AS WE celebrate Breastfeeding Month, I’d like to share my breastfeeding journey as a first-time mom.
It was hard for me to breastfeed when Yanna was born because I thought I had NO MILK. I did not know what colostrum was. I did not know how to properly latch. So we fed her with formula milk.
It was only after 4 days when my breasts got engorged and I could not bear the pain. My mother told me I had milk. I was very happy and excited so I did directly breastfeed her. Since then, we stopped feeding her formula milk.
Before my maternity leave ended, I invested in manual and electric pumps so I could express milk at work. I also bought a small cooler where I store my “liquid gold.” We even bought (via installment LOL) a brand new two-door refrigerator so I can properly store my frozen milk at home.
True enough, breastfeeding is really hard — low milk supply, sore nipples, engorged breast(s) which sometimes leak and sleepless nights.
Low milk supply: As a working mom, I could only express 3 oz. of breastmilk every three hours. I would wonder how other moms can fill their containers to the brim. I was a pumping mom for nine months because of my fulltime job.
Sore nipples - This was very true during the first week. I WAS CRYING THE WHOLE TIME SHE LATCHED ON ME.
Engorged breast(s) which sometimes leak: This was horrible everytime I forgot to pump every three hours at work or when my baby sleeps more than three hours straight. Dili ko mahimutang sa kasakit!
Sleepless nights: The baby usually wakes up every two to three hours so I need to feed her.
Despite all the circumstances, what really motivates me to EBF her is the JOY I feel every time I feed her. It’s indescribable — 21 months (and counting) of breastfeeding is already a milestone for a first-time mom.
[The writer appreciates story suggestions. Follow her on Instagram at @mommyaracasastumuran. Subscribe to her Youtube channel www.youtube.com/c/AraCasasTumuran.]