Mothers and babies can nurse as long as they want to, even if it’s a different length from what their friends or relatives do.
Every drop of milk and every nursing time matters to your baby, and there’s no upper limit to how long a baby “should” nurse. Health agencies around the world agree that breastfeeding should continue for at least the first year, and for as long after that as mother and child desire. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for two years and for longer if possible. Your own experience is almost certainly going to be different from what you planned.
Weaning abruptly is almost never necessary; it’s worth a second opinion from someone who understands both your situation and breastfeeding. If you do have to wean suddenly, it’s best to reduce your milk supply as slowly as you can to avoid a breast infection. When your breasts begin to feel uncomfortably full, remove just enough milk to feel comfortable again. This will help you stay comfortable while giving your breasts the signal to shut down production. It may take a week to ten days to feel like you don’t have to remove any more milk.
If you need to wean before a year, you’ll probably replace your breasts with bottles. Drop one nursing every few days and substitute a bottle to help your breasts and your baby adjust gradually.
Weaning a baby older than a year means you can probably skip formula altogether, though you’ll still need alternative ways to comfort, reassure, and connect. A time honored way to encourage weaning is “don’t offer, don’t refuse.” You stop offering the breast voluntarily, but you don’t refuse if he asks for it. It helps to avoid the places where you usually sit down to nurse, spots that mean “nursing time.”
Weaning naturally occurs very gradually as you and your baby move into the next phase of your relationship. It happens automatically without any help from you. If your baby seems to be weaning abruptly or earlier than you expected, talk to your LLL Leader about what might be causing it.
