Help! How do I wean my child?

Yummy Mummy Katherine from North York, ON. asks:

My son is 15 months old and I can’t seem to get him off my breast and would like suggestions on how to wean. I have tried to introduce formula and milk but he won’t drink it at all.


Dear Katherine,

Do you remember when you were first beginning to breastfeed?  For most of us, the initiation of the breastfeeding relationship involves both mom and baby - gradually learning together.  The process of weaning is quite similar, and we must base our plan on your existing relationship and what will work best for both of you.

The first step is a visit to your family doctor to be sure your little guy is at a good weight for his age and get his or her thoughts on approaches to weaning.  For a child who has not taken a bottle previously, it can be hard to begin with a bottle at this age.  You may want to bring him to the store and choose a sippy cup together.

At this age most children are either seeking the breast to quench their thirst, or for comfort and connection.   To help him to drink you may want to try offering in a moment when you know he is thirsty, or offer warm milk if he is going down for a nap.  Allow for lots of cuddle time and dedicated play time together during the transition.

Be sure to also care for yourself by hand expressing your milk if you feel full, and preventing engorgement.

When my daughter was 15 months old we travelled to Japan.  She had been on solids (nursing occasionally)  at 6 months old, and while we were there she decided to stop eating altogether and only breastfeed.

While there we learned from friends that one trick used to help wean a child is to paint a scary picture of a monster on your chest to frighten them away from nursing.  Not my first choice, but I'd be interested to know what other cultures around the world do to encourage weaning!


Good luck!