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Child-led Weaning
The Way Nature Intended By April Almeida
"Wean: to accustom (as a child) to take food otherwise than by nursing."
My daughter and I shared an incredible bond that went beyond the usual nine months in the womb. It was a bond like no other, sometimes more powerful than when I carried her within the warmth and security of my body. We 
lovingly and beautifully shared the sacred bond of breastfeeding. There was no better feeling in the world to me, aside from birthing her, than that of cradling her in my arms and putting her to my milk-filled breast. It felt natural, an extension of me.
After her much-anticipated birth, I assumed that I would simply put the baby to breast and smile a heavenly smile. While breastfeeding is not rocket science, it is a learned undertaking, which did not come easy for us. Through much hard work and stubborn determination coupled with strong support from my husband and family, we managed to establish a truly incredible relationship. It took us almost 10 weeks, but during a growth spurt we finally were truly breastfeeding.
We came through many obstacles and joyous moments. We faced thrush with angry determination. We battled supply issues with perseverance and hope. We struggled with decisions about when to start solids. We fought colds and flu by researching non-harmful medications. We worked on maintaining a good diet. And we faced the usual things a mother and child do when connected in such an intimate fashion. We educated our family members, friends, strangers and our doctor about our passion.
Through it all, ending the relationship never occurred to me. While no one in my family breastfed for more than a couple of months, I truly never gave thought to weaning. Prior to pregnancy, I assumed I would nurse the usual few months. However, I inwardly felt that because of all of the problems and difficult situations we faced in getting breastfeeding established, I wanted to go longer.
