THE METHOD OF STOPPING PROLONGED LACTATION

Abstract

Relevance. When breastfeeding is stopped, an aff ective attachment to the mother is often noted. In order to solve this problem, a method of gentle cessation of lactation was developed. The basis of the method is objective activity with children older than six months and the beginning of co-creation of mother and child, which contributes to the “emotional restructuring” of the mother, and has an important impact during the period of weaning the child. Aim. Development of a method of careful cessation of lactation, which does not have a psycho- traumatic eff ect on the “mother– child” dyad. Materials and methods. Co-creation of mother and child — the method of “infant drawing” (not a method of teaching drawing). Under observation were 47 pairs of “mother–child”, who began joint creativity from 6–8 months of a child’s life and 30 breastfeeding mothers who want to stop lactation but have psychological diffi culties in stopping it. Results. A technique has been developed for stopping ongoing breastfeeding, which does not have a psycho- traumatic eff ect on the “mother–child” dyad. The technique involves the development of contact between mother and child through co-creation, helps to relieve stress in mothers and children during weaning. Conclusions. In this situation, co-creation plays the role of a distracting factor that contributes to the transition from communication between mother and child in the process of breastfeeding to communication through creativity, and the earlier it is started (in the fist year of life), the higher its eff ectiveness.