EVERY August is Breastfeeding Month, and in celebration of the event this year, the Big Virtual Latch on Pampanga 2020 will happen on August 1 at 9 a.m. onwards.
Notwithstanding the pandemic, this annual event will happen virtually for the first time and will feature the breastfeeding advocates such as Big Latch On Baguio City head and organizer Thea Castro-Cordoviz, City Health Officer Dr. Renely Pangilinan-Tungol, and public health expert and Kapampangan breastfeeding advocate Dr. Romelei Camiling Alfonso. Aside from the online breastfeeding seminar, there is also a Breastfeeding Selfie Photo Contest that aims to normalize breastfeeding, especially in public places by showcasing the wonderful feeling and experience of mothers breastfeeding their babies.
I have practiced breastfeeding most especially during the first few days of my baby to provide him “colostrum,” or the yellowish, sticky breast milk produced at the end of pregnancy. The World Health Organization highly recommends this as “the perfect food for the newborn, and feeding should be initiated within the first hour after birth,” as it contains antibodies that help protect infants from common childhood illnesses - such as diarrhea and pneumonia, the two primary causes of child mortality worldwide.
Aside from the benefits it gives to infants, breastfeeding is also a healthy practice for mothers. It is believed to cause menstruation to stop and serves as a natural and safe method of birth control, although caution is still needed as it is not fail-safe. Other advantages for breastfeeding mothers include the reduction of risks of breast and ovarian cancers and helps women to lose weight gained during the pregnancy.
For first-time mothers, breastfeeding needs to be learned and done properly. Difficulties at the beginning such as intolerable nipple pain, lack of sufficient knowledge on how to breastfeed properly, and fear that there is not enough milk are all common, but should not hinder mothers to continue breastfeeding. If both the mother and the baby experience discomfort while breastfeeding, it is recommended that breast pumps be used and the milk will be fed using bottles.
Advocacy groups have continued to encourage mothers to practice breastfeeding through various efforts such as conducting lecture sessions and forums to provide much-needed information about breastfeeding, workshops, and other activities that help mothers be aware of the many benefits they can get from breastfeeding. Commercial establishments such as malls have also joined in the advocacy campaign by providing breastfeeding stations where mothers and babies can breastfeed comfortably while shopping at the mall.
Breastfeeding is a vital, life-saving goal. Let us all protect, promote, and support breastfeeding. For more information about the Big Virtual Latch on Pampanga 2020, follow their page at https://www.facebook.com/biglatchonpampanga/.