Breastfeeding: Weaning Your Breastfed Baby

What is weaning?

Weaning means to offer food to your baby from a bottle or cup in place of a breastfeeding. This is done to get your baby used to regular food and to stop breastfeeding/bodyfeeding (also called chestfeeding). Weaning may be baby-led. When solid foods are begun at around 6 months of age, your baby may begin to breastfeed less. Complete baby-led weaning can occur around 1 year, but more often it happens between ages 2 to 4 years. Weaning may also be parent-led. That is when the parent decides to wean.

When should you wean?

• Wean when it is right for you and your baby. Complete weaning will occur best when you and your baby are ready. If you had a deadline for weaning, but you are still enjoying latching on, and so is your baby or child, there is no need to wean.
• If you are returning to work, you don’t need to wean. You may still nurse for some feedings.See Breastfeeding: Returning to Work for more information.
• Some parents wean their babies because family and friends suggest the infant/child should no longer be nursing. You should know that you can feed for as long as it feels right for you, your baby and your family. This may be 1 day or 3 years or longer! The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for at least 2 years.
• Weaning will not help your baby or child sleep through the night, make you less tired or make you baby depend on you less.
• Any amount of milk you provide is good for you and your baby. The most important thing is to feel good about yourself and your baby.

How should you wean?

• To prevent breast discomfort, plugged ducts and mastitis, you should wean slowly. Going slowly will also be easier emotionally for you and your baby.
• To wean slowly, substitute a bottle or cup, depending on the infant’s age and development, for breastfeeding/bodyfeeding, or a pumping session. Start with the feeding your infant or child is least interested in. Every 3 – 4 days, stop one more breastfeeding/bodyfeeding/pumping session and offer a bottle or cup. For the baby under 1 year old, expressed milk or formula should be given. You may need to leave and let someone else give your baby the bottle or cup.
• Once your body has adjusted to 1 less feeding/pumping session, wait 3 days and then stop another feeding/pumping session, using a different time of the day to do it.
• The last feeding/pumping session to be stopped should be the early morning feeding/pumping when your milk supply is usually greater and the bedtime feeding at night, which is often used for comfort.
• Spend a lot of time cuddling, rocking and playing with your baby or child during times you are not feeding. Often, suckling is a habit and if you distract your child with something else, the desire to suckle will be forgotten. If you are weaning a toddler, offer a snack, such as crackers, juice or fruit, in place of suckling. You can also go for a walk, go to the playground, or read a book to your child. Toddlers also want to suckle when bored, tired, hungry, or when they simply want or need your attention. Changing your habits, such as not sitting in the chair you usually feed in is helpful.
• Do not try to wean during times of major change for you and your baby/child, such as a new home, a sick child, parent returning to work, a new baby in the house, a new babysitter or toilet training.
• Complete weaning should take place in 4 to 5 weeks if you have been feeding 8 to 12 times a day.

What if your breasts/chest become engorged or uncomfortable even though weaning slowly?

• Wear a firm, not tight, fitting bra 24 hours a day for at least a week. Do not wear a bra with an underwire.
• Put ice packs or cool cloths on your breasts/chest, or use cold, green, uncooked cabbage leaves.
• Shower and let the warm water run over your breasts/chest, or soak them briefly by lying in the tub.
• Take mild pain pills such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen for comfort.
• Do not use manual expression or pumping to completely empty yourself. Removing ½ to 1 ounce of milk from each side will relieve pressure. (This is not enough to cause you to keep producing milk).
• Do not limit the amount of liquids you drink.
• Call your doctor if you run a fever, feel like you have the flu, or have any red, warm-to-the-touch areas on your breasts/chest.

Feelings when weaning

It is normal to feel depressed or sad when weaning, whether weaning is parent or infant-led. This may be due to having less of the hormones that helped you feel calm while you were lactating. In a short time your body will adjust and these feelings should go away. Speak with your healthcare provider if they do not.

These feelings may also be caused by a sense of loss as the breastfeeding/bodyfeeding relationship comes to an end. Holding and cuddling your child will help. So will seeking support from people who will listen empathetically.

Sudden Weaning

You may need to wean suddenly, either for medical reasons or for personal reasons. If so, pumping or expressing just enough milk to relieve engorgement may help prevent plugged ducts and mastitis and help you feel more comfortable. Follow all the steps under “What if your breasts become engorged and uncomfortable even though weaning slowly” listed above. Avoid binding your breasts.

• There are no medications available at this time to “dry up milk”.

When is it a “nursing strike” and not weaning?

A nursing strike is a short period of time when an infant refuses to latch. A strike can last a few days or weeks. A nursing strike can occur at any time, but most often occur after the first 6 months and can happen suddenly. Common times are when:

• Baby is teething, has a cold, thrush, ear infection or cold sore in the mouth. Baby starts to crawl, stand or walk. Baby is frightened during a feeding by mother’s response to baby biting. Babies can refuse to latch after having a bottle which flows very quickly, especially if milk supply has lessened.
• Menstruation may change volume or flavor of milk. Baby may also refuse to latch if there are changes in personal care products such as soaps, deodorants, or perfumes.

Coaxing your baby to latch after a nursing strike

• Pump or manually express as long as your baby is not latching. Try feeding in a different position and in a quiet, non-stressful room. Attempt to latch your baby when he/she is still sleepy. Try to figure out what caused the strike so you can avoid another.
• Try to coax your baby to latch by cuddling skin-to-skin, and not forcing to feed. Do not starve your baby by refusing to give a bottle so that he will latch.

Works Cited

Lawrence, Ruth A. & Lawrence, Robert M. “Breastfeeding, A Guide for the Medical Professional”, Ninth edition, ELSEVIER, 2022.

Wambach, Karen and Spencer, Becky “Breastfeeding and Human Lactation”, Sixth edition, Jones & Bartlett, 2021.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Weaning Your Baby. Retrieved 06/01/24.