5 Most Memorable Breastfeeding Moments

Breastfeeding is a fun yet challenging journey, one that you will miss once the journey comes to an end.  I am sure, everyone who has breastfed/ is breastfeeding their child will have many stories to tell.  Here are some of mine: 

1. After giving birth to my eldest, I did not use a nursing cover for fear that baby J might get smothered by the cover.  So every time she would latch on, my mom had to hold my shawl around us to give us privacy. It was tiring having to hold the cover for 15-20 minutes.  We continued doing it until I found a nursing cover that I felt was safe for my baby, a nursing cover that would allow me to keep a close watch on her while she fed.

2. Because most malls did not have a dedicated breastfeeding room, my only option if I wanted privacy, was to run to the nearest toilet. I would normally close the toilet seat and sit there while my baby latches on.  However, there were some toilets without a seat cover! So, in those moments, I had to let my baby feed while I was standing.  It was very tiring, but mothers will do anything for their children.

3.  During our trip to the Vatican Museum, because the tour took most of the afternoon, our baby naturally became hungry.  By the time we were in the bottleneck leading up to the Sistine Chapel, she was already inconsolable. I had no choice but to let her nurse while stuck amidst all the displayed tapestry around us, inside the infant carrier, while continuing to walk. That was the first time I did that!

4. Due to the terrible Manila traffic, I always brought a manual breast pump with me so I can express milk before I start driving home, so when baby A becomes hungry on the road home, she can be fed from the bottle while I continue the drive home. One day, while expressing milk before the drive home, I was so surprised that I could only produce 1 oz of milk despite all my efforts.  I thought something was happening that's why I suddenly could not produce milk.  But lo and behold, as I was washing the breast pump, I noticed that the valve was torn.  No wonder I could not seem to produce more than 1oz of milk.

5. At baby A's baptism, I wore a dress for the ceremony and reception, thinking I would just express milk and let the baby drink from the bottle.  But, our baby decided that she did not want to drink milk from the bottle that day!  I tried to nurse her in the toilet, but because it was occupied, and she was crying non-stop, the waiters of the restaurant decided to use a table cloth to prepare a makeshift breastfeeding room for me. As for me, I had to remove my dress while feeding baby A, in my makeshift room.  

Pretty fun breastfeeding moments, don't you think so?  Please share with us your memorable experiences as well!

8 Things nobody tells you about Breastfeding

I am an advocate of breastfeeding, having breastfed my eldest for almost 28 months and now, breastfeeding my second. 

Breastfeeding is not all a bed of roses. We always read about the benefits of breastfeeding, but nobody tells us what it truly entails.  So, let me share with you my experiences on breastfeeding.

1. Breastfeeding is painful.  At least during the first month and in the first few minutes of each feeding.  When I gave birth to my eldest, I, of course, wanted to breastfeed her because of all the benefits it can offer.  However, nobody told me that I would be in excruciating pain when she latched on.  So, for every feeding, I had to squeeze the hubby's hands tight just to get through the first few minutes of latching.  I was sure it was not a poor latch on my baby's part since she was always satisfied after, and she had very good weight gain.  But, things got better after the first month.  There was no more pain.

2. Breastfeeding can be messy.  Once your milk production is up, your production will be more than what your baby requires, especially in the first few months.  Always make sure you have breast pads.  If you don't, all your clothes and underwear will be soaked with milk and turn hard and yellowish.

3. Breast milk is a magnet for ants.  Make sure you clean every drop, whether you are nursing, expressing milk, or just preparing to feed through the bottle.

4. Breastfeeding can cause milk blister.  If you do not express milk frequently, you are at risk for developing milk blisters.  So, how do you know if you have it?  You may notice a white "blob" under the skin of the nipple which then causes clogging of the ducts under this, leading to hardening of the breast.  I had this with my eldest.  But to prevent it from getting worse, I had to poke the milk blister with a sterile needle to release it and prevent any further clogging.  This did relieve me of the pain of unexpressed milk.

5. Breastfeeding may cause sore nipples.  My babies think of me as their personal "pacifier". Naturally, they latch on for prolonged periods, which eventually leads to sore nipples. So,how do I alleviate sore nipples?  Try expressing a few drops of milk and applying it to the affected nipple.  You can also apply lanolin to the affected nipple.

6. Wear a nursing bra.  Nursing bras are there for a reason.  It makes nursing infinitely easier.

7. Buy a nursing cover.  Babies will nurse anytime, anywhere. It is best to bring along a nursing cover to maintain your modesty so babies can feed uninterrupted.  Make sure to choose a nursing cover that will not suffocate your baby though.

8. Nursing blouse/dress does help a lot in helping to protect your modesty. They are a bit pricey though.

But, despite all these minor inconveniences and discomfort, I still chose to breastfeed my baby because the benefits it offers far outweigh the inconvenience .  And once you get used to it, you will miss having your baby latch on when they finally stop breastfeeding.

Please check my other blog post on the benefits of breastfeeding below:
http://pedramusings.blogspot.sg/2014/02/breastfeeding-benefits-my-personal.html