The Hidden Power of Weaning: A Journey of Love and Nourishment

Understanding the Weaning Process

Stopping breastfeeding is often framed as an ending, an unspoken curtain call. But what if it’s also a crescendo? A final act rich in quiet miracles, offering a parting gift that few of us are told about?

As your little one begins to nurse less, your body doesn’t simply taper off. It adapts. It recalibrates. It concentrates. It whispers:

“Here’s a little extra, just in case.”

Milk in the weaning period isn’t lesser. It’s denser. Richer. More potent than ever before.

The Nutritional Boost of Weaning Milk

In fact, research shows that breast milk becomes significantly more concentrated in protein during weaning. It can contain up to six times more protein than in the early postpartum period (1). This protein boost isn’t random. It’s an exquisite biological response to the shift in feeding frequency, a way for your body to pack more nourishment into each drop.

Think about that for a moment: every drop becomes stronger, more immunologically and nutritionally dense. The body knows the bond is changing, and it offers one last surge of goodness...

A final act of devotion.

One of the most powerful changes is the rise in secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), a key immune-protective antibody. This remarkable substance coats your baby’s gut lining, neutralising pathogens and guarding against illness. During the weaning phase, sIgA levels rise to their highest concentration in breast milk (2,3). This happens just as your child is encountering more of the world and gradually relying less on the breast.

It’s as though your body says:

“You’re stepping further from me now. Let me give you one last shield.”

The Protective Elements of Breast Milk

And it doesn’t stop there.

Your milk continues to carry lactoferrin and lysozyme, two natural antimicrobial agents. Both increase in extended lactation and work synergistically to protect your child against bacterial infection (4,5). They don’t just nourish; they protect. They stand at the threshold between babyhood and independence, still offering comfort and care in every feed.

The fat content of breast milk also increases during weaning. This shift provides higher energy density for children who are more active and consume fewer feeds (6). This milk is made for motion. For mischief. For magical, tumbling toddlers who skip meals, climb furniture, and wake at night. It is energy wrapped in love. Comfort wrapped in familiarity.

The Continuing Benefits of Breastfeeding

Even after two years or more, your milk remains biologically active and incredibly potent. One study found it contains more than 7 grams of protein per litre during toddlerhood (7). That’s enough to continue nourishing a growing, developing child who’s learning to navigate the world beyond your arms.

So often, we hear that breast milk “loses value” over time. That older children don’t really need it. But that narrative is not only dismissive, it’s incorrect.

Weaning milk is a grand finale.

An encore.

A final bow from a body that has given and given, and still offers more.

It’s a remarkable truth buried beneath the noise of quick fixes and bottle counts. A quiet science that honours slow endings. And a beautiful reminder that your body has always known what to do.

Embracing the Weaning Journey

You are powerful.

You are wise.

And even in goodbye, you give.

Ready to begin weaning with confidence and real care? My Weaning With Love course is a step-by-step guide to help you stop breastfeeding gently, intuitively, and at a pace that feels right for you. You don’t have to do this alone.

Not sure if my approach is right for you? Grab my free mini weaning guide here.

With love,

Danielle

❤️

References

1. Mandel D, Lubetzky R, Dollberg S, Barak S, Mimouni FB. Fat and energy contents of expressed human breast milk in prolonged lactation. Pediatrics. 2005;116(3):e432–5.

2. Goldman AS, Goldblum RM, Hanson LA. Anti-inflammatory systems in human milk. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2002;503:69–77.

3. Hassiotou F, Geddes DT, Hartmann PE. Cells in human milk: State of the science. J Hum Lact. 2013;29(2):171–82.

4. Hamosh M. Bioactive factors in human milk. Pediatr Clin North Am. 2001;48(1):69–86.

5. Lönnerdal B. Bioactive proteins in breast milk. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003;77(6):1537S–43S.

6. Prentice A, Prentice AM, Lamb WH. Factors associated with weaning in a rural African community. J Trop Pediatr. 1986;32(2):80–5.

7. Perrin MT, Fogleman A, Allen JC. A longitudinal study of human milk composition in the second year postpartum: Implications for human milk banking. Matern Child Nutr. 2017;13(1):e12239.