“Is my milk good enough for my baby?”
“Should I be worried that I produced less milk today than yesterday?”
“Oh my God, my breasts are all hard and engorged!”
“My nipples are sore, and it hurts!”
Let’s just tell the truth. Breastfeeding isn’t easy. It is a physical and emotional struggle. You go through sleepless nights, and many a moment of frustration and despair, just to make sure that your little one gets all the nourishment that he/she needs.
It’s possibly the hardest yet most rewarding thing you have done. And that’s because breast milk is “liquid gold”, and contains essential nutrients and antibodies that fight viruses and bacteria, and boost your baby’s immunity.
Breast milk is a superfood that only we mummies can produce – a miracle food that changes constantly to meet the nutritional needs of your growing child.
Breastfeeding comes with its own set of challenges. For one, not being able to produce enough milk for your baby can be depressing. Mummies, if you feel that your breastfeeding journey hasn’t been easy, and if you are finding it hard to cope, read these breastfeeding stories of mums who soldiered on, despite the hardship and criticism.
We think you’ll be inspired!
Breastfeeding stories to inspire and inform: Mums who never gave up
This mum sends her breast milk from Singapore to Philippines, “I want to give it to them even though I’m far from home”
Mummy-of-2 Felirose Bartolome is a medical technician who has been working in Singapore for the past 8 years.
Her children though, live in the Philippines, far away from her.
You’ll be amazed to know how this mum has been breastfeeding her children, from outside her country!
She pumps her milk, saves it in milk bags, preserves them in the freezer and sends it to the Philippines (through other mummies) for her kids, using a cooler.
“Even though I’m far away from home I can still provide them the best of me, my nutrients and antibodies through my milk,” says this inspiring mummy, whose love and dedication has made even the impossible possible.
A mummy who breastfed NON-STOP for more than 10 years!
When she first started breastfeeding her baby in 2007, Malaysian mum Anzi Hung had no idea that 10 years later, she would still be breastfeeding!
This mummy managed to breastfeed her three girls, now aged 12, 8 and 5.
It wasn’t easy for Anzi, and there were many challenges to overcome. She admits that there were times when she would cry in the middle of the night.
“The bad experience I remember the most is when I had serious illness in my 2nd pregnancy. I had non-stop bleeding, and there was a big drop in my haemoglobin levels, due to acute haemorrhoid. I also came down with dengue…” she told theAsianparent
“My gynae asked me if I was crazy to continue breastfeeding and to stop what I was doing, But I stuck on…”
Read more about Anzi’s remarkable journey here!
A Singaporean mum’s story of tandem nursing and extended breastfeeding
If you thought breastfeeding one baby was tough, imagine breastfeeding twins!
Sin-Yee Tan is mummy to twin boys, Caleb and Lucas, who are now 4.5 years old. Last year, this Singapore mum shared with theAsianparent how she handled both tandem nursing and extended breastfeeding.
She does admit though, that, things were really tough in the beginning, “Nursing two babies is probably one of the hardest things I’ve done in my life.”
When it comes to tandem nursing newborn twins, Sin-Yee recommends the football hold position as best, along with a twin nursing pillow.
“Despite what people tell you, it is possible for the majority of women to breastfeed twins, given the right support and knowledge,” Sin-Yee tells us.
“I was in coma during delivery. Breastfeeding saved my life!”
Today, we know Dr Wong Boh Boi as a well-known lactation consultant in Singapore. But did you know that breastfeeding has saved her life, twice?
During both her pregnancies, she had preeclampsia, which led to a lot of complications during delivery. She had to be put into a medically induced coma.
The medical team who attended to her, however, continued to bring her baby to her, in her comatose state to allow breastfeeding. This was seen to have saved her life.
Read Dr Wong Boh Boi’s full story here!
The Singapore mums who proudly advocate breastfeeding in public
Singapore is a developed country, and today there is so much awareness about the benefits of breast milk.
Yet, when it comes to breastfeeding in public in Singapore, there’s still a fair amount of stigma and shame involved. Expect to be stared at, sometimes with disgust.
Amidst all this shaming, some mummies have been advocating the benefits of breastfeeding, and nursing in public, right here in Singapore. They do this with quiet determination, and they have been doing it for years.
Read all the advice and tips these mummies have to offer, here!
So mummies, remember that every mum’s breastfeeding journey is unique and fraught with its own set of challenges. Breastfeed as much as you can, for as long as you can, but do take care of yourself too. Treasure every moment of this journey!
Also READ: 5 crazy things I did not know about breastfeeding: An open letter to my wife