Weaning

Weaning is when you finish nursing. Healthcare providers recommend exclusively chest/breastfeeding your infant until 6 months, and then introducing solid foods while continuing to nurse. The Canadian Pediatric Society and UNICEF recommend continuing to nurse until your child is aged two years or more. Human milk still has many nutritional and health benefits for your baby but by 6 months, growing babies need more calories and higher amounts of certain vitamins and minerals, especially iron, than human milk alone can provide. These vitamins and minerals are contained in solid food and supplements. Read the links below to learn more about starting to feed your child solid foods and when it could be the right time for you to consider weaning. 

The links below provide information on weaning including when is the best time to wean, how to wean your baby, as well as care for yourself as you wean.

• Canadian Paediatric Society - Weaning your child from breastfeeding and complementing breastfeeding with other foods

• Government of Alberta - Learn about weaning and what to expect
• La Leche League International - Weaning: How to
• Breastfeeding Basics - Weaning
• Hamilton Regional Lactation Committee - How to stop breastfeeding...quickly