It seems this year will be a baby boom like last year. I dont know if this is because my age is now nearing the age where most women bear children but in my work environment alone, I know six ladies who are pregnant. This doesnt even include the online friends who i know are expecting and those that are trying to conceive. It actually brings me nice, warm feelings that nowadays, breastfeeding is being strongly advocated by the government and enforced in all hospitals. Breastfeeding is now easier thanks to companies coming out with products that help mothers lactate and feed their babies even when they are away at work.

The baby feeding bottle from Tommee Tippee is exactly what its name says - Closer to Nature. Its teats/nipples are designed to mimic the natural flex, movement and softness of a mom’s breast, to make switching between breast and bottle easier than ever before.

Most babies have nipple confusion when mothers mix feed with breastmilk and bottle feeding but with Tommee Tippee products, it makes things easier. As said in their site, “The unique shape of the Closer to Nature easi-vent teat encourages your baby’s natural feeding action so that switching between breast and bottle becomes second nature.” It actually received the Mother and Baby Gold Award too.

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I am so thankful I breastfed my babies. With Matthew, it was too short, only 2 months, but I didn’t know any better. With Martha, I lasted 10 months, 2 months short of my goal. But I was proud because I was working full time and Martha was in Cavite for 2 months and I was able to sustain my milk. If things would have been different, I really think I would still be breastfeeding up to now. Martha stopped feeding from me at 7 months so it contributed a lot to a drop in my milk. Add to that a promotion which required me to go night shifts and my milk was a goner :(. Breastfeeding is hard. Without the proper knowledge and preparation, a mom can be depressed and disheartened. Even your clothing style will change, since you are feeding on demand, your shirts and bras would need to have easy access. There are open tip bras which can help, it can make you feel sexy and still be able to nurse. I have read mothers who had sore and cracked nipples use these bras so their nipples can get some “air”. Hmmm, that might be an interesting sight! *laughs*

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If you are looking for custom research papers, you can go this site and get a referral: www.custom-writing.org. Their papers are 100% plagiarism-free, and have great customer service by offering unlimited revisions. My sister is looking into offering her service as an editor for thesis dissertations as well. She used to do that when she was working for the military generals in the government.

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NEWS

I miss breastfeeding.

My Dad breastfed from my grandmother until he was around 4 years old, and occassionally until five. He has several diseases - diabetes, COPD, Congestive Heart Failure, emphysema - but amazingly, he is still strong. His tenacity to live amazes me. He’s not even bed ridden. I’d like to think part of that is the immunity he got from his Mom. He was born large - 14lbs - I kid you not - so diabetes was really in his future. His doctors told him he was lucky he developed diabetes late already - he was 55.

I would definitely recommend breastfeeding to all mothers, even for those who do not have enough milk. I attempted to reorient Martha to nurse from me because she was still interested when she sees my b**bies but being at work is a hindrance (out of sight, out of mind).

Knowledge is power. Perseverance is the key. Dont hesitate to seek out support from breastfeeding communities. Goodluck mommies

Technorati Tags: breastfeeding, guiness world record of breastfeeding moms, breastfeeding mothers

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It is official.

I have gone for 48 hours without pumping. Martha is now weaned from breastmilk.

It came easy as a decision - stress was killing my output, Martha was grabbing my pump all the time and wanted my attention, and I felt it was time for me to stop - all the cons were outweighing the pros.

So I decided to try to wean last weekend. Martha did not drink any milk for 10 hrs. straight - I panicked! So I pumped and pumped. Last Tuesday was hard for me. There were yaya problems in the house (well, it has never ended naman kasi) and Martha was walking all around the house. I had to work. So you know the story.

I did not make it to my goal of one year. Im a BIT guilty. But I know I deserve a pat on the back (and more) for sticking it out this far. Many of you know how much I went through this journey. It would have been easier for me if I was staying home, or if Martha still fed directly from me, to be able to keep up my supply and not physically drain me while working.

I will miss the breastfeeding experience - the bond I got from seeing Martha at my breast, seeing Martha blossom into a healthy baby all because of MY milk, but I wont miss my pump - all raggedy and dirty and very very much used - I will retire it forever. Why? Because I will upgrade to a Medela when I get to have a child again. Will I breastfeed again? Definitely.

I still recommend breastfeeding for all mommies and babies. But do not be too hard on yourself if you cannot. If you need to mix feed, do so. If you need to pump exclusively, do so. The keyword here is: TRY. Do not deny yourself the experience. If it doesnt work out, fine. Move on. But the benefits are very very rewarding.

I’ve learned time management, perserverance, diligence, sacrifice all because of this. The first few weeks were crying sessions - bruised nipples, engorged breasts. But man, the experience is an experience itself.

And I feel a layout coming The only regret I have was I never took a picture of Martha feeding from me. Drats.

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I had a low moment last week. I got sick and tired of pumping. And I really wanted to quit. I got so busy at the office, at home, with the digital community, that I felt taking time to pump was eating away my time. Good thing I realized I was wrong - and that I will not waste the almost 9 months Ive been giving breastmilk to Martha to have her go with formula. My goal is to pump until she is a year old..which, when you think about it, is already almost 4 months away from now! Im assuming Martha will wean early. She really prefers eating solds already and has been drinking my milk when she is sleepy. Since I only have one pump, an Avent Isis manual pump, I thought of buying another one to lessen my time, and take advantage of my let downs. Breast Pump Reviews have given best feedback about Avent’s breastpump so I want another one. Im just thinking if getting another one would be worth it - if I will only pump for 4 months, if I can go exclusive breastfeeding again (since Martha supplements with 2 bottles of formula now), and if ever Id get one, Id get it abroad - Avent is ridiculously priced here in the Phils. Maybe I can buy pumps which are just slightly used? I need to discuss it first with Edil.

Im just so proud because the wives’ support group I currently belong to has now na official member/teacher of La Leche League. She has been an inspiration to me to really aim to breastfeed Martha when I was just pregnant with her.

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As per Kathy’s and Litzie’s requests, Im writing more about my breastfeeding experience. Honestly, I’m a bit uncomfortable talking about something that I have failed to do. I’m exclusively pumping since Martha turned 7 months, and she is now only 90% breastfed (she takes one bottle of formula at night). But I guess, I can take pride in persevering to feed her my milk even if I’m working full time and pumping is such a pain in the a** now, LOL. Martha doesn’t want to take any formula milk when she is awake, so I’m forced to.

Piece of advice though: Subscribe to N@W (Newlyweds At Work). Then search their archives, there is a GEM to be found from all the e-mails of breastfeeding mommies there, from the mundane to the complex. They are also such a BIG supportive community.

Read up here: www.kellymom.com. And you are all set. Everything is there - from defining having low supply, to latching, to storage of milk, to nursing strikes and teething - EVERYTHING about breastfeeding.

What I do: Drink drink water (at least 2-3L, yep, that many!). Before I get my period (it came back), my supply really really dips low, so I gobble Natalac (malunggay tabs) 3x a day, and drink drink drink. Sometimes it helps for me to take a 10 minute shut eye before pumping. It helps me relax. I power pump during my low supply days (it comes often, so you better be vigilant, esp. if you are working - stress from work can do that!), 10 mins pump - rest - 10 mins pump. I do it three times a day aside from the regular pumping schedule.

And I don’t stress to much about giving my Martha a bottle of formula a night. At times, my supply catches up and Im able to supply her everything but when it doesnt I give her. Right now, a 900g can can last us 5 weeks, not bad na din. Of course, I still do not slack. I still pump.
Lastly, I need to be honest and say breastfeeding is hard. Ads may claim it is the most natural thing to do, but it isn’t. It takes a lot of learning, discipline, persevering, and rock hard determination. It just is so easy to succumb and give the bottle when your boobs are rock hard and hurt like crazy and your nipples are bleeding. And you might just say, “Oh, Ill take a rest for one day only.” But the implications of it snowball - you end up having nipple confusion, low supply, breast neglect, crying baby, fussy baby - hala, wala na - breastfeeding gone to waste. You need to adjust to a lot of things, sacrifice time alone since the baby will be glued to you all the time.

But everything will be worth it. The sense of accomplishment that your baby is depending on YOU alone to feed her, the pride you will feel when you see your child filling up nicely because of breastmilk alone, the easy way to bond with your babe, the love, the health benefits, everything, will be worth it. Read more… »

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Got this from Baby Center:

You may be very surprised by the way your tummy looks after birth. Your baby is out, but there it is, right around the navel: a big, round, squishy puffball that makes you look like you’re still six months pregnant. Many women also have a dark line down their abdomen called a linea nigra and a web of stretch marks, which are actually little scars caused by the extensive stretching of skin. Those who had a c-section have surgical scars to contend with as well.

It takes time for your body — and especially your belly — to fully recover from pregnancy. Imagine your abdomen as a balloon, slowly inflating as your baby grows. Childbirth doesn’t pop the balloon, it just starts a slow leak. But don’t worry — it’s a steady one.

From the moment your baby is born, hormonal changes cause your midsection to deflate, shrinking it back to something closer to its pre-pregnancy state. It takes about four weeks for your uterus to contract to its normal size. All the cells in your body that swelled during pregnancy will begin releasing their fluids in the form of urine, vaginal secretions, and sweat. And the extra fat you put on to nourish the baby will start burning off (especially if you’re nursing and exercising). But it takes at least a few weeks to see noticeable results.

Stretch marks and the linea nigra, however, endure longer. The good news is that stretch marks usually become considerably less noticeable six to 12 months following childbirth. Their pigmentation fades and they typically become lighter than the surrounding skin (the color will vary depending on your skin color), but their texture will remain the same. The dark color of the linea nigra will gradually fade over a year, but that too may not completely disappear. Read more… »

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Tracback: AVENT Isis pump problem.

Thanks to the breastfeeding mommies over at N@W.

I went to the AVENT distributor at the address here:
LJS Logistic Facility
3555 Magistrado Arellano St.,Bacood, Sta. Mesa,
Manila
Tel: (02)713-6814/17
Open: Mon-fri 8:30am to 5:30pm

And I was able to get the valves for the electric pump. It turns out it can fit the manual pump and it might be more efficient since it doesnt have the ridges from the manual valve. The kind man who assisted me told me that the valve might have had a tear already and it normally softens when it is always left in water (I dont have the AVENT steam sterilizer eh). So there you go! Pumping schedule (and frequency without the hassle) has been resolved.

Thanks N@Wies
(Go Breastfeeding!)

By the way, I found out Martha does not want to drink formula milk. We let her drink formula earlier as I only had 4ozs milk left (kasi nga sira pump ko), and she literally did not drink it. She only drank it when she was so groggy from sleep (I let her finish it, sayang mapapanis). Which only means, by hook or crook, I really need to continue pumping. Buti na lang malaki ang katawan ko maraming fats to burn into milk, LOL. I think Natalac is taking effect too. We can eliminate the 1 bottle of formula at night if I can pump just 3ozs more.

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My best friend is slowly conking out on me. The valve is loosening up and I kept screwing it back on just to pump. Nasasayang letdowns ko, nakaka-asar.

I hope this gets fixed soon, or I can have the part replaced soon. Sayang supply ko, medyo nag-eeffect na si Natalac, back to normal na uli!

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Chubba is on a nursing strike.

Argh, at least I know what it is.

It might be caused by:
• Mouth pain from teething, a cold sore, or an infection (such as thrush). - possible, she is teething around 4 teeth lately.
• In an older baby, the baby is afraid Mom will scream. This is common when your teething baby bites and you react by yelling.

• An ear infection, which causes pressure or pain while nursing. - hmm, her nanny in Amadeo told me that her left ear smells. I didnt notice though. Must validate.
• A cold or stuffy nose, which makes breathing difficult while nursing.

• Too many bottles or overuse of a pacifier, resulting in a reduced milk supply - argh, this may be it. She has been solely taking my milk in the bottle for two weeks before coming home.

• A major disruption in your baby’s routine, such as you returning to work. - or her returning home? LOL.
• An unusually long separation from you. - uh-huh

They say I can try this. If she is just accustomed to bottles for now, I may need to buy a nipple shield.
I need to really take time to get this back on track. And I cant take a leave from work…*niiiiiiice*.

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This is what this entry is going to be all about.

• We are adjusting big time with Martha in the house. She sleeps like a chicken all day - having one hr of sleep time, then 2 hrs of wake time, repeat cycle. So basically, you are not going to get anything done. She sleeps soundly by 8PM only to up, alert and all smiling (and loud) by 4-5AM. So you can draw your conclusion that we are now zombies. (Thus, no layouts for me today.)
• It is all good though as we are doing better than I think we would. The only problem is the heat. Martha is used to cool weather in Tagaytay and humidity in Manila is such a tantrum stimulant for her. And wait until you hear her cry — you would think she is soooooooooo hurt :(. Read more… »
  

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The brat is now, all of a sudden, refusing to nurse from me, drats. She still drinks my milk but would prefer to do it from the bottle. It has been such a pain in the a** to get up in the middle of the night to prepare milk then after around 3 ozs, trick her in getting milk from me. Im thinking she’s getting lazy at suckling already. Oh well, she’s with me now so let the battle of wills begin (I can see the trend this is going to be when she gets older, LOL.)

Links for me:
My Baby Won’t Nurse.
Baby doesn’t get it.
I will try to post real updates by tomorrow or Wednesday hopefully. I have my two kids at home and though it doesnt get any better than that, it also doesnt get any busier than what it already is. Im already itching for coffee (because of Martha’s stubbornness to nurse, argh, it has been so convenient to nurse directly before!).

My parents are on the airplane flying to the US again to have continue my Dad’s treatment. Bless all those kind souls who have helped him, helped us. Please pray for their safe travel.

And please pray we are also safe. I have a lot to get ready for for this upcoming Holiday Season, Mommy is gone so Im the woman of the house again *sigh*.

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Meet the best investment Ive ever made.

Never ever in my wildest dreams did I ever consider having this as my best friend. I dont leave for work without it. (Kahit walang baon for lunch, basta dala ko to). This is the first thing I reach for when I wake up and the last thing I hold before I sleep.
Read more… »

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