The pros and cons of weaning

The word 'wean' has been a lot on my mind lately, probably because a grand-daughter has recently had the intention of weaning her baby daughter. I looked up the verb in the dictionary and read that there are two definitions : (a) to cause a child (or young mammal) to replace mothers' milk by other nourishment and (b) (usually followed by 'from') to cause to desert from habits, pursuits etc.

Definitions are useful but they are not meant to express the anguish caused by the action of weaning! The mother may sincerely want independence for herself and for the baby, but every time the baby cries she cannot bear not giving the comfort of the breast to the child. Her intentions are good, right and proper, but the action causes her suffering, leading to regret that yet again she has not succeeded.

In everyday life we may wish to wean ourselves from smoking, alcohol, marijuana, dependence on others, the overuse of the mobile phone, dependence on unhealthy or unhappy personal, economic, or political relationships, but habits seem ingrained and often prove immensely difficult to change. Having pondered all this and finding it rather negative I was immensely heartened to find that the origin of the word (Olde English) means 'to accustom or get used to' and, taken positively, enables me to feel that once a baby or adult is weaned from something, he or she may eventually accustom themselves to independence, and, in time, get used to that independence. But, then again, perhaps my interpretation is just me looking for a happy ending!