Last week, Chrissy Teigen shared a heartfelt plea on her twitter account to normalize formula.
Let me be perfectly clear: this is an excellent thing.
But, as an Infant Feeding Specialist and Postpartum Doula, who has supported families in feeding their babies every which way, I have to disagree with Teigen.
Ready to wean but not sure how to go about it? These tips are a great place to start!
Some can work on their own, but the best approach will probably be a combination of methods. If you can, it’s usually best to wean gradually, so that your supply can gradual decrease, to avoid clogged ducts. If you wean more quickly, you’ll want to express a little milk for comfort, to avoid clogged ducts or mastitis.
Read MoreWeaning is part of every single nursing experience, and there are so many opinions on the best time to do it!
Breastfeeding is a relationship, and like all relationships, both parties need to be happy and want to continue. With that in mind, I believe that the very best time to wean is when either you OR your baby are ready.
According to Biocultural Anthropologist, Kathy Dettwyler, "most children stop breastfeeding by themselves between three and five years, if allowed to nurse as long as they want."
But what if you don’t want to nurse for 3 to 5 years? What if you’re pregnant or have a medical reason to stop or you’re just ready to be done? Then that’s a perfectly good reason to stop too.
What if you don’t want to wean but are feeling pressure to stop nursing?
Here are some common reasons for weaning, and why they don’t necessarily mean you NEED to wean, if you aren’t ready to.
Read MoreWe’ve all used a breast pump at some point, right? But did you know you can hand express your breast milk too? Hand expression is quick, easy and can be more effective than a breast pump, especially for removing colostrum.
The kindestCup, an ergonomically designed, silicone breast milk collection cup, revolutionizes hand expression, making it easier than ever.
The baby stage is short, so gear that can be used in more than one way gives you the most bang for your buck and the kindestCup is up for all the jobs its advertised to do! Read on to learn about all the ways you can use your kindestCup to help with nursing your baby!
Read MoreYou’re out with the baby and suddenly he starts fussing and bobbing his head around. You know what that means, it’s time to eat. Again. But there’s nowhere convenient to sit or you just don’t want to stop what you’re doing to nurse. So what’s a mom to do? Breastfeed in your baby carrier, of course!
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