MANILA, Philippines - As a pediatrician, Dr. Cristina LimChu-dela Cruz is dedicated to providing parents with the right information about infant and childcare and ensuring the health and well-being of her little patients.
As a mother, Dr. Dela Cruz also ensures that she practices what she preaches, especially when it comes to providing her children proper nutrition. She espouses breastfeeding and encourages parents to engage in this important experience, having experienced first-hand its many benefits.
“I was not a doctor yet when I had my first child; at that time, my pediatrician gave me milk formula for my baby but did not encourage me to breastfeed,” she relates. “It was a good thing that we thought of consulting pediatrician and neonatologist Dr. Ma. Luisa Manlapaz, who encouraged me to discard the formula and breastfeed exclusively for one year and two months.”
Dr. Dela Cruz’s two other children were also breastfed. In fact, she plans to continue breastfeeding her youngest child, who is turning one.
“Breast milk is the complete food for babies. It is pure, safe, and sterile,” Dr. Dela Cruz adds.
She says there’s no need to give the baby extra fluid or supplement on his/her first six months. “As long as the mother is healthy, she can breastfeed her child.”
Breast milk is full of nutrients that are important for the child’s health and aids in proper brain development. Breastfeeding helps prevent a lot of diseases since it allows the transfer of the mother’s immunoglobin to the child through breast milk.
“As a doctor and a mother, I believe that breast milk is the best form of nutrition that we can give our babies,” she stresses. “And it is important that parents are made aware of the advantages of breastfeeding for them to appreciate and understand why we have to breastfeed our children. This is why we encourage direct rooming of the baby after delivery, especially if there are no medical conditions that can endanger the life of the child or the mother.”
Today, working moms have no excuse not to breastfeed their children.
“Products like Philips Avent’s ISIS Duo breast pump allows mothers to ensure that their babies still get all the benefits of breast milk longer, even if they are not able to breastfeed,” she says.
Dr. Dela Cruz holds clinics at St. Luke’s Medical Center, Jose Abad Santos Mother and Child Hospital, and Malabon Doctor’s Specialty and Diagnostic Center.
“As mothers, we only want the best for our children. We need to live a healthy lifestyle to be able to take care of our family,” she adds. “So visit your child’s pediatrician regularly, and be sure to complete their vaccines as these can prevent life-threatening diseases.”