From breast to bottle: Weaning after prolonged breastfeeding

Physiologically, babies are meant to breastfeed for two to three years, if one evaluates the digestive enzymes. Up to 1 year old, milk plays a very important nutritional role but this declines after that time, although it still does provide excellent nutrients and other benefits such as immune strengthening and emotional security. Weaning is usually much more difficult during times of change or stress in the family.
It is quite understandable when mothers who have nursed for a prolonged period want or need to wean, and they should not feel at all guilty to do so after putting in so much dedicated effort.

• At this stage the most likely way to wean completely is to go ‘cold turkey’, as most babies won’t willingly give up at about 1 year to 15 months.
• Offering extra love and attention at this time is very important. If your baby notices that you desperately want to wean, he will often cling more to the breast, so when he wants to feed it works better to simply distract him with an interesting activity and keep him happily busy until that need passes. Of course, if you have no objection to continuing breastfeeding and it keeps you both happy (feeds are generally quite quick and painless at this stage), there is no reason not to keep on. Making peace with this often resolves your baby’s need to feed more frequently, as the stress lessens. If you notice, as you consider weaning, that he has become more clingy, do try not to let if affect you.
• As the sucking reflex is still very important at this age, I would suggest a combined approach of a feeding cup and bottle while weaning. Offer your baby a feeding cup in the daytime, but before a nap or at night the bottle would be better. Preferably use an orthodontic teat to continue the good work breastfeeding has done so far. Some breast babies never want to take to sucking from a teat, and if they do, they often prefer latex teats to silicone.

By Sister Lilian

From breast to bottle: The Sister Lilian Centre Weaning Guide


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