On this episode, I welcome back IBCLC Melissa Mancini (@more_than_milk on Instagram).

We discuss how mothers decide the time is best for them to wean, some tips on how to wean, and we discuss the emotional aspects of weaning that are not always talked about.

00;00;08;21 – 00;00;28;09

Dr. Mona

Hello and welcome to this week’s episode where I am welcoming back Melissa Mancini, who is a registered lactation consultant, and she’s on Instagram. As more than milk. She’s actually been on my podcast before, episode 38, Breastfeeding Basics, and I’m having her back on to talk all about weaning breastfeeding. Thank you for joining me today, Melissa.

 

00;00;28;15 – 00;00;29;20

Melissa Mancini

Yeah, thanks for having me.

 

00;00;29;21 – 00;00;50;20

Dr. Mona

It’s so nice to see you again. I loved our episode 38 with Breastfeeding Basics. Obviously there was so much more we could have talked about, and this was a topic that was highly requested by my followers on Instagram. So I’m so glad that you were able to take some time to talk about it. So first of all, the first question I had for you was, how does a person even decide that they’re ready to win?

 

00;00;50;20 – 00;00;59;25

Dr. Mona

Like, some of my followers are just so confused if they’re going to actively do it, if they’re going to allow their child to do it. It’s a very complicated question, I guess, but what are your thoughts on what do you tell your families?

 

00;00;59;28 – 00;01;19;08

Melissa Mancini

I think it’s a really personal decision. You know, there’s a lot of factors that come into play, and a lot of it is going to depend on what what type of person are you? Are you someone who really needs an organized plan on how to win? Or are you someone who’s going to be much more comfortable, sort of slowly backing down on the number of nursing sessions or pumping sessions a day.

 

00;01;19;08 – 00;01;41;07

Melissa Mancini

And this is important because it doesn’t matter whether you’re pumping or breastfeeding. Weaning is is the same, really. It’s about supply and demand. So if you’re going to make a plan for weaning that the ideal situation is to do it gradually over time. So if we do it very abruptly, we’re very susceptible to clogged ducts and mastitis, which is no fun.

 

00;01;41;08 – 00;02;01;29

Melissa Mancini

Nobody wants that. So gradually, if you can, that’s ideal. However, not everyone can make that slow, gradual process. So I think it’s important for moms to decide are they ready or are they feeling pressured by something, you know, are they feeling like, oh, I just shouldn’t be breastfeeding because my child is too old and I’m getting feedback, you know, so what really should be based on are you ready?

 

00;02;01;29 – 00;02;15;18

Melissa Mancini

And then, you know, depending on how old your child is really deciding, how do we go about this? How do I make a plan? Do I need any help doing it, and how do I want to go about it? But it’s a really personal decision and it really varies from family to family.

 

00;02;15;21 – 00;02;30;05

Dr. Mona

Yeah. I think that was a big thing, right? And I said exactly. I was like, you have to decide. And it’s a personal choice, and no one should tell you really when it should happen for you. And that’s a really hard thing sometimes for, for mothers. I agree with you because I think a lot of it can be societal judgment.

 

00;02;30;05 – 00;02;44;27

Dr. Mona

And then also maybe the mom wants to do it, but she doesn’t know how. Is there any different considerations that you have when weaning an infant under one versus a toddler? Like what would be some maybe differences in that? Or do you think it’s pretty much the same, strategies that will go into.

 

00;02;44;29 – 00;03;00;26

Melissa Mancini

I think with, weaning a toddler, there’s a lot more emotional considerations for the toddler. So when we win an infant, they might not be as aware, you know, it’s a lot more easier to sort of change routine with an infant. A toddler is going to be a little more aware of those. They’re smart little creatures. They know.

 

00;03;00;29 – 00;03;16;27

Melissa Mancini

And so with a toddler, it’s a lot more I stress a lot more about communicating with your toddler, telling them what’s going on and having a conversation ahead of time. They may not understand all the details, but it’s really important to have a talk with them, explain to them. You know, maybe mommy is off limits for a little bit here.

 

00;03;16;29 – 00;03;29;22

Melissa Mancini

I can cuddle you, I can snuggle you, but we’re not going to nurse right now, whatever that code name is, if you have another name for nursing, make it something that they can understand and explain to them that this is what we’re going to do. And this is how, you know, this is how we’re going to go about it.

 

00;03;29;22 – 00;03;50;24

Melissa Mancini

But we have to be respectful of them too, right? They it’s special to them. It’s something it’s integrated into everyone’s lives. So how do we go about that in a way that respects them, respects the fact that they they’re smart, they know what’s going on. And then also respecting mom. If mom is just done breastfeeding. And I think sometimes we all get to that point where we’re like, enough is enough, I am ready to wean.

 

00;03;50;29 – 00;04;09;25

Melissa Mancini

My toddler might not be ready. So how do we start this process? So it’s it’s a lot more about slow, gradual changing routines. The other thing with toddlers is, distraction is going to be your key. So, you know, if you have a pattern with, especially with the toddler, you wake up in the morning, you snuggle, you nurse.

 

00;04;09;25 – 00;04;26;10

Melissa Mancini

How can we slowly change that routine? So maybe when the toddler wakes up, we give them some good morning snuggles, tell them we love them and we’re going to go cook in the kitchen. Let’s go make our help, mommy make breakfast or let’s go for a walk and bring a banana. Or, you know, something that sort of changes up that part of the routine.

 

00;04;26;12 – 00;04;50;02

Melissa Mancini

Same thing with bedtime. A lot of people have, you know, a snuggle nurse, go to sleep routine. And if we change that up, maybe someone else puts the toddler to bed for a little while until we sort of break that association between bedtime and nursing. So with toddlers that can be the key change, the change their, associations, add in some distractions and communicate with them.

 

00;04;50;05 – 00;04;56;08

Melissa Mancini

But lots of talking it through. It doesn’t have to be complicated, but, you know, it can be an adjustment for them just as much as it can be for us.

 

00;04;56;11 – 00;05;19;02

Dr. Mona

So I wanted to really talk about that toddler age because of what you just said. I’m if we have time, maybe we’ll go into some infant strategies. You know, since the I agree that emotional aspect that that comes into play. So you mentioned and you recommended more of a gradual approach. So would that mean kind of looking at how many breastfeeding sessions you’re doing and cutting down the number that way, or how would you approach gradually reducing the, sessions or how would that will look?

 

00;05;19;07 – 00;05;37;02

Melissa Mancini

Yeah, I tell moms, generally try to drop 1 to 2 nursing sessions every few days. So for example, if you’re nursing your toddler ten times a day, you’re going to have to start slow, you know, because if you just stop nursing altogether, you’ve probably got a lot of, clogged ducts themselves coming your way if it’s very abrupt.

 

00;05;37;02 – 00;05;58;13

Melissa Mancini

So if you’re nursing ten times a day and you know, a lot of it is, coming over comfort nursing and then, you know, going about their merry way, change two of those every, you know, 3 to 5 days. So you’re looking at a longer process. Whereas if you have a toddler who nurses in the morning and they wake up and at night before they go to bed, maybe drop one of those and stick with it for a week or two to see how it goes.

 

00;05;58;13 – 00;06;20;18

Melissa Mancini

Wait until you know you’re both comfortable and then again. Then tackle the other one. Have your partner put them to bed, you know, do your bedtime routine outside of the room or in another chair, not the chair that you nurse in. So change those associations, but do it slowly over time. Don’t just, you know, I’m going to drop all ten nursing or pumping sessions, you know, today, and then we’re going to be weaned by next week.

 

00;06;20;18 – 00;06;27;07

Melissa Mancini

That’s a lot more emotionally, rough on mom and baby. And you’re more prone to health issues that way, too.

 

00;06;27;09 – 00;06;34;05

Dr. Mona

Yeah. Have you ever seen the abrupt work, or you really do feel like the gradual is better? Like when you look at just your clients and when I. Yeah.

 

00;06;34;07 – 00;07;00;22

Melissa Mancini

You know, sometimes abrupt can’t be avoided. There could be a medical reason. And so in the abrupt reason, category, what I would say is I do recommend working with someone working with an IB, CLC, if you have to a really abruptly wean, because we don’t want to go into a situation where you’ve got mastitis. And there’s this really fine balance between we don’t want to stimulate the breast, but we also want to release enough of the milk so that you’re not super engorged.

 

00;07;00;24 – 00;07;28;03

Melissa Mancini

There are classes and providers who will actually do protocols, and it’ll include things like cool compresses, cold cabbage leaves, ibuprofen, and a lot of them will actually recommend a, an antihistamine and with, with pseudoephedrine in it. And because those medications tend to decrease your milk supply. So for example, I wouldn’t I would never recommend an antihistamine or Sudafed for someone who’s actively breastfeeding because it can decrease your supply.

 

00;07;28;03 – 00;07;50;19

Melissa Mancini

But if you’re if you’re weaning very abruptly, it can be helpful. It dehydrates you. So, you know, we’re drying up the supply a little bit faster. So a lot of IB classes have protocols that will walk people through. Here’s the steps to take if you do have to abruptly wean. But it is more uncomfortable. You know, we sort of tell people, hey, you’ve got like 24 to 48 hours minimum where you’re going to be pretty uncomfortable.

 

00;07;50;19 – 00;08;00;12

Melissa Mancini

You’re super engorged. How do we walk this fine line between, yes, you’re going to be engorged, release just enough milk and still accomplish the goals of weaning quickly.

 

00;08;00;12 – 00;08;18;23

Dr. Mona

And you were mentioning, you know, when you are starting to drop the sessions, kind of redirecting them, coming up with different associations. So if they’re used to having their breastfeeding session before bed, maybe some other activity or whatnot, I’m sure you’ve had this happen. If the child gets upset, we’re still holding on to that boundary in a way.

 

00;08;18;23 – 00;08;29;13

Dr. Mona

And then obviously focusing on the other sessions. Right. Meaning that session until we can drop that, you’re holding your boundary and then you can still have the next breastfeeding session when you weren’t dropping that particular one. Correct.

 

00;08;29;16 – 00;08;47;10

Melissa Mancini

Right, exactly. And that can be really hard for mom. You know, you have you’ve had this association where you you have the ability to bring them comfort. And their comfort in that moment has been breastfeeding. So understand that it’s normal to feel exhausted. It’s normal to feel really overwhelmed in that moment of, you know what, maybe I’ll just breastfeed this time.

 

00;08;47;10 – 00;09;07;06

Melissa Mancini

But if you do hold that boundary and again, tell them, mommy can’t nurse right now, we can nurse later if that’s what you have, you know, stuck with. But stick to your boundary and remember why you’re doing this. But if you can hold that boundary, you know they’ll be okay. Yeah, they know you still love them. You’re providing comfort in other ways.

 

00;09;07;06 – 00;09;12;02

Melissa Mancini

They’re going to be okay. This is a hard transition for them, and we can be respectful of both mom and baby in that way.

 

00;09;12;07 – 00;09;28;01

Dr. Mona

Oh, totally. From a developmental perspective, you know, I talk about it’s similar to any skill or thing we’re trying to change in our child. So if a parent was doing sleep training or for teaching them to do, wean off a pacifier or wean off of anything that they were used to, right? It’s not a negative. I mean, we’re not taking away.

 

00;09;28;01 – 00;09;45;21

Dr. Mona

That’s something that they will need for the rest of their life. But we’re saying, okay, this has been such a great journey with you. I am now ready, you know, to to move forward. And so are you. And so we’re going to do it. And I get it. They’re not going to love everything. But that is why I also agree with the gradual weaning, especially in those toddler years.

 

00;09;45;21 – 00;10;05;20

Dr. Mona

I mean, just from a behavioral component, I find with that toddler age group, it can be really hard, for just a cold turkey, do it for them. And then obviously, like you said, from the maternal standpoint, the clogged ups and all that. And then that way, you know, in your mind, okay, these two feedings are not going to be there, but I still will have that breastfeeding session tomorrow or whatever time it’s coming.

 

00;10;05;20 – 00;10;19;22

Dr. Mona

So you don’t feel as guilty or as bad, because sometimes that does happen. And you said it perfectly. You got to know your why. Like you have to know, well, do I want to do this if you don’t want to do it and it’s not for you, and you like it and you really want to continue, you can do it.

 

00;10;19;22 – 00;10;35;22

Dr. Mona

I mean, you really should not listen to anyone else’s, like, well, I need to get off of it. It’s it really is. Mother’s choice, or the person breastfeeding choice of. Hey, this is what I want to do, and we’re going to do it. And I get it. I see a lot of my mothers go back and forth like, well, I want to.

 

00;10;35;22 – 00;10;52;14

Dr. Mona

I don’t want to. I’m like, I don’t mind what you do. Like you need to decide what you want to do. I’m just going to help you figure it out what that looks like, you know? But please, like, it’s same thing when we talk about the decision to start to breastfeed and breastfeeding initiation. Right. It’s the same concept now of when we’re when we’re stopping it in that timing.

 

00;10;52;14 – 00;11;00;24

Dr. Mona

So I appreciate that. What do you think would be some tips for a pumping mom. Obviously very similar. Would you just start to reduce the pumping sessions that you do?

 

00;11;00;25 – 00;11;19;18

Melissa Mancini

Yeah, I would drop 1 to 2 pumping sessions, every few days. So that might be a, you know, 3 to 5 days, depending on if you drop 1 to 2 sessions and after three days you’re still feeling pretty engorged. Keep going. Don’t drop another pumping session until you feel like your body’s acclimated a little more. Maybe you’re more on the five day spectrum.

 

00;11;19;20 – 00;11;36;04

Melissa Mancini

And then again, reevaluate in five days. Okay, I’m not feeling super engorged. I can take another pumping session or two. And, I recommend always weaning the night feedings first because number one, it allows you to get more sleep, whether you’ve been pumping at night or feeding at night. And so that’s sort of, you know, no brainer.

 

00;11;36;04 – 00;11;53;11

Melissa Mancini

Let’s drop those first and get you more sleep. And then we can tackle the other sessions as well. But, you know, 1 to 2 sessions every 3 to 5 days and see how your body acclimates for some people it really does acclimate quickly. There’s not a whole lot of engorgement. For other people, it really can be much more uncomfortable or painful.

 

00;11;53;11 – 00;11;56;14

Melissa Mancini

So give yourself more time if that’s you.

 

00;11;56;16 – 00;12;08;28

Dr. Mona

And do you find, besides the night? Because I agree with that. That would be awesome if you can get the nights out. But during the day. So like, you know, 7 to 7, 7 a.m. 7 p.m., do you find that maybe focusing on a midday feeding versus morning would be better or really doesn’t matter.

 

00;12;09;01 – 00;12;28;07

Melissa Mancini

Later in the day? It’s easier because you have less supply later in the day. If you tackle your morning feeding first, that’s when your supply is highest. So that is going to be the situation where you have the most engorgement, the most discomfort, the most likely for clogged ducts, the mouth. And so later in the day, hormonally you have a lower supply already.

 

00;12;28;07 – 00;12;47;07

Melissa Mancini

There might have been adequate supply, but it’s lower than in the morning. So tackle those evening late afternoon feeds first and then, you know, ideally that first feeding in the morning or pumping session in the morning is is is a good last session to drop because then your body’s already dropped down pretty substantially. So tackle later in the day.

 

00;12;47;07 – 00;13;08;22

Dr. Mona

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00;13;08;22 – 00;13;32;28

Dr. Mona

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00;13;32;28 – 00;13;54;27

Dr. Mona

Therapy helps. It’s helped me. And I want it to help you. And with BetterHelp, you’re one step closer to taking charge of your mental health. I think that’s a great important tip because exactly what the physiological standpoint. And then adding on that developmental standpoint, I would imagine a toddler would be more upset when they wake up from a night’s sleep and they’re expecting to have a breastfeeding session and you’re like, nope, sorry.

 

00;13;55;02 – 00;14;11;29

Dr. Mona

If they’re going to be more upset. Like, I find that in the morning, it’s really hard to wean that first. And I use that example when I, I had, you know, patients or myself, even when we wean for a bottle to, cow’s milk or wean from a bottle to a straw cup, like, they are so much more upset in the morning.

 

00;14;11;29 – 00;14;25;23

Dr. Mona

I don’t know if you see that, but they are. They’re going to be way more upset because they’re they just woke up and they want to do things how they always that’s their routine. They don’t want to experiment new. So I agree start with like she said from a physiological standpoint you want to start later. You know the later feeds for sure.

 

00;14;25;23 – 00;14;36;21

Dr. Mona

That is. These are such great tips. I love this. What do you think some other mistakes people make when they’re weaning? You talked about trying to rush it too fast, leading to mastitis, but is there anything else that we may be missing?

 

00;14;36;28 – 00;14;56;13

Melissa Mancini

Yeah, I think sometimes what happens is I’ll hear from moms who will say, well, you know, I think my baby’s ready to wean. And I always want to assess how do you think what are the signs? You think your baby’s ready to wean, and, you know, they’ll come to me with a five month old and say, or a six month old and say, you know, I they just don’t nurse long and they’re really distracted and they’re kind of in a hurry to do other things.

 

00;14;56;20 – 00;15;18;28

Melissa Mancini

It’s really important to recognize that that’s a sign of of where they’re at. Behaviorally. A five and six month old is much more distracted than a one and two month old. That is a normal part of their progression. As you know, as a 5 or 6 month old or beyond, even up to a year old, it’s very rare for a child under one year to be, quote unquote, ready to wean on their own.

 

00;15;19;05 – 00;15;40;05

Melissa Mancini

Most of the time it’s that they have, they’re busy. They they are discovering new things that they can do. They’re they’re moving. They’re, you know, there’s so much more aware of their surroundings. So I do find that it’s pretty common to hear from moms. I think my baby’s ready to wean. And then when we dig a little deeper, I, you know, I point out that might not be your baby ready to wean.

 

00;15;40;05 – 00;16;03;20

Melissa Mancini

Are you ready to wean? What is it about? But it’s pretty unlikely that a baby under one year that they themselves are making their decision to wean. It’s usually that other things are going on, and sometimes we misinterpret those cues. The other thing that I find is, hearing from moms that they’re starting a certain medication and they think they have to wean because taking any medication is incompatible with breastfeeding.

 

00;16;03;20 – 00;16;25;13

Melissa Mancini

And that’s simply not true. There’s, you know, a lot of medications are compatible with breastfeeding. Could be medication for depression, anxiety, a whole myriad of health issues. We have a lot of breastfeeding compatible medications. So talk to your provider. Make sure that you’re aware of hey, you know I’ve been prescribed this one. There’s another medication in that same family that it’s a little bit more breastfeeding friendly.

 

00;16;25;13 – 00;16;50;03

Melissa Mancini

So again, how do you feel? Do you want to wean or are you really upset that you have to wean because you’re starting this new medication? So really figuring out, do you have to wean, do you want to wean? And then digging through that a little bit deeper is really important, because if you don’t want to and you don’t feel prepared to, it can be even more emotionally draining and can lead to a whole lot of, you know, big feelings around regret and sadness.

 

00;16;50;06 – 00;16;59;23

Melissa Mancini

Anxiety. And so I always want to avoid that. If you don’t have to wean, there’s a whole lot of things that we can do. But really figuring out what are your again, what’s your why? Why are we at this point.

 

00;16;59;27 – 00;17;22;04

Dr. Mona

Yeah. And that’s a great, great point because there’s a lot of things that are conceived as well, we have to do it this way because like you said, medicine or whatever reason. But always speak to your lactation consultants, speak to your pediatrician, whoever, just to know, well, what what is the deal? I will say, I mean, a lot of not a lot of things that I hear on social media or that their pediatrician, not everyone.

 

00;17;22;04 – 00;17;28;21

Dr. Mona

I’m not saying everyone, every pediatrician does this, but their pediatrician was the one to tell them to stop. And meaning in the toddler years.

 

00;17;28;23 – 00;17;33;01

Melissa Mancini

Yeah, they’re too old. There’s no benefit from their milk.

 

00;17;33;04 – 00;17;52;24

Dr. Mona

Yeah. And look, I mean, everyone has their personal opinion. I get it. You’re entitled to that. But I will say it as a pediatrician. Even a pediatrician who didn’t breastfeed my own son. You are 100% entitled to breastfeed your child as long as you want. I mean, even the World Health Organization says until two. If you want to do pass two, that’s fine, but it’s okay if you want to do it.

 

00;17;52;24 – 00;18;10;22

Dr. Mona

But there is just a lot of misinformation on that. And I know there’s a lot of there’s a lot of formula shaming, there’s a lot of breastfeeding. And then there’s also the shaming for mothers who do breastfeed past one or past two or past eight months. And I don’t want to judge these mothers, and I really want it to be a safe space here to understand that you got to make the choice for you.

 

00;18;10;22 – 00;18;29;01

Dr. Mona

Like Melissa saying, if you’re going to be on a medicine, if there’s another reason, ask your permission. If your pediatrician says no, get a second opinion from maybe a lactation consultant. Talk to someone else. Talk to other moms, because I don’t want you to make that decision thinking that if you don’t want to, like you said, right, you don’t want to deal with that guilt of like, I didn’t want to end it, but I was forced to.

 

00;18;29;01 – 00;18;47;05

Dr. Mona

So I completely agree with that in terms of, you know, if they are weaning off the breast milk or breastfeeding, how would you incorporate cows? Not so. One of the questions I commonly get asked is, well, do we get them off the breast milk? And then we start to introduce cows milk or a plant based alternative. Or can you start to introduce that during the weaning process?

 

00;18;47;05 – 00;18;48;10

Dr. Mona

What are your thoughts?

 

00;18;48;12 – 00;19;05;25

Melissa Mancini

A lot of it. It’s going to depend on the age of the child. So some toddlers might have no problem taking that sippy cup or bottle of cow’s milk. They might be fine with that, or they could be insulted because they know what they’re typically getting at that feeding. So, you know, again, they don’t need cow’s milk or even a plant based alternative right away.

 

00;19;05;25 – 00;19;24;27

Melissa Mancini

So don’t feel stressed if they’re, you know, rejecting that particular milk, whatever it might be. You know, as long as they’re getting enough hydration and other sources, they’re fine. So definitely don’t stress about that. But you can you could do a 1 to 1 substitute if your if you’re dropping that feeling.

 

00;19;24;27 – 00;19;41;19

Dr. Mona

I agree with that. I agree with that concept that remember this is all kind of under ocean to food. So you’re obviously when we’re talking about toddler right. Your toddler is eating table foods. And now we’re weaning the breastfeeding. There is no rush that you have to replace 1 to 1 or that they’re going to get dehydrated. You’re obviously you can do water with meals.

 

00;19;41;19 – 00;19;58;08

Dr. Mona

You can maybe focus on offering a milk in a cup with, a snack or something later in the day, like when they’re eating food, not with breastfeeding. But that’s some ways you do not have to replace it immediately. Eventually, if that’s what you want, you have to kind of get them on something, but it’s not an immediate concern.

 

00;19;58;08 – 00;20;15;28

Dr. Mona

As long as they’re making wet diapers, as long as they’re drinking water, if they’re, you know, age appropriate over six months. So this is all very good points for sure. Oh, this is so great. What do you hear from moms from their experience in weaning. More so like from the emotional aspect you kind of mentioned, there was a little bit of guilt sometimes.

 

00;20;15;28 – 00;20;19;23

Dr. Mona

What else do you hear? Because I hear that a lot too, and I don’t think it’s talked about a lot.

 

00;20;19;26 – 00;20;43;14

Melissa Mancini

Yeah, I think for some moms, they don’t anticipate how emotional weaning can be. And it’s important to point out that just like starting breastfeeding, weaning is a hugely hormonal issue. There’s a lot of fluctuations. It is completely normal to feel a whole host of emotions. Someone feel really relieved. They feel relieved that, you know, okay, I have my body back for the certain amount of time.

 

00;20;43;17 – 00;21;08;24

Melissa Mancini

Other moms feel really sad about it. They miss it. They, you know, they might feel guilty if they had a hard time weaning or if it was difficult for their baby or toddler. But these are all normal emotions. You know, we face these huge fluctuations in hormones and then we wonder, why do I feel so off? Well, there’s a physiologic reason you’re feeling off, and it’s also completely normal for moms to feel ready and happy and, you know, sort of satisfied at the end.

 

00;21;08;24 – 00;21;23;19

Melissa Mancini

Those are all normal parts of our our human experience. And I think we have to talk about them all as being normal and normalize that. It might be a struggle. Just like starting breastfeeding might be a struggle, it doesn’t make it any easier because you know, you’re because you’re stopping.

 

00;21;23;19 – 00;21;47;12

Dr. Mona

Yeah. And I want to recognize that emotion. Right. Because we all experience different things with the same activity per se. Right. So everyone in this situation we’re stopping breastfeeding. One person like you said can be so happy, relieved, joyous fine. Another person can seem sad, actually go into depression. I’ve heard this and I just to recognize all of the feelings that can happen, because sometimes you won’t know what feeling you’re going to experience until you go through it.

 

00;21;47;12 – 00;22;12;28

Dr. Mona

So it’s so important that we recognize that because I want to normalize it. Right. And I think a lot of people are surprised by that emotion. Just so you expected to be happy about it and then you’re not you’re going to feel like is something wrong with me? No, nothing’s wrong with you. I obviously if you’re feeling at a place that’s not like yourself, if you’re feeling super sad and super, you know, anxious, depressed, I need you to get help because this can be a source of anxiety, depression that in maternal health that people don’t talk about.

 

00;22;12;28 – 00;22;32;15

Dr. Mona

And they think, oh, it’s great, great. You’re done. No, it actually is very much an emotional experience for some moms and for some it’s not. But I think it’s important to have an awareness and education on this episode of What it can be so that you’re not surprised by those emotions. And even if you are that, you know, well, this is something I heard can happen, I’m going to take care of it.

 

00;22;32;15 – 00;22;50;21

Dr. Mona

I’m going to, you know, get the assistance I need, with my mental health because I don’t want mothers to feel alone. And already you’re you’re weaning your child someone who’s connected physically to you, and then you feel even more alone in this feeling. It can feel very isolating, you know, so I, I appreciate that. Oh, this is really important stuff is there anything else I’m missing?

 

00;22;50;21 – 00;23;04;21

Dr. Mona

You know, obviously there’s little nuances. And I think it’s important that people get in touch with a lactation consultant or someone that’s obviously educated in this to come up with tips on if they’re weaning. But is there any other tips you would have for the general population who’s winning their infant or toddler off of breast milk?

 

00;23;04;26 – 00;23;20;09

Melissa Mancini

Yeah, I mean, just to sort of hark back on a lot of the points that we’ve made, I think it’s a deeply personal decision. Make sure that you’re the one making the decision if you need help with breastfeeding or weaning. That is exactly why I books exist. We help with weaning probably just as much as we help with breastfeeding.

 

00;23;20;09 – 00;23;42;10

Melissa Mancini

And sometimes there’s this misconception that if you reach out to an ABC LC, they’re going to talk you out of weaning. I hope that’s not the case. You know, for a lot of us, I take just as much joy and pride helping people wean when they’re ready as I do helping them learn to breastfeed. So reach out for help, recognize that there’s a wide range of normal emotions that come into play, but most importantly, do it when you’re ready and don’t let other people make that decision for you.

 

00;23;42;14 – 00;24;01;11

Dr. Mona

Oh, this is so great. I really appreciate it. Everyone, Melissa is on Instagram. More than milk, so more underscore than underscore milk. I’m going to push that to the show knows she is my favorite. I have had her. Like I said this is the second episode, episode 38 you have to listen to as well if you’re initiating breastfeeding.

 

00;24;01;11 – 00;24;19;21

Dr. Mona

But I love Melissa so much because of just her common sense approach to lactation. Being an lactation consultant, she is pro mom. I’ve mentioned this too. She obviously is pro breastfeeding, but she understands the struggles that happened with it. This is so important to me as a mother as well and as a pediatrician. So you definitely have to follow her and I’m sure she’ll come on again.

 

00;24;19;27 – 00;24;27;17

Dr. Mona

I know people have been asking more about Pumping Education as its own episode to do that, but thank you again for joining us today.

 

00;24;27;21 – 00;24;29;14

Melissa Mancini

Thanks so much for having me.

 

00;24;29;17 – 00;24;45;07

Dr. Mona

Thank you for tuning in for this week’s episode. As always, please leave a review. Share this episode with a friend. Share it on your social media. Make sure to follow me at PedsDocTalk on Instagram and subscribe to my YouTube channel, PedsDocTalk TV. We’ll talk to you soon.