happy birthday sweetheart!

happy 2nd birthday baby

we love you so much

thank you for coming into our life.

my version of truth about breastfeeding

I didn't have any kids that time yet. But one day, I was with Apol the hot momma. We took a cab from makati one sunny working day and she was carrying this big black bag. She immediately took out what was inside and pumped away. i was not scandalized. lol. it's a girl thing (ewan ko lang ke manong driver).

she said, "tol when it's your time, karerin mo yan ha". Referring to breastfeeding.

Now, It's the advice i'm giving to my pregnant friends and clients.

"Karerin mo yan".

I will not enumerate the benefits of breastfeeding. We have sites for that. But I have my experience to share.

Day 1:
6 hours after giving birth to Jana, the nurse asked me to go to the nursery room and nurse her. Ayus sa alright. Wag na mag-wheelchair. Lakarin na lang (mayabang ako e).

Tulog ang Jana. Ayaw dumede. Nadidiri nga ako nung umpisa. Uncomfortable. Ilalabas mo dede mo? Nakatingin ang nurse, ang asawa, ang doctor. Hala sige. Free show eto.

Gabi na wala pa ring gatas! Jana is crying. Utang na loob, I'm still too tired. Nakakahiya sa ibang pasyente sa kabilang room. Bigyan na ng formula yan! Opps teka, we didn't bring any feeding bottles. And we specifically told the nurses, "No formula! Just Glucose water ok?"

Day 2:
Milk is still MIA.
Glucose water ulit? Wag na.
Eto dede ko, bahala ka ngumawa dyan.
Patigasan na lang.

Day 3:
Kawawa ka naman anak. Wala pa ring gatas.
Wala rin tayong formula. Wala ring malinis na feeding bottle.
Magtyaga ka sa dede ko.

And the milk overflowed :)

Week 1-Month2:
Welcome to motherhood!
Jana will wake up in the middle of the night, hungry.
I'll lift up my shirt and go back to sleep.
Salamat naman, i don't have stand up, prepare the formula and watch her finish drinking. I may be too groggy to do that.

Month 4:
Di ko na kaya... antakaw na ni Jana, hindi na enough yung napapump ko :(
Bakit naman ang onti ng naiipon ko? Bakit naman yung iba 20oz ang inuuwi sa anak every day? Waaaa, unfair!

Fenugreek, Malunggay capsule, Anmum Lacta, Mother's Organic Milk Tea. Sabay sabay in a day. Dumami lang ang milk supply.
Hubby said, "Paabutin mo na kahit 6 months lang. Maganda naman yung effect ke Jana e."

Ok goodluck to us. 2 more months pa Lord.

Month 6 onwards:
As first time parents, we sometimes forget to bring Jana's bottle or water or snacks. We dont panic. Instead we say, "Sige padedehin na lang pag nagutom". Problem solved.

On times that I'm away from Jana, I try to store my breastmilk. I've read that the best way to have good supply of milk is to nurse/pump frequently.

So I have tried pumping in a movie house.
I pumped while driving a car (manual man or matic, go lang ng go!).
Pump inside a cab.
Pump while Jana is nursing on the other breast.
Pump on a public toilet.
Pump on a public toilet while someone is pooping on the other cubicle (worse experience ever).
Pump even when there's no vacant room available ("Mam, pwede ba makipump dito?). Buti na lang my officemate is also a mom and understands my plight that time.
Nurse when I have colds.
Nurse even when Jana started biting.
Nurse in a supermarket.
Nurse inside the church.
Nurse inside the car and the passengers on the bus nearby are staring at my....um...legs?

Lahat na ng kahihiyan, name it. I have experienced it. Talo ko pa ang bold star.

After almost 2 years:
"Anak tama na dede. Big girl ka na e."

What makes it enjoyable:
Shall I tell you that whenever she sees me coming home from work, the first thing she says is "DEDE!!!" Nope, she doesn't call me mama. When she wants me, she'll say DEDEEEEE. Alright!

While nursing, I'm able to demand to her "Kiss muna ke Mama." I think I've become more attached to her, than her to me, because of breastfeeding.

"Embrace na rin".

I learned that during nursing, its the best time to teach my child new tricks.

"Pray na tayo.. in the name of the Father..."
"Where's your pusod? Your pwet? Your poopoo?"
"How old are you?"

Current dilemma:
I want to wean her. I'm ready.
Maybe she's ready too. But i'm not gonna force her to stop by "using sili or ampalaya", it's too traumatic. So if you know any gentle way of weaning, please enlighten me.

It started as a challenge to myself. Then we said 6 months. Now we're on the 2nd year. Not bad na di ba? :)

Jana knows how to get to her target.
No matter what I wear.