Breastfeeding is a journey that comes with many emotional and physical ups and downs. That first successful latch can be a reason for parents to celebrate, but that nth bite on mommy’s nipple not so much.
For Episode 9 of her vlog Poprica, Smart Parenting’s Editor-At-Large Rica Peralejo-Bonifacio sits down with actress and host Coleen Garcia-Crawford to talk about the latter’s rollercoaster journey in breastfeeding Amari, her son with actor and celebrity host Billy Crawford. The two celebrity moms, both breastfeeding champions, explore the topic: “How Moms Can Power Through the Struggles of Breastfeeding.”
Amari, who will be turning two in September, has been breastfed since he was born. Coleen shares that there was no doubt in her mind that she would breastfeed her son because she herself was breastfed. “It was just a given for me na I'm going to breastfeed. Period. And when I gave birth, I didn't expect to have such a hard time,” she tells Rica.
Baby Amari’s first latch brings Billy to tears
“He was like, thank you Lord! He legit cried! Like he burst into tears talaga!”
Even with a doula by her side, Coleen says Amari didn’t latch right away because of inverted nipples. She began to worry that her newborn might be hungry but was told that there was room for trial and error at the start and that her baby didn’t need heavy feeding right away because of the colostrum. She adds that she is thankful to have someone by her side to guide her every step of the way otherwise, she wouldn’t know what to do. “I can't imagine how it would have been if I were alone,” she says.
According to Coleen, her inverted nipples were most likely due to exhaustion from giving birth. “I think in my case, my body was shutting down because I was so tired and it was just not popping out, you know?” she tells Rica. To get her nipple to ‘pop out’, Coleen was advised by her lactation counselor to use nipple shield. “One day, the shield just fell off and the baby started to latch,” she recalls. It was at this moment that Billy just started crying, narrates Coleen. “He was like, thank you Lord! He legit cried! Like he burst into tears talaga!” reveals Coleen.
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Since that day, milk has been overflowing for Coleen to the point that she has shared her supply with her newborn sister, she tells Rica.
She credits her lactation counselor for a successful breastfeeding journey. “She told me na as much as possible for the first six weeks, don't use anything like the Haakaa or the pump or anything so that your body will learn how to regulate how much milk is needed for the baby, she shares. Coleen says she followed the advice and has never had to use the bottle. “My counselor, Abby, said, direct is always best.”
Eat well and move
The body responds to breastfeeding differently. Rica and Coleen says they realized this through their own breastfeeding journey. “I know people say that you lose [weight] when you breastfeed but for me, I think I gained,” says Coleen. She adds that while genetics plays a role in keeping her body after birth, she says she gains and loses weight easily so discipline is key.
“Fitness is really part of my life. I can't live without it…even if it's just being on the stationary bike,” shares Coleen, who adds that she makes sure she always moves. She advises other moms to find an exercise that gives them joy but more importantly, they have to keep moving. “You have to move because it's not even just for you to lose weight, you don't want to lose your mobility, your flexibility,” she stresses.
Eating right and meeting one’s daily caloric needs is also very important in keeping one’s weight. “I don't deprive myself,” says Coleen. “So if I do want sans rival, I'll have a bit. I'll have croissants. Croissants are my favorite.” What’s important, she adds, is eating what you want to eat but in moderation.
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You’ll have bad ‘breastfeeding’ days and that’s okay
Coleen breastfeeds to this day but she says there have been days when she ‘flat out hates it.’ “Honestly, there were so many times when I wanted to give up but I knew I wasn't going to,” she reveals. “Even until now, you know, two years after, when they said it was going to get easy -- it does get easy, it's easier but it's not easy.”
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She says such feelings towards breastfeeding are valid.
“It's okay to be sitting there feeding your child and to absolutely hate it... because we have those moments.”
For Coleen it’s important to acknowledge such moments and to embrace it even. “You have to acknowledge that …otherwise you're just going to feel guilty. You're just going to keep it inside and you're going to think that you're a bad mom and you're not because it's totally valid for you to feel that way because this is our body.”
Rica and Coleen agree that breastfeeding can take a toll on one’s mental health. Because it has both mental and physical demands, it affects many areas of a mother’s life, especially if she is a working mom. Days of going out to socialize are abruptly cut because proximity and accessibility to the baby is a priority. Apart from its physical demands, there’s also the literal pain of breastfeeding.
“They don't see all the nights that you're crying, you're in tears, and you have blood, sweat, and tears,” puts in Rica.
A happy mom is a good mom
Coleen agrees these are just some of the reasons why other moms choose not to breastfeed. “Not everyone has the capacity to breastfeed. Some have to do things na hindi puwedeng i-balance with breastfeeding. Whatever reasons there are, maybe you just can't mentally take it and that's a valid reason as well,” she says. What’s important is for the mother to take care of herself,” Coleen advises.
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At the end of the day, breastfeeding can impact mothers differently and it’s important to put a premium in their overall health and disposition because this will affect how they take care of their baby. Coleen reflects the importance of being a happy mom because it also adds up to being a good mom.
Watch the full Poprica interview here:
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