From delivering her first child through a water birth to breastfeeding while on a paddle board, parents looked up to actress and host Coleen Garcia.
The mom of Amari, who stars in the new Vivaone series, Kung Hindi Lang Tayo Sumuko, sat down with Smart Parenting to talk about another milestone in her motherhood journey: how she weaned her son from breastfeeding.
"Originally, I wanted to breastfeed for three years," Coleen shared. "I stopped at around over 2 years and 8 months. Kaunti nalang eh, but I felt like I needed to."
As a mom who once called herself "part-time human, full-time baby buffet," openly shared their breastfeeding struggles, Coleen revealed she had a hard time weaning Amari because she considered it a "beautiful moment" that she didn't want to ruin.
Her resolve was to do it slowly and gradually, "I stopped during the day first, then naging night feeds nalang. But that was so hard for me kasi every two hours talagang gising siya."
She recounted that her breastfeeding journey, although fulfilling, was also exhausting. "Imagine, 3 years of that. It was really so hard. I wasn't sleeping well, and I wasn't happy. I was becoming, it was putting a strain on our relationship din as a mother and child kasi I was so tired, and I was so unhealthy rin. So I decided, it was time to wean."
Coleen added that at first, she was scared to wean because it felt like ending a bond they had for almost three years. But she was surprised that when Amari finally weaned, their relationship actually improved. He also noticed changes in her son.
"Follow nobody else's timeline but your own. Follow nobody else's instincts but your own. I feel like you'll know when it's time." —Coleen Garcia
READ ALSO: 'I'm Free But I'm Also Sad' Mom Shares Journey of Weaning 4 Year Old
"I feel like he matured so much ever since we weaned. He still looks for me whenever he needs me, of course. And I'm always there. But he relies on me less. He has more confidence in himself," she told Smart Parenting.
She also revealed that she tried other tricks to wean Amari. Her weapon of choice? Vinegar.
"Amoy lang. Hindi ko pinapa-taste. Doon kami nag-start. Parang there were times na I had to work or emergency na hindi ko talaga siya mapakain. Or like, we're in a restaurant. Ang sinasabi ko, "Oh, it's broken. The dede is broken."
She continued, "Tapos alam na niya, pag when you say broken, amoy vinegar. Amoy vinegar siya."
Coleen said some of her family members tried the "hot sauce" trick, but she didn't want to resort to that.
"Ayoko naman siya ma-trauma. It was such a beautiful bond. I don't want it to end in an ugly way," she maintained.
READ ALSO: Anne Curtis Says ‘Gentle Wean’ Helps Her To Have Less Hormonal Shifting
Message for other breastfeedings moms who want to wean
She advises moms who are also on the same journey to do what works for them, "Follow nobody else's timeline but your own. Follow nobody else's instincts but your own. I feel like you'll know when it's time."
Coleen added, "When you feel like you've given enough and you feel like it's time for you to move on to the next stage of your relationship as mother and son, or as mother and daughter. Kasi there's growth that will come after that as well. And you tried your best as long as na binigay mo lahat. And if nasa-sacrifice na yung mental health niyo, kailangan unahin nyo pa rin yung sarili ninyo."
She admits, she neglected herself, and she's just starting to recover, "But it was still a beautiful time."
Coleen concludes, "And don't feel pressured by what society tells you. If they say na, 'Kailangan umabot ka ng 2 years, kailangan umabot ka ng 3 years, kailangan hanggang may milk ka,' it's always gonna be different for everybody."
"So just follow what you feel like is right for your child but also for you," she added.
For more tips on how to gently wean your child from breastfeeding, read this.
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