Weaning: Not the Answer to Every Breastfeeding Problem

I was watching the mom show the other day and they had a segment on breastfeeding. Great! I'm very pro-breastfeeding so I was happy to see that they were covering it.

They had the show's doctor aswering some moms' questions about breastfeeding. One mom had a 7-month-old who was starting to become very distracted during feeds. You wanna know what the doctor's solution was to this? "Well, the World Health Organization recommends a minimum of 6 months of breastfeeding... and he's 7 months, so maybe it's time to wean him."

WHAT???!!

That was his complete answer to "my baby's distracted during feeds"???

I sure hope she had the good sense to let that go in one ear and out the other. To take it as just one guy's opinion. (And by the way, the WHO's recommendation is exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months, and then continued breastfeeding up to 2 years and beyond). But what about all the other moms that were watching and didn't realize that this man, who is not an expert in breastfeeding and is most definitely NOT a mom, was only giving one option. Some moms don't know that they can research stuff, or don't have the resources to research stuff. And a LOT of people take doctor's advice as gospel. (In fact, part of my annoyance comes from being chastised by my own doctor about breastfeeding KK beyond one year.)

Here's what I would have told that mom:

First, good for you for making it past the first six months. They are the hardest for breastfeeding and 50% of moms who want to breastfeed, quit in the first 4 weeks.

Secondly, be patient. This distractable period is short and, although very frustrating, if you make it past this time, you will get into the most rewarding period of breastfeeding. With my children, I noticed the same thing at about that age. Suddenly they are aware of the world around them. They will get used to the sounds of home eventually.

Thirdly, it may be that your baby is frustrated with the flow-rate. One thing I noticed was that once my milk supply had settled, it took longer for my milk to let-down at each feed, so the baby would pull off because he wasn't happy with the flow rate. But if I kept letting him relatch, my milk would let-down after a minute or two and he would feed happily.

And finally, there are so many benefits to breastfeeding that increase the longer you breastfeed. Benefits for both the baby and you. Like decreased risk of obesity, reproductive cancers, osteoporosis, and other diseases. Read about them here. Click here to read about reasons to breastfeed beyond 6 months. Here's a list of 101 reasons to breastfeed. I'll stop now.

I totally get that breastfeeding is a personal choice. How long you breastfeed, exclusive breastfeeding, whatever. It's all a personal choice. I'm not criticizing anyone for their choice.

What I don't get, is why some people think it is important to encourage weaning. Breastfeeding is hard. It takes commitment and energy. But if a mom wants to do it, I think everyone around her should encourage her as much as they can.

So help her problem solve, commiserate with her, bring her food or water when she is nursing. But don't tell her that weaning is the answer to her problems. That's none of your business!

(Ok, now I feel better. Glad I got that off my (still breastfeeding) chest.)