Breastfeeding against All Odds

Breastfeeding is gaining more and more popularity these days among people from all walks of life and sectors of society. It is a well-known fact also among breastfeeding mothers that a good support system is essential for a successful nursing relationship. This is especially true for mothers who choose to breastfeed despite very challenging situations – ones where the easiest, most convenient thing to do would be to formula-feed.

This article is a tribute of sorts to all breastfeeding moms everywhere, especially those who have faced problems and have overcome hurdles to provide the best nutrition – breast milk - for their babies. From sore/cracked nipples and mastitis (I personally dealt with this, too) to breast cancer to seriously-ill babies, breastfeeding is possible, as long as the mother is committed to it from the very beginning.

Mia delos Santos Chua is one of those moms who breastfed her child through mastitis. Because of her infection, she had to undergo surgery, and since the wound was near the nipple, she could not pump nor feed her baby directly. Instead, she expressed milk by hand and discarded it afterwards, fearing it would be infected. Mia should not have feared so, though, as it is actually recommended that mothers continue to nurse their babies even when they have mastitis or are recovering from a mastitis/breast abscess-related surgery, as indicated here and here. I was also advised to continue breastfeeding from the mastitis-affected breast, and was assured that this was completely harmless for my baby.  

Mommy Mia took lots of malunggay and milkmaid tea to help increase her milk supply, and claims that it was sheer determination and passion that helped her overcome this breastfeeding challenge. The support she received from her husband and other family members were also crucial in helping her get through difficult days.

“Whenever you feel like giving up, just look at your baby and think of the benefits breastfeeding brings, among which are good health, and bonding between mother and child,” Mia advises other moms.

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Maybelle Bangayan-Ti is another mom who breastfed “against all odds.” Being a breast cancer survivor with one breast surgically removed and the remaining one scarred and “incomplete” due to a biopsy did not hinder her from her conviction to breastfeed her children (6-year old Sophie and 1-and-a-half-year old Gavin).

During the last trimester of her first pregnancy, Maybelle set out to learn more about breastfeeding by reading books and articles on the Internet, and attending a free breastfeeding seminar. She thought that being intellectually and emotionally prepared was more than enough to help her breastfeed successfully.

However, Maybelle was not prepared for Sophie’s unique birth situation -she was born borderline premature via emergency caesarian section, and had to be kept in the incubator for the first 36 hours. Sophie was given formula by the hospital nurses, and Maybelle thought that all her hopes of nursing her had gone down the drain.

When she and hubby Ken were finally allowed to room Sophie in, Maybelle started direct breastfeeding her, relying on all she had learned from the seminar and her research/reading. Despite the difficulties and doubts, mostly brought about by Sophie’s seemingly endless crying bouts, Maybelle continued to nurse Sophie exclusively, with Ken’s support.

Well-meaning nurses, doctors and family members kept telling Maybelle that Sophie was crying because her milk was not enough, and there were times when she thought that she was “being a bad mother by insisting that I breastfeed her exclusively.  Yet from all the books my husband and I read, we knew in our heads we were doing the right thing. The only thing that kept us going was all the information we got from our research. I was truly thankful that my husband was completely supportive.”

Soon, Maybelle and Ken learned from her breastfeeding books that Sophie’s constant cry of hunger was most probably due to a normal growth spurt, and nature’s way of ensuring that Maybelle’s milk supply would continue to meet Sophie’s growing demand.

 

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“I continued to hear from family members that my milk wasn’t enough because of the frequency Sophie was feeding, and for many weeks, this was tearing me apart,” Maybelle shares.  “Every now and then, I would end up giving a little bit of milk formula – which only made things worse each time because all the more my milk supply couldn’t catch up with Sophie’s demand. Finally, my husband and I made a pact, “This is it.  We’re doing exclusive breastfeeding no matter what!” It was only after we made this firm decision that things slowly started getting better.”

Sophie soon started filling out well, and Mommy Maybelle says: “By the time she was five months old, everyone just wanted to chew on her chunky legs and take a bite out of her chipmunk cheeks. I was also getting a lot more rest than the previous months. All that talk about my not having enough milk was long gone.”

It helped too that Maybelle was able to join a support group for breastfeeding mothers facilitated by Best Friends in Breastfeeding. She discovered there that her beginning breastfeeding experience was quite normal, and the group has since become an essential part of her breastfeeding support system.

Trish Dizon-Rosal’s breastfeeding experience with her daughter, Sofia Ysabel is inspiring, though possibly heart-breaking to many. Sofia was born with congenital heart disease and was confined to the NICU for three and a half months (you can read about her story here. Her parents started the blog to chronicle her short, yet amazing life.)

During Sofia’s first week at the hospital, she couldn't take anything orally as she was being prepared for an operation. Trish diligently pumped milk to get her supply up. She was able to directly breastfeed Sofia for about 2 weeks before she had to be intubated.

”I had to pump, pump, pump all those months to provide her with my milk, which was given to her through a tube. I didn't need to produce as much for her age because her fluid intake was controlled due to a kidney complication. Human Milk Fortifier, which is like formula and usually given to premature babies, was added to my milk so she could have more calories with less milk,” Trish shares.

 

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What kept this inspiring mom going was this thought: “it was the least I could do for Sofia given her complicated condition - provide her with the best nutrition available. I looked forward to actually being able to breastfeed her again someday. She couldn't taste it when she was intubated, but I knew she loved it! When feeding time drew near she would start sucking on her tubes.”

Trish says that it also helped to see the diligence of the other mothers in the NICU's nursing room, particularly those who also had to express milk to leave with their babies. “I knew I wasn't the only one who had to go through the drudgery. Nursing is a much more satisfying experience than pumping!” she says.

Trish’s advice to breastfeeding moms, and pregnant mothers deciding whether to breastfeed is this: “Just do it! Anytime, anywhere. Expressing milk takes time, yes, so see if you can make use of your downtime. I used to pump in the car on the way to/from the hospital. Have a good cover so you can pump anywhere when it's time - e.g. I have pumped in the hospital's operating room waiting area and cardiac catheter lab waiting area.”

She adds that it also helps to get the best pump that one can afford. “Remember, formula is expensive too! I have an electric Ameda double pump that could run on batteries, through a car adaptor or a manual attachment. The machine is only guaranteed for 1 year but Sofia was the 3rd baby it has served!” she says. “Also, if your supply can afford it, spike your older kids' milk.”

Sadly though, Sofia was called Home by our Creator on July 23, 2011. “Sofia has passed away but I can comfort myself with the fact that I gave her everything I could during her short stay on earth,” Trish shares.

These are but a few of the powerful testimonies of mothers who have chosen and are choosing to breastfeed no matter what circumstances they are in. Hopefully, more and more mothers will be inspired to take this “path less traveled” – of breastfeeding their children, against all odds, whatever their state in life. After all, breast is truly best!



Photo by muskva via flickr creative commons