Breastfeeding Celebrity Moms - Parenting.com

For all breastfeeding moms out there, check out this article in the link below:

Breastfeeding Celebrity Moms - Parenting.com

Find your inspiration from breastfeeding Hollywood moms! :)

BFFs Unite: True Breastfeeding Stories - Part 3

This is Cindy Ramas-Salado's entry to the Babymama contest on Facebook, and can be found originally in this link: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=314563&id=123748187654467. Check out the BEST and WORST advice that she ever received about breastfeeding :) Hope the best advice is of help to other nursing moms out there! :)


 

BEST ADVICE RECEIVED:
Breastmilk is the best expression of the love, care and security and peace of mind (and pocket) you can give not just to your baby but to your family!
- gift of wisdom from God which I received on the 4th day after i gave birth. I was in the brink of depression because i thought i don't have milk at all (came out a week later) although the painful sign was there - engorgement!). Good thing I lifted my frustration to the Almighty, who assured me to just trust Him. Also, it pays to educate yourself on breastfeeding through surfing which made me appreciate more BF more =)

2nd BEST ADVICE RECEIVED:
Try expressing milk by hand.
- given by my previous boss during my baby's christening which was also her 1st month old & our 1st year wedding anniversary. Surprisingly, it is faster & no need to spend anything. The disadvantage of this when I'll go back to work this coming August 16 are the following:
- I have to do this in full privacy & away from my workspace
- both hands are tied up - the other one will be squeezing & the other will be holding the bottle to catch the milk

WORST ADVICE:
- none yet (I am grateful to be surrounded by people who are supportive on breastfeeding) ;-)

& by the way, I also l♥ve Gisele Bundchen who bravely said despite : "I think there should be a worldwide law, in my opinion, that mothers should breast-feed their babies for six months. Some people think they don't have to breast-feed, and I think, 'Are you going to give chemical food to your child when they are so little?'" Best if we BF moms will go beyond 6 months ... Count me in to be a BF advocate =)

BFFs Unite: True Breastfeeding Stories - Part 1

WARNING: This post is mostly about BREASTFEEDING, in line with World Breastfeeding Month, and my desire to champion the cause of breastfeeding among Filipina moms. If you are not comfortable about anything related to breastfeeding, then please skip reading BUT do stay posted for my upcoming entry on "Rich Crook, Poor Crook - The Dilemma Of the Ivan Padillas Of Our Country". I'll be discussing the challenges our country faces in terms of POVERTY, and how WE as MOMS can help address them :) In the meantime, hope you enjoy this post on breastfeeding, BEST feeding ever! :)

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When I was pregnant with my first child, I wanted to arm myself with as much information and knowledge as possible about breastfeeding. Being a Filipina mom placed me in a position where there was lots of advice (well-meaning but sometimes downright wrong hehehe) offered to me about a lot of things related to motherhood. Nevertheless, with the wonderful world of the Internet, I found myself relatively knowledgeable about some things related to parenting and motherhood, particularly BREASTFEEDING. Although I do not consider myself an expert, I'm proud to say that with what I know, I have been able to achieve my goal of PURELY breastfeeding my kids (the eldest till 2 yrs and 4 mos and the youngest up to the present - she just turned 1!) Yehey! :) And all these years, one of the things that kept me going in my breastfeeding journey is hearing INSPIRING stories from other nursing moms. :)

Thus, I have decided to try to come out with a series of True Breastfeeding Stories here, entitled BFFs Unite (BreastFeeding Filipinas Unite). I aim to gather stories from nursing moms, specifically Filipinas (though other nationalities are welcome too!) that will help other moms, especially those who are "breastfeeding-challenged" (hehehe) to commit to nursing their kids despite all the difficulties they may face. I also want to do this in commemoration of World Breastfeeding Month.

In Part 1 of this series, I'd like to share Mommy Maybelle's story with you (with her permission of course!). Her true-to-life story is an example for all moms everywhere - to never give up giving your child/ren Mom's Purest Love! :)


Against All Odds (July 11, 2007)

Five years ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to have an entire breast surgically removed.  Being young and single then, I felt all my plans and aspirations for my future were totally wiped away.  I completely had no idea what would become of my life – whether or not I would end up having a husband and children of my own.  I was told that the chemotherapy could adversely affect my fertility.  Definitely, the capacity to breastfeed was nowhere in the list of my concerns about the future back then.

            In a span of three years, I was healed of my cancer, got married to my unconditionally loving husband (who became my boyfriend soon after we discovered the cancer), and got pregnant with our first child.  Aaaahhhh, my life has been blessed with such wonderful miracles!

            As I reached the third trimester of my pregnancy, I began to wonder about whether or not I’d be able to breastfeed.  I had one single breast left, which isn’t even in its own complete form because I had a biopsy done on that remaining side – meaning, there was a possibility that some of my milk ducts have been severed.  The painful realization that I may actually not be able to nourish my baby with my own milk hit me very, very hard.  I longed so much to experience that beautiful bond I’d hear about among mothers who breastfeed their babies! 

            In my determination to try to breastfeed despite the slim chance I had, I set out to learn more about breastfeeding.  I researched about it from books and on the internet and took a free seminar on breastfeeding.  The breastfeeding teacher during the seminar shared with us the many myths that cause women to give up breastfeeding during the first few weeks of their babies’ lives…  I was raring to go!  I totally prepared myself emotionally to be strong when the time comes for me to work it out – at least I thought I was prepared enough! 

            On April 30, 2005, I gave birth to our beautiful baby daughter, Sophie Therese, via emergency caesarian section.  She was borderline premature so our pediatrician had her kept in the incubator for the first 36 hours.  I was going crazy in my head!  All my ideals for the beginning of motherhood were washed away.

“What happened to all my plans of nursing my baby immediately after birth?”

“How can I breastfeed her by demand when I’m here in the room and she’s all the way there in the nursery?” 

“Oh no, she’s already been given formula!  How can my milk supply meet her demand now?”

            Finally, after 36 hours, we were able to room her in.  I did all that I learned from the seminar and from all the information I read about breastfeeding, thinking, “Okay, I already know what to do.  I can do this!”  Oh boy, little did I know it was only the beginning of the most difficult days (and weeks) ahead! 

That night, Sophie kept crying and crying and crying, and still, crying.  As soon as I would put her back down on the bed after a feeding, she would be rooting around for the nipple again and begin crying once more.  We wondered, “Why can’t she seem satisfied?” 

I was getting comments from nurses, doctors, and family members that my milk wasn’t enough.  I thought I was being a bad mother by insisting that I breastfeed her exclusively.  Yet from all the books my husband and I read, we knew in our heads we were doing the right thing.  The only thing that kept us going was all the information we got from our research.  I was truly thankful that my husband was completely supportive.  He said, “Look, if I feel that my daughter is starving, I’d be the first one to tell you to stop breastfeeding.  But you and I know that she is not.”  Had he given me any sense of doubt as all the other people did, I would have given up in a snap.

Two more weeks came and the struggle went on.  According to the books, Sophie’s constant cry of hunger was just out of a normal growth spurt and nature’s way of ensuring that my milk supply will continue to meet her growing demand as I keep on responding to her every “request” for milk.  To me, this meant, nursing for as long as one hour and forty minutes and feeding her again fifteen minutes after I finished the last feeding – round the clock.  I didn’t know how to nurse lying down then so I would sleep sitting up in bed while nursing her.  I just kept saying to myself, “This, too, shall pass.  Konting tiis na lang.  [Just have to bear it a bit more.]”

I continued to hear from family members that my milk wasn’t enough because of the frequency Sophie was feeding.  And for many weeks, this was tearing me apart.  Every now and then, I would end up giving a little bit of milk formula – which only made things worse each time because all the more my milk supply couldn’t catch up with Sophie’s demand.  Finally, my husband and I made a pact, “This is it.  We’re doing exclusive breastfeeding no matter what!”  It was only after we made this firm decision that things slowly started getting better. 

When Sophie was three months old, her cheeks were unmistakably round and puffy.   By the time she was five months old, everyone just wanted to chew on her chunky legs and take a bite out of her chipmunk cheeks.  I was also getting a lot more rest than the previous months.  All that talk about my not having enough milk was long gone.

I finally met a support group for breastfeeding mothers facilitated by Best Friends in Breastfeeding.  During that first session I attended, I heard all the stories of all the other moms about their beginning weeks of breastfeeding and saw that all that I was going through was absolutely normal after all!  Had I heard the real stories of all these other women during the time I was struggling myself, all the information we read from books and the internet would have supported me with so much more truth.  How I wish I had met this group earlier!

Today, I have a very bright, happy, and confident toddler who loves to explore the world in wide-eyed wonder.  Sophie is now 26 months old and still drinks the best milk she can ever get – Mama’s milk – and she doesn’t even need more than a single, scarred breast.

(You can find Maybelle's original blog post here: http://kenandmaybs.multiply.com/journal/item/3)

If you would like to share your True Breastfeeding Story, please feel free to share it by emailing me at kristina.s.rodriguez@gmail.com :) Or post a comment below! :) Thanks! BFFs Unite! :)

Breastfeeding is Pro-God, Pro-Family, Pro-Life, Pro-Poor! Happy World Breastfeeding Month! :)

(WARNING! IF YOU ARE NOT A WOMAN OR A MOM, YOU MAY FEEL A BIT UNEASY READING THIS POST. :) HEHEHE. HOWEVER, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED TO KNOW WHY BREASTFEEDING CAN BE PRO-GOD, PRO-FAMILY, PRO-LIFE AND PRO-POOR, THEN READ ON. :) BUT DON'T SAY I DIDN'T WARN YOU :)


As a breastfeeding advocate, I want to do my part in spreading the word about the several activities happening around the Metro this month of August, in line with Breastfeeding Month. However, since fellow blogger Jenny has already done a good job compiling a list of pro-breastfeeding activities in her blog, why should I reinvent the wheel right? :) So in the latter part of this post, I share with you Jenny's blog post about all the happenings related to breastfeeding this August. :) Hope to see you in one of them! (I'll be going to Eastwood and maybe the Mommy Milkshake Marathon *depends on the kiddos hehehe*)

On a  personal note, I LOVE BREASTFEEDING and really believe that it's in order with God's plan for mankind (or womankind, to be more politically correct! hahaha).  In fact, I dare say that BREASTFEEDING IS PRO-GOD, PRO-FAMILY, PRO-LIFE and even PRO-POOR!

First, breastfeeding is PRO-GOD because it gives mothers a chance to participate in God's plan for humankind, i.e. give our kids what He intended our bodies to produce for them. God really knew what He was doing when He created man and woman. Every part of our body was knit together with a specific purpose. And that includes our (women's) mammary glands and everything connected to it! The colostrum that comes out during the first suckling moments of Baby has THE MOST antibodies and nutrients that are BEST for Baby. (Don't believe what others say when they tell you to "give it up" because "your baby will go hungry", or "there's nothing coming out" etc etc!) Be patient and PRAY and your milk will let down in a few days' time! :) God made our bodies that way, so don't worry and just arm yourself with all the info you can get!

Breastfeeding is PRO-FAMILY because it strengthens the bond between (1) husband and wife as he supports her, prays for her, helps her in the breastfeeding journey, especially during the first few painful days when Mama and Baby are getting into the hang of finding the right latch, (2) mother and baby as baby gets not just physical nourishment, but also quality bonding time with Mama, which helps in boosting baby's emotional (and I'd like to believe spiritual too!) IQ. Breastfeeding also gives the father time to bond with other siblings (if any) when Mama is busy nursing the new baby. (Since Papa doesn't need to spend time cleaning and sterilizing bottles and preparing formula!). It's a win-win situation for the WHOLE family (even yaya!)

Breastfeeding is PRO-LIFE because by giving our babies the BEST nutrition, we improve the quality of their lives, and give them a better chance at fighting disease and sickness that could shorten their lives. It also gives the woman time to recover from birth if she exclusively breastfeeds for the first 6 months, she is 99% likely NOT to get pregnant again. This way, her body has time to recuperate, while at the same time, gives her and hubby time to bond with Baby, and give him the BEST of all things. What better way to sustain a LIFE than giving nutrition from one's own living body? ;)

Last but not the least, breastfeeding is PRO-POOR. Consider the cost of bottle-feeding which includes paying for infant formula, bottles, sterilizing equipment, etc etc versus the cost of breastfeeding (ZERO!). Also, if infant formula is prepared wrongly (like if moms who are hard up financially try to pinch pennies by not putting the exact amount of formula as indicated) or in unsanitary conditions, babies can get diarrhea and some may even die from dehydration as an effect. Whereas we breastfeeding moms don't have to worry about the amount of powder to mix, or clean water for baby's milk, or sterilizing! We also save a LOT of money by not buying infant formula. These savings can be put to better use, like as small start-up capital for a sideline business, or investing in mutual funds, etc. So actually, in the long run, breastfeeding can also help one achieve one's goal of financial freedom! Wow. Amazing huh?!

I remember our mission trips in Timor Leste (East Timor), and how convenient it was for us to go from place to place without having to lug around baby bottles, cans of formula, bottles of clean drinking water, etc etc. So I guess you could say breastfeeding is PRO-MISSIONARY too?! :) hehehe. I've actually breastfed standing up and walking around during our community conferences both here in the Philippines and abroad! Not to mention in a tricycle, jeepney, airplanes, public buses, MRT, boats, airports, churches, etc etc etc. (Though I know of some moms who've breastfed in even CRAZIER places! Check out Babymama's page on Facebook!)

Here's a pic of me nursing our first-born, Tim. I am proud to say, and thankful to God, that he was breastfed until 2 years and 4 months! (I was pregnant with Rysse when we weaned him, although I did want to try tandem feeding!)

Here is a more recent picture, this time it's Rysse who is nursing (believe me the Maya Wrap is one of the BEST gifts one could give an expecting mom - thanks to the Nebraos for mine! :). This was taken at the Pixar Animation Studios Exhibit in Singapore.
 

In fact, I'm sure our very own beloved Mama Mary breastfed Jesus too, and here are a few pics I found through Google Images to support my claim:
I



(See, breast really is BEST! :)

In fact, I totally advocate breastfeeding especially among new and expecting moms that I know personally. Because of my pro-breastfeeding shout-outs on Facebook, I've also come to know fellow moms like Jenny who also owns an online shop named Mama.Baby.Love, Janice Crisostomo-Villanueva of Mommy Matters and Mompreneur Manila, and Buding Aquino-Dee of Blissful Babes and L.A.T.C.H. Philippines, Mi'ann Reyes-Oblea of Babymama, and of course a dear "Ate" and ex-fellow missionary (though she is still a missionary in her own right!) in community, Denice Nillas-Price, who now owns her own line of nursing products (Lilymoms). Not to mention mommy bloggers Eli of The Painter's Wife and Tiggerlily of The Lazymama blogs among others. Of course, my fellow missionary moms like Michelle, Layle, Des, Vania, Bianca, Nida, Issa, and the others whom I've failed to mention (please forgive me...) also deserve a shout-out, since sharing breastfeeding stories with them is one of the highlights of being a nursing mama! It is SOOO nice to know that there are other moms out there who believe in giving their kids the MOST NUTRITIOUS, MOST PRACTICAL, CHEAPEST AND MOST READILY AVAILABLE MILK - Mama's best, breast milk! :)

God bless all moms out there especially those who choose to stick with breastfeeding, despite working fulltime, coping with illness, and other challenges that make breastfeeding difficult but NOT impossible! :) Also, Lord, thank You po for our hubbies, parents, and other family members and friends who support us and pray for us and with us in our nursing journey! :)

Anyway, as I wrote in the first part of this post, please find below a summary of all the happenings this August in line with Breastfeeding Month! :) Happy Breastfeeding Month everyone! (You can read Jenny's original post at http://fabnaima.blogspot.com/2010/07/its-busy-busy-august.html)

August is Breastfeeding Month with August 1-7 designated as World Breastfeeding Week. It's the month for celebrating breastfeeding and there are certainly a lot of activities planned.

LATCH will be running a month-long breastfeeding ad campaign in collaboration with QTV. Aside from TV ads, LATCH also collaborated with Eastwood City Mall and will be holding a breastfeeding photo exhibit on Monday August 2.

This

will also coincide with the launch of Eastwood Mall's Breastfeeding Room.

Monday's event is part of Eastwood Mall week-long activity called "Mom's Purest Love" culminating on Sunday with a LATCH Breastfeeding Workshop, Baby Wearing Event, Yoga and Cooking Demos and a Fashion Show launching Bianca Araneta-Elizalde's maternity/nursing wear line - Eden.

Meanwhile, also on August 8 is the annual Mommy Milkshake Marathon which is now on its 4th year! The marathon is organized by Janice Villanueva's Mommy Mundo and is open to babies, toddlers, kids, moms, moms to be, grandparents and anyone who believes in supporting the cause of breastfeeding in the Philippines. Registration fee is P200 for adults and P100 for kids from 3-16 years old. Babies below 3 can join for free. You can register by clicking this link. They are accepting only 400 participants this year. Email Janiceif you have questions.

Medela Moms are also busy this August. As a result of their most recent visit to their principal (Medela Switzerland), they were given the go-signal to run a special warehouse sale in August for the Pump In Style Advance. Twenty (20) units will be made available at P17,000.00 only!! What a steal - to celebrate Breastfeeding Month! Purchase of the pump entitles mom to warranty and lifetime discount on services (upon expiration of warranty) and enrollment to MedelaSupports, a loyalty program which includes benefits such as discounted fees to events, exclusive invites. Purelan 7g is also on sale - buy one, take one for P395. Purelan does not expire and after breastfeeding you can use it on chapped lips, dry elbows, cracked heels or chafed nostrils due to a cold. Safe for baby, there is no need to wipe off before breastfeeding or pumping.

Also check out classes from The Breastfeeding Club held at the Medela House every month. This Saturday (31 July), the class will be "Breastfeeding and Beyond" at 930am. Other classes lined up are Beginning Breastfeeding (Breastfeeding 101) on September 25, Sustaining Breastfeeding (Breastfeeding 202) on October 23, 2010 and Breastfeeding and Beyond (Breastfeeding 303) on 27 November 2010. Email the MedelaMoms to register.

Classes at the Medela House are not only for moms but also for yayas - so moms can make sure that those who take care of their children are fully prepared for any threat that may befall them while they're not around. The 2nd part of the Yaya Training Program will be held on 7 August 2010 from 9-12noon also at Medela House. Topics include safety concerns and first aid training. For previous pump buyers, first attendee rate is P700 while 2nd attendee rate is P300. For non-customers, rate is P800 for the first participant and P300 for the 2nd participant.

Finally La Leche League will continue to hold its monthly meetings in Greenhills (August 14) and Rustan's Makati (August 21). There are plans to move the Greenhills meeting from Mary the Queen to a mall - watch out for further announcements.

Happy Breastfeeding Month Everyone!


*Update 8/1/2010:
SM is also holding its own Breastfeeding Forum today, August 1 at Megamall and next week, August 8 at SM North Edsa. Check out the poster for more details.