Why I Believe My Breastfeeding Journey Was Successful

I'm back! Hahaha! It's been a while. For some reason, I couldn't find the words or topics to write.  Writer's block. Uninspired. Whatever. But I'm not happy with that. I miss writing. I miss this space. And what better way to come back than to write something about a topic that's so close and dear to me. Breastfeeding!

It's Breastfeeding Month again and I couldn't help but remember my first experience in breastfeeding. I have written about it here. 

When people ask me to share about my experience, I am glad enough to oblige. I believe that our little family's breastfeeding journey was a success and should be shared so others could be encouraged.

It was successful because of the following reasons:

1. We were informed (I must say though, it was not enough. See my second reason). 

Just like an engaged couple preparing for their wedding, my husband and I prepared for the coming of our baby. I searched high and low what was the best thing (in terms of milk) we could give our baby. Honestly, we looked for the best (and not to mention the most expensive) formula milk available in the grocery store. However, we found out that nothing beats the real thing, that is, the breastmilk. So, as soon as we knew the value of breastmilk and breastfeeding, my husband and I decided to simply breastfeed our baby even though at that time she was still in my womb.

2. We were determined.

My breastfeeding experience at firs was not a walk in the park. I didn't know that my nipples were inverted. And though we did our assignment, we forgot one single thing that would make breastfeeding a breeze. Proper latching. We didn't know how to do it. I relied on what an obstetrician told me, "It's a natural thing. Babies would naturally latch." But she was wrong. Due to improper latching (which we didn't know at that time), I had difficulty breastfeeding my daughter and she couldn't get the best from my breasts. I had sore breasts, my baby was already getting blood, and I was crying all the time, whenever I feed her. I was torn between wanting to nurse her and saving my body from pain and hurts. BUT I love her. My husband and I were determined to give her our very best.

3. We had support. I had support.

The number one support we had at that time, that we were so thankful for, was our paediatrician. She is a breastfeeding advocate. Our family encountered all the bumps in the road but our paediatrician had been our constant and consistent encouragement. When I doubted myself, if I would be able to breastfeed my daughter because of inverted nipples, she was there. When my baby's weight suddenly dropped from 8.4 kgs to 7.2 kgs, she was there. When my breasts were bleeding and so painful, she was there. She's really a blessing to us!

I had support. I have a super supportive husband. I will never forget our feeding time and how he showed his love. As I breastfed our baby, my husband would hold my hand and I would press it so hard. He told me to squeeze it and put the pain that I feel into his hand. Isn't that sweet? I would cry buckets. Afterwards, he would prepare a simple snack for me with a glass or two of water. As I ate my snacks, he would "burp" our baby.

My husband and I

My husband showed his love and support in more ways than one. And for that, I'm forever grateful. Since then, we know that breastfeeding is not just a mother's concern. It's an active love effort from husband and wife. :)

My husband during a breastfeeding class as he encourages other husbands to support their wives in breastfeeding their babies

4. We were shown and given grace.

I was able to breastfeed my daughter for 4 years and 8 months, a feat that would not have been achieved without God's grace. Everything was by His grace - the knowledge and information, the determination, the support - all of these, I would acknowledge, His grace that is ever-present and available for us.

With my sweetheart

My daughter "self-weaned" from breastfeeding. It was on Mother's Day 2016 when she told me she wanted me to be able to eat fish and dairy products. She has food allergy and that means whatever I eat would also affect her when I breastfeed her. So I avoided the food that would affect her. But on that day, a day that brought me both tears and smile, sadness and joy, she told me she would stop breastfeeding but she would surely miss it.

With my sweetheart

Any mom's breastfeeding journey could be successful. Fortunately for moms these days, there are a myriad of breastfeeding groups. Due to my desire to encourage my friends and relatives who are in the crossroad whether to breastfeed or not their little ones, I joined a breastfeeding group that "takes guesswork out of breastfeeding". We regularly hold breastfeeding classes to inform, encourage, and support families and communities. If you are a breastfeeding mom or on the family way and would like to know more about breastfeeding and how to be successful in your breastfeeding journey, please feel free to comment your concerns on the comment box. It would be a pleasure to help you! You may also visit and like our Facebook pages, LATCH Los Banos and LATCH Philippines for more information and events on breastfeeding. 

May your breastfeeding journey be a success too! 

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! :)

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)! :)

B-R-E-A-S-T-F-E-E-D-I-N-G is the Longest Spelling of Love

B-R-E-A-S-T-F-E-E-D-I- N-G is the longest spelling of love. Say what? Yes, you read it right. Do I need to say it again? :) Well, that is, as far as I am concerned. For me, it is because breastfeeding is love. I am a first time mom to a 2-year old (2 years and 5 months to be exact) baby girl/toddler and I am glad and proud to say that I am still breastfeeding her since she was born until now. My breastfeeding journey didn’t start as a walk in the park. It was long and arduous but because I love my daughter I was willing to take the road less travelled. Here is my story:

I got married at the age of 32 and didn’t have a child right away, firstly because it was our choice by me and my husband. However, all at once I got pregnant right after the wedding. Both my husband and I were clueless, we didn’t know because I was not showing any signs of pregnancy. Sadly, it didn’t push through. It was a blighted ovum and I had my first miscarriage. We decided to take things slowly and just enjoy life as a couple. We got busy with our work. Two years after the wedding, I had that deep longing to have a baby in my arms. I told my husband about it and we agreed that it was time to have one. A year passed and nothing happened. I was desperate. I was crying my heart out and pouring my soul to the Lord, asking Him to give me a child. Then at the end of the year, I got pregnant. Yay! We were so excited and though it was still too early to tell families, friends and colleagues, we had to because it looked like it was a sensitive pregnancy and I needed a complete bed rest (CBR) for at least a week depending on my condition. For the second time, it was not a successful gestation and the second miscarriage happened. It was so painful (emotionally) but I learned to let go and trusted God that He was in control of everything; that because He said “no” to this, He was saying “yes” to something better. Then He gave me His Word, “Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah (you) will have a son (child).” It was actually a verse in the Bible (Genesis 18:14) that spoke so clearly in my heart. I thought that the pregnancy would push through since it was given on the morning of the day I had the miscarriage (it took place in the evening). Several months after that incident, I found myself yearning again to have a child. I was so desperate that I talked to my husband if we could just adopt a baby and treat him/her as our very own. My husband was not against the idea however; his faith was that God would give us a baby coming from my very womb.

My husband and I at the Pregnant Pause on my due date! :)

A year after the incident, at “appointed time” of the Lord, I got pregnant. And though it was an early pregnancy, the heartbeat of our baby according to the very words of the obstetrician/sonologist, the baby had “wow, a very strong heartbeat.” Since then, I told myself and my husband, “We have waited for this baby for a long time. She’s a promise and gift from the Lord. We will give her our very best to take care of her.” Then I told my husband, “Babe, I would like to breastfeed her. “ And without any hesitation, my husband said, “That’s great!”

With some goodies/freebies from the event

Quite a long introduction, isn’t it, huh? Well, I would just like to give you the milieu of why I/we chose to give her my very best, that is, my breast milk. The story nonetheless didn’t end there. The ‘long and arduous’ journey isn’t it yet.  To continue:

I had a very blissful pregnancy, if I may say that. There was no complication and my vital signs were all very good at that. Our plan was for me to give birth naturally or to have normal delivery. Turn of events, I gave birth via C-section. Our precious little one was given to me after she came out so she could get the precious colostrum. She was taken to the nursery afterwards for some tests (My water bag broke first before I had contractions. My obstetrician-gynecologist said that that made me and my baby susceptible to infections so tests must be done to ensure my baby’s safety. Praise God, everything was fine and she had excellent test results). 

The first time I held her

Our bundle of joy

First family picture

A midwife and some nurses were preparing me for my second meet up with my baby so I could breastfeed her. At that time, I was a little worried because I didn’t see any milk coming out of my breasts. The nurses used an electrical pump but nothing came out. Then the midwife and the nurses broke the sad news to me. I have inverted nipples and I didn’t know that. I asked them what should be done so that my baby would still be able to suck milk. (Note: My husband and I didn’t buy any feeding bottles nor any formula milk because we had firmly decided that nothing should be given to our baby except breast milk. I salute my OB and St. Luke’s Medical Center because they support breastfeeding campaign). They did what they knew best – they tried to gently “pull out” my inverted nipples using a syringe and still nothing came out. My nipples were already sore then. But that didn’t stop my hope and desire to breastfeed my baby. Several hours passed and my baby was given to me. It was the most peaceful and happiest day of my life. Holding her was like a glimpse of heaven. I believe every mother can relate to that. Nevertheless, I had that fear. My thoughts were, “What if I won’t be able to breastfeed her? What if my milk is not enough? What if she’ll have a hard time getting my milk because of my inverted nipples? What if…”  But the nurses, as if they read my thoughts, told me, “Ma’am, don’t worry po. You have enough milk to feed your baby.” I was like, “Really? You really think so?”  Then the time to feed my daughter came. Whoah! What was that? I didn’t know that it hurts like that. But then again, I just had to look at my baby and the pain became bearable. 

Many mothers told me, “Yeah, your breasts will get sore. Breastfeeding is painful but you’ll get used to it after a week or two at the most, after a month.” Most of them, if not all, maybe don’t have inverted nipples that was why it was kind of easy for them.  But mine was a different story. Every time I breastfed my daughter, I would shed buckets of tears because of the pain. My husband was my greatest support at that time. He would let me hold his hand so tight he felt like it would burst. I would cry so hard yet inaudibly so as not to wake up my sleeping baby. With tears in my eyes I would look at her and say, “Baby, mommy loves you so dearly. “ The scenario was always like that. It came to a point that I dread the feeding time for I know it would mean muffled cries again. After every feeding I would see my breasts bleeding and the pain was unimaginable. As I cleaned my nipples, tears would run down again my cheeks and I had to remind myself time and again that I was doing it for the love of my baby. My husband took pity on me that he urged me to stop breastfeeding and just give formula to our daughter. I disagreed with him and assured him that we would do it even for just a month. A month passed and I knew I had to continue breastfeeding. My right breast developed mastitis so my baby subsisted on just one breast, however, her weight started to go down. I was frustrated and felt so miserable at that time. Everyone we knew and even strangers would ask why our baby was small or thin (she was 8 lbs. and 4 oz. when she was born). I was already contemplating the idea of giving her formula so she could recover from the weight loss. Nonetheless, our baby’s pedia encouraged me/us to continue with breastfeeding. After a month, as my right breast was recovering from mastitis, my left breast started to have mastitis too.  

From 8 lbs 4 oz to 7 lbs 2 oz

So again, my baby had to gratify herself with just one breast. Nevertheless, this didn’t stop me from giving what I know was the best gift I could ever give my daughter. My husband and I agreed that I would breastfeed her even for just 3 months. Three months passed by with the same condition of my breasts, (at this time, our daughter started to gain weight again) we decided to breastfeed her for another 3 months. The on and off status of my breasts did not hinder me from breastfeeding our daughter. Six months passed and a lot of people praised and commended me for “doing the right thing”. After 6 months, my husband and I talked again and resolved to breastfeed our baby for another 6 months or until she turned 1 year old and we would stop. That didn’t materialize though, because until now that our daughter is 2 years and 5 months old, I am happy to say without any regret, that I am still breastfeeding her. And I will continue to do so until she says, “Mommy, I am fine without breast milk.”

My daughter at 5 months

My journey to breastfeeding my baby didn’t start as a piece of cake. Breastfeeding is indeed love. Had it not been for love, I would have just stopped since I had all the excuses to do so. But those hundreds of reasons cannot simply outweigh my sole motivation for choosing to breastfeed my baby in spite of all the hurdles I had encountered, and that is, my utmost love for her. If I were given an opportunity to go back to that day, I would still choose to take that road less traveled. I would not do it differently. I would still opt to give my daughter the best of me.

29 months and counting

This post is part of the "Breastfeeding is Love" blog link up party. 

Please feel free to visit other posts from fellow mommy bloggers on the joys of breastfeeding! 

Hosted by Chic Mompreneur

Chic Mompreneur: Breastfeeding is Love

My Finance MD: Breastfeeding is Love

Art of Being A Mom: Breastfeeding Love

Mommy Bares All: Breastfeeding is Love Poured Out

Wear and Nurse Baby: Breastfeeding is Love! Why I Breastfeed.