by Kayanne Nelson

Created on: February 12, 2008

Breastfeeding can be a wonderful experience, and stopping it can sometimes be a challenge. There are a number of reasons a new mother may decide or need to stop breastfeeding including medical reasons, the child's age, or child's preference. Sometimes the decision to quit breastfeeding is a positive choice for the mother, and sometimes it is forced by circumstances. Whatever the reason, ending breastfeeding should be done with care. The two main considerations are the baby's nutritional and liquid needs, and health of the mother's breasts.

If you must stop immediately:

Some medical problems on the part of mother or child can lead to a doctor recommending that a woman stop breastfeeding immediately. Another reason to stop immediately can be a baby's sudden refusal to nurse. If you must stop breastfeeding abruptly, it is best to speak with your doctor about supplementing your baby's diet with enough liquid and nutritious food. Depending on age, your baby will need to be transitioned to formula, whole milk, or a combination of liquid and solid food. Some women prefer to continue pumping milk for their babies when nursing is no longer an option. If this is medically feasible and you are willing, it is a good option for many mothers.

Keeping a small supply of frozen breast milk on hand can be helpful. Feeding breast milk from a bottle, at least for a little while, can help your baby adjust to a change in diet. Some babies will balk at the flavor of formula or whole milk, so being able to provide a flavor the baby is more familiar with will ease the change. Slowly introducing new flavors into your baby's diet will serve two purposes. It will make the changes more acceptable to baby, and will give you the opportunity to recognize any bad reactions baby may have more easily.

Abrupt cessation of breastfeeding can be difficult on nursing moms, too. It is very important to take steps to reduce leaking, engorgement, and possible infection while at the same time reducing milk production. Continue to wear nursing bras or other loosely supportive undergarments. Avoid binding the breasts. Binding sometimes reduces leaking, but can lead to pain, inflammation, lesions, and sometimes infection. Instead, express milk through pumping or hand expression when your breasts become full. You should express enough milk to be comfortable and reduce pressure, but not enough to completely empty the breasts. Over a period of a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on what your baby's feeding

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