GHK | Weaning from Breastfeeding

How you go about weaning depends on how quickly you want to stop breastfeeding and how old your baby is.

Some families find that their babies decide to wean on their own. This usually happens around 12 months of age. Your baby will have been eating solids since 6 months and taking other fluids. Some mums find this a sad time and feel rejected. Remember the baby is just moving into a new phase and you can still enjoy lots of cuddles together. If you want to continue to breastfeed, or your baby is younger than 12 months, you can get help from your child and family health nurse (phone: 1800455511) or the Australian Breastfeeding Association (phone: 1800686268).

Getting started

If you have decided to wean, slow weaning is the best for you and for baby and avoids painful breasts and allows your baby to adjust.

If your baby is under 12 months old, your baby will need to drink commercial infant formula from a cup or bottle. If they are older than 12 months, they can be offered cow's milk and don’t need commercial formula.

Weaning slowly is the easiest. Start by dropping one breastfeed a day or reducing the amount of time the baby is feeding at the breast. The best is the one your baby is least interested in. The less milk the baby removes from your breast, the less milk will be made by your body, but this can take a bit of time as your body adjusts. Gradually more feeds are reduced and skipped as both you and baby adjust to the new routine.

Your breasts may become hard after skipping a feed. If your breasts become very uncomfortable, you can hand express a little of the milk until it feels more comfortable.

For more help you can book an appointment with your child and family health nurse (phone: 1800455511) or the Australian Breastfeeding Association (phone: 1800686268). Weaning can be a tricky process, so it is good to get the advice you need.