Clinical Reference Systems: Pediatric Advisor 10.0
Spanish version

AGE OF BABY

If you have decided to wean, it is best to wait until your baby is at least 6 months old. If your baby is younger than 6 months, wean from the breast to a bottle, not to a cup.

HINTS FOR WEANING FROM BREAST TO BOTTLE:

• Hold and cuddle your baby while giving him a bottle. Try to make bottle feeding as warm and comfortable as nursing was; don't prop the baby up with a bottle in an infant seat and leave!
• PLAN AHEAD: Give yourself and your baby plenty of time. Gradual weaning gives your baby time to adjust; it also allows your milk supply to diminish gradually and saves you from engorged breasts.
• Love and affection are needed all the time, but they are especially important during traumatic changes like weaning.
• Some mothers experience a mild depression when weaning as a result of changes in hormones related to their milk production. This is especially likely to happen if the weaning is done quickly.
• It is advisable to use iron-fortified formula until the baby is at least l year old to avoid iron-deficiency anemia.
• Setbacks in weaning can be caused by many things, including stress, major changes in meal or bed times, or illness. If such setbacks occur, wait until the situation improves or the illness is over, and then continue the weaning process.
• The early morning and late evening nursing sessions are usually the most difficult for your baby to give up; wean the baby from these last.
• You will soon learn which feedings are your baby's least favorite and when his appetite is generally lowest. Omit these nursings first.
• The speed of weaning will depend on your baby. In general, however, it is best to substitute the bottle for one nursing session at a time, wait 5 to 7 days, and then if the baby adjusts well to the substitution, substitute the bottle for another nursing session.
• If your breasts become engorged from the reduction in nursing, allow your baby to suck 15 to 30 seconds from each breast to relieve your discomfort. Make sure that you don't nurse any longer, however, or you will trigger your breasts to produce more milk--and the engorgement will get worse.
• Allowing the father and brothers and sisters to give the bottle not only helps them relate to the baby, it spreads out the work!
• If you have to wean your baby from the breast before he is 6 months old, introduce the bottle gradually--2 to 3 times per week after the baby turns 1 month old.