Hi folks,
Last weekend, I visited my hubby’s colleague who had before this asked me a lot about cloth-diapering(CD) and breastfeeding(BF). She seems very keen to adopt these two options and had even bought a CD to inspect and try.
When I attend her baby full moon, I casually asked the confinement lady who is tending to the baby whether the baby is being breastfed. To my not-really-to-say “surprise” but “empathy”, she did not managed to carry on her wish to breastfeed the baby at least for two months. She only managed to do it for 2 weeks.
From the way the confinement lady sounded, obviously, she herself feels that breastfeeding is “troublesome”, thus I think that partly affected the new mom’s strength to carry on breastfeeding.
I understand how it feels cos I faced the same predicament when my mother-in-law who was doing confinement for me during my first child. Being new to motherhood and “helpless-ly” depended a lot of the physical and emotional support of the confinement lady during our weakest time both physically(after child-birth) and emotionally(being a new mom), it is definitely going to be a tough challenge to carry it on when the crucial support member does not support you.
I managed to pulled through thanks to the support of my husband as well as my own “stubbornness” to carry on no matter how hard it is going to be. Even though physically and emotionally I faced tough challenge as ever since I decided to breastfeed, the childcare task falls solely to me. Especially so, when the confinement service personnel is not supportive of breastfeeding. Thus, obviously, you cannot depend much on them to take the trouble to heat up the EBM and feed the so-called fussy baby who would dislike drinking from milk bottle etc etc..etc..which I believe most moms would have heard much of these which I don’t wish to elaborate here.
But one thing I MUST stressed and REPEAT is..you can do it! If you CONVINCE yourself that it WORTH all the effort and perseverance. That you do not mind the temporary “HASSLE”, and you would get all the SUPPORT and ITEMS you need to get thru the first tough 2 WEEKS(the first 2 weeks is always the most difficult time, a test of patience, faith and courage, I would say!), you would have decided on a healthier path for yourself and baby. The RIGHT CHOICE indeed!
Patience- Learning the technique to get the baby to suck properly so as to kickstart a good supply of milk
Faith – That BREASTMILK is the BEST Nutrition Start and Gift you can give to your child and that YOU CAN DO IT!
Courage – To go against the wishes and “advice” of people or so-called more “experienced” moms or women around you.
But for some reason, after you have DONE your BEST and you still did not managed to get through that difficult 2 weeks…GIVE YOURSELF A PAT and rest assured, AT LEAST YOU HAVE DONE YOUR BEST AND GIVE UP without even trying!
Cheers to all Mommies, Breastfed your child or not, you are still the BEST and a GREAT WOMAN just for being a mom!
Popularity: 1% [?]
Relactation is still possible at this stage – even if baby is 3 months old. If the mommy is still determined to breastfeed – see a lactation consultant who will help. In fact, I highly recommend a lactation consultant who can help you go through those tough 2 weeks.
Dr. Koe Swee Lee is a paediatrician/lactation consultant.
Mrs. Christine Choong is also a consultant
Hospitals who are baby friendly would also have their own lactation consultants.
I would also like to add that MOMS TO BE must READ UP as much as possible about breastfeeding and also get the support of ‘senior’ mommies who have done it. Otherwise, it’s just so easy to give up due to the many challenges of breastfeeding in the first 2 weeks.
.-= Hui-Wearn´s last blog post ..Children’s Book Giveaway by Little Red Reading Nook =-.
[REPLY]
Hanz Reply:
March 17th, 2010 at 1:39 PM
agree with Hui-Wearn, relactation is still possible at this stage.Speaking from my own experience, I manage to upgrade from mixed-feeding to fully BF when my eldest son already 7 months old.You right Molly, perseverance is the key!
.-= Hanz´s last blog post ..Let’s do Facial Massage, ladies! =-.
[REPLY]
One thing for sure… Breastfeeding momss rawkss!!!!
.-= Rozy´s last blog post ..FREE BAGS wItH BaGSkAkI! =-.
[REPLY]
Succeeding in breastfeeding journey is all abaout wanting them badly enough…. that the only spirit You need after gaining all the knowledge to breastfed our baby..
[REPLY]
By the way,Molly coicidentally…only yesterday I up a very interesting posting written by a dad who insisted why he wants his wife to breastfeed.
http://thehoneybunch.blogspot.com/2010/03/why-would-i-want-my-children-to.html
P/S- Maybe, can pass to your dear friend?
.-= Hanz´s last blog post ..Let’s do Facial Massage, ladies! =-.
[REPLY]
Relactation ..yup I will pass her d msg.. Thx for sharing mommies!
Yup, Hanz, I read ur blog entry, bet my dh would nod in agreement!
Will pass it to my guy frens
cheers!
[REPLY]
I’m SO glad to know that they are people like you (and those commented) out there who are advocates for breastfeeding! Having given birth in England, I was very lucky to have great support from my team of midwives to breastfeed correctly and to persevere on especially the crucial first weeks! Hence, I vowed to share & support moms who to breastfeed to my best ability back here. However, it’s not easy when moms here are surrounded by all the myths (the biggest one: not having enough milk!). So let’s continue to have patience and not give up encouraging these moms; faith that more and more moms will realise the benefits and choose to breastfeed; courage to share our knowledge and experience!
[REPLY]
yup, i’ve been thru the tough time twice.. guess what .. i failed at first but managed to bring it back successfully with 2nd child .. still on breastfeed my 11 months old daughther.. hopefully till 2 yrs old.. InsyaAllah
.-= su´s last blog post ..New !! Sunny Baby Cloth Diaper =-.
[REPLY]
I’ve been thru the tough times too..I breastfed my baby exclusively for 1 month, then most of family members urge for me to mix the milk(FM & BF)..so, when I’m working,my baby was with my MIL for 2 months(I didn’t manage to get a babysitter), she’s on formula on daytime,and BF at night time.We continue the mixing journey until she is 4 months and a half, she rejected direct BF(throwing tantrum when I try to BF her) but still drinks the EBM.
The EBM supply lasted for 1 month.Then, I was so busy with work (outstation here and there, and there was a time that my kursus was so tough,we have so little break and we finish the activity at 1 am everyday for 8 days and I was so tired & didn’t do the breast pumping), then my milk was getting drier with every day.
My baby was 7 months when I stumbled upon relactation article.Yes, the will power is there, I relactate for 2 months but then, there come the frustation.I fail…but, eventhough I didn’t breastfeed her now, I cherish and will always remember the days of our BF journey..at least I have 4 and a half months of it!
And now I have made an oath, for my second child after this, I will do it for 6 months exclusively ,at least..I have become the victim of situation before this, I guess, and with zero knowledge, little willpower, support and strength to go through it.Now I have close friends who are supporting me, and my hubby who now has understands about the goodness of breastfeeding.
oppss sorry terpanjang pulak..
[REPLY]