Am I ready to…wean?

Weaning a child over 1 who isn’t eating solids well can get tricky. This is because there are more limited options nutritionally to replace breastmilk if your child has food allergies. If you know your child is not getting a full balanced diet via solids, you will need to look into finding a safe formula to replace breastmilk, especially if your child is under age 1. If over age one, most plant based milks don’t provide nutritional needs as sufficiently as dairy milk would.

If your little one is over age one and IS eating solids really well, you may not need formula or dairy milk. Many babies do just fine if they are eating a balanced, colorful diet that is full of healthy fats, calcium and vitamin D. If you are looking for what foods would be good sources of these nutrients, click here.

Your own health is an important factor when it comes to weaning! Many people on restricted food allergy diets find their own bodies are depleted from breastfeeding. If you have not been eating a balanced diet, your blood work nutritional levels are off, or you are struggling to maintain a healthy weight, make sure you take this into consideration when it comes to weaning! There is zero guilt in weaning in order to take care of your own body if you can’t physically keep up!

You may find yourself in a position where you are struggling physically, but don’t feel like you can wean quite yet because of your child’s dietary restrictions. If that is the case, a nutrition consultation or an appointment with a naturopath may give you a better picture as to what is going on with your body. Naturopaths are great about suggesting the right supplements for your very specific situation, in order to get your body in optimal balance and heal gut issues. You may feel more confident continuing your breastfeeding journey knowing you are in a good place yourself!

Do you need to wean for your own mental health? Often the dietary restrictions can take a toll mentally, especially if restrictive diets are something you have already struggled with in your own health history. If you are consumed by your breastfeeding situation and are having a hard time focusing on anything else, this may be a sign that something needs to change. Your mental health is a valid reason to wean if needed! If you want to continue breastfeeding longer, there are other options like therapy that could be a game changer for you to get in a better headspace!

A new life transition such as going back to work, moving, transitioning out of the crib, or even a new pregnancy can often feel like a reason to wean…and sometimes it is! But it’s also a reason to step back and consider whether it would actually be better to continue breastfeeding for a little while during the transition to make things easier for you and your child. Obviously if breastfeeding is painful or uncomfortable during pregnancy, weaning is the way to go, but there are plenty of people who successfully tandem nurse, if you would like to keep going! In terms of other big transitions like returning to work, consider making a game plan with a lactation consultant about what would be the best way to make the weaning transition as smooth and calm as possible!