Special Weaning Circumstances If you have to wean in a rush Sometimes life gets in the way of your best breastfeeding plans—an illness that requires you to take medication or a required work trip that comes out of the blue. “Make sure you’ve explored all your options first. It’s sometimes possible to use less toxic medications, for example. But if you have a deadline by which you must wean, allow as much time for the process as you can—ideally at least two weeks,” says Vickers. And if you haven’t got much time, you’ll have to forgo flexibility and adhere to a rigid schedule for tapering off the length and number of feedings.Going cold turkey “It’s certainly doable, if not advisable,” Vickers says of stopping all at once. “Your child will survive, but it will be emotionally difficult for him. The other thing to remember is that it will be physically difficult for you, since you’ll have to express milk on a regular basis until you no longer produce it.” In other words, even if you don’t “wean,” you’ll have a heck of a transition to go through on your own if you stop breastfeeding abruptly. (Vickers recommends lots of ice.)Home — The 411 on Weaning << Previous: