Stopping breastfeeding: tips

Stopping breastfeeding is an important step in the life of a mother and her child. How does it work? What effects do hormonal changes have? What symptoms could you experience? Find out how to stop breastfeeding and which methods are available.

What does stopping breastfeeding mean?

Stopping breastfeeding means ending the breastfeeding relationship between mother and child. The mother then weans her child onto solid foods or switches to infant formula. This process is gradual and the amount of time it takes varies. A distinction is made between not breastfeeding at all from birth and stopping breastfeeding after starting.

Not breastfeeding from birth

If a mother cannot or chooses not to breastfeed immediately from birth, she will need to stop her milk from coming in. This happens within 24 hours of giving birth. Frequently, this is at the mother’s request, but there are also external circumstances that can make it impossible for her to breastfeed (e.g. stillbirth or certain medications).

Stopping breastfeeding after starting

A mother may also choose to stop breastfeeding after starting. The reasons for this range from the personal choice of the breastfeeding mother to difficulties breastfeeding (e.g. mastitis). In this case, the mother has generally already built up a breastfeeding relationship with her baby. Many mothers decide to stop breastfeeding after, for example, three months or one year.

When to stop breastfeeding?

The antibodies in breast milk support your baby’s immune system and partially protect them from childhood illnesses. The World Health Organization (WHO) therefore recommends that infants are exclusively breastfed for the first six months of their lives. Ideally, you should give your child solids from the age of six months and continue breastfeeding until the age of one or older. Some mothers stop breastfeeding earlier – for health or personal reasons.

Good to know: you don’t need to stop breastfeeding when your child starts daycare. If you wish to continue, you can give your fresh, cooled or frozen breast milk to the daycare facility.

Stopping breastfeeding: how?

Stopping breastfeeding is a personal process. You and your baby decide together which method works best for you. If you have health-related complaints, trust the advice of your doctor or midwife.

Stopping night feeds (Gordon method)

Some mothers feel tired and fatigued from breastfeeding at night and decide to stop night feeds. There is an approach known as the “Gordon method” to help you stop night feeds in ten nights. For this method to work, your child must be at least one year old and healthy.

The aim of the Gordon method is to not breastfeed for seven hours. Arrange your plan around your usual bedtime. For example, if you go to bed at 10.30 p.m., give your child their last feed just before this. Plan to feed them again seven hours later, i.e. 5.30 a.m. If you want to use the Gordon method to stop night feeds, follow the plan below:

Nights

What to do

1 to 3

If your child wakes up crying in the night, comfort them and breastfeed briefly. It’s important that you don’t breastfeed your child to sleep. Instead, cuddle them until they fall asleep.

4 to 6

Comfort your child when they wake up. Stroke them and cuddle them. Do not breastfeed them at all. This method of stopping breastfeeding often leads to them crying in the night, which is why closeness to your child is particularly important. Ideally, your partner would support you.

7 to 10

Your child will hopefully now be used to the new routine. If they still cry in the night, comfort them – but don’t pick them up. Hold their hand, stroke them and gently talk to them.

Stopping breastfeeding quickly

There are some cases when mothers need to stop breastfeeding right away. There are various ways to do this:

Medication: doctors prescribe medication containing the active ingredient cabergoline to help mothers stop breastfeeding quickly. This suppresses milk production. Women tolerate these medications best in the first three weeks after giving birth. After this, they may suffer more side effects. The tablets are only available on prescription. You should therefore consult your doctor.
Conservative method: infrequent breastfeeding causes your milk production to decrease. Women who want to stop breastfeeding quickly should therefore only breastfeed when their breasts feel full. This quick method of stopping breastfeeding works without tablets.

It’s important that you don’t stop breastfeeding abruptly. This can be very distressing for your baby. It’s best to consult your midwife or a breastfeeding advisor first. You should also seek medical advice if stopping breastfeeding causes you physical problems.

How we support you during breastfeeding

Our basic insurance covers the cost of support by a midwife for up to eight weeks after the birth. It also covers the cost of three breastfeeding guidance sessions conducted by a midwife or a trained specialist.

These costs are covered by the health insurance company

Stopping breastfeeding gradually

Most breastfeeding mothers decide to stop breastfeeding gradually by slowly replacing breast milk with solid food (known as “weaning”). At the same time, they continue to breastfeed their baby when they ask for milk.

How long does it take to stop breastfeeding gradually? This depends on the needs of the mother and child. The baby is considered fully weaned when they eat three full meals a day. If you decide to stop breastfeeding gradually using the natural method, your baby determines when they will stop breastfeeding.

Stopping breastfeeding: what if my child doesn’t want to?

Stopping breastfeeding isn’t always easy. The following tips can help you:

Be patient. You may need more than one attempt to stop breastfeeding. Sometimes it can be helpful to start by setting times when you aren’t going to breastfeed.
Cuddle your child a lot while they’re getting used to the new situation. Physical closeness makes it easier for you and your child to slowly end the breastfeeding relationship.
Accept support from your partner. If they give the baby a bottle now and then, the baby may get used to it more quickly.
Don’t hesitate to ask your midwife for advice. They will answer all your questions and will give you further valuable tips.

Stopping breastfeeding: what side effects may occur?

Stopping breastfeeding can sometimes lead to physical or psychological symptoms for the mother:

Blocked milk ducts: when you stop breastfeeding, you may suffer from blocked milk ducts because your body will continue to produce milk. You may find that your breasts don’t empty entirely. The milk then accumulates in the milk ducts. You might notice hard areas in your breasts. These are caused by milk that hasn’t been removed. Other signs of blocked milk ducts include painful, sensitive breasts and redness.
Mastitis: in some cases, stopping breastfeeding can lead to mastitis. Possible signs include fever and aching limbs. Mastitis is sometimes caused by blocked milk ducts.
Psychological symptoms: the hormonal changes that occur when you stop breastfeeding can lead to various psychological complaints, such as severe mood fluctuations. Stopping breastfeeding quickly can trigger postpartum depression. Mothers who have to stop breastfeeding involuntarily may suffer from feelings of failure.
Hair loss: some women suffer from hair loss when they stop breastfeeding. There are various reasons for this, including the hormonal changes that occur.

By the way, stopping breastfeeding quickly is only painless in exceptional cases. So it’s best to stop breastfeeding gradually if you can. This way you will reduce the risk of problems like painful breasts.

Stopping breastfeeding may have an impact on your child. Some children find it emotionally distressing. They cry and are sad to lose the breastfeeding relationship. Your child may initially be ill more often after you stop breastfeeding. This is because their immune system is no longer getting antibodies from your breast milk.

Stopping breastfeeding: useful tips

Stopping breastfeeding takes patience, support and the right tips. Find out below how to stop breastfeeding gently and effectively.

Stopping breastfeeding and giving infant formula

If you want to stop breastfeeding and switch to infant formula you should bear the following in mind:

Your baby should ideally only drink milk until they are six months old – so gradually replace breast milk with infant formula. Start with the feeding when your baby generally drinks the least. You can use first infant formula for this. You don’t necessarily need to use follow-on formula when you stop breastfeeding.
Offer your child solid foods as soon as they are six months old. Use your child’s cues as a guide. Some children need a little more time to try solid foods.
Experts only recommend stopping breastfeeding without a bottle once the child has turned one year old. So don’t stop giving infant formula in the first year of your baby’s life. Solid foods are the ideal complement to milk feeds.

Please note: some babies are ready for solid foods before they are six months old. You can recognise this by certain signs – for instance, showing an interest in food or chewing. In this case, there’s no reason not to carefully start trying solid foods if your child is at least four months old.

Stopping breastfeeding: tips for preventing blocked milk ducts

There are lots of home remedies to help with blocked milk ducts when you stop breastfeeding:

Tea: peppermint tea reduces milk production when you are stopping breastfeeding. The same goes for sage tea. Drink two to three cups per day.
Sage compress: pour 100 millilitres of boiling water over a sage teabag. After ten minutes, apply the tea to two compresses. Place these on your breasts for twenty minutes.
Quark wrap: apply room-temperature quark generously to two compresses. Place one on each breast and cover them with a woollen cloth. Remove the compresses after thirty minutes.

It may help you to massage your breasts when you stop breastfeeding. Form a “C” with your thumb and index finger. Place your thumb above the areola and the other fingers below. Keeping your breast slightly raised, press gently with your thumb and fingers towards your ribcage. Now gently press your thumb and fingers together so that the areola is pushed together. Turn the “C” two centimetres in a clockwise direction. Repeat the process until all your milk ducts are empty. Don’t use a breast pump when you stop breastfeeding, as these promote milk production.

Stopping breastfeeding with homoeopathic remedies

Homoeopathic remedies may support you in stopping breastfeeding. Phytolacca, for example, is available in globule form. This may help to reduce the amount of milk you produce. Potencies D1, D2 and D4 are usual for this purpose.

Speak to a homoeopath or doctor before taking homoeopathic remedies. They will know which dosage is best for you.

Changes to your body after you stop breastfeeding

Many women notice changes to their bodies when they stop breastfeeding. These include:

Changed breast shape: after women stop breastfeeding, their breasts are smaller than before. This is due to the reduction in fatty tissue. Fatty tissue makes up 70% of a young woman’s breast. Around 30% is glandular tissue. This increases when the glands produce milk. When you stop breastfeeding, the glandular tissue shrinks again.
Metabolism: breastfeeding influences your metabolism for at least three months and it remains changed for the long term after you stop breastfeeding. Researchers have found that the concentration of certain metabolic products is different in breastfeeding women than in women who only breastfed for a short amount of time or not at all.
Weight gain: some women gain weight when they stop breastfeeding. There are various reasons for this. For one, your body has to get used to the fact that it needs fewer calories once you’ve stopped breastfeeding.

Stopping breastfeeding: how long does it take for your milk to dry up?

After your baby’s final feed, your milk ducts will slowly stop working and will start to shrink. Your breasts will be free of milk after about a month. Talk to your midwife if you feel you want to start breastfeeding again after stopping. In some cases, this is possible.

When will your period return after you stop breastfeeding?

There’s no way to know when your period will return after you stop breastfeeding. Many women will find that their period returns even before they stop breastfeeding. Others will not menstruate at all while breastfeeding. As a general rule, the more often and longer you breastfeed, the later your period will return. This is because of the hormone prolactin, which prevents the egg cells from maturing. Ovulation does not occur. If you breastfeed often and over a long period of time, your body produces more prolactin. If you choose to stop breastfeeding after four months, for example, your cycle will normalise quicker than if you breastfeed for a year. Bear in mind that women often don’t notice the first time they ovulate after pregnancy. This means it’s possible to get pregnant, even if you haven’t had a period yet.

If several months have passed after you stopped breastfeeding and you still haven’t had a period, talk to your gynaecologist.

Patience and empathy are essential when you stop breastfeeding. Home remedies can help to make the process of stopping breastfeeding gentler and to alleviate the symptoms. Get advice from your midwife and accept support from your partner. Trust your gut feeling and the needs of your child to make this a smooth experience for you both.