Single mums often get negative comments when they decide to mix breastfeeding and bottle feeding. This stigma became one of the things that a certain CEO mum wanted to change.
Stacy Chow struggled when she was a Singaporean single mother. The challenges she faced inspired her to build a company that aims to help breastfeeding mums. Throughout her motherhood journey, she hoped to break the stigma of breastfeeding mums and bottle feeding.
Many mothers in Singapore and different parts of the world experience shame and stigma with how they feed their infants. They commonly feel pressure to do certain things for their infants, negatively affecting their well-being.
Fortunately, several mums aim to raise awareness regarding this matter to empower other women like them. One of those mums includes CEO mum Stacy Chow.
Baby Express is a Singaporean brand operated by Singaporean mothers to help parents all over the country with their parental duties. It is considered by many Singaporean parents to be a one-stop shopping place for all mothers’ breastfeeding needs.
This Mum Hopes to Break the Stigma of Breastfeeding Mums and Bottle Feeding
Image of Stacy Chow with her Baby Express products. | Image Source: Stacy Chow
Stacy Chow, a working mum with four children, established the brand with the goal of helping breastfeeding mums, especially hardworking and single mothers. Her breastfeeding journey has been her greatest foundation and inspiration to help others.
The Breastfeeding Journey
Every mum has their own different stories to tell. Like the others, Stacy’s journey was also full of struggles and challenges as she needed to raise her four children alone.
She has always been a breastfeeding mum, from her eldest to the youngest. She was able to experience how difficult it is to be a breastfeeding mum while she was working.
It is never easy for a working mum to pump while she is at work. Back then, Stacy Chow was in sales, which requires her to commute now and then.
Aside from that, she highly emphasises how costly breast pumps are. There are good quality pumps, which lots of mothers cannot afford. The only breast pump she could afford during that time was the cheapest one.
Stacy Chow at her 21st birthday with her eldest son. | Image Source: Stacy Chow
Eventually, she realised that Singapore only has pumps with tubes and wires and is also non-rechargeable. Pumping was inconvenient, most especially for those working mums.
That was when she came up with the idea to create breast pumps for mums with no tubes and wires to make pumping more convenient. Mothers can buy pumps individually and, eventually, buy another when the budget approves.
They launched Baby Express in 2019, intending to provide a convenient breast pump for working mothers. Baby Express breast pumps are portable, wireless, chargeable, and noiseless, making them more convenient for mums.
Single Mums Breaking the Stigma of Breastfeeding and Bottle Feeding
Aside from being the successful founder of Baby Express, Stacy Chow also did a great job of raising her children. Before, she was a single mother who needed to take on different jobs to make ends meet.
With her experience of being a single parent, she knows exactly how hard it is to maintain breastfeeding her child. Being a breastfeeding mum while working will always be a difficult task to do.
Aside from launching the best, most convenient, and most affordable product for breastfeeding mums, Ms Chow would also want to take her opportunity to break the stigma of breastfeeding and bottle feeding.
Image Source: iStock
She believes that every mum, whether breastfed their child or not, must receive word of encouragement and enough support from other people. Ms Chow would want to maximise her influence to keep reminding mums that they are not alone in their motherhood journey.
Eventually, Stacy Chow was able to champion stopping bottle shaming. She firmly believes that not all women cannot breastfeed their child because of many other reasons. How mums choose to nourish their children must never be anyone else’s business.
With years of hard work, she was able to achieve becoming a certified Lactation Consultant and currently studying to be a Post Partum Doula.
Discussing the Struggles of Busy Mothers
As mentioned, when she was a single mum, Stacy Chow took on multiple jobs to make ends meet at home. She eventually saved enough money to build her business and champion breast pumps that help working mums who decided to mix breastfeeding and bottle feeding.
When asked about the trend of “quiet quitting,” Ms Chow believed that employers play a bigger part in this controversial movement.
She stated, “It’s human nature for someone to give more only when they feel valued and appreciated.”
Furthermore, the trend encourages employed individuals to strive to accomplish what they’re paid to do, nothing more. This especially applies to working parents who want to make time at home to bond with their kids.
Meanwhile, people who don’t mind doing more than their required duties often do it willingly if their working environment is favourable. It all depends on how their superiors show how much they value and appreciate the people working for them.
“A team that works hard and play hard together, works better and produces a better result,” said Ms Chow.
The Benefits of Bottle Feeding
Image Source: iStock
Ms Chow initially established her company with working breastfeeding mums in mind. As mentioned, it takes a lot of effort before we can change the stigma surrounding mixed breastfeeding and bottle feeding.
Indeed, breastfeeding can be very beneficial to both mums and their babies. However, people must never forget that bottle feeding has its own benefits too. Here are some:
Convenience. Babies who are used to bottle feeding can be fed by anyone at any time.
Flexible. Bottle feeding does not require working mums to keep pumping during their work schedule.
Easy to schedule. Scheduling feedings may be easier. Aside from that, your partner or someone at home can help you feed your baby at night.
Lesser food restriction. There could be instances when breastfeeding mums may need to avoid certain foods that their babies cannot tolerate.
