Many nursing mothers become very anxious about when and how best to stop breastfeeding. The decision to stop breastfeeding should be part of a natural process of raising a child and should be of no concern to anyone but mother and baby.

If a woman is anxious about when to cease breastfeeding, the best advice is to put the whole subject out of her thoughts. However, this is isn’t always easy to do. Many external factors contribute to the anxiety and stress a mother feels about breastfeeding and, all too sadly, these external factors can persuade many women to stop breastfeeding their baby. Breastfeeding in public is something that many mothers find difficult, and with good reason. Our modern society makes breastfeeding your child in public as difficult as possible: a lack of private places for breastfeeding; many mothers being thrown out of shops, restaurants and public transport when they feed their child; women’s breasts being seen as sex objects rather than as a source of nutrition and comfort for a child; the list goes on.

Another reason mothers feel pressurized into stopping breastfeeding is when a baby becomes a small infant. Feeding older children – especially children who can articulate their love of mother’s breast milk – is very much a taboo subject. Our society encourages women to wean their child off breast milk at an early age. However, other societies find it perfectly acceptable for a mother to breastfeed her child into early infancy – the World Health Organization recommends that all mothers breastfeed for at least 2 years.

Some mothers feel they should cease nursing their child when the child becomes sick. Unless a medical expert says otherwise a mother should always continue to breastfeed during the child’s sickness; the benefits of mother’s antibodies – not forgetting the emotional support a child gets – are just what a sick child needs.

Perhaps the main reason women decide to stop breastfeeding is because of pregnancy. There is evidence that breastfeeding does decrease a woman’s chances of becoming pregnant; breastfeeding is Nature’s contraceptive pill. It certainly makes sense to avoid having another baby when the first child is still very much dependent on getting it’s nutrition from mother. Being pregnant also stops many women from breastfeeding. Western culture does seem to frown upon breastfeeding during pregnancy although there are no valid reasons to stop breastfeeding during pregnancy.

When to stop breastfeeding is a decision made by both mother and child. Ignoring all external advice and opinions will alleviate the pressure to stop breastfeeding, leaving the mother and child to get on with breastfeeding until such as time as both decide to stop.

Eventually a decision is made to stop breastfeeding. But stopping breastfeeding isn’t always straightforward. A child may have spent years suckling and will find it hard to stop. The most important thing to remember when stopping breastfeeding is, never stop nursing suddenly if you can avoid it. The sudden loss of mother’s breast can be very emotionally upsetting for a child. Instead, a gradually weaning off the breast is the best approach. Start by replacing one feed with a bottle – the bottle can contain either formula or expressed breast milk. Over time, the baby can be introduced to being fed by bottle or cup rather than by breast.

Many nursing mothers find it hardest to stop breastfeeding when their child wakes up at night. Many babies cry when the wake and breastfeeding is a very effective way of soothing them back to sleep. A good approach to take is to let the mother’s partner take care of baby’s bedtime. Try letting your partner put the baby to bed, and when baby wakes during the night, let your partner put the baby back to sleep. The mother can express her milk earlier in the day; the partner can then feed the baby her mother’s milk during the night. Many babies aren’t happy about having mother replaced by her partner, however persistence is the key. Your baby will get used to it.

It is also important to take care of yourself during this time. Stopping nursing can also be a very emotional experience for mothers. And you mustn’t forget about the physical effects of stopping breastfeeding. Some mother can experience painful engorgement when the stop nursing their child. A gradual weaning off breastfeeding will ease the discomfort; your breasts will become used to producing less breast milk. Some mothers find the application of cabbage leaves, placed on the nipple, help reduce engorgement.

Finally, it is vital that a mother get the support she needs – at all stages of raising a child. Therefore, talk to friends and family and especially your partner about your decision to stop breastfeeding; the more informed they are, the better they will be able to help.
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I’m sure you’ve all seen it, you look at the bottom of a stein or German made product and it says “Made in Germany”. You think you’ve acquired an item that was made in Germany. Right? Not necessarily so!

Whether you are aware of it or not, there are some German manufacturers that actually have their steins manufactured in China! They are then shipped back to Germany where the relief decoration, pewter lids, etc. are applied and before the items are put on the shelf, they are labeled “Made in Germany”.

This practice was only discovered during the late part of last year. A company by the name of Ziler and Born, along with their attorney wrote to all the companies involved and threatened legal action. So far, two of these firms, Armin Bay Keramic & Prasente GmbH and DOMEX Geschenk-Manufactur GmbH, just recently settled out of court after admitting to what they were doing wrong. They have also agreed to pay approximately $26,500 for each future violation.

You may now be thinking that you have nothing to be concerned about, but you should be aware that the agreements signed by these two companies have no application in the United States and you, as an American consumer, really have no protection against the mislabeled steins.

So how do you deal with this problem? The best way is to limit buying steins to those that have the marks of German manufacturers who are well known to be making their own products. Avoid the companies that are known to be outsourcing their steins to China or elsewhere. Below you will see an Armin Bay logo on the bottom of a Chinese made stein and also a picture of a DOMEX logo which came from a stein also manufactured in China.

Another way to be safe about making sure you are getting a stein that was really made in Germany is to make sure that the “Made in Germany” is etched or embossed into the clay. This has to be done before the stein is fired and it is illegal to import into Germany any product which already bears the words “Made in Germany”.

In an article dated May 21, 1999 of the Westerwald Zeitung in Germany, the following was published (this has been translated from German to English):

“Gerz Sells, Only the Name Remains

SESSENBACH/HILLSCHEID. The name of the beer stein manufacturer Gerz, who went bankrupt in Sessenbach, remains preserved, however, apparently not the production. As the Westerwald Zeitung found out yesterday, the DOMEX Geschenk-Manufaktur GmbH in Hillscheid bought the Gerz “mark”.

This means that in the future DOMEX will sell ceramic vessels with the name Gerz. However, these products will no longer be produced in Sessenbach. Oliver Sahm, Managing Partner of DOMEX: “The production is Sessenbach is not profitable. We will purchase the Gerz articles worldwide and finish them in Hillscheid. As much as possible we will use local suppliers for that.” Sahm initially expects to create ten new positions in his company. At present he has sixty employees. In their heyday, Gerz employed more than 200 people.

These steins have already begun to reach the marketplace. Buyer beware!
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Getting your toddler to perform toileting independently is a welcome milestone for any parent. Few of us want to be changing diapers much past the child’s second birthday. However, children vary greatly in their adoption of the potty routine which is influenced by a child’s innate ability, aptitude and maturity. However, there several tips and techniques you can use to hasten the blessed day when your toddler says: “Mommy, I did potty by myself”.

Get your child ready – explain to your child that it’s time to do “pee-pee” and “poo-poo” in the potty. Promote the benefits of being trained such as no more diaper rash, interruptions for diaper changing, being clean and dry. Discuss training as an important stage of growing up. Make it fun – first and foremost, make this a game. Children will naturally resist anything which is not framed as a fun learning experience. Use play, music, toys, and stories as part of the experience to keep the child from getting bored or distracted. Create a ritual – try to make the experience repeatable so your child knows what to expect each time and gets into the routine of sitting and staying on the potty. Use props – use of books, toys, videos and music all help create an atmosphere of fun and enjoyment which is so essential. Time it right – Try repeating the process every hour for 2 to 4 minutes. If you can do this close to times your child usually has a bowel movement or urination, such as just after a meal, even better. Be prepared – If you are traveling or away from home, bring a folding, plastic adapter ring that fits onto an adult toilet seat is useful. Extra tissue and wipes will be useful in bathrooms that are short on supplies. Give praise – give you child social praise for sitting on the potty patiently or for staying dry. If the potty routine is successful, consider some reward (e.g. special prize, book or foods) that are especially valued. Show your child how to clean up – demonstrate how to wash hands and dry hands on a towel.

Remember that training you child takes patience and perseverance. Staying on task and being consistent send an important message to your child. Above all, don’t let your child feel forced. It’s important to keep the whole experience fun and enjoyable for the best results.
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If your child is near or has passed his first birthday, you can begin incorporating pre-potty training ideas into his life. They are simple things that will lay the groundwork for potty training and will make the process much easier when you’re ready to begin.

During diaper changes, narrate the process to teach your toddler the words and meanings for bathroom-related functions. Include descriptive words that you’ll use during the process, such as wet, dry, wipe, and wash.

If you’re comfortable with it, bring your child with you when you use the toilet. Explain what you’re doing. Tell him that when he gets bigger, he’ll go in the toilet instead of in his diaper. Let him flush the toilet if he wants to.

Help your toddler identify what’s happening when she wets or fills her diaper. Have her watch you dump and flush.

Start giving your child simple directions and help him to follow them. For example, ask him to get a toy from another room or to put the spoon in the dishwasher.

Encourage your child to do things on her own: put on her socks, pull up her pants, carry a cup to the sink, or fetch a book.

Have a daily sit-and-read time together, to prepare for quiet potty sitting time.

Take the readiness quiz again every month or two to see if you’re ready to move on to active potty learning.

Get Set

Buy a potty chair, a dozen pairs of training pants, four or more elastic-waist pants or shorts, and a supply of pull-up diapers or disposables with a feel-the-wetness sensation liner.

Put the potty in the bathroom, and tell your child what it’s for.

Read books about going potty to your child.

Let your child practice just sitting on the potty without expecting a deposit.

Go

Begin dressing your child in training pants or pull-up diapers.

Create a potty routine–have your child sit on the potty when she first wakes up, after meals, before getting in the car, and before bed.

If your child looks like she needs to go–tell, don’t ask! Say, “Let’s go to the potty.”

Boys and girls both can learn sitting down. Teach your son to hold his penis down. He can learn to stand when he’s tall enough to reach.

Your child must relax to go: read a book, tell a story, sing, or talk about the day.

Make hand washing a fun part of the routine. Keep a step stool by the sink, and have colorful, child-friendly soap available.

Praise her when she goes!

Expect accidents, and clean them up calmly.

Matter-of-factly use diapers or pull-ups for naps and bedtime.

Either cover the car seat or use pull-ups or diapers for car trips.

Visit new bathrooms frequently when away from home.

Be patient! It will take three to twelve months for your child to be an independent toileter.

Stop

If your child has temper tantrums or sheds tears over potty training, or if you find yourself getting angry, then stop training. Review your training plan and then try again, using a slightly different approach if necessary, in a month or two.
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“Manners are the happy way of doing things.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Good manners are ways we express caring, consideration, and respect of others. When we use our good manners, we make our community more enjoyable for everyone. When we teach our children good manners, we empower them to have confidence in their ability to handle any situation in life.

Language:
The basic language of manners is “please,” “thank you,” “you are welcome,” and “well done.” When we use these words, we put others at ease. We let them know that we appreciate them and that we care enough about them to give them our full consideration. When we model the usage of these words for our children, we do them a great service.

Behavior:
Our children learn about behavior largely from observation, but many times they enter new situations for which they could use some coaching. It is very beneficial to remember the newness and to coach them through whatever may be about to come up. Think about your own child’s behavior and where your child could benefit from some of your insight. Talking children through situations before they arise, empowers them with the tools they need to confidently and gently conquer new situations.

Car Talk:
Ask your child, “What do you think ‘good manners’ means?” “Give me some examples.” And, then talk about them. You may be surprised what comes up!! Ask your child what the world would be like if everyone used good manners all the time. Ask your child what the world would be like if no one ever used good manners.

Be patient and be as consistent as possible. The rewards in good behavior are well worth the effort.
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Mention the words potty training and most parents of toddlers become apprehensive. It takes both energy and patience, and requires countless bathroom visits, not to mention extra laundry and spot cleaning to successfully toilet train a toddler. Timing is key and should coincide with your child’s developmental stage. Let’s take a look at a few tips on knowing when to begin the process on how to potty train your child and to say bye bye to stinky diapers.

The typical age to potty train begins at around the age 2 or 3. Knowing whether your child is ready to begin potty learning comes down to guesswork, but as a rule, if he or she knows the words for stool, urine and toilet, has the ability to dress, shows an interest in the potty and is aware of when the need to urinate or have a bowel movement is happening, then he or she is probably ready. If you find this not to be the case, then you can simply wait and try potty training again in a few months.

The hugs-and-kisses approach goes like this; each time your child uses the potty correctly, give praise by clapping and giving kisses and hugs. Also point out her or his accomplishments to friends and relatives, so they can fuss over the child too. It is to every parent’s advantage to start with this approach and save the rewards for any hurdles you and your toddler may encounter along the way.

The cold-turkey, toddlers potty training approach begins when you let your boy pick out several pairs of fun, big-kid underpants, or let your daughter buy some pretty new undies. Let them put on the underwear and let the spills fall where they may. When they do have accidents, they will feel the discomfort much more quickly. If you’re very patient, underpants are believed by many to be a better way to go than disposable trainers.

The no-mess disposable-training-pants approach starts when you switch him or her from regular diapers to disposable training pants. Of course, while they will get the hang of pulling them up and down, you will give the usual amount of encouragement. Make sure to take your child to the bathroom at regular intervals and ask frequently if he or she has to go. Give lots of praise when they get to the potty in time.

The “he’ll-get-it-when-he’s-ready” toddler toilet training approach starts at around age 2. You will want to watch for signals that your child is ready, but don’t apply any pressure. Put a potty seat on top of your toilet or buy your child their own potty chair and place it in the bathroom, yet don’t insist that he use it.

If he does use it, then give hugs and praise, and in time he may approach it more frequently. This approach is less stressful, but it may mean that your child will be in diapers a bit longer. You will definitely need to be patient and wait.

Even after your child is a potty training pro, expect that there will be a few accidents. Until he or she hasn’t had an accident for six months, they are not officially potty trained. It may take a few false starts, but eventually, one approach or another will click with your child, and you’ll both say goodbye to diapers forever.
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