2 Years And Counting: Why I Chose To Breastfeed My Child For More Than A Year

2 Years And Counting: Why I Chose To Breastfeed My Child For More Than A Year

Seeing shocked faces every time I breastfed my 2-year-old son is a new norm for me. I know, some says he's old enough and that he should get a milk bottle instead. But the thought of my child, weaning away, is excruciating.

While he's still inside my otherwise huge tummy, I promised myself to give him nothing but the best. Of course, I'm not on my 100% all the time but one thing that I did not hesitate to provide him was my liquid gold. Thanks to Breastfeeding Pinays, I was able to stock myself with the right skills and knowledge necessary for breastfeeding. It wasn't rainbows and butterflies all the time -- unsolicited advice, malicious eyes, biting, and a lot more -- but I never gave up.

There are times when I want to quick though, I admit. But I just can't. The bond I felt between me and my child is very strong. I know that it's the only thing that soothes him whenever he's in pain or having tantrums. I believe it's one of the best things I can provide while he's still young and with me. It's one of the reasons why I decided to work at home; I just can't leave this precious little monster no matter what.

That's why I'm glad that I am still able to breastfeed my child from the very first day he came out until now.

Supplements

The only supplement I took was Natalac, which is around P9-P10 per capsule. Although it's not in liquid form, I can still taste the Malunggay leaves after taking it with a glass of water. The Moringa oleifera leaves claim to help nursing moms, especially those who believe they have inadequate milk. It's also helps prevent iron deficiency anemia.

I started taking it 3 times a week, 4 weeks before I gave birth and only stopped after a year (just because I think I have enough milk). For those who want to try this, consult a medical expert first to ask the dosage you're allowed to consume.

Each capsule has about 250 mg Malunggay leaves, effective enough to improve milk meltdown. As for me, the result is very visible. I can produce stashes of milk and breastfeed my child at the same time. After a year, my liquid gold is still active and I was able to donate milk stashes to a child with pneumonia -- and that's one thing that I'm proud of.

After two years, however, my milk supply wasn't strong. Every time I squeezed my nips, I could still see milks spritzing everywhere (oops!) but it's not enough to fill a milk bag. It's kind of sad because i wanted to donate it. Luckily, my sister -- who's also a breastfeeding mom of 2 kids -- gave me a box of Mother Nurture 7in1 ChocoMix. It tasted like a regular hot choco -- the one you get from Mcdonalds and Jollibee. It's made of different herbs -- stevia leaves, malunggay leaves, gotu kola, ashitaba but I don't taste any of it -- not even a hint of anything leafy and that alone suggests how good the product's taste it. The aroma is also super inviting.

I gave Mother Nurture a shot for 5 days and guess what, it did increase my supply. Haven't tried pumping yet but I felt my get hard a little bit. It's not as engorged as before though. I'm planning to buy a few more and I suggests pregnant moms and breastfeeding moms to take it as well.

Taking A Class

"You mean spending just to breastfeed?" Spending a dime for a breastfeeding class sounds a little.. crazy. But let's admit it, not all moms have the confidence and the skills to nurse their child. In fact, there are moms who believe that they don't have milk. The thing is -- we only need to pack ourselves with the right details. This way, we'll be more comfortable, more confident, and more determined to breastfeed our child.

Luckily, I found a class that suits my needs. Stacey Stewart's Milkology Class (The Ultimate Breastfeeding Class) is one of the hottest courses you can take without leaving your precious little one. It was authored by a Certified Lactation Educator and a mom of 3 (cool!) it costs $19 or roughly 950 in Philippine Peso. Okay, so it did cost a lot of money. That, I can't deny but after taking this class, I found out that it's worth it. Guys, believe me when I say that not all of the best things in life are free. Supplying ourselves with the RIGHT KNOWLEDGE is important and sometimes, we need to put more into it. Anyway, I wish that I found this class a long time ago, it may have helped me produce more milk.

"So, this means that I can't take the class anymore since I've started breastfeeding already?" First thing -- no. You can still take the class. I'm nursing my son who's over 2 years but I am still learning a lot of new things from Stacey Stewart's Milkology Class. If you think you can't put your entire attention to this, don't worry. There's a cheat sheet at the end of the whole series which summarizes the lecture -- but believe me when I say that you should concentrate on the class. You can use your mobile device or a laptop -- whatever suits you -- so there's no excuse not to take this.

The best part? You can take the class over and over again, just in case you need a refresher when a new baby's on the way.

Are there any cons?

Nothing's perfect so yea, there are a few cons.

First, it's anti-formula. 

Okay, I am a breastfeeding advocate but I give equal respect to moms who've chosen formula milk for their child. As long as the child's safe and not hungry, I don't see any problems about it. But if you're not a breastfeeding mom, you may get offended. After all, this class is promoting breast milk.

Second, it requires a quiet time.

At some point, this means taking the class once everyone's asleep and well, I don't know if that's even possible if you're child's less than a year old. Whining is a daily routine so I'll leave this one for you to figure out. 😂

Third, it's expensive.

Not all moms have the luxury to take an extra class, especially when the budget is tight. Maybe take it way, you're saving a lot of breastfeeding your child. No need to buy formula milk. No need to buy feeding bottles. I guess it's just fair if you spend a little bit of your savings so you can give your child what he/she deserves.