Sinead Harrington chats with NUK baby expert Maura Cronin to get some top tips for weaning.
I'm lucky that I've been able to breastfeed all three of my babies and, thankfully, the transition from breast to bottle for my last two has not been too stressful. First of all, I can't emphasise strongly enough the benefits of breastfeeding.
According to the HSE, it is "designed to meet your baby’s every need", and you should start as soon as you can after birth and breastfeed exclusively for 6 months. This means that you're giving your baby no other food or drinks other than breast milk. Then, if you can, continue to breastfeed for up to 2 years and beyond.
When the time does come for you to wean your baby from breast to bottle, you may need some help weaning.
My youngest, Portia, loves nothing more than to breastfeed, so I know that this is going to be a challenge. I want to ensure that I give her plenty of time to slowly and surely transition to the bottle before I go back to work. Luckily, I got some great advice from baby expert Maura Cronin to help me on my mission.
"When it comes to weaning from breast to bottle it can be more of a marathon than a sprint," said Maura. "The key thing is to make the switch gradually — firstly so that your breasts don't become painfully engorged, and secondly so that your baby won't balk at a dramatic change."
Here are some top tips to get you started:
Don't rush it
Cutting out one feed every two or three days should be slow enough to help you manage any engorgement issues. But you can certainly move slower if you want to, or if it seems like your little one would benefit from a more gradual pace. Start with the feed that interests your baby the least (usually mid-morning or mid-afternoon, when they're busy playing). Substitute a bottle for breastfeeding once a day for the first week, and work your way up from there.
Share feeding duties
If your baby seems frustrated when you offer a bottle instead of the breast, try having a partner or caregiver do the feeding instead. If you plan for your baby to take bottles of pumped milk or formula later on, like when you go back to work, it can be a good idea to start introducing bottles with pumped milk a few times a week, from approx 6 weeks.
Find other ways to stay close
Set aside time just for snuggling so you and your baby are still getting that all-important physical contact. For toddlers, also plan for plenty of just-the-two-of-you activities where you're giving him/her your full attention, like going to the park together or reading.
Tweak the bedtime routine
Bedtime or naptime breastfeeding sessions can be the hardest for your little one to let go of. Try to find something other than breastfeeding to help whisk your child off to dreamland. Maybe it's singing a song or reading a book. No matter what, give yourself a break and be as gradual as is feasible.
Hit pause if needed
If it seems like your little one is having a hard time adjusting to weaning, or if he/she hits a snag like teething or gets a cold, consider taking a short break wherever you're at and starting back up in a week or two. If you're weaning closer to your baby's first birthday and he/she hasn't had much (or any) experience with bottles, you might opt to move straight to a cup and follow the same gradual approach outlined above.
Maura Cronin is a panellist at the IMAGE Bump & Baby virtual event on Thursday 27th August at 11am, in collaboration with NUK and McCauley Health and Beauty Pharmacy. Lifestyle blogger and clinical nutritionist, Jodie Lawson Wood, and Emily Kelly, Superintendent Pharmacist at McCauley Pharmacy, will also participate. The event is free, but registration is required.
