U-interview with a nutritionist: ending of breastfeeding. Full nutrition for mom and baby

One of the hardest decisions a new parent must make is when to stop breastfeeding. Though every family’s decision is very personal and unique, mom and baby can have a more seamless transition if they are aware of the process and are ready for it.

The best strategies for adjusting to this shift will be discussed in this U-interview with a nutritionist. We’ll go over what balanced eating looks like during this time of transition for both mother and child, as well as how to make sure they’re getting the vital nutrients they require.

As breastfeeding draws to an end, our expert will offer helpful guidance and address frequently asked questions regarding how to support your baby’s growth and your own wellbeing, from introducing new foods to maintaining a healthy diet. The goal of this guide is to assist your family in a smooth transition as much as possible.

Topic Ending of Breastfeeding: Full Nutrition for Mom and Baby
Focus Understanding how to transition from breastfeeding to other feeding options while ensuring proper nutrition for both mother and baby.
Key Points 1. Importance of gradual transition. 2. Nutritional needs for the baby after breastfeeding. 3. Balanced diet for the mother during the transition. 4. Common challenges and solutions.
Nutrition Tips for Baby Introduce iron-rich foods, ensure adequate vitamin D, and maintain a variety of fruits and vegetables in their diet.
Nutrition Tips for Mom Focus on a balanced diet including protein, whole grains, and healthy fats. Stay hydrated and consider a multivitamin if needed.
Expert Advice Consult with a nutritionist to create a personalized plan for both mother and baby to ensure a smooth transition and meet nutritional needs.

What is happening in the mother"s body

– With the end of breastfeeding in the body of a woman, first of all, hormonal restructuring is underway. Not only the quantity and quality of milk, but also other body functions of the body depends on its concentration, is responsible for the production of milk. Because all hormones are in interaction with each other: when there are many one, it means that there will be fewer others. When breastfeeding ends, prolactin levels are reduced, and a signal for the production of other hormones, prolactin antagonists are in the brain. – What kind of hormones and for what they are responsible in the female body? – We must start with the fact that there are always all hormones in the body. It"s just that throughout life (and even within one day) their ratio can change. For example, the female body also contains (in some quantity) the male hormone testosterone, while the male body contains a small concentration of female sex hormones. So, when the level of prolactin in a woman"s body decreases after lactation, the level of natural female hormones responsible for menstrual function immediately increases in communicating vessels – in particular, progesterone and estrogen. The body is rebuilt in accordance with the tasks that are at a particular moment. And if during pregnancy the level of prolactin in the mother"s body increases gradually, and by the time the child is born (that is, when breast milk is in demand), there is enough of this hormone in the body to begin breastfeeding immediately after birth. Then, accordingly, by the end of lactation (with a gradual reduction in the number of feedings), the level of prolactin decreases just as smoothly. From this point of view, there is less stress for the mother and baby"s body: if complementary feeding was introduced in advance, and most importantly – on time (and as a result – the number of feedings was reduced), then by the time lactation ends (a year and a half after childbirth), a woman feeds not 12 times a day, as in the first months, but 2-3. it is not so difficult to refuse such a number of feedings – the woman"s body produces less milk. – Does it matter whether breastfeeding was suddenly stopped or lactation "came to naught" on its own, gradually, as the child began to take the breast less and less? – Naturally, it is always better for the body if some changes occur gradually. WHO (World Health Organization) gave recommendations that breastfeeding can continue for up to 2 years. But we keep in mind that from six months, along with mother"s milk, the child also receives complementary foods – it has already been proven that after 6 months, the nutrients found in mother"s milk are not enough for the child, and various deficiencies arise in the growing body. That is why there is a system of introducing complementary foods – gradually various products are added to the child"s diet to replenish the deficiency of certain substances. And in parallel with this process, the number of breastfeedings naturally decreases in favor of complementary foods. – It turns out that the end of breastfeeding is directly related to the introduction of complementary foods? (Olga Vyacheslavovna talks in detail about the introduction of complementary foods and the importance of healthy eating at any age in the second part of the interview) – Of course! Sooner or later (even taking into account the fact that the number of feedings per day is already minimal), there still comes a moment when you need to stop feeding completely! And at this moment it is better to stop feeding once and for all. It will be difficult for the body to readjust if the end of breastfeeding occurs like chopping off a tail in parts: today we do not give the breast, in two we give it again, then we decide that we are stopping after all… Each such "unscheduled" application of the child to the breast, even after a long time after the end of breastfeeding, can cause a jump in prolactin, milk will begin to flow into the breast again. There are cases when women who stopped breastfeeding then suddenly resumed feeding for one reason or another (for example, if the child is sick) and the milk appeared again. But if there is no emergency, then, having fed the child to a certain age (one and a half years is optimal), it is better to stop the lactation function once and for all. The thing is that if these episodic attachments to the breast continue and continue, then not only will the mother"s body never rebuild itself – in this situation, psycho-emotional imbalances also arise. – And, as far as I know, the older the child, the more the psycho-emotional aspect of ending breastfeeding comes to the forefront, rather than the gastronomic one… – Absolutely right! From the point of view of dietetics, there can be no pain at all when giving up the breast at this age. The nutritional value of mother"s milk for a child is no longer as great as in the first months of life – milk can no longer fully meet all of his needs, at the age of one and a half years, milk is far from the only food for a baby. No matter how useful breast milk is, for some reason mothers no longer breastfeed schoolchildren and students! – Let"s clarify: at what age does the value of breast milk decrease? – It"s not that the value of milk itself decreases – it"s just that it alone is no longer enough for a child over six months old, because the baby is growing! He gets teeth – this already serves as a signal that he is ready to bite and chew food, and not just suck! In addition, there are data from many studies, there are many scientific papers on this topic: specialists study both the composition of breast milk and the child"s needs for certain microelements. And they all come to the conclusion that after six months, when the woman"s body has exhausted all the resources accumulated during pregnancy, and the child"s needs are different than immediately after childbirth – after six months there is already a shortage of nutrients ..

Respect the interests of the child

– After the article How to humanely stop breastfeeding was published, where I wrote that after six months the nutritional value of milk decreases, readers reproached me for promoting the refusal of breastfeeding in favor of complementary foods. – I think that it"s all about incorrectly placed accents in your article. In general, you can sing a separate song about breast milk. The World Health Organization on the basis of research by scientists around the world recommends not to touch the child for up to six months at all, not to introduce anything to the diet and give only mother"s milk. Because, even no matter how much mother is exhausted, her milk is much better than an artificially cooked, even the highest quality children"s milk mixture. Until now, scientists cannot explain the mechanism of milk production in the female breast: how the mother"s body “recognizes” the child’s needs at a particular moment. Numerous experiments show: mother"s milk can really adapt to the needs of the child, it changes in composition not only during the period of feeding, but even within the day. If the child wants to drink – the milk will be liquid, if he needs more sugar – the milk will be sweet, if he needs calories – it is produced more fatty and thick, "filling". The baby will always get the milk he needs. But – I come back to this thought again! – after six months, due to the fact that the baby"s needs change, even the best mother"s milk in the world cannot fully satisfy his needs for nutrients – he needs much more for growth and development than in the first months of life. The milk is still good, but the baby no longer needs it! Gradually, from six months, we recommend introducing complementary foods, and how long a woman will maintain lactation against the background of complementary foods is up to her to decide. Let her feed until she is five years old, if it is psychologically comfortable. – And yet, what is the nutritional value of milk after a year? It turns out that if all complementary foods are introduced on time, the child eats well – then what is milk for? – These are enzymes that help digestion, and immune defense agents, and hormones, and other biologically active substances… In addition, there are really difficult situations when a child can be saved by temporarily transferring exclusively to breastfeeding. This is my own experience: when my child became seriously ill at one year old (and at that time I was almost no longer breastfeeding), he could not eat anything because of paroxysmal coughing. In addition, the child was severely intoxicated, and I put him to the breast at first to calm him down, and then the milk returned. And during the entire period of illness we were breastfed only. – And what about the painful psycho-emotional attachment? It did not develop after this incident? – No, after the illness the child quickly cheered up, switched to other, no less interesting subjects, and gradually we again reduced breastfeeding to "nothing". I gave this example to emphasize the importance of breastfeeding and unique mother"s milk. This is Nature, and no one can debug this "mother-child" system better than it. And therefore I recommend starting complementary feeding not at three months (as, for example, the Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences still recommends), but at six months. And then, only for the reason not to completely replace mother"s milk – let it be! – but to additionally nourish the baby with those substances that he no longer receives enough from milk. Milk remains in the baby"s diet with its valuable components – enzymes, microorganisms… And of course, the psycho-emotional component is very important, and at least for this reason, it is advisable to continue breastfeeding for at least 9 months. And then further – after a year, when not only all the products are present in the baby"s diet, but also the baby"s own digestive system is sufficiently formed, breastfeeding can be gradually curtailed. And here, psycho-emotional attachment comes to the fore. – You want to say that he already understands what"s what, and is quite capable of distinguishing a tit from porridge? – If a child is breastfed for a very long time, then at the age of one and a half years a crisis may occur: the child refuses to eat, he does not want any food, is capricious and demands only the breast. And this is understandable – the moment for a gradual, timely introduction of products into his diet is missed, the breast is given on demand, at any time – there is no feeding schedule, nothing. Meanwhile, he is already able (and he needs!) to receive other food in addition to the breast. And at this moment he begins to be naughty. His unequal system is like exposed wires. And this is also connected with nutrition – being constantly on the breast, he does not receive the nutrients he needs, and the child"s nervous system is overexcited. – And by the way, at about a year they just take their first steps and become a little more independent, at least in terms of movement in space … – Yes, there is such a moment. Before that, when he either crawled or moved in his mother"s arms, he did not worry much. And at one and a half years the child begins to separate from the mother, and the opposite reaction occurs: on the one hand, he is no longer so dependent on her either in movement or in nutrition, but on the other hand, he is afraid of losing his mother. And every time, returning to the breast, he kind of checks: is mom here? A kind of rollback occurs – psychologists note it in the period from 7 to 11 months. And we have a lot of problems with those children whom mom breastfed for a long time, and at an older age breastfeeding was no longer a joy, but only made both mom and baby nervous. And when with such children at the age of, say, two years old, parents come to me as a nutritionist with the question "what to do, he doesn"t eat anything", then my work here is minimal – I send him to a psychologist. Because before feeding him the right food (that is, appropriate for his age), you first need to awaken interest in this food in him. And prolonged breastfeeding does not contribute to this at all. And the question of "how to feed a child" should have been addressed at least a year and a half earlier. – When?! – At 5-6 months – this is the ideal time for introducing the first complementary foods, even from a psychological point of view. The baby is not afraid of anything yet, he is confident that his mother will not abandon him, and most importantly, he has a healthy interest in adult food. Against the background of this interest, it is high time to offer him new food at first, just to try it – at six months, the child will swallow this new food with pleasure in every sense of the word. – Good: you started introducing new food in a timely manner, by the age of one – as you already said – all age-appropriate products are present in the diet … It turns out, when to give the breast? There is no room left for the breast in this diet! – At first, the breast is given immediately after complementary feeding: he ate two or three spoons of vegetable puree or porridge, "washed down" with mother"s milk. Later, one of the breastfeedings is completely replaced by complementary feeding, then two feedings a day, three, and so on. By the age of one, the child already receives the breast episodically, in between main meals. This is the scheme of natural feeding of a one-year-old child – when we leave the breast, but by the age of one year we have already introduced all the products … – Night feedings cause special torment for mothers. A common picture: the child hardly attaches to the breast during the day, forgets about the breast, but falls asleep only with the breast, and in addition, uses the breast to the fullest extent all night… – If a woman really wants to maintain lactation, then she must come to terms with the fact that she will have to feed the child at night – after all, it is at night that prolactin is produced, and the impulse from night feeding extends to the daytime as well. – And it turns out that if a mother is determined to stop breastfeeding, the first thing she does is stop night feedings? – Yes, if she is determined, – then you need to start weaning from the breast with night feedings. Sooth the baby, lull him, carry him in your arms. Give him kefir, water, dried fruit compote while he"s sleeping… – There was a question on the forum about "glucose surges": according to one theory, a child asks for breastfeeding at night because he needs something sweet, that is, glucose, which breast milk is rich in… – Yes, this really exists: there is the so-called "morning dawn phenomenon", when moments of glucose depletion in the blood occur, and it is the brain cells that are sensitive to glucose, and the child needs night feeding – that"s true. But after three months, we also evaluate the duration of night sleep, because the habit of eating at night is a bad habit for an older age. If by five or six months he still sleeps poorly and wakes up every now and then, this does not mean that he does not have enough glucose – it means that he is really hungry. – And how in this case is it better to feed him at night? – It is good to feed him fully with what he likes and tolerates well. It is better if these are cereals and vegetable dishes rich in carbohydrates. Meat – to a minimum, it is digested slowly and with difficulty. But in cereals and vegetables, glucose is contained in such a form that it is released gradually and slowly nourishes the child at night. – You know, if we talk about the fact that in early childhood we form eating habits, then the habit of eating fully at night certainly cannot be considered good! – And am I talking about eating at night ? This refers to an evening meal. Dinner. After all, you and I have dinner no later than three hours before bedtime. – And yet, something needs to be given to the child at night? After all, he asks! And if it is not the breast, then what? – The breast, of course, after such a dinner will be a pleasant addition before bedtime, but if we are talking about the age when the child is no longer receiving the breast, then fermented milk products are a good remedy in this case. One and a half to two hours after the main dinner, before bedtime, give the child kefir from a bottle. If he drinks from a cup – even better. Then he will be able to fall asleep for 5-6 hours. At a year and a half, it is normal for a child to sleep at night for 5-6 hours without a break ..

And again, let"s return to mom: how to replenish resources

– What other advice can you give to women who have decided to stop breastfeeding? – Of course, you need to try not to stop feeding abruptly, but to start "from afar". It is not that today I decided to stop breastfeeding (despite the fact that the child sucked 8-10 times a day), and tomorrow I bravely hold on and do not give him the breast at all. With the beginning of introducing complementary foods (after six months), reduce the number of feedings as planned, and by one and a half to two years, when you are breastfeeding once or twice a day – only then can you think about stopping feeding altogether. At the age of about one and a half years, as practice shows, weaning from the breast occurs most painlessly from the point of view of the emotional state of both mother and baby. – How a woman should eat at the stage of reducing the number of feedings and after stopping breastfeeding? – Recommendations opposite to those we give to nursing mothers: do not give the body resources to produce milk. If the first advice to nursing mothers is to drink a lot of liquid, then for those who are finishing breastfeeding, on the contrary, it is better not to drink a lot at first. And do not put the baby to the breast, since sucking is the main powerful stimulus that again triggers the hormonal mechanism of milk production. – You probably also need to eat less? – Maybe less, but more often. For at least another month and a half, you need to try to maintain a fractional meal regime. That is, eat often, but little by little – just like during breastfeeding. This is necessary so that the body does not suddenly begin to accumulate everything and put it aside for future use. From the point of view of dietetics, the first months after the end of breastfeeding are critical for women in terms of weight gain. After all, while a woman was intensively breastfeeding, not only the incoming substances, but also the resources of her own body – everything was directed to maintaining lactation. Milk production itself is already a rather complex, energy-intensive process, and often nursing mothers, on the contrary, lose weight. But after the end of breastfeeding, a woman can finally not limit herself and leans on sweets, chocolate … But her energy expenditure no longer corresponds to the previous level – and everything received is deposited in fat depots. This, by the way, is generally one of the main rules for those who watch their figure: the same set of products in quantity and composition, eaten in six meals, is absorbed completely differently than the same food eaten, say, in two meals. – How is it?! – The less often you eat, the more intensively the nutrients are absorbed. Roughly speaking, the body cannot understand: "where is all this, why?" And most importantly – "when will I be fed next time"? – and just in case, it puts it aside in reserve. So if for ordinary healthy adults the optimal diet is 4 times a day, then for pregnant women, nursing mothers and those who have just finished feeding, it is 6 times. – And if the mother ate no more than three times a day during breastfeeding – well, after the end of lactation, it is still necessary to switch to 6 meals a day? – Yes, it is during this period, in order not to gain excess weight, I recommend dividing the same amount of food that you previously consumed three times into six small meals. Increase the number of meals, but do not increase the amount eaten. For example, do not eat the first and second course at lunch at once: eat only the first course, and the second course two or three hours later. Weight gain in the first months after the end of breastfeeding is also facilitated by a change in lifestyle: often, after finishing breastfeeding, a mother immediately goes to work, where, as a rule, she has to sit a lot. And, literally, sitting at work, she no longer spends as many calories as sitting at home with a child. In general, it should be noted that sitting at home with children is a very difficult task in terms of physical activity! So, when stopping breastfeeding, a woman, firstly, actively takes up sweets, secondly, continues to eat a lot by inertia, but eats less often (since she goes to work), and most importantly, she no longer spends as many calories as before. Here are the main points due to which weight gain occurs immediately after the end of lactation. – What else can be done to improve health, support, replenish resources? After all, there are probably losses of various substances in the mother"s body, for example, calcium… They say: with each child, the mother loses one of her teeth… – Prevention of various types of losses should begin not even during pregnancy, but at the stage of preparation for conception. And during pregnancy, a woman should support herself with vitamin and mineral complexes. When we do not do this, then our own resource goes into the milk. And on the contrary, if we take additional calcium, iodine, protein or something else (which is recommended), then the body"s resources are not depleted so much. But the most unpleasant thing is that not everything that "came out of the depot" can be replenished. “Nature abhors a vacuum,” and if a nursing woman does not receive, for example, the same additional sources of calcium, then something else is built into its place (into the tissue of bones, teeth, nails). And as a rule, these are heavy metals. And then, even if we start taking calcium supplements after lactation, it is sometimes impossible to “build in” the once lost calcium to its rightful place – the place is already occupied by other microelements. Therefore, a woman who is just preparing for pregnancy should already saturate the body with vitamins and minerals. Research shows that if a woman ate poorly during pregnancy and began to monitor her diet only after giving birth (starting to breastfeed), then the substances she receives do not go into milk! They go primarily to replenishing her own resources. Because this is the body, and milk is its secondary product. And the body takes care of itself first, and only then – of its additional functions. – I think with horror: throughout the entire year of breastfeeding, I myself took calcium supplements at best. And those – from time to time. What to do now – run to the pharmacy for medications? – There are many different medications, dietary supplements, various food components, special purpose products, fortified foods… You need to buy one or another product – depending on what your body needs. As a rule, all mothers who have finished breastfeeding experience a deficiency of calcium, iron, iodine and a number of vitamins. – Is it possible to independently determine what substances your body lacks? – Of course, there are very complex tests that help to establish this, but usually no one consults with anyone, and women take standard, affordable vitamin and mineral complexes or vitamin cocktails for pregnant and lactating women. But of course, it is better to start taking any medications after consulting a doctor, because everything is individual. For example, if a woman ate half a kilogram of cottage cheese every day during the entire period of breastfeeding, then she may not need calcium at all, but vitamin D. And another, for example, does not get calcium from food at all, and she certainly needs a calcium supplement. And if we recommend that every woman (not pregnant or nursing) consume 1000 mg of calcium per day (relatively speaking, this is a liter of milk or kefir), then a nursing mother – no less than 1500 mg. If we do not get this amount of calcium, whether we want it or not, a deficiency occurs. – And yet, there are probably some external signs: for example, they say that with a lack of calcium, nails become brittle and flake, hair begins to fall out. – Most often, there is a combined deficiency, many factors in combination can cause similar symptoms, and therefore complex drugs are prescribed, where some components enhance the effect of others, complement each other and the body will still, as they say, "take its own". The same hair can fall out due to a lack of not only calcium, but also iron and iodine, and it can also be a sign of a lack of B vitamins and protein… Nails are, indeed, a calcium depot, but they can also suffer from a lack of zinc and iron in the body… It is quite difficult to say for sure why certain symptoms occur – you need to analyze the woman"s diet as a whole and take into account the lifestyle she leads. and to this we need to add: how is all that wonderful, vitamin-rich food that you eat absorbed. You can eat, eat and eat valuable food, but all this will also be excreted with the same success..

As our conversation with the nutritionist comes to an end, it is evident that the move from nursing to full nutrition is a big one for both mother and child. To make sure that both get the nutrients they require to stay healthy and thrive, this time needs to be carefully planned and considered.

It’s critical for moms to maintain a balanced diet during this time of change. Including a range of foods high in nutrients will help maintain energy levels and general health. Recall to drink plenty of water and pay attention to your body’s needs, which may vary when you get used to a new routine.

Introducing solid foods to babies is a thrilling experience. They will be able to taste a variety of flavors and textures if you gradually offer them a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, and proteins. Remember that each baby is different, so you should be understanding and accommodating to their tastes and responses to unfamiliar foods.

Mom and baby can both go through this transition with ease if they concentrate on eating a balanced diet and pay attention to each other’s needs. The intention is to establish a constructive experience that fosters your mutual development and well-being. This stage of your parenting journey can be fulfilling and enriching if you approach it correctly.

We discuss how to guarantee a balanced diet for mom and baby as well as the crucial shift of stopping breastfeeding in our most recent U-interview with a nutritionist. We go over helpful advice on how to transition your growing child’s nutritional needs smoothly from breastfeeding to other forms of nourishment, with an emphasis on how to do so while maintaining the mother’s health.

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Olga Sokolova

Experienced pediatrician and consultant on children's health. Interested in modern approaches to strengthening the immune system, proper nutrition and child care. I write to make life easier for moms and dads by giving proven medical advice.

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