I’ve been seeing a lot of posts about breastfeeding in my Facebook feed. At first, I thought it’s just a marketing campaign to promote breastfeeding in the world. After reading through various posts, I found out its World Breastfeeding Week so I decided to make this post about my own breastfeeding journey.
Photo from Raphael Goetter, Creative Commons, Flickr
When I was pregnant with my first child, the childbirth class I attended puts too much emphasis on breastfeeding. To be honest, I never really planned on doing it and I don’t feel comfortable “being exposed,” if that even makes sense. Of course, things are different when I gave birth. I did breastfeed but being a young, naive mom, I never tried harder. It only took me two months to breastfeed and that’s it. My pedia even restricted me with certain foods because my daughter had a skin condition and eating fish, chicken and eggs can aggravate it. I figured if she doesn’t want my milk, then fine. It’s easier for me anyway. And looking back, my baby turned out fine, with occasional cough and colds during the cold weather.
But things were different on my second baby. Of course I knew better – but it was never easy for me. Back in the hospital, the nurses kept on insisting that I breastfeed even if there’s still no milk coming out. My baby girl was crying incessantly because of hunger and they won’t even allow us to giver her formula milk. This stresses me out and ended up forcing myself and hoping for a miracle that I’ll finally get that golden milk.
Breastfeeding for me didn’t come easily. In fact, breastfeeding was never easy at all. Those pictures and commercials you see about happy moms wearing a big smile was breastfeeding their kids aren’t always the case. And believe it or not, I was the exact opposite. During the first few weeks, I was stressed out and hated myself for not having enough supply for my kid. Plus, my husband wasn’t exactly the support system I was hoping for and just added to my stress. And no, I didn’t wear a smile every time I breastfeed. I cried in pain.
Still, that didn’t stop me from breastfeeding, or at least trying to breastfeed. While we were still in the hospital, my baby was only able to latch on the second day. Imagine my happiness when I finally saw her sucking and enjoying the milk. Of course, it took a while and my nipples hurt and cracked that even the nipple moisturizing cream wasn’t helping at all. And it hurts so much, I cringe every time I breastfeed my baby. They say maybe the baby wasn’t latching properly that’s why it hurts but what the heck, I was in pain the whole time – or at least during the first few weeks. My only consolation was at least milk is coming out – though at first it wasn’t that much.
So I looked it up online for breastfeeding tips, talked to fellow moms about breastfeeding and applied what I learned. Eventually, milk came out easily and breastfeeding didn’t hurt anymore (it’s all about the right position and proper latching). I relaxed, took my time and stopped pressuring myself to have more milk. My husband also became the support system I was hoping for. I nursed while trying to put my baby to sleep and at the same time, give myself a time to catch some too. Finally, breastfeeding turned from being painful and stressful to giving me a sense of joy and fulfillment.
Then I said, “I’m going to do this until my baby starts to have teeth” – which is during her seventh month. The idea of her teeth, biting me isn’t exactly something I want to go through. And guess what? She’s already almost 14 months now and I am still breastfeeding. I don’t even know how I was able to do that but I’m glad that as of this writing, I am still nursing here. I wanted to stop but the ease and convenience and knowing what I can give to my kid makes me want to continue. And to be honest, I don’t have plans on stopping anytime soon.
Breastfeeding is a commitment. You can’t just do it now then forget about it tomorrow. Sure, it’s not an easy thing to do but that shouldn’t stop us moms to fulfill our responsibilities. Personally, it wasn’t easy nursing my child while having another little girl to take care of. It wasn’t easy to watch what I eat and make sure I am getting enough nutrients which I can pass on to her. It wasn’t easy to attend to other equally important things and squeezing breastfeeding and pumping sessions in between. But I’m glad I was able to sustain it. My baby girl is very healthy and rarely gets sick (she only had colds once, last December, probably because of the cold weather). Plus, the fact that I am able to give her the best gives me a different kind of fulfillment.
To all new moms and mom hopefuls, I encourage you to breastfeed. And guess what, it also helped me lose weight too!
For more info, check out the other articles I wrote about breastfeeding –
http://momhandsarefull.wordpress.com/2014/01/11/breastfeeding-tips/
http://momhandsarefull.wordpress.com/2013/11/21/breast-is-best-the-importance-of-breastfeeding/
http://momhandsarefull.wordpress.com/2013/10/01/love-your-breast-breastfeed/
Ayi is a stay-at-home mom of two. When her kids are in their best state, she keeps up with chores, work, and ensuring that her sanity is intact. Join her as she navigates through this rollercoaster ride called motherhood.
Hi Ayi, this is Adrianne from Oilfield Wife Life. I just wanted to let you know I have enjoyed reading your blog, and I have nominated you for the Liebster Award. I hope you accept! If you do, here is my blog post on what the award is and what accepting it entails. http://thisoilfieldwifelife.blogspot.com/2014/08/really-awardfor-me.html
Have a great day!
Very nice post, indeed!!! As a brestfeeding mom I’m touched… 🙂 we keep going 2 1/2 years now….
Hi Katisimone!
Thank you so much for dropping by and I’m glad you liked my post 🙂
Breastfeeding wasn’t very easy for me but I’m really glad that I lasted this long 🙂
It is not so easy, but it’s such a wonderful thing when it gets a little bit easier. . . 🙂
I myself started breastfeeding my eldest, up until she was at around 2+ years old. Then I got pregnant and I had to stop to let my baby boy be breastfed. I think breastfeeding gives a serious bond with the mother and child cause to be honest, I think my eldest is more close to me than my second baby na tinigil ko yung pag breastfeed after 2nd month…
Breastfeeding looks so easy but it’s not that easy pala talaga 🙁
I learned tips from my mom, from having malunggay in my soup, or malunggay capsules, comfy postions, upto the soreness na halos di ko matake 🙁 but still it’s worth it. cheers to supermoms!
i was a cow with my two younger kids, but my eldest had mixed feeding. I thought I wasn’t producing enough milk, only to find out that I was doing it all wrong.
I have 2 kids and both are breastfed too .. True it takes lot of commitment but super worth it lalo na the fulfillment you feel pag nagpapa breastfeed
aw, congrats to you, it takes a lot of love and discipline to breastfeed for that long. I was only able to do it for a few months…great way to loose all the baby fat too! hahaha
I hear so many people say na mas bonded daw talaga pag breastfed si baby. I hope breastfeeding my son will make us more bonded too. I wasn’t an active blogger during the world breastfeeding week last year but I posted something about it in FB. It’s really not easy to breastfeed and I agree that breastfeeding is a commitment. Like you, I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. 😀
Congratulations on your breastfeeding journey! I’m happy whenever I hear about moms breastfeeding their kids. I also breastfed my first and only child (for now!) for almost 7 months only. Never got sick during that time. No fever, no colds, no cough. When I started formula feeding him exclusively, that’s the time he got colds for the first time! Laking sisi ko lang talaga that I stopped. But I really have no choice at the time kasi my milk suppy started going down na and he just doesn’t get satisfied anymore. So I say kudos to you, mommy! I know it’s a big sacrifice for us moms but sacrifice really comes with the territory diba? 🙂
Good job at breastfeeding your baby! What I love most, other than giving the perfect milk, is the bonding time.
This reminds me to complete all my requirements to get certified as a breastfeeding counselor. I have 2 books to go pa!
Oh it’s breastfeeding week na ba? Time flies. Actually, consider yourself lucky if the nurses insisted that you breastfeed. Sa amin, opposite. I was adamant to breastfeed but no one would teach me how and they just made us buy S26. When we were discharged, I tried my best to BF and, surprisingly, Yuri latched on well agad. It was a smooth (but very painful at the beginning) journey for us.
Sadly, I had to wean him na last month because I could no longer “afford” to BF on demand a willful boy as a full-time yayaless single WAHM. It was no longer a healthy mutual relationship. But we had a great 33-month journey anyway. 🙂
I was able to breastfeed for only one month with my first child. I’m currently pregnant with my second child and i promise I’d do everything to breastfeed her.
I wasn’t able to fully breastfeed my eldest that’s why I made it a point to make bawi with my second. Congrats mommy on your second baby 🙂
Good job! I only lasted for 5mos because my milk lessened when I started to go back to work. Sayang, it is indeed very convenient. Less gastos in buying formula milk.
True 🙂 mahal pa naman ang formula milk ngayon.
I’m a breastfeeding advocate! Likewise, breastfeeding didnt come easy on me too. Nevertheless, I will still lovingly offer my milk to all my kids because I believe that no other formula can ever match to the benefits it could give my children. 🙂
That’s true momma 🙂 There were times tinitiis ko yung pain and it took us a while before my babies were able to latch properly 🙂 I agree, no formula can match a mother’s milk 🙂