If there is one thing motherhood did to me, it’s realizing the impact of breastfeeding.

More than anything, I was more concerned on what to feed the newborn. I actually prepared for formula feeding, and planned on what the doctor would recommend. But luckily, my OB-GYN was strongly urging me to TRY breastfeeding.

So we did. And we fell in love with it that my husband and I made it our advocacy. We both realize the many wonderful things breastfeeding did for our family. You can read a compilation of my own stories here. We still breastfeed our almost three and a half year old little girl when she wants. Upon waking up, before sleeping, and just whenever she’d feel like it. It was really a journey worth taking.

I am just so happy to find out that a new book all about breastfeeding is coming out. And it’s authored by a Filipino mom and published locally!

The book, “Breastfeeding: A Journey Worth Taking” will be launched next Saturday, January 25, 3:00 PM-5:00 PM at Mothercare, Active Fun Building, 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City. The book launch will also feature talks that will surely inform and inspire moms about breastfeeding.

It is free, but you need to give a heads up if you’re attending. You may do so here.

Congratulations to Teresa Gumap-as Dumadag, a work-at-home/homeschooling mom, for this  book! May this book be an instrument to reach out to more families the many wonderful benefits of breastfeeding.

~ Touringkitty

Oh yes. I thought I would not have any regrets about breastfeeding. But this Holy Week (and being Aria’s slave literally this week), I thought of this one regret: I did not plan to wean her off the breast!

At 31 months she still nurses as often as she can. Sure I don’t deny her of nursing, but then there are times that I wished she will learn not to nurse all the time when I am with her.

Let’s count the countless reasons of her nursing:

She might be thirsty. What’s water and milk and juice for, then? She’d rather nurse to quench her thirst after a yummy meal.

She might be hungry. But she has just eaten a full meal!!! Still, when she sees me, she’d nurse. Then give a very loud burp!

She might be sleepy. Which is always the case. But if I am not around, she doesn’t have a choice, that’s why naptime with my mom is a tedious task. That alone takes up hours of their day. In the evening, I try to train her not to nurse to sleep. It will be a 10% chance that she can do it, but most often she nurses. Lately the trick is she wants her feet under a pillow. As I have mentioned before, we don’t believe in sleep training. But I trust that when she turns three she can sleep alone without the aid of the boob.

She might be upset. Aria is quite insistent nowadays. She would repeatedly say what she wants until you give it to her. When you don’t give it to her, or take aways something from her, she cries, no, bawls. Really noisy girl.

She learned something new. As if a dog getting a reward, Aria rewards herself with nursing if she learned a new word, phrase, trick, or wanting to learn some more. Breastmilk might be her brain food as well, no wonder she can count up to 30 and count backwards from 10 to one, say the alphabet clearly, spell out words, read words and phrases, sing lots of songs,
memorize things easily. She also has good motor skills (like opening boxes, zippers, pulling and pushing, climbing cabinets, monkey bars. Yeah she is a boy! Kidding!).

Nothing. She just wants to. This is what I am still puzzled about. She would just sit on my lap, pull dwn or up my shirt, and nurse. She’d do it anywhere, anytime of the day. I would rather she nurse than roam around and shout and be noisy. She often smiles at me while nursing. How can I be angry, then? Big reward indeed.

Big question is, until when? I choose not to answer, because it breaks my heart everytime I pull her off my breasts. I feel the first part of the mission is done, that I will face so much more when she weans. I am scared to get to that stage.

~ Touringkitty

Breastfeeding is hard work, I told myself and the many moms I meet. You won’t succeed unless you try.

I tried, and so much more, that we are still standing, or nursing while standing (pun intended) I should say, for 29 months.

Sometime last year, I had excess frozen breastmilk at home. It was just a few bags but I know it mattered to moms who need it for their premies and newborns. So I immediately called the nearby hospital and asked if they accepted them.

After several phone transfers, I was told they were not accepting milk donations. This then led me to sending them a Facebook message inquiring about this. I know some hospitals already set up milk banks or at least be able to accept donations and transport them to milk banks, but I knew our hospital could easily have done this.

On a brighter side, I donated milk through Human Milk for Human Babies, a Facebook page where one either requests for or gives out frozen milk, and I met one mom and her daughter who benefitted twice through my donations. I even delivered the second batch to them in the hospital, so I was able to meet the baby.

Likewise, I also inquired why the pedias of our hospital aren’t that supportive of breastfeeding, which was the reason why my daughter had three pedias, though our current one is in another hospital. Is it lack of knowledge and experience with breastfeeding moms, especially extended breastfeeders? I really don’t know. They were following the Unang Yakap protocol down to the brim but are not keen on breastfeeding.

I am glad that months after that message, the hospital replied, and they refered this to the pediatric unit. I confirmed this with my OB-GYN last week when I had my Anti-HPV vaccine. I am awaiting for the results, so exciting! They will inform and update me about their future plans, and maybe, I’d offer to do talks and invite other experts who could inspire.

During a lunch with some like-minded women (one wasn’t even a mom, but was instrumental in the breastfeeding success of some moms), we all agreed that not only moms should be educated about breastfeeding, but the community who surrounds them. If they go back to their families postpartum and be influenced with formula feeding, then success rate would dip. Next project: promoting breastfeeding in the lower income communities who need to be equipped with knowledge, support, and confidence to ensure success.

That’s the key: information. The more people informed, the more they’ll be convinced to at least try.

~ Touringkitty

One night, my daughter tested my patience.

She does every single night that I put her to sleep anyway, but this particular night, it was horrifying. I was horrifying. And it wasn’t me.

As she was literally tumbling from mattress to mattress (our beds are two floor mattresses linked together), I cried out, “anak, para kang nasapian” (seems like a bad spirit entered). Our helper chuckled, and turned off the lights. My husband slept ahead because he was not feeling well.

So I started dragging my daughter to her sleep area, and she cried all the more, banging her head on the rubber mat-protected walls. I was appalled, really frustrated, that she still hasn’t slept after an hour of chasing her round the room then some Skype-ing with my sister and mom (who just live on the other street).

I forced nursed her just to get drowsy. It worked.

I have skipped days of not nursing her to sleep, and succeeded with just singing and hugging. But this night she so wanted to nurse, specifically on the right side, which I have made her avoid for the day because it was hurting after she pinched and bit it waaaay hard. It’s more painful nursing her now at 28 months and with complete set of teeth than when she was just a newborn.

Besides, nursing her reconnected us after being away for eleven hours at work. It’s how she communicates with me that no one else would understand. Just us.

Sometimes, though, I did wish I didn’t nurse at all, if only to avoid her being clingy. There are times I can’t eat nor pee or poo and end the day being dehydrated because my daughter would nurse for most of the day. Even if she had just eaten or drunk. It might be an isolated case, pregnant moms who consider nursing, so don’t get discouraged. I knew of some families who also exclusively breastfeed and their kids grow mature and independent early on.

As for us, we will continue nursing. That’s what helped me avoid most sickness because of the immunity we pass through the milk and through her suckling. I also didn’t get huge after giving birth! Quickly I lost the packed pounds during pregnancy. It is a great diet pill actually.

No other way but to breastfeed. And I’d be very delighted if more families at least try. We pray for you and your babies.

~ Touringkitty

August came by too quick that I wasn’t able to post something about breastfeeding. So let me do it now!

It’s been exactly two years and twelve days that I’m breastfeeding. Not a day missed, not a feeding missed. Not a drop of formula. No pacifiers. Attended breastfeeding meetings to increase knowledge in breastfeeding and parenting. Donated a few bags of frozen breastmilk to strangers. Promoted breastfeeding in all ways. Nursed in public–lately without nursing cover (thank heavens for tank tops and shawls and ring slings!).

I have surpassed all my breastfeeding goals that I’ve set since pregnancy.

Sometimes I ask myself if it’s still normal, that at two she still breastfeeds for whatever reason she has. I wonder what could her reason be. Hungry? Thirsty? Sleepy? Bored? Tired? Scared? Excited? Crying? Learning a new word or skill? Missing Mommy? I don’t know.

Not that I’m pressured to wean her. Not at all! I gave my full dedication, determination, and trust that I can provide the milk that she needed, especially the past two years where it is part and parcel integral to her health. Especially with the new studies coming out about breastmilk, there is no other way I could have nourished her well!

But my daughter is still my baby, my dear one, who needs to suckle to satisfy whatever it is that has to be satisfied. So it will be a mutual agreement between us when she will wean. Besides, my husband might be the happiest and the one who benefits to my breastfeeding the most–imagine if he had to learn how to prepare formula milk in the middle of the night and after a hard day’s work?!

Plus, the money which we were supposed to spend on formula gets spent on food, food, and more food! Especially now that we’re raising a foodie who likes yogurt, raisins, bread, and fresh milk (yes, the ones in carton, waaaay better than formula–BUT only for those ABOVE ONE YEAR OLD–breastmilk should still there to fill in their nutritional and immunological requirements!).

Tips for new and soon to be moms:

1. There’s no harm in trying. Who said breastfeeding is easy? And who said preparing formula milk is easier?

2. Attitude, dedication, determination, patience. Those four are all self-emanating. It starts with you and your baby.

3. Support. Lots of it. From your husband most especially. And involve the whole family and extended family in the process, especially those who are planning to go back to the workforce after a couple of months. Attend breastfeeding meets as a whole barangay if you can! The more you make people around you aware, the more they will realize the need for support.

4. Do your homework. Research, read, ask around. The internet was super useful to me because my mom had only limited experience breastfeeding me and my sister. I made lots of friends who share the same passion and dedication about breastfeeding.

5. Prayers. He listens. Whenever I feel like giving up, I have the Blessed Mother to ask Divine Intervention to. My devotion to Our Lady of La Leche is one of the strongest and most special devotions I have right now.

Happy breastfeeding from our breastfeeding family!

~ Touringkitty