I am considering weaning my daughter but I am not sure if she is ready. How will I know when she’s weaning?
Every child self-weans when they are ready. On average children wean themselves when they are toddlers. It is very unlikely that a baby under 12 months is self-weaning. If your baby is under 12 months and is refusing the breast, there might be other reasons. Visit this page to learn more.
When your baby reaches around six months, you will introduce solid foods. By the time they are a toddler, their diet will be mainly solid foods. They will gradually need less breast milk, but there are many benefits from breastfeeding into the toddler years.
Gradual Weaning
There is no need to wean your child until you are ready. When you are ready, the slower the process the more gentle it will be for you and your child. Weaning suddenly is stressful for your child. It can also cause clogged milk ducts, leading to mastitis (breast infection).
To start, cut out one feeding per day for 1-2 weeks. Start with a time of day when your child is less interested in breastfeeding. After a few weeks, cut out another feeding. Repeat until you are comfortable cutting out the last feeding. If your child fusses, you can offer breast milk, cow's milk (if baby is over 1 year) or water in a cup at these times. Click here for more information on weaning a child over one year and here for weaning a baby under one year.
To distract your child, you can also read a book, sing songs, or go outside to play. If you start the weaning process and have a change of heart, follow your heart. There's no need to wean until you and your child are ready.
SOURCE: https://www.llli.org/breastfeeding-info/weaning-how-to/