Daily Short Blog #20
Breastfeeding is not as easy as everyone knows and I didn’t realize until I get to feed my own baby.
P.S I’m not discouraging breastfeeding on this blog, I think I just want to express myself as to why I opt for formula.
Breastfeeding is fulfilling and exhausting all at the same time. When I finally saw my baby in the delivery room, all I want is to give her everything I could. I want to feed her as I saw her crying to think that she might be hungry or something.
Few months before delivery
Before giving birth, I was so eager to breastfeed my baby that I have bought a lot of things to support the both of us – me and my baby. I bought a nursing scarf, breastfeeding pillow and the most expensive breast pump I have ever found in the local market! 😀
I bought one set of Medela Breast Pump for around AED 500 (or USD 140), a breastfeeding pillow from Babyhug at AED 50 (or USD 14 and a scarf for AED 40 (or USD 10). I was really hoping to breastfeed my baby that time but then I have valid reasons, and please don’t judge. 🙂
First Reason
I was not blessed with good milk supply.
Considering I was already doing all the recommendations to increase my supply such as: increasing water intake, frequent latching, taking moringa and other supplements, eating soup everyday – still I failed myself.
My husband diligently cooked healthy foods with green leafy vegetables everyday just to help me improve my milk supply. We always had sinabawang halaan (shellfish), sinigang na karne, dinengdeng and anything mixed with soup and malunggay (or moringa).
Aside from consuming these meals daily, I have also tried taking supplements on a regular basis such as these lactation tea – which I drink twice or thrice a day. But unfortunately, didn’t work out for me.
Second Reason
I was stressed.
While I was on my 2-month-long maternity leave, just before I was returning back to work, my previous company gave me 1-month notice of termination. And therefore, I’ve lost my job. I really didn’t know the main reason why – is it because I was not there for the last 2 months and didn’t benefitted the company? or was it because I need to pump while working? or because I was entitled for a 20-hr breastfeeding break per month? thinking I wouldn’t be able to perform my job properly?
For me, it was truly unfair, unjust and discriminatory for I have just technically given birth and now I’m losing my 5-year old job when I haven’t returned back to work yet. Legally, it was against the UAE law, but I tried to move on, perhaps it was for something better – in which, indeed something better happened for me in exchange.
I have posted a blog about my journey postpartum and how I lost my job and gratefully found a better one.
Check out my blog here:
Losing my 5-Year Old Job after my Maternity Leave
I was dedicated to feed my baby through breastfeeding but with my significantly low milk supply, it went to zero supply because of all the stress hormones I was having.
I was upset losing my job and at the same time, pressurized to find a new one, since I couldn’t afford to be jobless especially in a foreign country with a family to feed.
In the end
I felt frustrated and that I was a failure. I wasn’t able to feed my baby with breastmilk and that she wasn’t able to get nutrients from it.
But still, I’m grateful that I was able to provide her sufficient formula milk that she needs to sustain growth and development.
I hope my blog could still help you and other mothers striving to increase their milk supply.
You can check out my blog here:
19 Foods That Could Help Increase Breastmilk Supply
What do you think about providing the best that we can for our children? Does it matter if it should be breastmilk or formula?
I would love to hear from you! You may please leave a comment down below.
You might want to check out my other short blogs here:
Losing my 5-Year Old Job after my Maternity Leave
My First Pregnancy Journey: The Labor and Delivery
My First Pregnancy Journey: The Name We Have Chosen For Our Baby
My First Pregnancy Journey: Approaching My Due Date
My First Pregnancy Journey: Preparing for Labor And Delivery
