Breastfeeding really matters

Thank you for sharing your hearts and a wealth of information on breastfeeding. It only shows that working moms can breastfeed.

Go for it, Lucy!

Dear  Maricel,

 I read your column about the importance of breastfeeding. I also believe in it. I am pregnant and expect to give birth to my first baby in December. I want to exclusively breastfeed my child. How can I do that as an office worker? I’m allowed only to be on leave for 30 days. Can you please give me some advice or tips on this matter? – Lucy

I am Nona D. Andaya-Castillo. I passed an international exam and am one of the three International Board certified lactation consultants in the country. The other one is Elvira L. Henares Esguerra, RPh, MD, FPDS, IBCLC who is a sister of your friend Rosanna. They are both my former patients and Elvira is now my partner in breastfeeding advocacy. We have established an organization called Children for Breastfeeding.

I am also an advocate of indigenous vegetarianism being a vegetarian for 14 years, a teacher of natural family planning, a birth coach and a massage therapist.

Somebody forwarded me this letter that appeared in your column. She said maybe I can give the letter-sender some tips on combining breastfeeding and work. I am sending you my article on breastmilk expression and storage. For professional assistance on birthing, breastfeeding and natural family planning, I can be contacted at 271-0954 or this email.

The simultaneous stimulation of the senses will help us during milk expression when we are at work. Here are some tips:

1. Bring your baby’s used shirt and smell it.

2. Record the sounds your baby makes and play them.

3. Look at your baby’s picture.

4. Imagine your breasts like two waterfalls and picture your baby and your husband calmly swimming in the pool of milk under these falls. If you have older children, let them join the fun!

5. Say a prayer of thanks for your baby and your milk. You can assure yourself by praying Psalm 23: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall have everything I need.

6. Do deep breathing: Six counts exhale, one count pause, six counts inhale, one count pause. During exhalation, try to take out all the stale air that has accumulated in your lungs due to stress and shallow breathing. During inhalation, try to fill your lungs to its full capacity. The pauses can give your lungs a chance to rest and absorb the oxygen you have inhaled.

When thawed, breastmilk should be used within 24 hours. Please do not throw away excess breastmilk. Even a single drop is very precious. Here are a few suggestions on how to make use of it:

1. Give it to older children.

2. Give it to your lolo or lola. In Sweden, they discovered that when cancer cells come in contact with breastmilk, the cells commit suicide. They now conduct experiments giving breastmilk to adults stricken with cancer.

3. Splash it on your face and let dry. You will feel your skin tighten and get revitalized.

4. Donate it to a breastmilk bank. Please call Rosanna Henares-Angeles at tel. no. 415-6880.

5. Donate it to orphanages.

 As for a support group for vegetarians, I have organized Nurturers of the Earth. We offer free classes at our small library and office at St. Andrew Parish in Bel-air, Makati.

 We wish your more positive energies for all your pro-mom endeavors. – Nona D. Andaya-Castillo, IBCLC

If you want to exclusively breastfeed your baby but have to go back to work in 30 days, invest in a really good breast pump. A good brand is Medela, which you can get at Rustan’s.  It’s quite expensive though so if you have relatives or friends going to the States, order it from there.  I’m not sure what other brands are being sold there in the Philippines. Pump a supply of milk then store it in the freezer.  This may be thawed only under hot, running water and not in the microwave because the microwave will not heat the milk evenly and may burn the baby’s tongue.  Once you have a supply going, then you can leave instructions with your yaya or help or whoever will be looking after the baby while you’re at work to feed your milk to the baby.  Mark the milk with the dates and time you pumped so that you may use the "oldest" expressed milk first, working your way to the freshest eventually.  Also, try not to buy formula as backup so that it’s your milk that will be used for sure and not the formula.  You can also get the supplement fenugreek from GNC or Natalac from Mercury Drug to help your milk supply.  Or eat malunggay often and hot soups too as this helps with your milk supply as well.  I hope this helps.  I didn’t actually go thru this because I didn’t work for 1 year but I live in New Zealand so the standard maternity leave here is up to one year.  Also, I combined breast and bottle feeding from the start because I had trouble with breastfeeding right after giving birth.  I wish you luck and hope you can breastfeed exclusively. – Deanna

Dear Maricel,

One of the dilemma of breastfeeding working moms is how to provide a continuous supply of pure, breast milk to their babies once they return to work. Others simply give in and opt to give formula milk, which is more convenient. As a staunch supporter of breastfeeding, I urge mothers not to give up.

How did I do it? Well, I used to bring a small cooler and a sterile bottle with me. Every 2 p.m. or whenever I felt my breasts engorging, I go to a small, private nook in the office, clean my hands and my breasts, gently massage them and with my thumb and index fingers, express my milk manually by gently squeezing the shallow ridge between the areola and the nipple. Filling a 4-oz bottle can be quite a daunting task at first but do not be disheartened. After several days, you will know that you are doing it right when milk oozes in abundance and you can easily fill an 8-oz bottle in a matter of minutes. You can store the bottle in the cooler (I used to bring a Coleman jug) with ice until you get home. Breast milk will keep in the fridge for a week and up to six months when frozen. Warm the bottle in hot water before giving it to your baby. Do not use the microwave.

Breastfeeding was a wonderful and fulfilling experience for me and my kids. Both of them never had a taste of formula milk in their lips until they were two years old. They were never colicky nor were they sickly except for a few bouts of cold. They have grown since and excelling in both their classes here in the UK. – Fe Magbanua

Hi Maricel,

I am all praises your column. I read about Lucy’s concern. I am a mother of a nine year- old boy. I was an active rescue diver in Jeddah when I was still breastfeeding my baby. Whenever my husband and I would go for a dive, I used a breast pump to extract my own milk. I put it a sterilized bottle and then in the fridge. I recommend Chicco or Mothercare brand. – Carol Hipolito