Makes Milk with Emma Pickett: breastfeeding from the beginning to the end

Q&A on weaning

Oct 3, 2023

A lactation consultant addresses questions about weaning including dropping the 5am feed without starting the day, managing distress and crying, talking to older children about weaning, managing engorgement, physical and emotional aspects of weaning, setting boundaries, and choosing guilt over resentment when ending breastfeeding.

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Introduction

00:00 • 2min

Impact of Breastfeeding on Toddler Sleep Patterns

02:08 • 11min

Handling Distress and Crying

13:18 • 9min

Talking to Older Child About Weaning and Managing Engorgement

21:55 • 2min

Physical and Emotional Aspects of Weaning

24:19 • 5min

Weaning and Setting Boundaries

29:33 • 15min

Ending Breastfeeding and Choosing Guilt Instead of Resentment

44:29 • 2min

Our weaning topic isn’t over yet, but this week, I wanted to answer some of your questions about weaning. You can find a list of the questions and when they come up below, and if you have a question that I haven’t covered yet, do message me on Instagram @emmapickettibclc and I’ll answer it in a later episode.

Find out more about breastfeeding and chest feeding older babies and children in my book Supporting Breastfeeding Past the First Six Months and Beyond: A Guide for Professionals and Parents

Follow me on Twitter @MakesMilk and on Instagram @emmapickettibclc or find out more on my website www.emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com

Questions answered in this episode -

1:28 How do you drop that 5am feed, without them starting the day?
4:57 Will my child sleep better when I wean?
8:40 How do you night wean if cutting the bedtime feed doesn’t feel right? And, If I want to stop feeding during the night, would it be best to also not feed to sleep initially at bedtime?
10:18How do you help a toddler fall asleep at bedtime without the breast if it's all they’ve ever known?
13:24 It will be helpful to know how much crying is okay. When it escalates and they can't be soothed other than the breast, does it mean they're not ready? Or is it just a change that they're fighting?
17:59 Will my child eat more solid food when I wean?
20:15 How do you gently wean a three and a half year old when they're always seeing you feed an eight month old?
23:11 How to manage engorgement?
24:57 How do you manage weaning blues? I'd like to know more about the hormonal changes I'm going through as my son stops breastfeeding.
27:13 How do you grieve the end of nursing?
28:40 How do you know when you are ready to wean?
30:36 Is it better to wean at night first or during the day?
31:17 How do you put boundaries in place, rather than stopping completely?
32:21 How do you move away from feeding to sleep for naps?
34:05 How do you get another parent to be accepted by a toddler?
35:58 If you're not influenced by external factors to start weaning, but know that you want to sometime soon, are there ages and stages to avoid?
37:37 I cut down to just morning and nighttime feeds, and then maybe one at night, and then it seems to pick up again. And I don't seem to be able to do anything about it - help!
39:29 What's the timescale for weaning?
41:19 What are the common myths about weaning? And can you bust them?

This podcast is presented by Emma Pickett IBCLC, and produced by Emily Crosby Media.