child.

Milk is always good

Sometimes there are women who firmly know until what age they intend to breastfeed their baby or who have finally decided to stop breastfeeding. But much more often, a young mother is tormented by doubts: a friend convinces that good lactation and feeding is very convenient, the mother-in-law cites the example of her artificial children, the neighbor insists that breastfeeding such a large child is already indecent, and the pediatrician scares her with a delay in the baby’s development. From parenting magazines, a woman learns that almost any method of weaning initiated by the mother is harmful to the child. Such statements are usually made by lactation consultants and other active supporters of this idea. Their views are based on serious scientific research. Proponents of natural feeding believe that social prejudices and cultural attitudes about breastfeeding are harmful, and cite facts from the lives of animals as examples.

Tatyana Larionova, certified breastfeeding consultant: The entire time a woman produces milk is divided into three important phases: the colostrum period, mature lactation and the so-called involution (gradual decline) of lactation. Normally, the last period begins between 1 year 8 months and three and a half years. The milk that is produced at this stage is very similar in composition to colostrum: it contains many leukocytes and immunoglobulins, which still bring great benefits to the baby’s growing body. A child who has been fed involutive milk for at least a month is protected from infectious and colds for at least six months.

For those who adhere to this point of view, the popular belief that breastfeeding should only be done until one year of age seems absolutely meaningless. Why exactly up to a year? - they are amazed. Does the mother’s body, exactly one year after giving birth, begin to produce milk that is completely useless for the child? No, numerous studies say the opposite. In the second year of life, with mother's milk, the baby receives 95 percent of the daily requirement of vitamin C, 45 percent of the required amount of vitamin A and 35 percent of the daily requirement of nutrients.

Mom's love is not only breasts

Some psychologists look at the problem of weaning a little differently.

Elena Mogilevskaya, specialist in parenting psychology: Of course, in symbiosis with each other, mother and child feel great. The baby is recharged with the mother’s energy, feels harmony with the outside world and is not afraid of anything. Breastfeeding is just such an idyll, which is why many women strive to extend it longer. On the other hand, no one is calling for keeping the baby in the womb, not giving birth to him, just because then his integrity with his mother will be violated, the feeling of security will disappear. Weaning is a necessary stage in the separation of a person from the mother’s body, as important as childbirth. It is impossible to grow up without it.

About departures, brushes and brilliant green...

When you have taken into account all points of view and decided at what age to wean your baby, all that remains is to decide on the main thing - how? In this regard, experts advise the following. Weaning should not occur in damp, slushy weather, when pathogenic bacteria are easily activated. In extreme heat, there is a high risk of intestinal infections. A baby left without mother's milk, which stimulates the immune system, becomes vulnerable to these diseases. In a word, the most suitable moments to confirm