Mothering Corner

Before I started breastfeeding, when I came across a mother who breastfeeding in public, I really felt uneasy about it. I was not growing up in a family that promotes breastfeeding, in fact, most of them are anti-bf! So, I used to think that breastfeeding in public is inappropriate.

But after I became a moo, I started shopping for nursing clothes as I wanted to breastfeed in discreet when I’m out. I felt awkward at first, but after a few practice and concentrate more on my babies who were crying in hunger, instead of people staring at me, I felt more confident and comfortable.

However, I still prefer to use the nursing room as my babies are very KPC, they get distracted easily, and with my strong letdown which spray or drip around, I better off doing it in the nursing room or in the car. Nowadays, Isabelle hardly nurses in public. She’s too busy looking around than nursing, even if I brought her to the nursing room. Unless the room is empty, if not she won’t nurse.

I didn’t take much photo of me breastfeeding my kids as my hubby was not around most of the time, so there was not anyone to help me with the camera. Most of the photos taken are only my babies nursing, from my view, without showing myself in the photos. But I think I better take some breastfeeding photos before my baby weans off.

My brother and SIL called me frantically on Tuesday. Apparently, 4-month-old baby Elizabeth is diagnosed with cow milk and soy milk intolerance. They went to Egypt for 8 days and baby Elizabeth was on formula milk as brother’s MIL said the frozen EBM made her “pik pik” smelly. *Roll eyes*. She fed her with formula milk.

Then, when they were back, Elizabeth was on fever, and was hospitalized due to some rashes. She had a blood test as well, and the results showed cow milk and soy milk intolerance. SIL was “complaining” that she took too long to introduced cow milk, that’s why baby couldn’t take it now.

Actually, that’s not true. Justin was hospitalized with cow milk intolerance once. In the beginning, he was ok as he only took once a day. But after I started supplementing more formula milk, he had fever and bad rashes. In fact, he was pretty “swollen”. We immediately admitted him to the hospital, and his paediatrician suggested that we stop cow milk and switched to soy milk instead. Then only the symptoms faded.

However, after a while, he’s back to cow milk again. He’s on formula milk now, and he doesn’t have problem with it because most kids will outgrown intolerance when they are older. However, it won’t happen for cow milk allergy. It’s a different case!!!

So, I suggested that SIL continue to breastfeeding Elizabeth and start solid later when she’s 6 months old. She planned to wean off by 6 months, but I don’t think it’s a wise choice. It’s better to delay the weaning off process for baby’s health benefit. No point trying again to supplement so soon.

Anyway, breastmilk is still the best for babies.

A few bloggers told me that my previous header for this blog didn’t show up, and I kept fixing this problem by editing the template for the past weeks. At first I thought it was the IE or Firefox version that doesn’t support the template, but seems like it’s the template itself that gave me the headache!

Not only that, some of the script code that I pasted can’t work for the template (and also my other blog!). So, I was searching around for new templates for new bloggers as I like the features, it’s really idiot-proof! I hate working on with HTML as I have other domains with that, and I wish that this domain is the easiest of handling of all. However, there is not many choices.

So, I will settle with this template for the time being. And I have more mood in blogging and updating it now!

When I first started breastfeeding, my aunt of 4 kids asked my mom, “Why she breastfeed? No money to buy milk powder meh?”

I was pretty annoyed by the remarks as I felt that my effort in breastfeeding was being “insulted”, but now, I laughed along and said, “Yes, I save up a lot, on formula only”
I’m not sure if all breastfeeding moms agree on this, we do save up a lot on buying formula milk. And most of the time, breastfed babies are healthier, so we save up on paediatrician’s consultation fees too. However, there are things which I spent lots of money too in my breastfeeding journey, and here they are:

1. Disposable breastpads

I prefer to use only disposable breastpads. I have lots of washable pads of different brands, but they don’t make me feel comfortable when they are wet. I have strong letdown, so I prefer to soak the milk on the other side with breastpad that have better absorption. After trying out a few brands previously, I only stick to using Pigeon after having Isabelle.

They can be quite expensive, if you use them as regular as me. So, I buy lots of them when there is a sales.

2. EBM Storage Bags

I store my expressed breastmilk with Avent milk bags. I rare pump now, but during my glory days, I was using up to 3 bags per day. If I’m away, I used about 7 bags per day. So, I only buy the storage bags online as they are cheap.

I would suggest that if you are storing EBM lesser than 3 Oz, it’s a waste to use Avent’s. I prefer to store the milk using Ais Cream Malaysia plastic bags, as they can store milk in lesser quantity. However, if it’s more than 3 Oz, I will go for Avent.

My SIL found a cheap way of storing EBM. No, it’s not milk bottle. She’s storing EBM in mini plastic cups with lids. You know, the small transparent plastic container which lots of people like to sell tau fu fa with? Sorry, I didn’t take a photo of her storage, if not, I’ll paste it here. She disposes them after each use, and they are so cheap!

3. Breastpump

I’m pretty obsessed with breastpumps. LOL! I like to check out what other mothers are using, and eye on the latest breastpump in the market. However, I still prefer to use Avent ISIS when I’m on the move, so I can pump almost everywhere. But when I’m at home, Medela MME is good enough.

4. Nursing clothes

I bought a lot last time, not not anymore.

Oh, that is it! To put it in a nutshell, breastfeeding mums really save up a lot huh?

Whenever I’m around, Isabelle needs to be nursed to sleep. When we were out for dinner just now, she’s fussing to sleep, and I nursed her publicly. If this happened when Justin was a baby, MIL would surely raise voice and ask me not to do it publicly. But for Isabelle, every one sort of getting used to me breastfeeding everywhere!

But no matter where we are or what I’m doing, she will surely make a fuss and wants to nurse to sleep. Don’t mention pacifier, she won’t take it! LOL!

She is yet to sleep through the night. She will wake up at least 3 times from 10pm to 7am. It was worst when she’s teething as she was hardly sleep and latched on more than usual. I remembered that I slept with my breast exposed to let her help herself. I was too tired to bother about it!

Lots of mothers prefer not to breastfeed because of comfort nursing as it’s really tiring if a baby wants to nurse to sleep all the time. Actually, I’m wondering when will my baby sleep through the night, and I can sleep like a pig for 8 hours too. But I don’t think that I’m doing anything wrong to develop this habit with Isabelle. I will rather nurse her to sleep than rocking or patting her in the middle of the night. Hubby loves this the best! He doesn’t need to get up!

My maid is handling all my frozen expressed milk most of the time. She will bring out a frozen milk bag before Isabelle’s feeding time, thaw it under running water, pour out the milk into the milk bottle and heat it up with an Avent warmer.

I told her I’ll be going away for 4 days in April. So, she told me just now that my milk bank may not have enough stock for Isabelle to last for 4 days and 4 nights. Actually, I know about this already. I had bought a pack of formula milk, and placed it in the storeroom. I told her that she can try to supplement Isabelle with the milk, whenever necessary.

She will be turning one next month, so I have decided to start supplementing her with formula milk. She hasn’t started yet, so I’m not sure how she will take it. Anyway, it’s part of the weaning process. Since I don’t plan to wean her off so soon, I will still nurse her directly, but not pumping much.

I am still reluctant to wean her off. I know that one day she will need to be weaned off, but not so soon.

This is what I like best about breastfeeding, to be able to look into my baby’s eyes, and see how satisfied she is nursing. Priceless….

This is an old post from one of my blogs dated 2006-12-30…

This post will not be sponsored by PPP, but I insisted on writing it as I’m a breastfeeding fanatic. Why won’t it be sponsored? It’s because I don’t meet the page rank 4 requirement, but I’m doing this to support breastfeeding. Anyway, I didn’t get the opportunity, it’s gone by the time I clicked on it!

If you’re a regular to my blog, you’ll know by now that I exclusively breastfed Justin for 9 months (with solid food after 4 months), and I’m still breastfeeding Isabelle exclusively, and she’s 8 months old now.

To succeed in breastfeeding, these are my 3 keywords:

1. KNOWLEDGE

• Read up as much as you can on breastfeeding. I was born in an era when everyone believed formula milk is the best and convenient way of feeding babies. I don’t have many to turn to when it comes to breastfeeding.
• My mum nursed me, but not exclusively as she thought breastmilk is not filling enough for babies. To avoid starving me, she supplemented formula milk, but this it not true. Human babies need only breastmilk for the first 6 months, then you can start solid food slowly while still breastfeed the baby until 2 years old.
• I failed on Justin because I was pregnant with Isabelle, and despite my effort in trying to breastfeed during pregnancy, I couldn’t do it because I had placenta previa and was bleeding and been advised by my gynae not to breastfeed anymore.
• During confinement, you’ll have lots of “experts” around you whom will give you lots of advice, without the proper knowledge, you just don’t know which to follow. So, if you read up and knowledgable on breastfeeding, you can filter the unnecessary nonsence, and concentrate on doing what’s the best for you baby.
• Buy and learn how to use a breast pump. Good breast pumps are expensive, but they’ll save up the money you’ll be spending on formula and medical bills. Breastfed babies are generally healthier, I have 2, so you can count on this.
• Oh ya, buy breastpads, lots of them! LOL!

2. DETERMINATION

• I’m very determined since young. I’ve made up my mind to breastfeed my kids when I was pregnant, so I won’t let myself failed.
• I didn’t stand by formula milk, that means breastmilk is the only food source my babies get right after delivery.
• Hide all the bottles, if you bought any. Only take them out after the first month or 6 weeks to avoid nipple confusion.
• Baby suckles a lot, so you have to bear being a pacifier to her. No artificial pacifier please, your breasts are meant for the baby!
• Keep telling yourself, you’re tired, but one day, you’ll still sleep thru the night. I haven’t slept thru the night since Justin was born, but I’m still as determined as before, wanna breastfeed Isabelle as long as possible.
• Remember, we humans are mammals, and mammals breastfeed their youngs. There’s no such thing as NO MILK, only lazy, inadequate knowledge, and no support for mothers who want to breastfeed. So, refer to point #1.

3. SUPPORT

• Get some support from hubby, tell him everything you know about breastfeeding. If there’re negative comments about it, let hubby handle for you during confinement as during that time, with baby blues, engorgement, colic, etc, the last thing you want to hear is unpleasant remark on your breastfeeding effort.
• I educated my MIL as she’s with me during confinement. I didn’ want her to stand against my will to breastfeed. But my mum who’s miles away was against my effort to breastfeeding Justin at first. She was worried that I didn’t get enough rest, but now, when she sees how healthy Justin is, and how slim I can (ahem..) she supports breastfeeding!!! Even asked my brother’s wife to fully breastfeeding baby Elizabeth.
• Join breastfeeding support groups. There’re a few online groups, but I prefer local forum where I feel homely.
• If you need any help, please email me, I’m more than willing to help you out.

My old post on breastfeeding which was written on 14 July 2005. Gosh, I failed to breastfeeding Justin until 2!!!

Lots of friends and relatives know that I fully breastfeed Justin, and I am frequently asked the following questions. I’m not talking about those FAQ which can be found from babycentre or other breastfeeding website, but some really funny and ridiculous ones (at least to me, they sounds funny!). Most of them are asked by my race, so please don’t be offended if I mentioned our different races in M’sia. I just want to release my frustration.

FAQ:
1. Will you nipple be long, darker, bigger, and uglier after breastfeeding?
Shoppingmum: My dear, your nipples changed when you’re pregnant, and when you get older. So, even if you don’t breastfeed, your nipples will also change! May as well make good use of it, I mean its MAIN purpose in feeding babies.

2. Will your breasts sag?
Shoppingmum: Again, breast tissue / size change when you’re pregnant and aging. So, if you wear proper bra, your assets should be safe (for a few years!)

3. But why those Malay women’s breasts look sagging after bf? (Normally asked by my Chinese friends / relatives)
Shoppingmum: Not only Malays, Chinese’s breasts will also sag. And it’s not because of breastfeeding!!!! Looking around those Ah Soh, their breasts still “stand still” with they’re in their mid-forties meh???

4. Why still breastfeed? No money to buy formula ah? Only poor people breastfeed.
Shoppingmum: *Smoke coming out from head* Mmmm….what do you think? *Holding fist behind* OK, it’s good for both mommy and baby. It helps mommy to slim down faster after giving birth, and can still have a well balance diet, no need to starve like hell or pay money to Marie France. For baby, it’s the best milk they can get.

5. Sure or not? Formula milk all got DHA, EHA, SA,…ABC, your milk have ah?
Shoppingmum: You think cow / goat milk got but human milk don’t have?

6. Yes, that’s why we buy formula.
Shoppingmum: It’s because the milk company wants to make formula as close to breastmilk as possible, that’s why they add all those artificial stuffs in it! Breastmilk has all of them!

7. Ya meh? Why most Malays breastfeed and their babies still not smart?
Shoppingmum: *Want to kick butt liao* How do you know they’re not smart? You test their IQ? Breastfeed babies normally have higher IQ, but no matter how smart a baby is, it’s still depending on the upbringing and environment. Besides, when a mother breastfeed, she’s holding the baby close to her, and baby will feel calmer and contented.

8. How you know so much? You only have 1 baby. I have more leh.
Shoppingmum: That’s because I get my facts straight (you morons!)

9. Got enought milk meh? You’re not cow leh…
Shoppingmum: Cows are mammals. Mammals breastfeed. Humans are mammals, we SHOULD breastfeed too. If you do it and forget about your bottles / formula, you’ll sure have enough. If there’re some day your productivity goes low, come and see me! I know where, how, and from whom to get help! *Very proud, got MMB*

10. Then, what do you do with the bottles I gave?
Shoppingmum: Make rattles for Justin. *Smile*

11. Huh? That means at night you still have to take care by yourself? Didn’t rest during confinement too? (To Chinese, it’s best to EAT & REST only during confinement)
Shoppingmum: Yes, I bf from confinement till now. And take care of Justin by myself at night, no matter how many times he wants nen nen. And can still go to work tomorrow!

12. Next time when you’re old sure got lots of pain, didn’t rest during confinement.
Shoppingmum: Ok, worry about that later. *No eye see*

13. Don’t understand you, got money don’t buy formula; got maid don’t let maid take care at night and sleep more; Why so susah being a mother?
Shoppingmum: If I don’t take care and breastfeed my baby, why give birth in the first place? Why be a mother and don’t fulfil the responsibilities? *No mood to talk already*

14. Ok lah, ok lah. See one day when your son don’t want to quit (they mean after 1 year old), and want nen nen from you, sure others will laugh at him.
Shoppingmum: *Going to faint* It’s advisable to breastfeed until 2 years old. Children will wean off when they’re ready. If others laugh at him, it’s not because he’s weird. I’ll tell him that he’s special, and mommy is giving the best milk to him. A mammal / mother has to do what a mammal / mother has to do!!!! It’s normal to breastfeed!

I’m in the mid of organizing my posts in my blogs. I have too many blogs to manage! So, I decided to transfer some of the posts related to breastfeeding here, as my “filing cabinet”.