I have a confession to make: The thought of having another baby sometimes scares me. There, I said… er, wrote it out loud… Yes, I am #keepingitreal again.
I know that our fourth child — the one in my womb, nudging me as I write this — is a blessing, just like his siblings. I know that God gave Him to us according to His time and plan, even if it was a surprise for us at the time (that story is for another post altogether!).
Despite knowing all that, I still can’t help feeling nervous. And apprehensive.
One of the things that has been “bothering” me lately (for lack of a better term) is the thought that I will have a little baby “stuck” to me, almost 24/7, breastfeeding seemingly non-stop, totally and completely dependent on me to provide for his emotional and physical needs.
Yes, I’m being real now. Raw, emotional, real.
So I’m writing this to remind myself of the beauty of God’s plan. His purpose behind it all. His intention behind creation.
He created me — including my body — to nurture and nourish this baby.
He will be with us as I give birth to this child. He will help us get started on our breastfeeding journey.
He will see us through. Just as He saw me, my husband and our other kids through our unique breastfeeding (and everything-else-related-to-baby-caring) journeys before, He will be our Strength, our Hope, our Deliverer, our Provider.
Of course, He also expects me (us!) to do our part. I know He’s given us — and will continue to give us — what we need to take care of this precious life He’s entrusted to us.
To refresh my memory though — particularly about preparing for breastfeeding — I thought I’d ask my friend, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) Joyce Martinez of , to answer a few questions related to breastfeeding. I hope the pregnant and planning-to-breastfeed moms out there will find her answers and breastfeeding tips useful!
(Photo by )
Tina: If you were to give your top 5 tips to a mom who is preparing for breastfeeding, what would they be?
Joyce: Tip 1. Attend a breastfeeding class — this can prepare you for what to expect after giving birth, how to self-manage breastfeeding problems, and when to seek professional help.
Tip 2. Talk to people around you about your decision to breastfeed. Discuss this with your husband and bring him to the class. If your husband is not around, make sure your support system understands your decision — this includes your mom, sister, mother-in-law, etc.
Remember that if you’re the only one who understands the importance of breastfeeding then you’ll probably get poor support from them; but if you have them with you in the class they might even encourage you to continue breastfeeding at your lowest point.
Also, when having a baby shower, put a little note that pro-breastfeeding gifts are preferred.
Tip 3. Visit your chosen pediatrician prior to giving birth. Ask him/her how he can support you on your decision to breastfeed. Identify cues as to whether your pediatrician is a real breastfeeding advocate.
Tip 4. Make a breastfeeding-friendly birth plan and discuss this with your OB. Identify your expectations post-delivery and strategies that will address hurdles along the way.
Tip 5. Join a community of parents and experts that will enable you to achieve your parenting goals as breastfeeding is the start of rearing a child.
Tina: What do you think of breastfeeding “aids” like galactagogues, breast pumps and nursing covers/nursingwear?
Joyce: Breastfeeding is free and natural. It takes a determined mom and an actual baby to nurse to make it happen. Mothers should always remember that the stimulus for milk production is direct feeding. Although in some cases, breastfeeding aids can help mothers sustain breastfeeding.
The use of galactagogues is somewhat cultural in nature. (Note from Tina: . In some parts of Africa, they have also been using pure malunggay leaves especially to nourish pregnant and lactating mothers.)
Joyce says malunggay is considered a “herbal galactagogue” — plus it is “a natural and local source of vitamins and minerals; it’s good for the mother’s health.” I personally used — and plan to use — Moringana Pure Malunggay Leaf Capsules to help boost my milk supply! Moringana is available in Mercury, Watsons, Generika, Actimed, and other leading drugstores nationwide.
Some medicinal galactagogues are used as “off-label” drugs (e.g.domperidone and plasil) for the medical diagnosis “hypoprolactinemia“. In such cases, the mother should always seek a doctor’s advice and should not self-medicate.
As regards breastmilk expression, I believe that all nursing mothers should learn first how to hand express. Hand expression is cost-effective and natural.
However, we are living in an industrialized world where some mothers no longer stay home to focus on rearing a child. The woman’s role has evolved and we must provide support to mothers who are also making a living outside the home.
Therefore, whatever “gadgets” that can help them sustain breastfeeding as long as they don’t pose a health risk to them and the family, I am all for it.
At the end of the day, the lactation consultant or counselor’s job is to help mothers achieve their breastfeeding goals and not to force them to do something against their will.
On nursingwear/covers, one thing matters to me: the comfort of mother and baby. What’s important is she breastfeeds her baby, with or without them.
Note from Tina: I breastfed three kids initially without using any kind of nursingwear, but now I love the fact that I can invest in fashionable nursing clothes like those from , one of my favorite brands 🙂 (Just one of the great mommy-friendly brands available at )
Tina: What words of inspiration and encouragement would you like to share with all moms who are planning to or preparing to breastfeed?
Joyce: Stay focused on your decision to breastfeed — it may be hard at first but it gets better every week. Never compare your breastfeeding progress with another mom — her baby might have different needs, thus you will not have the same milk output as her.
Focus on baby’s cues rather than numbers (frequency and duration of feed) and you will never go wrong. Self management and virtual support on breastfeeding is okay only if you are able to address the problem within 24-48 hours; otherwise, seek professional help.
Joyce with two beautiful breastfeeding moms, one of which consulted her for breastfeeding advice.
When lactation management is not enough, relax and pray. Pray hard; divine intervention is so powerful. At times when I have difficult cases to deal with, I pray for my patients. It works!
I hope Joyce’s tips are helpful to all the preggy and breastfeeding mommas out there! Please feel free to share them — via this article — to anyone you know who might benefit from them!
