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Breastfeeding. Need To Stop Breastfeed. What Are The Options To Get Off This Habit?

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Posted on Wed, 24 Jul 2013
Question: Dear sir, my daughter is 18 months old, she is completely dependent on mother's milk till now, we have tried all the options to keep her away from her mom and avoid the milk as far as possible, but she is very stubborn and cries a lot.also her food from external sources is very low..


Pl advice on the same.thanks in advance.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Vaishalee Punj (10 hours later)
Hi

Thanks for posting your query on XXXXXXX

I think it is okay for your baby to breastfeed as long as she wants. Though she really needs to take more of solid food. Milk has to be limited to less than 500 ml in a day.

I will suggest the following:

1. Always offer solid food before milk. Make the food soft and tasty for her. Try new food if she rejects one type of food. Introduce the rejected food again in a few days. Do not force her to eat. Take it easy on her.

2. To wean her off the breast, first introduce bottle slowly and for little time. Try getting the bottle nipple that resembles natural breast nipple. Before offering breast offer the bottle. Or alternatively while breastfeeding, slowly introduce bottle into the corner of her mouth and withdraw the breast gradually. She will learn that more milk comes from bottle then breast and she will take the bottle.

3. It will be hard to wean her off the breast directly to a glass. You may try a sippy cup if you do not want to give bottle.

4. Get her tested for iron-deficiency anemia.

5. Create a fun atmosphere when she is having her food. Give her finger foods like crackers, fries, fruits, etc.

I hope it will work.

Let me know if you need further clarification.

Dr Vaishalee
Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Vaishalee Punj

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2003

Answered : 3266 Questions

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Breastfeeding. Need To Stop Breastfeed. What Are The Options To Get Off This Habit?

Hi

Thanks for posting your query on XXXXXXX

I think it is okay for your baby to breastfeed as long as she wants. Though she really needs to take more of solid food. Milk has to be limited to less than 500 ml in a day.

I will suggest the following:

1. Always offer solid food before milk. Make the food soft and tasty for her. Try new food if she rejects one type of food. Introduce the rejected food again in a few days. Do not force her to eat. Take it easy on her.

2. To wean her off the breast, first introduce bottle slowly and for little time. Try getting the bottle nipple that resembles natural breast nipple. Before offering breast offer the bottle. Or alternatively while breastfeeding, slowly introduce bottle into the corner of her mouth and withdraw the breast gradually. She will learn that more milk comes from bottle then breast and she will take the bottle.

3. It will be hard to wean her off the breast directly to a glass. You may try a sippy cup if you do not want to give bottle.

4. Get her tested for iron-deficiency anemia.

5. Create a fun atmosphere when she is having her food. Give her finger foods like crackers, fries, fruits, etc.

I hope it will work.

Let me know if you need further clarification.

Dr Vaishalee