‘You have to be guided by yourself, your feelings and your child’: Women's experiences of weaning after breastfeeding beyond infancy

Abstract

Mothers who breastfeed beyond infancy report a need for specialised support, and it is important to understand mothers’ experiences across the continuum of the breastfeeding journey, including weaning. This study explored women's experiences of weaning after breastfeeding for more than 1 year. Four mothers who had weaned after breastfeeding for more than 1 year took part in a semi-structured telephone interview, which invited them to share their breastfeeding journey, focusing on their experiences of weaning. Interpretative phenomenological analysis identified three themes: challenges associated with weaning; what worked well; and the need for information and support. Mothers experienced confusion about how to wean and how to deal with the emotional effects they encountered. The women emphasised the importance of a gradual weaning approach and trusting maternal instincts, as well as readily available, ongoing advice and access to judgement-free peer support.