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The onset of weaning is often described as an important early milestone, but it creates considerable emotional turbulence in the mother-infant relationship. The interruption of the breast-feeding relationship, whether gradual or sudden, creates a very special kind of agony for both the mother and baby, especially when a good trusting relationship with the breast has been found. This paper explores some of the hurts and sacrifices made on both sides during weaning, and looks at some of the subtle reactions to mutual feelings of rejection at this time. It also describes some of the difficulties that arise when the work of weaning is compromised by certain anxieties in the feeding relationship. Extracts from several psychoanalytical infant observations are used both to illustrate and to discuss these themes.
The mere termination of breast-feeding is not weaning.