Why I Am Still Breastfeeding My Preschooler

It was exactly a year ago when I wrote about the How and Why of My Breastfeeding Journey. I can't believe that until now I'm still going to write about it. It's not that I'm tired of telling my story about it, it just amazes me how far I have come. I won't ever forget, it's because of God's unending grace in my life.

My Love Bug is almost 4 years old now, 47 months and 28 days to be exact. And I'm happy to tell everyone that she still loves "Mommy's milk". That's how she calls it. Sometimes I wonder if it's just out of habit that she asks for my milk, but as I look at her every time she tells me she wants to "dede" (Filipino word for "nurse"), I can tell that she still likes it. There are times when people around us, specially family members would tease and discourage her from getting this liquid gold but she couldn't be dissuaded. She would always get assurance from me that it's just fine to "drink Mommy's milk".

My Love Bug at 47 months. She nurses when she takes a nap and at bedtime.

"She's older now; a preschooler. Why do you still breastfeed your daughter?" you may ask. I may only have a few reasons why I still do it, but I believe these are enough to continue doing it.

It's just the natural thing to do. From day 1 until today, I believe that feeding one's offspring is a natural thing to do, isn't it? Although there are lower forms of animals that do not care for their young (because they are not given the ability and the wisdom to do so), female mammals (including human moms) are gifted not only with the ability to care for their young but also with this precious milk to nourish them. My daughter would always say, "Mommy, it's okay for me to 'dede', di ba (isn't it)?" And I would assure her, "Yes, it is." :)

I remember that time when I gave birth, I was so afraid I would not be able to breastfeed my daughter. We (my husband, the nurses and I) did everything we could possibly do. Because not even a drop of milk was coming out from my breasts (I have inverted nipples), the nurses got an electric pump and start pumping my breasts. Nothing happened. Then they used a syringe so my nipple would "come out". Still nothing happened. I was petrified. But prayers with faith and persistence really do work. I was determined to breastfeed. So even without seeing that liquid gold I let my baby latched onto me (which I believe is a natural thing to do). And then the "natural thing" happened. The milk just flowed out! Until this day, my preschooler is enjoying and loving it!

The bonding moment is priceless. If I may say this, it's not just my daughter who is emotionally benefitting from breastfeeding her. I am too. I can't describe how I feel every time my daughter nurses. I'm overjoyed! And I can feel how happy she is too. It's like our "date", a special moment between us that even though we don't say a word, she knows she is loved and I am too.

It is a gift that you receive and give as well. I feel so blessed to be given this precious gift. I have learned from a medical practitioner that generally, women have the ability to breastfeed their children and there's only about 1% who wouldn't be able to do so. I am humbled to be part of the 99%. This is the kind of gift that you wouldn't want to keep for yourself. This is the gift that doesn't bless you alone (Benefits of Breastfeeding for Mom) but the recipient (your children) as well. Who wouldn't want that kind of gift? :)

Are you a breastfeeding mom too? What are your reasons for doing so? Please feel free to share your thoughts on the comments below. I would love to hear from you.

Happy Breastfeeding Week to all the breastfeeding moms out there! We are blessed so let's be a blessing! :)

Happy Thanksgiving Day

I have often heard about the Thanksgiving Day when we were still residing in the Philippines. I would simply look at the posts of friends living in the US on how they celebrated this special day. This year, I am grateful that my little family and I were able to celebrate this day of gratitude together with my immediate family. The sad thing though was, we're not complete. Still, I'm grateful for a lot of things.

From my family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving Day friends!

35 Months and Counting: The How and Why of My Breastfeeding Journey

Every time the 4th of the month rolls in, I cannot help but smile and utter a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord. Primarily because it was on the 4th of September in 2011 that He gave me and my husband a very precious gift; our daughter. Also, it was the start of my breastfeeding journey. As I look back, the smile widens as I say, "Well, those were the days." You see, my journey as a breastfeeding mom didn't start as a walk in the park. It began with buckets of tears, loads of doubts and series of pains. I never thought I would come this far: 35 months (and still counting), yay!

At 35 months

Now why did I continue to breastfeed my daughter if it wasn't as easy as pie? Because I believe that to breastfeed my daughter is to let her know how much I love her. I wrote about it here B-R-E-A-S-T-F-E-E-D-I-N-G is the Longest Spelling of Love.

How then was I able to sustain it?

It is through God's amazing grace. Without His strength and grace being given to me everyday as I nursed my daughter at that time, I wouldn't have been able to go on. I would have just stopped and told myself and others that I had all the reasons not to do it. During those days, I would ask Him to enable me to give the best I could give my daughter. Prayer really works. :)

I have a very supportive husband. I felt so blessed to have been married to this man; I felt doubly blessed to have him as my daughter's Dad. During the first 3 months of breastfeeding our daughter, he would offer his hand so I could press it hard and somehow transfer the excruciating pain I was feeling at that time. Now that breastfeeding is easy peasy, though he is not holding my hand anymore as I nurse our daughter, he upholds what I believe in, that is, to breastfeed our daughter for as long as she needs and wants Mommy's breastmilk.

Our daughter's pediatrician continued to encourage us. I have heard some of my mommy friends say these words which unfortunately came from their children's pediatricians: "You don't have enough milk. Use formula so your baby will grow (or something like that)." Sad, isn't it? When these mommy friends told me about it, I couldn't believe what I heard. Really? Those words coming from the "experts"? My reaction was like that because I have never ever heard any discouraging words regarding breastfeeding my daughter from her pediatrician. It was she who enlightened and encouraged us to exclusively breastfeed our daughter. At that time, while others (including my husband and I) were so concerned about having a "cute and big" baby, she would divert our attention to the proper nutrients and antibodies our baby was getting from my breastmilk alone. She was the one who made us realized that a healthy baby is not necessarily "big or fat". A healthy baby could be slim but heavy and doesn't easily get sick. And that's exactly our daughter!

I stay focused on my goal. My goal is to be able to breastfeed our daughter for as long as she needs and wants my milk. Well, that is my ultimate goal now. It was not my goal at first. As I've mentioned above and in my first post about breastfeeding, the first step I took in traversing this path was not easy. So what I did was, take one step at a time, a bite-sized goal if you will. My husband and I were like, "Okay, I'll breastfeed her for a month, let's do one month." And one month passed by like what? A breeze? Yes! It was that quick. So, we took another step. "Okay, let's do it for another 2 months. Breastfeeding her for at least 3 months will give her so much benefits already." Then before we knew it, we're already on our 6th month. It still hurt at that time, but I was "obstinate" and told my husband, "I want to breastfeed her until she's one year old. I believe by that time she'll wean by herself." With God's grace and my husband's support, yes, I was able to do it when her first birthday came. But she didn't wean. She'll be turning 3 next month and she still loves Mommy's milk!

As I write this, I am in tears. Tears of joy. I never knew we would be able to do this, this long. I am so grateful to God for giving me the grace to breastfeed; grateful for my supportive and caring husband; grateful for our daughter's pediatrician's encouragement; grateful that God helps me stay focused on my mini, monthly goals which have become now my uttermost breastfeeding goal.

Fellow moms, being able to breastfeed our babies is a gift. Let us cherish this gift; enjoy it and celebrate it! Happy Breastfeeding Day (everyday)! :)

Blessed to be a Blessing: The Winners Reveal

It is my joy to reveal to you today the blessed recipients of my very first blog give-away. Let me first thank all of you who visited my site and read my posts and joined. I could never thank you enough. From my heart, THANK YOU!

So here they are. Congratulations to:

Sheila Santos - Post Script Designs Notecard 

Sally Yu - Marks & Spencer Hands Treat

Kimberely Reyes - Pre school Homeschool Workshop (free seat) 

For Mommies Sheila and Sally, please let me know how I may contact you or send you your gifts. You may leave your email address in the comment box.

For Mommy Kimberely, you may just go to the workshop on July 12th at the Medela House. For details, kindly click this link: The Learning Basket.

Again, my sincerest gratitude to all of you. I'm looking forward to writing about mommy hood, practical tips on raising my daughter and running a household and helpful insights for all of you. Of course, I'm also excited to hear from all of you. :)

An Unexpected Blessing: How I Celebrated My Birthday "Unexpectedly"

I just noticed that since the time I told myself to be grateful even for simple things, I have also started feeling blessed. Last June 9th, I celebrated my 39th birthday (yes, I am not ashamed of my age, haha). And although I (and my sister) sponsored a birthday giveaway, I didn't have or buy something for myself, and that's totally fine with me. On that day, my husband and I didn't prepare a special menu or the usual "handa", no plans whatsoever. I was simply glad and grateful to wake up to another day given to me by God, that in itself, for me was already noteworthy. That day was also made one-of-a-kind by the hugs, kisses and untiring "Happy birthday, Mommy!" greetings of my daughter, my husband's bear hug and sweet kisses (of course), sincere greetings from my family and the 100+ greetings and wishes on my Facebook wall from friends. How could I ask for more? :)

Then on that same day, three minutes before two in the afternoon, an unexpected text message came. It was unexpected because this person, I know, is a very busy one. I didn't expect she'd greet me on that day, that she'd remember.She was my head pastor in Laguna. She was a mentor and friend. :)

Unexpected text message :)

So, after our exchange of text messages, we came up with a decision to meet that night for she and her husband were already in the metro (Ortigas, to be exact). We met and dine at Tong Yang in Megamall. To tell you honestly, that was the first time (again) my husband and I have been to Tong Yang. The last time was when our baby was not yet here. It was our daughter's very first time and she enjoyed the food, the company and the experience. We all did, actually. It was truly a blessing, an unexpected one.

With Rev. Virgie Hernandez and her husband Bro. Bong

After hours of eating (haha!), I was greeted by the waiters and staff of Tong Yang, which by the way came also as a surprise. I know a lot of restaurants are doing this but at that moment, I was oblivious to that fact, heehee. For some reason it didn't enter my mind that such thing was going to happen. Surprise! Surprise! :)

Yours truly

With my loves

I'm blessed beyond words for all the good things that God has done and continues to do in my life. My life may not have been a luxurious one, still I find myself blessed. I guess it's in the simple things that one can really find bliss. So blessed, so grateful. Grateful to God. For everything. For His wonderful servants, Ptra. Virgie and Bro. Bong Hernandez. For my husband and daughter. For my family and friends. I am not a saint but the Lord has blessed me with undeserved favor (that is, grace) and unexpected blessings.

Special Palabok and Pritong Lumpia: Lopez Canteen's "Birthday Treat"

I celebrated my birthday last June 9th. It was a simple day, really. My husband and I didn't cook for the usual "handa". But before that day ended, something unexpected happened. I will be writing another post about it. :)

This one is also an unexpected blessing. My blessed and blissful day was not yet nearly over when a Facebook (fb) message suddenly popped up on my phone (It was around 10pm, if I'm not mistaken). It was from JLo. She was looking for someone to do a food review for Lopez Canteen's Special Palabok and Pritong Lumpia. And because it was my birthday, I was chosen. Yay! Isn't that a treat? :)

So, after a number of fb message exchanges, Jlo and I came up to a decision to deliver it on the 12th. Then I realized it was a holiday. I was hoping to share this blessing with my husband's office mates. But since it was not possible, I shared it with other people who I believe also deserved to taste this delicious treat.

Lopez Canteen's Pritong Lumpia and Special Palabok

Lopez Canteen's Special Palabok

Palabok and lumpia to share

Our apartment's day guard and one of the tenants' saleslady

Our "Lola Belen"

Of course, I tried these scrumptious "birthday treats" from Lopez Canteen. I called them "birthday treats" since they were given for my birthday without me even asking for them. I really felt so blessed!

Before

After :)

So, what's my take on Lopez Canteen's Special Palabok and Pritong Lumpia?

The palabok tastes so good. I was not the only one who said it. Every one who got to eat it said the same thing. There was even someone who was not really fond of palabok until that day and his comment was like, "Wow! This is really good!"

It was her son who said, "Wow! This is really good!"

One of the things I'm being intentionally aware of in foods is of course the ingredients. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that food to be tasteful should have extravagant ingredients. On the contrary, I like simple food, which means, food that will not trigger my daughter's skin asthma. I have been breastfeeding her for 2 years and 9 months now. Everything (that is edible, heehee) I put inside my mouth will definitely affect her. That is why I give extra effort to look at my food first before I take a bite. I was so feeling blessed that day because I found out that Lopez Canteen's Special Palabok doesn't have the usual ingredients like squid and shrimp. Yay! Instead it only has pork, eggs and a very crunchy chicharon which even after several hours had passed, still remained crunchy.

How about the Lopez Canteen's Pritong Lumpia? Can I just say this in Filipino? It's "panalo"! Haha! It's big so you won't feel "lugi". It's so "yummy", that's according to my daughter (we know that children don't lie, di ba?). And it really is! Again it's not just me and my daughter, the others said it too, they didn't use the word "yummy" though. ;)

My daughter, making funny faces but too excited to eat the lumpia

The lumpia comes with a dip (sawsawan) which is a concoction of soy sauce and vinegar. It really is "swak" to "panlasang Pinoy". May I also say that as good as the dip was, the lumpia could stand on its own. Even without the "sawsawan", it's still very tasty.

A dozen of "yummy"

If you noticed, I was able to share the palabok with lots of people, 8 actually and there's still some left for me and my husband. Since the lumpia was a dozen pieces, I gave one to each one including my daughter. My husband had 2 and he still felt "bitin". Haha! That's how good the lumpia was!

Sad to say, my husband was not able to taste the palabok although I saved some for him. Because I was not really familiar with how to take care of some food like palabok, I left it on the table thinking that I would still eat it for dinner. After dinner time, I transferred the palabok to another container then put it inside the fridge. Apparently, this kind of food spoils easily so if you would order palabok, please make sure that you keep it inside the fridge after everyone has eaten within hours or so, that is, if there will still be some left. :)

If you want to know and experience what I'm talking about here (heehee), please feel free to contact Lopez Canteen. They would be more than willing to accommodate you and give you too a delectable experience.

Oh by the way, don't just take my word for it... just do it! ;)

Blessed to be a Blessing: The Gifts Reveal

Hello, dear readers! Thank you so much for dropping by and taking time to read my posts. As I have said in my previous post, In celebration of my birthday I would like to share some gifts to you; my own way of thanking you for joining me here in my blog journey. I am sorry if it took quite sometime before I reveal the gifts. A lot of pondering moments happened as I looked for meaningful gifts I would like to give you. These are just simple ones but as I have mentioned, they are meaningful, at least for me. :) So here they are.

One blessed reader will receive a Hand Treats from Marks & Spencer. I love Marks & Spencer products! Every time I enter the store, I feel like I want to get everything since they have all that I want and need; from lingerie and underwear, fashionable clothes for men and women to colognes, perfumes, lotions, soaps and talcum powder. My daughter loves the biscuits and cookies because they  are dairy-free (some of them) and therefore good for her.

These hand treats are perfect for any woman's tired hands. Whoever gets this, I hope you enjoy it. :)

Marks & Spencer's Hand Treats

Another reader will receive a simple yet elegant notepad from PostScript Design. This is perfect for a mom or a woman who loves to write thank-you notes to friends and loved ones.

Notepad with Envelope

The third and last chosen reader will have a chance to attend The Learning Basket's upcoming seminar/workshop Planning Your Literature-Based Preschool Homeschool on July 12th for free. This will be very helpful for mom/dad who wishes to homeschool their young children.

There you have it, my simple thank-you gifts. This blog give away is open for all readers who reside in the Philippines. It started on June 5th and will end on July 5th. If you would like to join, please go here. Winners will be announced here and on my Instagram account on July 6th.

Again, thank you so much for visiting and joining my very first blog give away. Hope you are blessed. I would love to hear from you.

Note: This is not a sponsored post. All the prizes are paid by yours truly and my sister. ;)

Blessed to be a Blessing

June is my birthday month. As a child, I didn't like my birthday. It was either raining or some unfortunate event would happen on the day itself. I had always thought that it's not a "lucky" day and I was not a "lucky" person. My siblings would always have a more-than-simple-although-not-too grand celebrations because their birthdates fall on or a day before payday. Such fortunate ones, haha!

Well, that was before. Things have changed as I realize what really matters most. Of course, I would love to have balloons (at my age, haha!), cake, ice cream and gifts on my special day. However, deep inside me, I really know what I want. There's a gnawing desire in my heart to make a difference in other people's lives; to be a blessing, if you will. I know I am blessed and have always been blessed by the Lord. I no longer look at myself as some "poor, unfortunate soul", but rather a "beloved and blessed" by Him. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a millionaire, I'm not even rich. I simply want to be a blessing. I believe that blessings come in different packages; some are big, others are small, nevertheless they are all blessings. 

So, in celebration of my birthday, I would like to be a blessing to you, my dear readers. I am giving away three special gifts to three blessed readers of my blog. It's my simple way to thank you for being with me in this blog journey. As for those who will not be chosen, please don't lose heart, you will be receiving a special note from me. :) I have just one simple wish though, that is for you to write your comment/s below. You also have to let me know three things:

1. How did you "find" me?
2. What is that topic that touched/blessed you in one way or another?
3. What topics would you like me to include in my blog in the not-so-distant future?

Pretty simple, isn't it? I would really love to hear from you. Please stay tuned for my next post for the gifts reveal. :)

Blessed Beyond Words

This should have been posted a month ago but because a lot of things were happening all at the same time, I wasn't able to do so. However, I feel like this is just the perfect time to do it. Hope you enjoy reading this post and find yourself also, whatever circumstance you may be in right now, blessed beyond words.

I saw this in my Instagram weeks before May 16th.

  

 

It was a contest sponsored by Mommy Mundo. My first thought was, "I want to join this one." Then a second thought comes, "Nah. I'm not a lucky one in this kind of contest. I will only get frustrated." So, I just ignored it. But on the night of May 15th, I saw in my IG feed that it was the last day of submission of entries and I only had 9 hours left for my entry to be counted in. I knew I really wanted to join. At that time, it was not for the prize anymore. Deep inside me, something was telling me, it's more for being a blessing to other moms; moms who have chosen to stay at home to run the household, take care of the baby/babies and breastfeed her/them, moms who maybe feeling that "her time has passed and she's already left behind", moms who are feeling downhearted for not pursuing the career they have always dreamed of... I did it for "us".

Then without any expectation, the Lord surprised me with this.

 

 

I really couldn't believe it. I was literally jumping for joy as I told my husband and my daughter, "I won! I won! Yay! Thank you, Jesus!" I remember our baby even asked me, "Mommy, [what] happened?" Haha! It's really when you do something without expecting anything in return that you are being blessed.

On May 17th, a Saturday, after coming from a workshop (another post), I went to the ExpoMom Bazaar together with my Alemars Nadia.

Holding my Php5K - worth gift certificate

Came with my bag only. The You the Mom tote bag from ExpoMom was the only thing I was wishing for even before I joined the contest.

With Alemars Nadia

Let the shopping galore begin!

Of course the first one in my mind was my daughter... I've been dreaming of buying this for her. At last, it's now a reality.

Wonder World's 50 pieces of blocks

Look how happy and excited she is!

Cycles for my baby's clothes

Eye candy goodies from Paper Chic Studio for mommy and baby's arts and crafts

My daughter so loves the sand's texture. This is also one of the things that I would like to buy for her before. Glad I was finally able to do it.

No, I don't have a son. But it was my prayer to be able to bless a certain baby boy from Nazareth Home. I just thank the Lord for allowing me to be His vessel.

This is baby MJ. I bought him two rompers. Hope he likes them. 

As I have mentioned above, I came to the bazaar holding only my bag. But because of God's goodness, I left the event with my hands literally full.

Blessed beyond words

The stuff I brought home

I am so blessed beyond words. My heartfelt gratitude goes to the organizers, staff and sponsors of ExpoMom bazaar.

So thankful to this lovely and magnanimous woman (and mom, too) behind Mommy Mundo. You the Mom, Ms. Janice!

Thankful to Ms. Sam and Ms. Gemma (not in the picture because she's too camera shy) for the assistance.

Yes, I'm the mom! :)

In case you're wondering what my winning post/picture was, it's this:

'After 4 years of marriage and 2 miscarriages, I have finally become a mom. Opted to be a stay at home mom (SAHM) and breastfeed my daughter. Childhood comes only once and I want to make sure I am with her throughout this precious moment in her life. May not be a popular choice for others but it is for my daughter. One day I'll look back and say, "No regrets. I gave my very best." And that's what matters most. #youthemom #expomom'

Grateful. Thankful. I am simply blessed beyond words.

Of Bliss, Beauty and Blessings

I didn't come from a wealthy family nor was I raised from an economically-challenged household. Let's just say that my siblings and I were blessed to have two good parents who did everything to make our childhood days and lives a little bit easy. We didn't always have what we want but what we needed were always given to us.

I grew up and lived the kind of life I wanted: pampered and sheltered but never spoiled. Besides my parents who still supported me even when I had my own job, I was blessed to have siblings who saw me through in one way or another. I had a pretty "good" life if you may call it that. Then I got married. Still, it was favorable, for both my husband and I had jobs that sufficiently provided our daily needs. Things began to change though when I opted to be a SAHM (stay-at-home mom) after I gave birth to our first-born daughter. The family's needs were not directly proportional to the household income; the law of supply and demand was never applicable, there was a high demand for cash yet still there was only ample supply. Of course it was hard on me. I felt like I hit the rock bottom. It was not the kind of life I wanted for my budding family, more so for my daughter.

Almost three years have passed and I would say things are quite different now. I wish I could tell you that, "hey, myhusband's salary now has left us thinking what to buy next", or maybe like, "there's more supply (of cash) than demand (needs)." No,that's not the turnaround I'm talking about. It's more on the inward change; on how I see and perceive things, what is important or what matters most.

I learned to be more grateful for every simple thing my family and I receive. A piece of Magnum Gold given to me by a former boss; a book/s lent to me by a friend/s without due date; a call/text from a friend whom I have not seen for a long time; a toy truck lent to our daughter; a simple dinner at a friend's house; dresses given to our daughter as gift; a once-in-a-blue moon dinner/lunch date with hubby and baby; a family walk in the neighborhood at night and finding cozy coffee shops; a short trip to the bookstores; a cup of brewed coffee; a Bible verse that speaks volume to my heart; workshops/seminars I am able to attend because someone paid on my behalf; a trip/travel with hubby/daddy even if baby and I would just stay in a budget-friendly hotel while Daddy is conducting training/seminar; a video chat with my parents and siblings; a visit to my in-laws' house or lunch out with them; moments I spend with my daughter; eating lunch together at home; having someone come to the house to do the laundry and ironing of clothes; hubby washing the dishes or cooking for breakfast, lunch and dinner or massaging my tired feet; hugs, kisses and the sweet I love yous from my daughter; I could go on and on and you'll see one common thing: I'm thankful for simple things that life offers me. This is the beauty of life's curve ball; one's outlook deepens, perspective widens.

I feel blessed that God has given me the joy that is not dependent on material things. I may not have the latest gadget nor the most expensive shoes, designer bags or fashionable clothes but I'm content. Frankly, I don't need a lot to be happy. I have what I need for my God has not failed to supply it. I find this a blessing and also my bliss.