Breast Feeding Month

It’s August and one of the events we celebrate here in the Philippines during this month is breast feeding awareness!

“Three kids and all exclusively breastfed?!  How did you do that???“

This is a common reaction when people learn for the first time that I breastfeed my kids, with matching ‘pasimpleng’ look at my chest… (count me as one of those who are not that gifted 😉 ).  And I give them a confidently beautiful answer, with a heart,

“Yes, I do!”

When I gave birth to our eldest, it was really a decision that my husband and I made to give the best to our child (and children to come!).  But “best” doesn’t always come easy. There’s a lot of hard work and sacrifice.

I remember crying to my husband all day and night on the first few weeks of post partum because of sleepless, restless nights, mixed with overwhelming emotions of being a first time mom.  Plus a consistent doubting if I made the right decision of breastfeeding my baby because man, she’s crying non-stop when she’s unlatched.

Is she really getting enough milk from me?  Or am I doing this thing the right way?

If you are wondering what made us stick to it up to this day (after three babies in four years!), it’s because of the benefits we could all get as a family.

Benefits of Breast feeding to Baby:

• Breast milk provides all of the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals an infant needs for growth for the first 6 months, and no other liquids or food are needed.
• Breast milk carries antibodies from the mother that help combat disease.
• The act of breastfeeding stimulates proper growth of the mouth and jaw, and secretion of hormones for digestion and satiety.
• It enhances baby’s brain development.
• Breastfeeding creates a special bond between mother and baby and has positive outcomes in terms of stimulation, behavior, speech, sense of wellbeing and security and how the child relates to other people.
• Breastfeeding lowers the risk of chronic conditions later in life, such as obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, childhood asthma, and childhood leukemia.

Benefits of Breast feeding to mothers:

• Reduces mother’s risk of developing osteoporosis in later years.
• Experience less post partum depression and also has lower risks of ovarian, uterine, and breast cancer.
• Less likely to become pregnant in the first six months following delivery as breastfeeding can be a natural contraceptive.
• One can return to their pre-prenancy weight sooner.

These are just some of the benefits one can get from breastfeeding. Not to mention that it is:

Free – Yup, no need buy those expensive formula milk, bottles,sterilizers,etc means more savings for the family!

Convenient  – always available, no need for preparation

Sterile – has the right temperature and environmental-friendly.

Oh, I forgot, the benefits of breastfeeding to daddies:

All of the above… 

plus the bonus of less interrupted sleep.  😉

About The Author

Andrea is a full time home maker. When she is not busy taking care of her husband and kids, she goes out giving financial management talks. She is a proud breastfeeding mom for four years running and an avid Oleia Topical Oil user.