dicate when it should be undertaken.
It is desirable to wean the baby between the tenth and twelfth months. A
month or two one way or another will not make much difference if the mother
and child are in good condition. It should be weaned between the periods of
dentition rather than when it is actively teething. The time of year is
important. It would be better to wean it before the hot weather if it is
strong and has been accustomed to taking other food than the breast milk.
On the other hand it would be decidedly better to defer the weaning until
the fall, rather than risk weaning at the tenth or twelfth months if these
fall during the height of the hot weather.

METHODS OF WEANING.--The best way to wean is to do it gradually. It is not
desirable to take the mother's milk away suddenly unless there is a very
good reason for it. The child should be fed small portions of suitable
other food at the beginning of the tenth month. By the end of the tenth
month he should be taking a feeding two or three times a day of food other
than the breast milk. This feeding may be given in a bottle. In some [124]
cases the mother may be able to feed the child with a spoon instead of the
bottle. The substitute feedings allowable at this age are given in another
chapter.

TIMES WHEN RAPID WEANING IS NECESSARY.--There are times when the child must
be weaned suddenly, as, for example, at the death of the mother, serious
sickness of the mother, or in cases where for any cause the mother suddenly
loses her milk. In these cases it is best to wean at once. If an infant
refuses to take the bottle under such circumstances, the best plan to
adopt, and the wisest one in the long run, is to starve the child into
submission. If he gets absolutely nothing but the bottle he will shortly
take it without protest. If a meddling individual attempts to feed the
child some other food and tries to coax it to take the bottle in the
meantime, much harm may result; it is safe only to fight it out for a day
or two and win than to half starve the child and lose in the end.

The child should be weaned if it is not gaining in weight. This may
indicate a deficient quality of the mother's milk, or it may indicate a
lack of proportion between the child and mother. If a robust child is
depending upon the nourishment furnished by a mother who is not in good
physical condition the milk may not be adequate in quality and quantity.
The child will not therefore develop no