Hello..

Speaking of Baby Clubs..

I signed up at a local supermarket, received a big package at my doorstep..
Included was the "usual" literature.. bottles, formula, diapers..
As I was about to dump the package in the trash, one caught my eye..

Weaning.. A Turning Point for Mother and Child
Brought to you by Welch's
(yup, the juice people)

The information in this brochure was appalling...
I think my favorite line from this is:  "Don't force him to keep
breast-feeding if he resists, however."

After reading this, please contact:
http://www.wegmans.com/guest/default.asp  (supermarket that provides this
information in it's Baby Club packages)
and
http://www.welchs.com/company/contact_us.html (Welch's)

Amy Madsen
proud breastfeeding mother
LLLL Northeastern PA
[log in to unmask]
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Weaning
A Turning Point for Mother and Child

Your Question and Answer Guide

Brought to you by Welch's
www.welchs.com


Q:  When should I wean my baby from breast to bottle?

Many nursing mothers begin to wean their babies between four and seven
months so they can return to work or resume other activities away from the
child.  But even if you don't plan to stop breastfeeding until much later,
you may still want to start giving your baby an occasional bottle or either
breast milk or formula so you can spend more than a few hours away from him
at a stretch, and so that his father, grandparents, and siblings have a
chance to feed him every now & then.  Bottle-feeding also gives you more
flexibility when you take him out or travel.  In any event, you should
continue to breastfeed or provide infant formula until your baby is one year
old.  After that, whole cow's milk can be given.

Don't expect smooth sailing if your baby has never been given a bottle
before.  He will probably object to it the first few times, especially if
his mother tries to give it to him.  By this age, he associates his mother
with nursing, so it's understandable if he's confused and annoyed when
there's a sudden change in the routine.  Things may go more smoothly if his
father or another family member feeds him - and mom stays out of the room.
After your baby's gotten used to the idea, then mom can take over, but he
should get lots of cuddling, stroking, and encouragement to make up for the
lost skin-to-skin contact.

Once your baby has learned to take an occasional bottle, it should be
relatively easy to wean him from the breast.  The time needed to wean him,
however, will vary, depending on the emotional and physical needs of both
child and mother.  If your baby adapts well to change and you're ready for
the transition, you can make a total switch in one to two weeks.  For the
first two days, substitute one bottle of formula for one breast-feeding per
day. (Don't express milk during this time) On the third day, use a bottle
for two feedings.  By the fifth day, you can jump to three or four bottle
feedings.

Many women prefer to wean more slowly, even when their babies cooperate
fully.  Breast-feeding provides a closeness between mother and child that's
hard to duplicate any other way, and, understandably, you may be reluctant
to give up such intimacy.  In this case, you can continue to offer a
combination of the breast and bottle for up to one year or slightly beyond.
Don't force him to keep breast-feeding if he resists, however.  Many babies
lose interest between nine and twelve months, or when they learn to drink
from a cup.

Q: Is it time to give up the bottle?

A: Most pediatricians recommend that the bottle be given up entirely around
age one and almost certainly by eighteen months.  As long as your baby is
drinking from a cup, he doesn't need to take liquids from a bottle anymore.
Unfortunately, weaning your baby from the bottle is not as easy as it
sounds.  To help things along, eliminate the midday bottle first, then the
evening and morning ones; save the bedtime bottle for last, since it's often
the most difficult for your youngster to give up.

For a child who has trouble falling asleep or who wakes up during the night,
it's easy to get into the habit of using food or a bottle to comfort him.
But at this age he no longer needs anything to eat or drink during the
night.  If you are still feeding him at that time, you should stop.  If he
cries for only a short time, try letting him "cry himself back to sleep."
After a few night, he'll forget all about the bottle.  If this doesn't
happen, consult your pediatrician.

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