Breast feeding is a very natural and beautiful process which helps in strengthening the bond between the mother and the baby. Though it might have a ton of benefits it becomes mandatory to reduce the frequency of breast feeding and also to completely wean the baby off baby milk so that they can consume solid foods and grow their interest towards different flavours. Many moms don’t intend to begin this weaning process soon. It’s very important to help your child leave the breastmilk at the right time only then they’ll get into the habit of eating grownups food. But that’s the tricky part, while getting them latched is a difficult task so is the task of weaning them off. So today we are going to have a look at all those tricks and methods we could use to try and wean the babies off breast milk, also we would see what to apply on nipples to stop breastfeeding in India?
When is the right time to start weaning off baby from breast milk?
Weaning process doesn’t take place in a day. It will take time and you should not worry about it. According to WHO babies must be completely breast fed till the age of six months, later breast milk can be an adjunct to other foods at least till the age of two. This is because breast milk isn’t just food it also helps the baby develop immunity as well as overall development. Now, if you are facing shortage of milk or your baby is passed two years of age and you have trouble breast feeding, or breastfeeding is hindering the interest in other foods can be one of the many reasons to try and start the weaning process.
How to wean off my baby from breast milk?
The process takes place in steps so be prepared for it. Even if you get little success in few days’ time, be happy about it. First and foremost skip breastfeeding number one or two in a day. Do not skip many sessions as that might lead to breast engorgement and pain. Include fruits and vegetable puree in the baby’s diet which might interest them and direct them towards those foods. Help them feel full with these foods so they won’t feel hungry much often. Often breast feeding after a particular age is paired by the kid with some activities of the day, for example – baby would want to breastfeed to go to sleep, or would want to be breastfed if he is feeling anxious. So think of ways that can help modify the habits of the baby. For instance if you need to break the habit of breastfeeding before sleep make sure the baby gets a good heavy calorie meal, for anxiety you can distract the baby with some other activity of interest like reading a story for him or playing some games with them.
What to apply on nipples to stop breastfeeding in India?
If the natural way isn’t working you might have to apply something to the nipple to force the baby to stop breast feeding. Here are a few things that might help you
1. Use raw cabbage leaves
Yes you read that right. Using raw cabbage leaves under your bra will absorb the milk. The flow of the milk and the reduced supply will prompt your baby to develop interest in other foods. Eventually the baby will reduce breast feeding. A good way is to change the leaves after every 2 hours. This process will bring good results.
2. Neem oil works like charm
Both the smell and the taste of neem oil can act as repellent and would definitely solve your purpose of weaning your baby off breast feeding. And even if the baby ingests the oil it would not do them any harm that is the beauty of it. So one of the most suggested products by the mothers under the category of what to apply on nipples to stop breastfeeding in India is neem oil. Of course the bitter taste of neem might make your baby cry for a bit but this has been proved to be one of the best tricks with least harm.
3. Lemon juice is also a good option
This one is another all-time best option. While we might have to purchase a bottle of neem oil and then apply it, the lemon juice is one thing easily available in the kitchen. Just squeeze in a few drops of fresh lemon juice and apply it to your nipple and let it work the magic. Even this if ingested wouldn’t do any harm to the baby. The taste might be again tricky for your child but it would sure get you your desired results.
4. Ginger juice is an effective trick
This juice might work wonders with a sore throat and cough it would also do wonders with the process of stopping breast feeding. Its spicy taste would make your child not want to taste breast milk again. He/she might cry as they’ll hate the flavour. This too is one of the most recommended trick in what to apply on nipples to stop breastfeeding in India category.
5. Femite cream or lotion
If nothing seems to work then you might have to take aid of this allopathic medicine. It is one of the medicines that are used for stopping nail bitting and thumb sucking too, so this might help you wean off the baby from breast feeding. Its bitter taste will help you in the process. It doesn’t cause any harm to the baby if ingested but one must start using it only under the guidance of the medical practitioner. Just apply the lotion to your nipples let it dry and then let the baby breast feed. The bitter taste will definitely make the baby avoid breast milk.
How long does it take to stop the breastfeeding for baby?
Have patience and move slowly as this process can take a while. As per one of the medical researcher, it is important that you drop a feed within 3-4 days so you can reach you goals by 2-3 weeks. Begin by discontinuing the unwanted feeding first which means this is going to be sometime during the day. Morning and bedtime feeds stay the longest time.
Conclusion
So folks I hope these few suggestions would definitely help you with the weaning process. One must remember that mother’s milk is the best source of all kinds of nourishment, nutrients, and immunity. So if you feel that the toddler or baby would wean off naturally and has already started the process by skipping breastfeeding by their own a few times, give them some more time the baby himself would stop the process. And if you have tried all the tricks under your sleeve and nothing seems to work do not get worked out much just give the process a little more time and patience and everything would just turn out to be fine. Remember do not hasten the process of stopping the breast feeding if some friend or relative of yours is taunting you of breast feeding your child, weaning should be a process decided by the mother and the baby.
Happy parenting !!