When mother needs to guide weaning for whatever reason, it is helpful if she can find ways to say "yes" and also meet her own needs. It is also important to choose an approach that matches the baby's maturity and ability to understand. Several good ideas have been shared already. Another idea that might work with a young toddler is to use an auditory cue. Mom can "yes" to the request to nurse and add "You can nurse as long as - the musical wind-up bear sings, the song on the iPad/phone/whatever lasts, etc. I used a clock that chimed on the quarter hour so that I could always say "yes, until the clock chimes and then we'll cuddle and rock while I sing to you/tell you a story, etc." This allows for baby's need to be honored and mother's need, too. And it made something else - not Mom - to be the determiner of how long. Another idea that has been shared with me, but which may be better with an older child, is to be honest with the baby and say Mommy's nipples (or whatever name baby has given them) has a boo-boo and let him know it is OK to kiss and lay his head on the breast but not to suck. Whatever technique is used, I wholeheartedly agree that other forms of body contact need to be substituted so baby doesn't feel pushed away. 


Cindy Garrison BS IBCLC 
Canonsburg, PA

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