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You've given your baby the best possible start in life by breastfeeding. Rest assured that the colostrum suckled in the first few feedings after birth supplied crucial antibodies to your newborn, and the mother's milk you've been effortlessly supplying has the perfect proportions of fat and nutrients for your baby. But the first birthday is approaching, and it's time to introduce solid foods.

To reduce milk production, demand has to decrease. Before nursing, feed baby some rice pablum and a few ounces of water in a training cup. Then, instead of letting baby nurse until your breasts are empty, stop when there's still some milk left and offer a bottle of water instead. It doesn't taste as good as your milk, so baby may object, but he's had a good feed by now and you needn't feel guilty about short-changing him. You're the one who will be most affected by the change in feeding routine. You've likely come to treasure feeding time by now - watching him nurse until he's satisfied and then detach from your nipple to look up at you and grin contentedly with milk dribbling from his lips. Not to worry: your compensation for giving up that exquisite bonding time is freedom from having to be available for every feeding.

Introduce a new food each week, watching for any adverse reaction. Remember, he's been content with just one taste so far, so you needn't be in a rush to get to three-course meals. If baby's not feeling well, hold off on the new foods and stay with those you're sure aren't causing any discomfort. When he's feeling better again, resume adding new foods. If he regurgitates or becomes constipated or has diarrhea, hold back on the most-recently introduced food and try something else. Before long he'll be able to make a meal of foods other than milk, and you can taper off the daytime nursing, cutting back to breast feeding just morning and evening. Make a bottle of water available during the day if he wants to suck, but encourage drinking from a training cup at meal times. If baby starts sucking his thumb, encourage the water bottle. It's easier to get rid of than a thumb-sucking habit.

Soon your breasts will be returning to pre-pregnancy size, with less and less milk being produced. If you're having difficulty making the final break, schedule a holiday without baby. Let him bond with Grandma for a few days while you go off for a weekend with the girls or a week in the sun with your husband. By now the mere thought of your baby isn't likely to cause your breasts to leak, but fifteen hours without nursing might. Keep your schedule flexible for a few days so that if your breasts engorge and start to leak you can run a hot bath and let the milk flow, expressing right into the bath water (a milk bath is supreme luxury, after all). After a few days engorgement will stop, and you'll be shopping for a slightly smaller bra. When you get home, make a point of not baring your breasts in front of your baby. The desire to suckle is strong and you may find that you have to find ways to distract him when he snuggles up on your lap and starts to lift your top. Growing up has its challenges. Now you can start thinking about potty training!

Learn more about this author, Roberta Velyn.
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