What does it mean to have weaned a child?
Your baby is considered weaned when he stops nursing and gets all his nutrition from sources other than the breast. Although babies are also weaned from the bottle, the term usually refers to when a baby stops breastfeeding.
Weaning doesn't necessarily signal the end of the intimate bond you and your child created through nursing. It just means you're nourishing and nurturing him in different ways.
For example, if you often nursed your child for comfort, you'll have to find other ways to make him feel better. Read a book, sing a song together, or play outside instead. If your child protests, try to stay calm and be firm. If you need to, hand him to your partner for a cuddle.
When your baby was born, all you probably heard was that breast is best, so you stayed up all night, every night, nursing every hour with cracked nipples, wondering if there was ever an end in sight. Sure, breastfeeding probably got easier and maybe you even like the bonding now ... but wouldn't you just loooove to wear a sexy non-nursing bra and not have your kiddo pawing at your shirt every night? That could mean that it's time to wean, because like all good things, breastfeeding must eventually come to an end. Here are 5 ways to know it's the right time to stop breastfeeding (and not feel guilty).
