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AUGUST is National Breast-feeding Awareness Month. A lot of us know or have already heard about this campaign. However, we think this global campaign is only for moms who are breast-feeding.
I’ve long been an advocate of breast-feeding but this year is a bit unique and enlightening. I got a chance to speak with young breast-feeding moms Ciara Sotto, Joy Sotto, twin sister, Clarisse Ong-Tiu and Carina Ong-Tan, and Shamcey Supsup-Lee.
I learned about the pressures, difficulties and fulfillment they experience. From sore nipples, engorgement, mastitis to inverted nipples, I appreciated their candor and, most important, their will to share firsthand advice to ease the way for other breast-feeding moms.
It made me remember last year, when a mom shared about how she felt so pressured among her peers to produce as much milk as possible. She had difficulty breast-feeding and felt like a failure. I had just met her, so I didn’t say much, but I remember hoping I had done something more encouraging.
I personally enjoyed breast-feeding. I had a C-section for both pregnancies and my OB’s first advice was priceless. Get enough rest. Sleep in your own bed. Don’t feel guilty for not staying with the baby 24/7. Rest is important to produce milk and to speed up much-needed recovery. True enough, with a huge pressure of being a “superwoman” lifted from my shoulders, and the support from my family and other people around me, I was able to produce a lot of milk. Even when I was juggling motherhood, work and my E-MBA at the time, I remember having at one point at least 100 ounce. of milk stored in our freezer. While I wanted to do more direct breast-feeding, overall I’m happy I was able to 100-percent breast-feed my kids for a good period of time.
What I learned recently is that there are actually more products available today to make breast-feeding easier and more relaxing.
From Shamcey, I learned it is good to attend and read about breast-feeding, and not focus on the birthing process, before the baby is born. And to be bold to ask questions from friends and certified lactation experts. Abbie Yabot from The Breastfeeding Club gave very practical advice on gentle massage and the valuable benefits of breast-feeding. What stuck to me is that we all have our role in supporting moms in breast-feeding. Below are some of the things I feel could help us become breast-feeding advocates in some way, whether we are a mom or not.
Know the benefits of breast-feeding, so you can be there as a source of encouragement. Below are some of the benefits of breast-feeding:
- Lowers risk of diseases for babies, including diabetes, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease and childhood leukemia, among others.
- Prevents infections and allergies for babies.
- Reduces the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
- For moms, breast-feeding can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, and breast and overian cancer.
- It can also help shield mom from postpartum depression.
A husband’s support really helps. Although I was the one producing milk, my husband’s occasional “OK ka pa diyan [Are you feeling okay]?” in the middle of the night helped a lot. It was good to feel that I was not alone, and that another person appreciated my efforts.
When we see a mom breast-feeding in public, acknowledge them with a smile or thumbs-up. Even when we are at parties, it is good to be a listening ear to a breast-feeding mom’s experiences. I would refrain, however, from invasive questions, like how much milk does the mom produce or how long has she been breast-feeding—that is, unless the information is voluntarily given.
Remember that each mom’s breast-feeding journey is unique and worth acknowledging. This, for me, is my biggest take-away. I hope I can let breast-feeding moms feel relaxed and happy as they go through this period. In my own way, I hope this will help relieve the emotional pressure they invariably feel, so they can also produce more milk. I hope this will make them feel free to ask questions or share their experience without fear of being judged.
The bottom line for me is that moms try their best to be the best moms from the minute their babies are born. Breast-feeding is one of the ways moms show this. Let’s help to make this time a relaxing and meaningful one for them.
And while it is true only moms have the superpower to produce milk for babies, it takes a community’s support, especially the husband’s, to enable moms to prolong and love their breast-feeding journey.
Happy Breast-feeding Month, everyone.