Tips for Weaning

There are technically two parts to the weaning process:

1. Weaning the baby from the breast
2. Convincing your breasts to stop producing milk

The following methods may not be effective for every woman but they worked for me

1. Weaning the baby from the breast
Friday May 16 was Angel girl’s last nursing session. I weaned her within a week using the following schedule:

Day 1 - Eliminated one nursing session
Day 3 - Eliminated two nursing sessions
Day 4 - Eliminated three nursing sessions
Day 5 - Had one final nursing session

We went straight from breast to sippy cup. This transition was made easier when I found a silicone spout sippy cup that Angel Girl really took to well.

2. Convincing your breasts to stop producing milk
Weaning your body off the baby is slightly more difficult to do. I must preface my advice by telling you that I was never an over full, milk spouting breast feeder to begin with, so maybe I don’t have as difficult a time as some women might, but here is what is currently working for me:

CABBAGE LEAVES

So, I have a head of cabbage in the fridge and every time I start feeling engorged, I peel two leaves off. I rinse them with cold water, pat them dry, then crush the veins with a rolling pin. Then (and this is easy cause they’re bra cup shaped :P ), I stick a leaf in each bra, covering my entire breast. Within an hour I am noticeably less full. If you try this, change out the leaves every two hours or when they begin to wilt.

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May 21, 2008 | Filed Under Babies

Comments

7 Responses to “Tips for Weaning”

Gramma Ducky on May 21st, 2008 2:35 pm

fascinating!
Richelle F on May 21st, 2008 4:00 pm

We weaned (a year ago) much more gradually, and I didn’t have any engorgement at all. I was kind of nervous about that, but I was fine, and I was very happy about that.
Seasonal Learner on May 21st, 2008 4:52 pm

Good advice. We are going to try to wean soon. Did you do straight milk?
Memarie Lane on May 21st, 2008 5:15 pm

I did pretty much the same thing with Max, only much more gradually, but he wasn’t having it. So I went with a suggestion from the La Leche League, “don’t offer, but don’t refuse.” It worked pretty well. Weaning my breasts was pretty tough. I didn’t try the cabbage leaf thing though I heard it works really well, I just took a lot of hot baths. With Jessamine I just put my foot down and it was pretty much cold turkey. At 26 months I didn’t think it a harsh way to go. And that time my breasts didn’t need any help, I think maybe the longer you nurse maybe the easier it is for your breasts to adjust afterward.
Jane on May 21st, 2008 5:27 pm

Just curious - do you know of anyone who has switched to something other than formula or cows’ milk? My hubby is vegan and we have been limiting the amount of dairy my baby gets, so I’ve been thinking of using regular fortified soy milk. Baby doesn’t mind it in cereal, but hasn’t been too excited about drinking it.
Stacey@Look, Mom, Look! on May 21st, 2008 8:58 pm

I also recommend the cabbage leaves. I have used them in the past when I weaned my 2 boys. I also use them when my milk comes in to ease the pain. A couple months ago, I weaned Gret. Cold turkey because we were going away. The engorgement was crazy for a couple days. I had to hand express some and also took Ibuprofen for the pain and inflammation.
Jane-I have known people who went straight to fortified soy. My Gret really likes the Vanilla flavored.
stac on May 30th, 2008 8:35 pm

Our weening was pretty easy too. Since my boy was 2, we went straight to soy milk..
limiting dairy here too.
He has never been big on the sippy though. He is a really great drinker from a cup and water bottle. He has been for about a year. Another mom reminded me that sippy-cups haven’t been around that long, we probably never used them. One of those things I just thought everyone had to use.

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