Stopping breastfeeding can trigger "weird" physical and emotional symptoms like mood swings, irritability, fatigue, breast discomfort (engorgement, pain, lumps), headaches, acne, and even post-weaning depression due to fluctuating hormones (lowering oxytocin and prolactin), along with psychological adjustments, leading to feelings of sadness, loss, and changes in appetite or sleep. These hormonal shifts and the loss of the calming breastfeeding bond can manifest as anxiety, intense sadness, and difficulty concentrating, so seeking professional advice for persistent symptoms is important.
Weaning too quickly can cause engorgement, clogged ducts and mastitis, and unpleasant hormonal shifts. Remember: It's okay to be done breastfeeding before your child is done with it.
The "4-4-4 rule" for breast milk is a simple storage guideline: fresh milk is good for 4 hours at room temperature (up to 77°F/25°C), for 4 days in the refrigerator (39°F/4°C or colder), and up to 4-6 months (or longer) in a standard freezer (0°F/-18°C). It's a handy mnemonic, though some organizations like the CDC recommend up to 6 months in the freezer and the AAP up to 9 months, with deeper freezers offering even longer storage.
When you stop breastfeeding, you can expect physical, emotional, and bonding changes with both you and your baby. Physical Changes: Weaning leads to hormonal fluctuations that change your body. You may notice smaller breasts and weight fluctuations. These are healthy and normal changes.
Remember that post-weaning comes with a rise in estrogen. This rise in estrogen can cause a lot of mood changes which may affect libido. You also have to factor in the late nights, fatigue, stress, and attending to your child that could get in the way of you “feeling in the mood”.
Usually, you will feel back to normal after a few weeks but if you feel like your mood is very low it is important to contact your GP or maternal child health nurse. You will find more information here. For nearly all women their period will not return until they stop exclusive breastfeeding.
How much to offer your baby
However, excess fat and loose skin may still remain. During this period, natural weight loss continues, especially if you're breastfeeding, which can burn up to 500 extra calories per day. Many women find their belly begins to flatten with a combination of breastfeeding, gentle exercise, and a balanced diet.
Hormones are changing too
When you stop breastfeeding, these hormones start to decrease, which can make you feel a little out of sorts. You might notice you're feeling extra tired, have trouble sleeping or have headaches. You may even experience mood swings and night sweats.
So, whilst in some parts of the world, the advice is to offer the same weaning food for three days before moving on to the next, in the UK, the recommendation is that it's absolutely fine to offer a new food each day from the very start of weaning. This is the approach I follow in my book, How To Wean Your Baby.
As a general rule, exclusive pumpers need 120 minutes per day of quality breast stimulation with a hospital strength pump to maintain milk supply.
The World Health Organization recommends that all babies be exclusively breastfed for 6 months, then gradually introduced to appropriate foods after 6 months while continuing to breastfeed for 2 years or beyond. Stopping breastfeeding is called weaning. It is up to you and your baby to decide when the time is right.
Foods to avoid giving babies and young children
The World Health Organization recommends that all babies are exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of their life, and from 6 months babies should start eating solid foods as well as being breastfed for up to 2 years or longer.
She says your body needs iron, iodine, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, choline, folic acid and calcium to recover and support postpartum health. And remember, you're not only supporting yourself with these key nutrients—if you're breastfeeding, baby will get these essentials, too. Iron.
During lactation, prolactin helps keep milk production going while inhibiting ovulation. This is why breastfeeding mothers don't ovulate or have a menstrual cycle until after weaning. It can take up to two years for a woman's hormone levels to return to pre-pregnancy levels.
While firm and perkier breasts make a woman feel good about her body, saggy breasts can sometimes negatively affect their confidence. You can reshape your breasts after breastfeeding but with proper care and a few changes in your lifestyle you can get your perky breasts back.
Oxytocin: Often referred to as the “tend-and-befriend hormone,” oxytocin promotes bonding and feelings of attachment. When you stop breastfeeding, it can lead to a decrease in oxytocin levels, potentially affecting mood and emotional regulation.
Rule #2: The Breast Milk Storage Guidelines.
The 4-4-4 Rule. Or the 6-6-6 rule. Basically, breast milk is good at room temperature for 4 or 6 hours, in the refrigerator for 4 or 6 days, and in the freezer for 4 or 6 or 12 months. Different professional organizations have varying recommendations.
So, does “mom pooch” go away? Yes — at least, most of the time. Although postpartum belly is stubborn, the good news is that eventually, much of it will disappear on its own. Just as you experience hormonal changes during pregnancy, your hormones shift after you've given birth.
The 30-30-30 rule for weight loss is a simple morning routine: eat 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking, then do 30 minutes of low-intensity cardio (like a brisk walk) to help with fat loss and appetite control, according to this article from Moshy. Popularized by Tim Ferriss and wellness podcaster Gary Brecka, this method aims to kickstart your metabolism, increase fullness, and burn fat by leveraging your body's depleted glycogen stores after sleep, but it's not a magic bullet and works best as part of a balanced lifestyle, note Healthline and this article from bodyandsoul.com.au.
Facts to Consider: After 12 months of age, nursing interactions tend to become more important to your child. After 18 months, for some children, weaning becomes harder with each passing month.
Weaning occurs naturally for the breast-fed infant when other foods are introduced. As a baby gets more food from sources other than the breast, milk production slows down. For the exclusively breast-fed infant, this process is so gradual in the second half of the first year, that mom may not even notice.