Do the Math, Aim High for Breastfeeding

"Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (August). For this month, we write about the World Breastfeeding Week 2014 - Breastfeeding: A Winning Goal for Life and share how breastfeeding can help the Philippines achieve the 8 Millennium Development Goals developed by the government and the United Nations. Participants will share their thoughts, experiences, hopes and suggestions on the topic.  Please scroll down to the end of the post to see the list of carnival entries.

I will admit to being stumped as to what to write for my chosen Millennium Development Goals (Achieve Universal Primary Education and Develop a Global Partnership for Development). After all, what else do I say that I have not said before?

But since I have adopted the "Do the Math" mantra whenever I try to inspire moms to stick to and commit to breastfeeding, I guess I will  adopt the same here.

First, let's have a quick look at the following pertinent breastfeeding statistics:
1,738,100 babies are born in the country yearly
Only 34% of these babies end up being exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months (around 278, 000 babies)
18.75 - infant mortality rate for every 1,000 births (that is at least 32,000 babies 1 year below)
16,000 children between 1-5 years old die every year from illnesses traced to formula-feeding or directly-addressed by breastfeeding

It is actually very good that infant mortality rate in our country has been steadily declining. And looking at these numbers, we can say that just more push from the right institutions and it can be further reduced dramatically. That is where breastfeeding will come in.

Just another 10% more moms to exclusively breastfeed can buy them lactation amenorrhea, protection from getting pregnant again and contributing to next year's population. A steady increase like this can mean that ten years down the line, the government can be at a perfect position to actually provide better primary public education because population growth was curbed somehow (or at least, it did not boom as exponentially).

Add to this the possibility that a family with an infant who breastfed exclusively can channel their abundant/ just enough/meager funds to food for the entire family as well as education for the older children.

Let us not even quibble with rates and percentages. Let us just say that if 1,000 more families will exclusively breastfeed this year, there may be 1,000 less babies next year... and 1,000 more babies next year who will be better fed.

For us middle-class and the rich, with happy problems like which food to introduce first and whether we are able to offer enough variation, this does not seem impressive. But try living their life... Tell me if it's still easy. Try living from hand to mouth. Try losing a child to diseases like diarrhea (Go Erceflora!) and infections (Amoxycillin anyone?). Try having kids with stunted growth who cannot process what they should be able to by the time they are of school age, putting further stress on an already struggling education system. Try imagining how burdensome that could be to a family if a child will be unable to learn or contribute. Try imagining struggling to feed and raise a child only to lose that child before it turns 5 years old... and repeat the same every few years or so.

From a middle-class point of view, consider how kids of can afford parents start school at the average age of 3. This means that from that point on, that child will be bringing home viruses and germs he caught in school. Now, imagine that there will be 1,000 less toddlers/preschoolers who will get sick this year from a certain flu strain because they are still being breastfed. They won't get sick because their mom's milk will give them the antibodies. That means no medicine intake or hospitalization for a few days. That means Mommy doesn't have to go absent from work for a few days. No stress on the finances or on everybody's schedule. That will mean not missing school for a few days so there is less tension about missed lessons. Now, what if these one thousand kids  get spared twice in a year? Thrice? This great possibility is attainable if only a mother will commit to breastfeeding in the first 1,000 days of a child's life.  #BF1st1000days

Wouldn't you agree that if you look at things this way, it becomes easier to see why our government should make this a priority?

Where does global partnership come in?

Well, 1,000 more kids breastfed means 1,000 less that institutions like WHO and UNICEF will be worrying about because it is 1,000 less children requiring aid.

1,000 more breastfed kids mean 1,000 less to make provisions for in times of emergencies and calamities.

1,000 more breastfed kids would mean  at least one set of 1,000 days not missed by working moms to deliver services locally and internationally. Aren't you curious just how much that would mean for commerce and trade?

1,000 more breastfed kids will mean millions of savings from out-patient treatment due to respiratory diseases.

If policies like "Wednesdays off  for baby's first year" (an additional 44 days of maternity leave) can be enacted, we might be looking at more than 1,000!

And 1,000 babies exclusively breastfed has the potential of bringing about 192,000 less cans in dump sites (the environmental cost by those who can afford). Indeed, why don't we tell formula-feeders that when they do so, they are wasting water and blocking drainages?

Oh, and 1,000 less children dying will mean around P33M savings from funeral costs, FYI. These costs affect the national budget, the implementation of plans, the approval of loans and aids and the ability to pay off such loans. These savings can in turn be channeled to feeding and educating more children, right?

Breastfeeding is truly a gift. It is basically free and yet it can save money and lives, regardless of demographic. Which is why I hope you will scroll down to read the rest of the entries for this blog carnival. Read and share each one if you can, let us get more mommies to commit to breastfeeding in the first 1000 days. We may not meet our MDG targets next year but still, any small step in the right direction :)

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Here are many thoughts and reasons why we should all advocate for mothers to breastfeed for the first 1,000 days of life #BF1st1000days

Jenny shares experiencing the One Asia Breastfeeding Forum

Mec insists to do the Math and breastfeed!

Ams, The Passionate Mom says Breastfeed for a Better Future

Pat says breastfeeding saves money and the planet

Cheryl, the Multi-Tasking Mama, tackles maternal health as addressed by breastfeeding

2011 CNN Hero Ibu Robin highlights gentle births and breasfeeding, even in disaster zones

Felyn stresses that Healthy Moms = Healthy Babies

Monique reminds us that there are second chances in breastfeeding

Normi relates how breastfeeding gave her strength and purpose

Nats thanks Dr. Jack Newman for showing how breastfeeding can be a win-win situation

Em believes breastfeeding is a solution to societal problems

Marge shares what breastfeeding has taught them

Kaity was empowered financially and as a woman through breastfeeding

Madel relates her breastfeeding saga

Jen of Next9 reminds us to do our research and share what we know

Celerhina Aubrey vows to work on one mother at a time

Grace wants to put an end to stories of toasted coffee and similar stuff over breast milk

Diane shares how she prevailed when things did not go according to plan

Hazel appreciates mommy support groups

Roan combines two passions, breastfeeding and architecture

Queenie tackled breastfeeding as the best choice for the environment as well and breastfeeding myths and poverty

Rosa shares how the picture she thought of was realized

Sally believes breastfeeding benefits mankind and our planet Earth

Floraine reminds us that breastfeeding helps combat diseases

Crislyn was happy to realize that she improved her own health by breastfeeding

Armi reminds us how breastfeeding during emergencies is crucial

Arvi tells us how breastfeeding made her look at her body a different way

Clarice elaborates on how breastfeeding saves lives and the planet

Giane reminds us that women empowerment can begin by seeing breastfeeding as more than a feeding issue

Liza thought she was only breastfeeding for her child

It Takes Two Sides to Milk-Share Tango

"Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (September). For this month, we will tackle milk sharing and how it can nurture the community, and how this spirit of giving can be sustained. Participants will share their thoughts, experiences, hopes and suggestions on the topic.

Please scroll down to the end of the post to see the list of carnival entries."

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Milk sharing, whether through wet nursing or breast milk donation, takes the expression, "it takes a village to raise a child" to a whole new level.

I had originally intended to interview a wet nurse or two from Arugaan for this... just so I can share from their perspective, but I didn't manage my time well and wasn't in a productive mood. Good thing, I can tap on recent discussions in my mommy groups for something to say.

First, on the issue of wet nursing. I was among those who thought that a wet nurse should get screened and tested first to make sure she's 'clean' and 'healthy'. Sounds but practical and safe right? But there is something wrong in that thought because it is incomplete... and I thank God for Arugaan for setting me right.

Families who may be in the receiving end of the services/generosity of a wet nurse do have the right to make sure the wet nurse is healthy... after all, she is going to be holding your baby and giving that baby her milk. But they cannot demand it without also ensuring that THEY are clean too... after all, they also might be passing germs or viruses on their infant, who may pass it on to the wet nurse.

Trust plays a huge role here... because even after the tests (if the receiving family choose to have it done), both families would need to really safeguard their health too and be upfront about health issues for as long as the wet nursing is going on. The receiving family has an obligation to their wet nurse too, it is not a passive relationship wherein they would just take and take from the wet nurse.

How many of you have thought of this?

Now, breast milk donation will not require that same level of courtesy... but it does require courtesy too. In a mommy forum, some breast milk donors have felt offended and maybe even hurt that others seeking breast milk donation have been a little demanding about it. Some come off as if they're ordering pizza or something, requesting for a certain number of ounces already... and now. Since I never really pumped to store, I can just imagine how offensive that is to a mom who struggled to get her supply up... who would take time away from other meaningful work just to pump and store... and then have the heart to give her precious milk away... and that milk to be treated like some beverage being bought on a discount.

If you're the one seeking donor milk, or helping loved ones to get donor milk... please, be considerate a hundred times over. Offer to replace the milk bags, pick up the milk, don't pester for the milk at odd hours, say thank you for what is given (even if it is only a few ounces) and BUILD UP YOUR SUPPLY SO YOU CAN BREASTFEED YOURSELF. Donor milk is love usually freely given away, so do not take it for granted. Do not waste it. Do not think there's an endless supply for you to just tap at will.

And know that some of those who donate have been in the receiving end of help too because they struggled early on... and now, they're giving back. And it would be a poor way to repay their potential kindness by leaving them messages demanding for a freezerful of stash (even if you're paying for it).

Be nice. Otherwise, you might not get milk for your precious babe.

Milk sharing is a dance where both parties have to be considerate of each other's needs and feelings. And only when both are can the dance really be very rewarding.

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Raed the other entries to this carnival:

Brenda has notes on breast milk givers and takers

Mafeth wrote about being a milk donee

Cris donated her liquid gold

Pat had a happy problem donating solved

Jenny wrote about wet nursing from a relative's experience

Rachel discussed how she felt about receiving donated milk and nursing an adoptee's baby

Mec insists it takes two to Milk Share Tango

Cai received milk from her sister

Nats has a Milk Sharing Story too

Milk Mama Diaries Tackles Milk Sharing

Next week, September 24-30 is World Milksharing Week 2012, with the theme: Sharing Milk, Nurturing Community.

Jenny (of Chronicles of a Nursing Mom) and I decided another blog carnival is in order (and long due!) so we are now inviting mom/dad bloggers to share their thoughts/experiences on and hopes for sharing milk.

Check out my previous carnival posts to get an idea of how the blog carnival works and how posts look like. To join, please fill up the form here:


The following blurb must be included in your carnival entry as well as the Milk Mama Diaries logo:
"Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (September). For this month, we will tackle milk sharing and how it can nurture the community, and how this spirit of giving can be sustained. Participants will share their thoughts, experiences, hopes and suggestions on the topic.

 Please scroll down to the end of the post to see the list of carnival entries."


If you don't have a blog but would like to join, please email us so we can arrange to have you hosted as a guest blogger in our blogs:
Jenny (jenny[at]chroniclesofanursingmom[dot]com)
Mec (delisyus[at]gmail[dot]com)

Deadline for registration for the carnival is on September 24, 2012. Posting instructions and carnival rules will be e-mailed to all participants on September 25 and the carnival will go live on September 30, 2012. PLEASE POST ON September 30, 2012, beginning 12MN.

PLEASE NOTE:
Please write about the theme provided. We currently do not moderate or screen posts but we do reserve the right to exclude your entry from the list of carnival participants should your post be offensive, irrelevant to the carnival theme, contain personal attacks, off-topic articles, articles that are anti-breastfeeding or are articles that are aimed to market products or services.

Kindly note the deadlines and please POST your entries on September 30, 2012. The deadline of  24 September 2012 is also strictly observed for REGISTRATION.

*You can begin sending blog URLs on 25 September 2012 for inclusion in the carnival list by e-mailing Jenny and Me. We will only include the links of those who e-mail us so please do not forget to e-mail us those precious URLs.

Enough is Enough

"Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (February). For this month, we focus on back to basics. Participants will share advices - either the best breastfeeding advice they received OR/AND the best breastfeeding advice they can give to new moms. Please scroll down to the end of the post to see the list of carnival entries."


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Well, no one really put it that way for me but it sums up these actual pieces of advice:
1) When your milk supply is established, you should make enough for your child's needs, nothing more and nothing less.
2) Don't feel obliged to give your older son your breast milk, or to pump enough so you can donate. Just aim to produce enough for your baby. If there's extra, that's good. But you're really just supposed to feed your baby.
3) Store enough milk for emergencies or the time you will be away and cannot nurse directly. You don't, however, need to store months-worth of milk.

I took all these things to heart.

I believed I am producing enough. I worried when I stopped getting engorged after two months or so but when I was told that really happens, I trusted the wisdom and just breastfed as usual. Even when my baby sometimes got antsy, or lost weight, or got sick. I trusted my milk supply. I did not seek to boost it unncecessarily because I never feared it will just 'run dry'.

And though I believe breast milk donors are women with great generosity, I am at peace that I haven't been one of them because I never stored enough to give away. Heck, I never even stored enough to cover 3 days. If I had gotten sick or died, my infant would have been really at the mercy of donors or formula. I had no stock. I am a SAHM, I nurse 24/7 and only need to pump when I am going to be away... for a few hours. The most number of ounces I've had in storage is 12 ounces :D

Oh, sometimes I would feel bad because the breastfeeding mom in me wants to save other babies and help other moms in that way. It is such a beautiful way to give of oneself, after all. But was I really going to take precious time away from just caring for my kids and being with them just to pump milk for heaven knows what purpose? Of course not!

Thankfully, Jenny did tell me that it's really the working moms who usually get to donate, because they're the ones who pump regularly and store milk.

Which brings me to my last point that is connected with my second. 2-3 weeks worth of stored breast milk for a working mom is just fine, after all, you will have stressful days when you might not be able to pump as often or get as much as you should. That's a healthy stash. But more than that and I really cannot help but worry over the quality of life of the mother. I love my Medela pump but there are a hundred other things I'd prefer doing over pumping... like spending the time resting, having quality conversations, just bonding with your child or going to a spa. And though the moms with the freezerfuls of milk are the ones who rise up to the occasion when emergency situations call for breast milk donations (and I will not even pass judgment on the fact that some are just actually running out of freezer space that's why they're finally donating the milk), I still would rather have these Moms pumping less and living more.

Mind you, I know some moms who are just so blessed with milk that they can easily fill pitchers in a pumping session, and it's no hassle for them to produce this much. That's great and usually the exemption. Most moms, however, have to squeeze in the time, relax, worry about spoilage and transit, etc. So, I really don't want them burdened by having to produce a freezer full of milk in order to feel capable, secure or happy with their milk supply.

Enough is enough moms. Trust that enough really is enough.

*~*

Please do visit all the other entries in the carnival :)

The Articulate Pen's Breastfeeding needs Patience

Diapers and Stethoscope's Back to Basic

My Mommyology's What I've Learned About Breastfeeding

Ms. Masungit's From One Mom To Another

The Odyssey of Dinna's Breastfeeding Words of Wisdom

Mrs. Bry126's We're All in this Together

I Am Clarice's Paying it Forward

My Mommy Kwentos' Sharing My Favorite Breastfeeding Advice

Planet Marsy's Better Than None

Mommy {T} Coach's Saved by the Nursing Mommas

Mama Drama's Patience and Breast-friends

Adventures on Planet Mom's Stubborn Me! Sure Glad I didn't give up

Nanaystrip's Eat Malunggay, Say "I Have Milk" and Love your Baby

Starting at Twenty-Five's My Husband's Best Breastfeeding Advice

Nanay *Loves* Purple's Why Attend Breastfeeding Class/Seminars

Truly Rich Mom's My Top 5 Breastfeeding Tips for New Moms

Legally Mama's Take it from the non-expert!

Mommy Mama Rat's My Breastfeeding Mantra

Mr. Jacob's Mom's Breastfeeding Tips from a Non-Breastfed Mommy

Hybrid Rasta Mama's Breastfeeding Lists, Advice, Links and More

Apples and Dumplings' One Word of Breastfeeding Advice

Touring Kitty's Just Do It

EthanMama's Only the Best for My Baby

the canDIshhh tales' My Breastfeeding Advice

Mec as Mom's Enough is Enough

Chronicles of a Nursing Mom's On Breastfeeding Number Two - Redux

Milk Mama Diaries Goes Back to Basics

We who started the Milk Mama Blog Carnival want to start this year right, so we're asking all participants to go BACK TO BASICS for February.

Participants are asked to share one of two things:
1. The best breastfeeding advice they received OR/AND
2. The best breastfeeding advice you can give to new moms.

Check out my previous carnival posts to get an idea of how the blog carnival works and how posts look like. To join, please fill up this FORM.

The following blurb must be included in your carnival entry:
"Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (February). For this month, we focus on back to basics. Participants will share advices - either the best breastfeeding advice they received OR/AND the best breastfeeding advice they can give to new moms. Please scroll down to the end of the post to see the list of carnival entries."


If you don't have a blog but would like to join, please email us we can arrange to have you hosted as a guest blogger:
Jenny (jenny[at]chroniclesofanursingmom[dot]com)
Mec (delisyus[at]gmail[dot]com)

Deadline for registration for the carnival is on February 10, 2012. Posting instructions and carnival rules will be e-mailed to all participants on February 11 and the carnival will go live on February 12, 2012. PLEASE POST ON 12 February 2012, beginning 12MN.

PLEASE NOTE:
Please write about the theme provided. We currently do not moderate or screen posts but we do reserve the right to exclude your entry from the list of carnival participants should your post be offensive, irrelevant to the carnival theme, contain personal attacks, off-topic articles, articles that are anti-breastfeeding or are articles that are aimed to market products or services.

Kindly note the deadlines and please POST your entries on 12 February 2012. The deadline of 10 February 2012 is also strictly observed for REGISTRATION.

*You can already send in your URLs beginning 10 February 2012. We will only include those who send in their URLs in the blog list. Please do not forget to email me and Mec so your post can be included in the carnival list.

The Gift of a Changed Man

"Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (December). For this month, we want to honor breastfeeding for having enriched our lives and blessed us, maybe even empowered us, in a way that only breastfeeding can. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants."

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Breastfeeding has many benefits, all of which are gifts that I enjoy and am very thankful for. But there is one thing breastfeeding has done for me that I am super happy about... and that is my breastfeeding-supportive husband.

True, his great love for me made him support my idea to breastfeed. But this is a man who was not really breastfed, nor were his siblings. This is a man who used to still feed from a bottle when he was already attending preschool (to drink chocolate milk). This was a man who grew up used to fast, processed and junk food.

Now, why am I talking about junk food now?

Well, because a lot about how we parent our sons now stem from breastfeeding.

My husband never had to be the one to register for our first brestfeeding seminar, but he did. He refused to read "What to Expect" and yet took the breastfeeding talk to heart, raised his questions then.... and months and years later, would even correct me when I faciliate group discussions on breastfeeding.

He could have insisted on formula when our firstborn wasn't pudgy. He could have blamed my milk whenever our son got sick. But always, he'd be the first to say, "thank God, you're breastfeeding mahal."

And after that, he also came around to the notion of not raising our kids in fast, processed and junk food. He has learned to celebrate our son's lean body since he knows he's fed well (and right) and focus instead on our son's speed, smarts and general well-being.

Hubby need not go to breastfeeding events with me, but he did, and he's learned more and more. Again, my group refers to him as an honorary LATCHer 'coz he's almost as visible as I am.

We could go to just any doctor but he'd understand, and sometimes wait with me, as I consult with breastfeeding-friendly ones.

And now, at work, he's the first to tell pregnant colleagues and expectant dads to TRY breastfeeding.

I believe, the fact that he embraced the beauty and natural-ness of breastfeeding helped him open up to Waldorf education and homeschooling.

I could go on and on and on, saying basically the same things about my best breastfeeding supporter, but it will really just boil down to him being a breastfeeding dad. Someone who doesn't have issues about a running child nursing from his wife. Someone who knows he has to share and doesn't have first dibs (for now). And that is the best gift I can think of that breastfeeding has brought into my life... it did not just change me, it also changed my husband. And in his own way, he has set himself on a journey of breastfeeding advocacy.

I will be forever thankful to God for that.

Merry Christmas, you all!

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Do take the time to check out all the posts in this month's carnival:
Shaps- Beyond Being Thin
Gretchen - Breastfeeding Gifts for Christmas
Carol - The Gift of Miracle
Jenny O.- The
Gifts of Breastfeeding
Anne - The Gift of Breastfeeding
Nats - We Wish You Merry Nursing
Jenny R. - If the Magi Were Queens
Em - The "Breast" Gift
Isis- Got Milk?
Armi - Breastfeeding Gifts
Liv - My Breastfeeding Journey
Laya - Time in a Drop of Milk

Milk Mama Diaries for December: Breastfeeding Gifts

December is Christmastime... a time of celebration, gratitude and gift-giving. To cap our first (and succesful, if I may say so myself) blog carnival year, Milk Mama Diaries' topic for December is BREASTFEEDING GIFTS. We want you to focus on how breastfeeding has enriched your life or delighted you, or maybe even changed you.

You can focus on your most favorite gift, or have a list of three (like the Three Wise Men bearing gifts) or more. Feel free to make it as personal, introspective or grateful as you want.

For those interested to join but have no idea how a blog carnival works, check my latest blog carnival entry on extended breastfeeding.

Because everybody is bound to be busy, deadline for registration to the December Carnival will be on 11 December 2011.

Interested bloggers may register here. I repeat, deadline for registration is on 11 December 2011. Posting instructions and Carnival rules will be e-mailed to all participants on December 12 and the Carnival will go live on 13 December 2011.

If you have questions or need clarifications, please contact Jenny (jenny[at]chroniclesofanursingmom[dot]com) or Mec (delisyus[at]gmail[dot]com)

*~*

Yes, if you've noticed, we finally have a blog carnival logo!

Credits for the image go to the lovely Ms. Erika Hastings of Mudspice: Mucking about in Art and Motherhood. Her original painting of breastfeeding a toddler was in autumn hues but I took the liberty of Photoshopping it a little to make it pinker, to touch on BREAST CANCER. I also decided to use the 'breastfeeding a toddler' painting rather than the 'breastfeeding an infant' one because WE ARE FOR EXTENDED BREASTFEEDING.

For those who will also notice, the words MILK MAMA looks like Angry Birds-ish and you will be right. However, I used the font because it's name is actually FEAST OF FLESH and 'us breastfeeding moms do offer our babies a feast using our flesh' :)

Shooting for the Benefits, Extending the Love

"Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (November). For this month, participants share their experiences on extended breastfeeding. This includes tips to moms with young babies, as well as barriers and myths which discourage extended nursing. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants."

Studies show that for mothers and babies to enjoy breastfeeding benefits like reduced cancer risks for both, they have to be breastfeeding for at least two years.

There was no question in my mind that I would go the full two years... at least. I only stopped after two years and four months with my first because I really believed breastfeeding was keeping me from getting pregnant so I weaned him. True enough, after a month of weaning, I got pregnant again. But I digress.

My son was already signing, running, singing, dancing, performing a multitude of other antics... and still breastfeeding from me. The hardest part of it was that he became so long for my lap. But after the first year, it was really almost a breeze.

I did not require breastfeeding bras anymore, nor breastfeeding-friendly tops... because I could just feed him in the car on the way and not bring my girls out anymore during an event. I did not have to hurry home or pump milk for him because he could already drink fresh milk if he so wished while I am away. He did not need to nurse as often anymore, so I also felt my body was my own again (maybe... 70% of the time?). And in the few occasions when he asked for milk in public, I had no problems cradling him in my arms and giving him that comfort.

What's more, it was still the easiest way to shut him up if I needed peace and quiet.

And best of all, breastfeeding continued to provide the sweetest moments of our days... hugging each other that way, smiling at each other with faces that close. The challenges of having a toddler were always offset by those moments of calm and gentleness.

Now... my second boy is turning one year old next week. I plan to breastfeed him till he's maybe 3 because now, I am invoking the contraceptive effect in me (note: breastfeeding as a family planning method is only really effective in the first 6 months, if exclusive breasfeeding and menses have not yet returned). Plus, if he's my last child... I think I'd really want to prolong this kind of intimacy. Somehow, I think babyhood truly ends when they stop depending on their mothers for some sort of physical need.

My advice to other breastfeeding moms who cannot imagine lasting as long... just take it one day at a time. Wean when both of you aren't benefitting from the relationship anymore. Smile when strangers cast you a questioning look when you're breastfeeding a child that, just a minute ago was running faster than they're walking... after all, in your arms lay one of the most beautiful creations in this world, and he is entitled to his mother's love.

*~*

Please visit the rest of the entries for this month's carnival

J and the Three Boys - No more "de-de"

My Mommyology - My Extended Breastfeeding Experience

Mommyluscious - Breastfeeding for Two Beyond Two

Truly Rich Mom - On Extended Breastfeeding (a perfectly normal thing to do)

Life of a Babywearing and Breastfeeding Mommy - Still breastfeeding after 2 years

Got To Believe - Breastfeeding Room Story

Apples and Dumplings - My Constant Challenge with Extending Breastfeeding

Mommy Kuwentos - Challenges and Rewards of Extended Breastfeeding

The Odyssey of Dinna - Nurturing Rafael: Extended Breastfeeding, Stretching Some More Lovin'

Legally Mom - Breastfeeding Beyond 1 Year: Barriers and Issues

Homeschooling Mommy - Yes, I've Got Milk

SOlovelyN - As long as he wants, I can

Touring Kitty - Extended Breastfeeding is Possible

SassyBiatcheMom's World - 1.4 and still breastfeeding

Mec as Mom - Shooting for the Benefits, Extending the Love

Chronicles of a Nursing Mom - Barriers/Myths vs. Extended Breastfeeding

Milk Mama Diaries for November: Extended Breastfeeding

Babies up to one year NEED milk as their main source of nourishment but after that, they should be getting most of their nutritional requirements from solids. For November, however, we want to give a nod to those who aimed to extend their breastfeeding relationship even when their babies could already drink regular milk (or none, because it's calcium they require, not milk).

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Thank you for joining the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival for November.
Theme is Extended Breastfeeding and participants are asked to share their experiences in breastfeeding their toddlers (past 12 months) as well as their tips to moms with young babies. Participants can also talk about barriers to extended breastfeeding as well as myths or comments they received from people around them.

Please fill up the form here to join. Deadline for registration for the carnival is on November 2, 2011. Posting instructions and Carnival rules will be e-mailed to all participants on November 3 and the Carnival will go live on 4 November 2011.

If you have questions or clarifications, please contact Jenny (jenny[at]chroniclesofanursingmom[dot]com) or Mec (delisyus[at]gmail[dot]com) :)

Pre-Natal Pediatric Consultations Are Necessary

"Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (August). For this month, we join the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action in it's "Talk to Me!" theme where participants will share personal experiences, insights or recommendations in communicating breastfeeding intentions and goals to their support system. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants."

First of all, I was lucky. I had a husband who did not even question my breastfeeding intentions. In fact, he was even the one who called LATCH to reserve slots for us at the first breastfeeding class they ever held (back in Malayan Plaza, March 2007). This was before LATCH's partnership with The Medical City, that offers free breastfeeding classes to would-be parents, began.

And my mother-in-law couldn't raise any objections about my breastfeeding decision either, because her own daughter would do it for four years. And my Mom, though she encouraged me to mix feed so I can still continue working, was already based abroad and didn't have much say in how I lived my family life.

So, again, I am lucky. If there were people who tried to undermine my decision to breastfeed, it was doctors who I saw for sinusitis and allergy attacks. But I knew enough not to listen when I didn't need to. I was empowered.

Which brings me to the title of this blog post.

It is not common practice here in the Philippines to 'shop' for a pediatrician before giving birth. However, aside from the fact that you will see your pediatrician more than you will ever see your gynecologist, and you will entrust to a pediatrician the most precious thing ever in your life (your kids' health), a pediatrician also has much influence over your parenting.

And that is where breastfeeding comes in. It is a parenting choice, not just a feeding option, for it will require a certain lifestyle, a degree of commitment, and a lot of compromises and sacrifices. And if you're a first time parent who do not know any better, you can easily be scared, swayed and undermined.

In my experience, many first-time moms ask "They say my milk will come in after a few days from the delivery, so what will my baby feed on till then?"

Imagine if all pediatricians (and nurses) tell these new moms to have their babies latch as soon as possible because 1) they have colostrum to offer and 2) direct feeding is the stimulation required for the flowing, mature milk to come in.

Imagine if these moms who want to breastfeed are supported from Day 1 by their pediatricians, instead of being charged formula at the nursery where their newborns stayed.

Imagine if pediatricians didn't just check your baby but also met with the parents and talked about newborn care.

And so, I hope, aside from looking for the right gynecologist, or hospital to give birth in, would-be parents would also exert a lot of effort in finding a breastfeeding-friendly pediatrician before they give birth.

Would-be parents can ask for referrals from trusted people (family, friends, their gynecologist, or in this internet era, cyber experts). They should arrange for a consultation and expect to pay the usual PF charged by the pediatrician. And they should ask their questions, after all, they are paying customers.

It would be more prudent to just tell the doctor that you are looking for future pediatricians that you can work with. Then, express your desire to breastfeed. Proceed maybe by asking them about the breastfeeding practices in the hospitals they're affiliated in, or whether they had breastfeeding training.

These two links also provide questions one can probably use, although I feel some of the approaches suggested may be too forward for our culture.

Finding breastfeeding-friendly pediatricians

Choose a breastfeeding-friendly pediatrician

Other tactics that you can use is raising other concerns to indirectly raise the issue of breastfeeding, like:

* Doc, I am really anxious about feeding my baby. What can I expect the first few weeks? What happens when I go back to work?
(if supplementation with formula is given as a ready option, then you might as well assume that any complaint from you of sore nipples or exhaustion or colds will also result in the same 'solution' from that doctor)

* Doc, we have a strong allergy history. Are there things I can do to reduce the risks of my baby getting them?

* Doc, I want to breastfeed. I'm just wondering though what scenarios will be deal-breakers with that desire?

* Doc, if it's a given that the baby is healthy, how long before you allow such baby to be roomed-in?

* Doc, what are your thoughts on co-sleeping?

* Doc, I believe some newborn babies cry a lot. What are the common reasons for that?

Yes, indirect may work better for us Pinoys... plus, you get a greater sense of what a doctor stands for that way, instead of asking questions answerable with a yes or no.

Bring your spouse/support system in this 'shopping spree' and really try to get one you know you can trust and will work with you, not against you.

I have heard enough stories of pediatricians commenting that a breastfed baby was underweight or small for his age... but most are actually referring to the wrong charts or paid to push certain formula brands.

Let's keep these doctors on their toes. Make prenatal pediatric consultations a top priority during pregnancy and reduce, if not totally eliminate, those moments when you'd be made to feel as if you're not doing enough for your child just because you chose to breastfeed.

And once you've chosen your pedia, include him/her and your brestfeeding intentions in your birth plan.

*~*

Other participants to the carnival include:
Apples and Dumplings: Communication and First Time Breastfeeders

Dainty Mom: Creating a Pro-Breastfeeding Culture in the Family

Truly Rich Mom: Truly Rich Tips (esp. for moms) - How to get others to support you in breastfeeding

On breastfeeding: Say it, claim it, get support!

EthanMama: My Best Breastfeeding Support System — My Husband

TouringKitty: Communication through Breastfeeding

Escie's World: Ready, Get Set, Go! for Breastfeeding

J and the Three Boys: I'm breastfeeding, and that's that.

Nanaystrip: BreasTALK : Text, Retweet, Share your Knowledge and Experiences

PenpenEspie: A Shout out to My Breastfeeding Buddies

Project Blog by Kate: Talk and Make It Happen

Newbie Wife: How I Taught the Family to "Breastfeed"

Chronicles of a Nursing Mom: Effective Communication Bucket List

Go Help Yourself: “6 persuasion tips for breastfeeding moms and advocates”

Mommy Kuwentos: How I recruited my top breastfeeding buddies

Handy Mommy: Communication Decision

Dinna: Making It Known

Legally Mom: BREASTFEEDING TALK BETWEEN ME AND MY FORMULA-FED DAUGHTER

Milk Mama Diaries - Blog Carnival for August

August is Breastfeeding Month so although we've only held a breastfeeding carnival last month, we are doing it again!

For our topic, we will be adopting the theme Talk to me! Breastfeeding - a 3D Experience" by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) on a more personal level.

We will deal with communication, as the third dimension in breastfeeding support. So, for the blog carnival, we want participants to blog about how they communicated their desire to breastfeed and/or breastfeeding goals to their support system.

Maybe you have an interesting story about how you informed your husband. Or tell us how you enlightened your parents and well-meaning friends, or taught your nanny to handle expressed breast milk instead of preparing formula. How did you reply to those challenging your decision, your child's weight gain, or any of the myths surrounding breastfeeding? How did you talk to your doctor/s or boss/es and had them accommodate your breastfeeding decision? Do you have tips? Share!

Read my July Carnival post to get an idea of how a blog carnival post looks like. To join the carnival, please fill up this FORM. Please include this short blurb on the top of your post:

"Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (August). For this month, we join the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action in it's "Talk to Me!" theme where participants will share personal experiences, insights or recommendations in communicating breastfeeding intentions and goals to their support system. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants."

If you don't have a blog but would like to join, please email me (delisyus[at]gmail[dot]com)or Jenny so we can arrange to have you hosted as a guest blogger. Deadline for registration for the carnival is on August 14, 2011. Posting instructions and carnival rules will be e-mailed to all participants on August 15 and the carnival will go live on 17 August 2011.

PLEASE NOTE:
Kindly note that we really expect participants to stick to the theme. We currently do not moderate or screen posts but we do reserve the right to exclude your entry from the list of carnival participants should your post be offensive, irrelevant to the carnival theme, contain personal attacks, off-topic articles, articles that are anti-breastfeeding or articles that are aimed to market products or services.

Kindly note the deadlines and please POST your entries on 17 August 2011. The deadline of 14 August 2011 is also strictly observed for REGISTRATION.

Taking Breastfeeding Further

"Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (July). For this month, we join the National Nutrition Council - Department of Health in celebrating Nutrition Month with the theme "Isulong ang Breastfeeding - Tama, Sapat at EKsklusibo!" Participants will share their experiences in promoting breastfeeding or their tips on how breastfeeding should be promoted. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants."

The most nutritious thing for Nutrition Month is such a perfect theme and there are no words to how amazed and delighted I am that DOH seems to really have embraced breastfeeding advocacy.

Personally, I know I have done a lot for breastfeeding. I certainly talk about it a lot, and can talk about it for hours (nay, days). I have blogged about it many times, not just my journey but things that frustrate me, and things I have learned. I have even blogged about the best nursing tops to breastfeeding-related events. When Ondoy struck, I joined three breastfeeding missions (Rizal, Pasig and Laguna). I have also joined L.A.T.C.H. to know more about breastfeeding and be trained as a breastfeeding peer counselor.

I also literally troll my yahoogroups and forums for those with breastfeeding queries and in need of support.

And I breastfeed in public, very seldom with cover, because I actually hope to inspire other people to think about how 'natural' it is.

BUT...

I have only volunteered for two TMC sessions, so far. And I do get weary answering the same questions... and sometimes also lack tact and gentleness when I do respond to them. For a while, I was even very judgmental of how other mothers can choose formula over breast. My current pet peeves are Judy Ann Santos and "I just gave birth and I don't have milk yet" sentiments. And I have not yet visited the clinic in our street and offered my services there.

In short, there is lots of room for improvement in me. There is so much more I can do. I can be so much more. And... I can potentially save more lives.

And so I strive to be gentle, even when I am frustrated. I answer the same questions again and again and again. I run the risk of alienating Facebook friends by speaking the truth. And I make sure everyone knows I have taken a side: this side.

Now... I hope I won't be so shy and lacking initiative to approach people of power I can connect with... to bring breastfeeding talks (and thus, awareness) to the masses.

*~*

I think this is the perfect time to also blog about things I feel the government can do to further breastfeeding awareness, support and advocacy.

DOH should really work with all other government agencies.

Get DECS to incorporate breastfeeding into children's books (Math sample problem: Nanay pumped milk at 8:00 AM and was able to express 3 ounces of milk. If she does the same two more times with the same volume of output, how much milk will she have pumped by the end of the day?... Health sample question: Give three examples of galactagogues.) and improve the medical curriculum to actually include a subject on breastfeeding for would-be doctors/medical practitioners. Children have to be enculturated back to a time when breastfeeding was natural and typical and common. The campaign with kids and in schools need not be aggressive, but pictures and storylines of making formula for a child just really has to be stopped and in their stead, more pictures of breastfeeding/babywearing indigenous cultures.

Get a law enacted to prohibit any entity from giving free samples of formula.

Tweak maternity leave due to mothers. While other countries enjoy up to a year of maternity leave with security of tenure, I really don't think our economy can afford that luxury. But I think we can improve on our current maternity leave by making it two months plus all Wednesdays till the 6th month. This ensures that working mothers will have that Wednesday breather from the stress of pumping at work. It just might also fuel productivity since working moms will know it's only 2 days before they can take care of their babies and directly breastfeed again. That's basically just 16-18 extra days that are potentially the same number of days a new mom has to be absent/goes to work unproductive due to a new baby/sick child.

Quit with the generic "breastfeeding is best for babies up to two years and beyond" bit in TV ads/formual cartons/posters. Have catchier slogans ("human milk for human babies"), funny cartoons or outright correct information instead ("breastfeeding reduces cancer risks for both mother and child" or "exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months can save you at least P20k, which you can use to spend on vaccines").

Maybe, DOH can also get volunteers (nutrition students' practicum? hehe) or work with hospitals to hold impromptu talks for waiting preggos in OB clinics.

Instead of breastfeeding stations wherein you have to invest in separate rooms, maybe public areas like malls can allocate seating areas with signs saying, "if you're breastfeeding, sit here" :D (well, it can double as rest area for preggos and the elderly too).

And can it be made a practice for OB Gyns to instruct a prenatal consult with the pedia, who can then discuss feeding and caring options/information with the parents?

The thing is, since breastfeeding benefits a lot of aspects (health, environment), there should also be a more wholistic and concerted approach to its promotion. And we have to support the mothers most because it generally is their battle, their investment, their lifestyle change. And the government should feel free to tax tobbaco and milk companies more to finance these endeavors... hehe... after all, breastfeeding reduces cancer risks and allergy risks, which smoking and formula milk perpetrate.

*~*

Please find the time to also read the entries of the other Milk Mamas joining this carnival :)

Dainty Mom reminds not to bash formula feeders

Lazy Mama also encourage breastfeeding in public and Legally Mom doesn't do it in nursing stations
and Frannie pumps even with male colleagues around

The Painter's Wife is informed and fearless

Dinna, the low milk supply mommy did it

We also get breastfeeding promotion tips from a fearless formula feeder which offers a lot of insights

I would also love a billboard on EDSA featuring celebs with mass appeal

Benz is the chillax advocate but oh, has she the influence

Breastfeeding Mama prepared herself for it and Rachel just hearts breastfeeding

Reach out to other moms, be encouraging to them and maybe we can really push for longer maternity leaves

Having the right information and support will help moms who weren't succesful do better next time, since the right psychology can help you succeed

And here's Deng, who actually stars in some breastfeeding ads while June breastfeeds with her sisters.

And as the perfect cap, a juxtapostion of Jenny's take on breastfeeding promotion in the Philippines and what a doctor Mum wants to see in UK

Milk Mama Diaries - Blog Carnival for July

July is Nutrition Month! For this year, the National Nutrition Council - Department of Health has decided that the theme will be "Isulong ang Breastfeeding - Tama, Sapat at EKsklusibo!" (TSEk). The most nutritious thing for Nutrition Month, yes?

So, it is only appropriate to do our part and also take this up as our topic for July since we all know that breastfeeding benefits both moms and babies. Since breastfeeding has been receiving a lot of bad press lately (from torture to bad advice to wrong help from professionals), we really need to promote and spread the word about breastfeeding and its benefits.

For this month, please share your experiences on how you were able to promote breastfeeding or how you think breastfeeding should be promoted in this country to increase breastfeeding rates and encourage more moms to breastfeed.

Read my May Carnival post to get an idea on how a blog carnival post looks like. To join the carnival, please fill up this FORM. Please include this short blurb on the top of your post:

"Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (July). For this month, we join the National Nutrition Council - Department of Health in celebrating Nutrition Month with the theme "Isulong ang Breastfeeding - Tama, Sapat at EKsklusibo!" Participants will share their experiences in promoting breastfeeding or their tips on how breastfeeding should be promoted. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants."

If you don't have a blog but would like to join, please email me or Jenny so we can arrange to have you hosted as a guest blogger. Submissions are due by 19 July 2011 and the carnival will go live on 22 July 2011.

*~*

Aside: Isn't it absolutely wonderful that the government is really advocating breastfeeding now?

*~*

I will be handling the BENEFITS part of the Best Beginnings in Breastfeeding workshop at the Medical City this Saturday, 9:00 - 12:00. Please come if you're pregnant and want to breastfeed. This is for free and everyone's welcome. bring your main support person.

May Blog Carnival: Top 10 Breastfeeding Partners

"Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (May). This carnival is dedicated to all moms, celebrating Mother's Day today. Participants will share various topics covering A Breastfeeding Mother's Top Ten List. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants."

=============

For a mother to succeed in breastfeeding, no matter her circumstance, three things are necessary: commitment, right information and the right support system. Without these three, there will be more struggles than usual and each issue becomes a bigger problem than it should be.

And if you really want to prepare to succeed, these are the breastfeeding partners you should get on board!

1) The husband/significant other/immediate family
I credit my husband with half of my breastfeeding success, not just for allowing me to be a stay-at-home Mom (and not having to pump constantly), but more for attending breastfeeding seminars with me; actually learning from them (so much that he can actually coach others); cheering me up when I am struggling (through thoughtful gestures like taking care of the babies so I can sleep longer, or nice breastfeeding outfits) and crediting breastfeeding with everything good about our sons (their health, intelligence, energy).

It is so important for a father to attend breastfeeding seminars with the wife, because he'll learn of the benefits and have an idea of how taxing it must be, especially in the early days when a mother is just recovering from the delivery. Fathers can take care of the swaddling, changing, burping, sunning, etc as the mother recuperates or pumps milk for her return to work. The more rest a mother gets, the more she can deliver, not just the breast milk, but also quality parenting and loving.

Plus, it will be like a ton of bricks crushing your heart if... at the first sign of illness, your husband questions your breastfeeding decision. So, get them on board. Good thing there's a free LATCH Best Beginnings in Breastfeeding Workshop at The Medical City every other month (the next one is May 14, 9 AM-12 NN).

Later on, as you have more kids, the older ones can also be of great help to you. My firstborn would remind me to put my milk in the fridge. Heck, sometimes he even wants to hold my pump for me. But at least, he understands that breastfeeding is something I have to do for the youngest child. It is the way I love them.

2) Your family (especially your mother)
People you love most can easily defeat you when you're not secure in your decision... and no matter how much you read and attend seminars, there will really be moments when you will doubt yourself. And a mother, especially, telling you that you were formula fed but turned out okay won't be much help when you're teaching a newborn to latch. A mother who keeps telling you that no woman in your family breastfed because you're genetically unable to produce milk can also easily cast doubts in your mind, which will translate into stumbling blocks (like when you're waiting for your milk to come in).

So, get them to attend breastfeeding seminars with you. Grow them in the idea the minute you find out you're pregnant. If they love celebrities, talk about those who breastfed. If they're worrywarts or hypochondriacs, ply them with the science that backs the benfits of breastfeeding. If they're into excellence, ply them with literature on how breastfeeding adds IQ points (if only because a child gets sick less and for shorter periods, and thus, won't miss as much school time).

And well... get them cooking the dishes that will help boost your milk supply.

3) Your husband's family (especially your mother-in-law)
We will always, at the back of our minds, seek the approval of our husband's family, if only to validate that he chose well when he chose us. Plus, it just won't do if they're harping on your hubby that you are starving your poor child by insisting to breastfeed (a newborn/baby will cry for as many reasons as we have flavors of ice cream)... or that your child is malnourished (when really, he is only lean).

One other reason why it's important to have your family supportive of your breastfeeding decision is that they are less likely to sabotage it with
junk, fast or processed food later in your child's life. Why would they, after all, spoil your child with sugary sweets when he has a great set of teeth? :)

4) Your OB-Gynecologist
Having your OB aware of just how much you want to breastfeed will allow her to take that decision into consideration about how your particular pregnancy will be approached. Will she take more risks in the delivery or limit the risks to ensure you have enough energy to breastfeed after? Will she use safe drugs, a lot of it, etc. during the delivery and for pain management after? Will she allow/help observe the newborn care protocol?

And after... will she properly advice you on contraceptives that you can use, should you want any, that won't compromise your milk supply?

5) Your Pediatrician
Few do it but parents should really go interview or consult with their intended pediatrician. After all, he or she will be taking care of your precious much longer than you'd be going to your OB. And a pediatrician can support your rooming in wishes, as well as advise you which hospital they are affiliated with is more breastfeeding friendly.

And then later... a pediatrician will monitor your child's progress. But will he do it using the right standards or will he be secretly in the payroll of milk companies and pushing formula at the slightest hint of a problem (even if it's just the common rash on a baby's face as he gets acclimatized in this environment in the first few months)? What if, like others who do not know any better, he blames your milk automatically for any little thing?

And yes, just because pediatricians are doctors do not mean they are breastfeeding experts. They are childhood diseases experts. And unfortunately for us, the topic on breastfeeding does not even take up one entire subject in medical school.

6) Your nanny/helpers
Your nannies have to learn to swirl, not shake, expressed breast milk. Or that they have to let it thaw a number of ways but not to directly heat it. They also sometimes have to be tutored to not just keep giving bottled breast milk when your baby cries when it's not yet feeding time, lest they waste the precious milk you pump.

They also have to be able to support you as you pump, by taking care of the other chores or the other kids. And... they have to be sold into the benefits of breasfeeding themselves so that they don't give your kid junk food when you're away.

7) Your friends
Some friends, though well-meaning, can easily undermine your efforts by dismissing breastfeeding as too hard... or old fashioned. And, if they do not know your decision, they might give you feeding bottles and formula at the baby shower, baptism and birthday of your child. They also might not understand why you are unavailable at certain times of the day, or that you have to properly schedule your meetups with them. Some might also get scandalized when you pop out a boob to feed a child in their presence.

8) Your breastfeeding network/support group
I have LATCH and Arugaan, two groups of breastfeeding experts. I have Pinoyexchange, Gtalk and N@W, forums where I have met other breastfeeding moms. They all offer support, consolation, validation, tips and reminders. They cheer me on. But more than that, they get me to realize others have had to struggle with bigger things but have prevailed (like say, breastfeeding triplets, or a special needs child).

They also direct me to breastfeeding-related products (from milk bags to nursing tops) and news/studies on breastfeeding benefits.



I wouldn't have succeeded without them. And always, I try to give back to them. Trust me, it is just so liberating and empowering to talk about breastfeeding with other people who have also been blessed by it.

9) Other doctors
If you're a healthy person, no need for doctors. But what if you're allergic, diabetic, or just discovered you have a lump somewhere? What if you want to have warts removed, or get varicose veins fixed?

I kid you not... some doctors refuse to prescribe other than what they're used to, or even check if it's breastfeeding safe. The usual advice in this great country of ours is to stop breastfeeding while taking the meds (usually antibiotics for something) when there's more than enough breastfeeding-safe medicines and alternatives. If you do not know better, your hard work in establishing a good breastfeeding relationship can be threatened just because you ate bad fish that got your lips swollen... and went to an incompetent doctor.

So, it's really important to have a breastfeeding circle you can get referrals from.

10) Your colleagues/boss/company
If you're a working mom... it will be important that your company knows that you are entitled by law to pump at work, even if they are unable to provide a pumping station because you're the lone childbearing woman in the company. It will also be crucial that the company believes it's to their benefit as it translates to fewer leaves of absence over a sick child. It is also important for your colleagues to support you more for taking a break to pump (and if they know how hard it is to pump, they won't call it a break) than other colleagues for taking a break to smoke.

And well, in some setups, your colleagues may just have to get used to a whirring sound coming from your desk, when you'd rather just pump there and nowhere else. And by golly, I hope none of them throws away or drinks your expressed breast milk.


In a way, it takes a village to breastfeed a child. But for a long time, we have lived in a formula-supported village... we're now retracing our steps to the good old days when breastfeeding was the norm, not the exception, and embracing the new as we employ tools like breast pumps and coolers.

Anyway, I love my biggest supporters!



*~*

Read the other breastfeeding Top 10! :)

Ten Things a Handy Mommy Can Do While Breastfeeding

Ten Life Altering Moments of a New Breastfeeding Mom

Nurturing Rafael: A Breastfeeding Mother's Top 10 List

Ten Things I Now Know About Breastfeeding Because I Breastfed

Ten Ways to Cheer a Breastfeeding Wife

Aria's Habits While Breastfeeding

Top Ten Tips for Pumping and Working Moms

Our Breastfeeding Library

How to Breastfeed in Public

Ten Favorite Foods for the Breastfeeding Mom

Ten Breastfeeding Nice-to-Have's

Nursing Must-haves and Cheaper Alternatives

Ten Reasons I Still Breastfeed Even if I Have to Supplement / Ten Milk Supply Boosting Supplements

10 Things You Don't Say to a Breastfeeding Mom

Ten Things I Wish I'd Done When I was Breastfeeding

*~*

Consider this our way of celebrating what elevated our motherhood into something more.

Milk Mama Diaries Blog Carnival for the Month for Mothers

The first Milk Mama Diaries Carnival last March was a huge success!

As Jenny previously explained, the Carnival will be held every other month, generally, so the next Carnival will be live on Mother's Day - May 8, 2011. Topic for May will be "Breastfeeding Mother's Top Ten" - think of any list of 10 you'd like to talk about. It could be the 10 gifts to a new mom, 10 benefits of breastfeeding, 10 myths of breastfeeding, 10 things you shouldn't say to a nursing mom, 10 places you've nursed in public, 10 problems with breastfeeding, 10 steps to successful breastfeeding, 10 tips to new moms, 10 problems you faced, 10 breastfeeding must-have's, 10 pumping tips, 10 breastfeeding anecdotes... we can go on and on - but I hope you get the picture!

Read my March Carnival post to get an idea on how a blog carnival post looks like.

To join the carnival, please fill up this FORM and include the topic you will write about. We will try to avoid repetition of topics or top 10 lists so the earlier you fill up the form, the earlier you ensure that you will be able to write about your topic. In case your preferred topic has been chosen by another participant, we will email you immediately to request you to change your topic. Otherwise, we will contact both participants so even if they will write about the same top 10, they can choose different items on the list.

Please include this short blurb on the top of your post:

"Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (May). This carnival is dedicated to all moms, celebrating Mother's Day today. Participants will share various topics covering A Breastfeeding Mother's Top Ten List. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants."

If you don't have a blog but would like to join, please email me (delisyus at gmail dot com) or Jenny (fabnaima at gmail dot com) so we can arrange to have you hosted as a guest blogger. Submissions are due by 4 May 2011 and the carnival will go live on 8 May 2011. I will email you before carnival day for instructions on posting.

The Choice to be More Than a Woman

"Welcome to the first Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (March). To celebrate National Women's Month, our participants share how breastfeeding has changed them as a woman. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants."

Women are human beings who menstruate, gestate and lactate.

Now, I know some have been able to control their menstrual cycles by tampering with it. And if we want the circle of life to continue, we really have to get pregnant because the men just can't (at least, not yet).

And we lactate because the same miracle that allows us to grow a child inside our bodies made provisions for us to grow that child once outside of us.

Now, a woman can choose if she'll have her period, whether or not she'll get pregnant and whether she will breastfeed or not. Yet, she is no less a woman. She is no less a human being whatever she decides.

Still, I like to think of the decision to breastfeed as something that allows women to be more than what their bodies dictate, even if it starts out as a physiological capacity. It's a decision to extend the time that your body is not yours. It's a decision to feel exposed when you're nursing in public. It's a decision to get a special wardrobe that can accommodate this choice. It's a decision to be attached to a child for six months, or two years, or more. It's a decision to make breast milk storage experts out of working moms. It's a decision that makes you fight for your beliefs. It's a decision that causes stress when dealing with non-supportive or uninformed medical experts. It's a decision that challenges lifestyle choices, work setups, family dynamics and even government decisions.

For some, it's a decision to make them fight for all the other children not being breastfed. Or at least, a decision to save their family from some expense, or the earth from some pollution. And it's only true reward is in the doing because it cannot really generate income for you that will make you ludicrously rich.

Breastfeeding is a choice to be more than a woman because it makes us intentional parents and life advocates. It requires a commitment greater than just 'putting food on the table' because it requires so much from us women. And with this decision, we have effected changes. The progress has been slow but its progress made nonetheless. None of us who got pregnant had to breastfeed, especially those of us who can afford formula milk. But we do it. We do it even when it doesn't make sense to the modern world of quick fixes and convenient measures.

Breastfeeding is one of the ways how I love my children. There are so many... but none as truly demanding, nor as truly rewarding.

*~*

Pleare read all the other insightful entries :)

Nurturing Rafael, same old brand new me by Dinna

The Breasts and Me by Apples and Dumplings/Cai

Of Nursing and Self-Awareness by Tea Cups and Melodies/Christine

Breastfeeding made me a better and stronger mom…and woman by Ethanmama/Doc Joey

The Adventures of Supercow by Rheea

Please Think Before You Comment by Jenny of Fabnaima

Breastfeeding has made me a better Woman by ruly Rich Mom Tina

My Breastfeeding Story by Manila Fashion Observer

Loving Jaden, Changing Me by Misis Teapot

Juggling Mommy Act: Breastfeeding While Caring for ME by Handy Mommy Ichel

Breastfeeding and My Career by Touring Kitty

feeling Fab at 40 by Pittipat

Breastfeeding and my Self-Image by Topaz Mommy

Joining the Milkwagon by Dotty