Proud breastfeeding moms have something in common: they are patient and always ready for 'the call'. Every breastfeeding Pinay, who are self-labeled 'padede-moms', are equipped with 5 Breastfeeding Essentials in Meeting the Demands of their Little Ones.
So, here they are, numbered and arranged:
Dede
Boobies
Milk-makers
Mammary glands or breasts
Suso?
There you have it: a simple, brief summary for everyone to understand.
The Editor's Take
Everything else that you buy, in connection with breastfeeding, is not essential. The only must-haves that matter, above all, is the dede—or the mother's breasts.
To label other food, medicine, supplies or equipment as 'essential' to a mother's breastfeeding journey is to call other breastfeeding moms who simply don't want to acquire the same, or who don't have the capacity to acquire those, as inadequate. The word 'essential' means 'absolutely necessary; extremely important', according to the Oxford Dictionary. So, is buying breast pads absolutely necessary to a mom's breastfeeding journey? Is using a breast pump extremely important, that a lactating mom cannot lactate because of the lack of it? Of course not. Helpful, yes, but not necessary. Period.
Every breastfeeding mama's breasts are enough; in fact, more than enough, with proper education, information and support. But of course, I will not leave this post without advice to assist in your breastfeeding journey!
The First Few Weeks
The first weeks of a first-time mom's breastfeeding experience are the most challenging and difficult weeks. During this period, a mother's milk will undergo three phases of development.
The first stage happens prior to giving birth. The mama would have had stocked up on the precious liquid called colostrum, an incredible, concentrated fluid packed with a chockful of nutrients and immuno-protective factors. Colostrum tends to be thicker or 'more sticky' than the usual creamy milk that we all know, and its color can range from clear to yellowish. Colostrum also comes in small quantities, so the best (and most recommended) way to harvest it is through nursing your baby or by doing hand expression (for preemies who are not able to suck yet). Using a pump to harvest colostrum will only result to the liquid sticking in the equipment, which makes it a wasteful process.
In the first week after giving birth, most mothers, especially first-time moms, fall into a trap of thinking that they do not have enough milk, or that the milk hasn't come out yet. This is not true. Colostrum is the first milk that the baby will receive from a breastfeeding mom, and a little of this power-packed concoction is enough for a baby younger than a week, whose stomach size is comparable to the size of a calamansi.
Days 2 - 5, after giving birth, until the second or third weeks, is usually where the second phase of milk development happens. The breastmilk at this stage referred to as 'transitional milk'. Transitional milk is the 'middle' or 'bridge' between colostrum and mature milk. The mom's body is rapidly adjusting to baby's needs, so the composition of her breastmilk is changing to include higher lactose content and more fatty acids.
At the end of the first month, the breastmilk is matured at this point and its protein composition has fairly stabilized. The milk at this final phase of development is called 'mature milk'.
During the first few weeks, your little one is also learning how to feed or latch efficiently and effectively. It is not uncommon to hear moms complain of sore nipples during this period. When breastfeeding is too painful or unbearable, the most common diagnosis is improper latch, which means that your baby is not attaching correctly. Other reasons that can cause painful nipples when breastfeeding are lip and tongue ties, which are examined by a doctor and might require minor surgery.
There are several consequences when baby is not latching properly. First, this situation will make the baby hungry, and thus, more prone to crying and fussiness; second, this will lead to milk not being removed from the breast frequently, signaling to the mother's brain that the mother does not need to produce more milk, and hence lead to low milk supply, and possibly painful engorgement. To attach your baby correctly and enable your little one to feed correctly, follow these guidelines or procedures from La Leche League International.
So, for first-time moms, here are the true must-haves that every would-be breastfeeding mother should prepare for!
Number 1:
Patience
Breastfeeding is not an easy task. It demands time and effort from the mother. Thus, the Number 1 Must-Have for a first-time mom to succeed in exclusively breastfeeding her baby is patience. Lots, and lots, of patience.
LLLI cited research which found that successful lactation depends on 8 or more nursings in 24 hours, both day and night, throughout the first month. Establishing this pattern during the first few days will lead to a better breastfeeding outcome. Aiming to nurse every hour and a-half to two hours during the day and no less than every three hours at night will establish milk supply and ensure that the baby gets enough to help stimulate weight gain. "In fact, with frequent and effective nursing during the first week, milk production increases ten to nearly twenty times!"
Do not stress when your baby seems to be feeding all the time. This is perfectly normal, especially in the first few weeks. Which brings us to the second must-have...
Number 2:
'Unli-latch'
This is the padede-moms' term for breastfeeding on demand. Rather than timing the feed and putting your baby on a feeding schedule, it is best to breastfeed whenever your baby needs to. This implies that if your baby wants to hang out all day nursing in your boobies, then do that!
Your baby nursing frequently does not mean that you have insufficient milk supply. In fact, in the first two months, almost all breastfeed babies feed every two to three hours (with some babies feeding every hour, or less, during growth spurts!), and it is completely normal. There are three major reasons for this. The first one, being, that during the first month you and your baby are still in the process of getting in sync with each other to establish milk supply, so your baby tends to feed as much as he/she can get to tell the Mama's brain how much milk to produce. Second, babies need their Mama's presence almost all the time! Breastfeeding is not just about feeding—it is also bonding. Breastfeeding is love! Third, breastmilk is super easy to digest, so baby will tend to cry for Mama for more milk to satisfy his or her rapidly developing brain and body. Remember that human breastmilk is the perfect food for human babies, and nothing else compares. In fact, formula milk manufacturers are always on the search to match the composition of breastmilk as close as possible. As far as research on infant nutrition is concerned, there are still many things that we are yet to understand about the wonders of Mama's liquid gold.
Number 3:
A supportive environment that encourages breastfeeding
The cultural norm in the Philippines, sadly, encourages formula- or bottle-feeding rather than breastfeeding. Some experts claim that this might be due to the aggressive marketing of formula milk during the 1960s and 70s. Even with the passage of the Philippine Milk Code in 1986, the practice of offering bottle to a newborn has persisted since, and The Guardian even reports that "formula milk companies are continuing to use aggressive, clandestine and often illegal methods to target mothers in the poorest parts of the world to encourage them to choose powdered milk over breastfeeding, a new investigation shows."
To a breastfeeding Pinay, hearing side-comments or advice contrary to breastfeeding, may have been part of her experience. Personally, I've heard statements like, "Kulang ang gatas mo." and "Hindi nabubusog sa gatas mo." This experience is one of the most depressing, perhaps even a maddening one, aspect of my motherhood and breastfeeding journey.
A mother's chances of success in exclusively breastfeeding her baby also increases with the amount of support that she gets from the people around her. Start within your family, and offer Mama the much-needed support through words of encouragement to boost her confidence, or offering to do the household chores and letting Mama get a well-rested nap or sleep while Papa or the Grandparents play with or soothe baby. If Mama decides to breastfeed her baby, anyone that says otherwise is free to get out of the house. Feel free to not listen to relatives' advice that promote bottle-feeding or formula-feeding. Do not even let old wives' tales or 'pamahiin' get in the way of breastfeeding your little one!
Joining a support group, like Breastfeeding Pinays, on social media can also help. We are a specie that thrives in communities, so listening to others, as well as asking and sharing experiences, can help you find the confidence and morale for your breastfeeding journey.
Number 4
Mama's Good Health and Comfort
Contrary to the popular belief that food consumed by a woman affects the quality of her breastmilk, the evidence from research yields a finding that a mother's diet did not significantly alter her milk production and her breastmilk composition. According to a study conducted among lactating women in Latvia, macronutrient (fat, protein, and lactose) content in human milk is not affected by maternal diet, but the human milk fatty acid profile (DHA, ARA) is affected by the immediate diet consumed by the mother. The bottom line is whatever the Mama eats, her body will make sure that she can still provide the perfect food for her baby. It is also widely believed in the academic circles that the baby can 'taste' what Mama eats, so go ahead and eat that cookie chip for your little one as well!
This is not to mean that mothers should not watch their diet while breastfeeding. Most doctors still advise women to take post-natal vitamins and DHA supplements like fish oil capsules to improve overall health and postpartum recovery. Breastfeeding or not, and as responsible parents, we need to take care of our own health and wellness so we can better take care of our young ones.
Mothers also tend to produce more milk when they are relaxed or stress-free. Consider making a 'nest' at home where you can breastfeed your baby without distractions or noisy disturbances. I consider our room and the bed where we sleep as my 'nest', where I feel at peace and relaxed when feeding my baby.
FTM Tip:
Have a bottle of water beside your bed or 'Mama Nest'. Most of the time, padede-moms only realize that they need to drink water when little one is already relaxed on the boob, making it hard to get up and disturb the baby while feeding. Mine gets fussy when I shift my position a little, so I learned to keep water beside me at all times! It also helps to have an arm's reach of snacks and good music to keep you and baby company while little one drifts off to milky, dreamy world full of love and Mama.
Number 5:
To Believe That You, Mama, are Enough
Breastmilk is the best for babies up to 2 years and beyond.
It is essential to believe that the milk in our bosoms are enough to nourish our babies. To imply or believe otherwise reinforces the cultural norm that even the law has long been trying to correct or remedy. What we need is a movement—a persistent, strong movement—to spread proper education about breastfeeding.
Human babies have survived and evolved from the wonderful substance that is breastmilk. It is no wonder that nature cannot be replicated that easily—try hard, if they must—for human milk has an amazingly complex composition that supports brain and body development, protects the baby's gut from harmful, disease-causing pathogens, enhances the development of the baby's immune system, and even alter behaviors.
If you are an expectant mother planning to breastfeed your baby, there is a treasure trove of reliable information on breastfeeding through websites such as La Leche League International, the world's widest network of breastfeeding advocates and lactation consultants, and even the Department of Health, as well as other medical websites. If you are currently breastfeeding your baby and you need help or you think your supply is not enough, talk to your baby's pediatrician or your OB-Gyne, as they will assess your condition. Make sure to find a breastfeeding advocate health professional who will not pressure you to formula-feed your baby, but instead help you to successfully feed your baby at the breast.
You, Mama, are enough. More than enough, too.
With proper education, all women—regardless of breast size, or whether she gave birth through a C-section or normal delivery—can successfully breastfeed her baby. So padede-moms, let us padede all the way.
We want to know your thoughts, advice and comments too! Feel free to comment below and share this 5 Must-Haves For Every Breastfeeding Pinay with your fellow padede-moms or friends!
Comments