Proper feeding of the child of the first year of life is a priority for the mother. However, it is not so easy to figure out what exactly will be right. Sources on the Internet sometimes offer directly opposite opinions, and there is no unanimity among pediatricians and neonatologists. The only thing different sources agree on is that breastfeeding is the most healthy and beneficial option for the baby.
Breastfeeding ensures a balance of vitamins and other useful substances, the child doses his portions himself, milk provides access to maternal antibodies for the child, which is very important during epidemics, it has a beneficial effect on the formation of the baby's immunity and gastrointestinal tract. In addition, psychologists argue that breastfeeding provides emotional comfort to the child, strengthens communication with the mother and positively affects its development.
Natural feeding also has its advantages from a practical point of view: milk is always ready for use, there is no need to adjust the temperature, and from a budget point of view, mother's milk is an ideal option.
It is noteworthy: at the same time, many sources add
that feeding the children with the mixture is also not undesirable. But it should be recognized that
artificial feeding nevertheless gives side effects. For example, there is a higher risk of developing allergies and problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Studies show that children-artists more often have problems with weight, because they eat not the amount of the mixture that they need, but the one that they are given.
Despite all the positive aspects of breastfeeding, at some point it is time to abandon it, and the question arises before mother: "How to quit breastfeeding?" There are a number of opinions regarding how this process should go. Some of these views are already outdated, but still many women drink pills and tighten their breasts, often provoking serious health problems.
However, before answering the question of how to quit breastfeeding, you need to decide when to do it. In general, there are three options: to feed while there is milk, stop feeding abruptly, for example, in connection with going to work, or determine the timing of feeding and gradually wean the baby from the breast.
The first option is very ambiguous, and it all depends on the timing, but many people react extremely negatively if they see a mother who is feeding a 3-year-old child. From an ethical point of view, this is an individual family choice, therefore criticism is inappropriate here. Nevertheless, continuing
to feed the baby even when the physical need for it has disappeared, the mother can involuntarily harm him in terms of psychological: if in the first year and a half of the
baby’s life
, breastfeeding gives him comfort, then at an older age it creates a certain dependence.
Abrupt cessation of breastfeeding is an extremely undesirable option, as this, on the one hand, can negatively affect the psyche of the baby, and on the other hand, cause some damage to his physical health. The ideal option is one in which excommunication occurs gradually. This is the best option for both mother and baby. Doctors call several periods when the termination of breastfeeding occurs without harm to the development of the child, for example, 1 year or 1 year and 2 months. If you choose a specific period and consistently reduce the number of feedings, your mother will not even have to think about how to quit breastfeeding, everything will happen naturally. Among the general recommendations for excommunication, a temporary reduction in the amount of fluid consumed can be mentioned. Night feedings should also be canceled, and consumption of hot and fatty foods should be limited.
Regardless of how you answer the question: “When and how to stop breastfeeding?”, It must be remembered that the physical and psychological well-being of the baby is above all, so the cessation of breastfeeding should not coincide with potentially stressful situations for the baby, for example, moving . It goes without saying that weaning is unacceptable during a period of illness or teething.