MFO Paris Series: Pumping in Paris

My pumping essentials*, well half of it: ( __ ) Spectra 9 Plus breast pump kit, ( __ ) Honeysuckle milk bags, ( __ ) Sharpie for labeling, ( __ ) Lysol wipes and spray for disinfecting hands and surfaces, and ( __ ) Cradle baby bottle cleanser. Not seen here are ( __ ) disposable breast pads, ( __ ) extra breast pump parts, ( __ ) adapter, ( __ ) nursing cover and ( __ ) paper towels

The Situation

Prior to my Paris trip, the longest I've been away on a trip and having to pump breast milk was 5 days and 4 nights, and only to Singapore.

That didn't require much planning as I had enough milk stored, Xavi was over a year old and was mixed feeding with cow's milk, and travel time took no more than 6 hours from our hotel to the doorstep of our home.

Planning for this 12 day trip was soooo much more difficult. At 10 months old, Tepper is still purely breast fed. I had to start storing milk weeks before my trip, while still exclusively feeding directly.

With the added pressure of having to have lots of milk stored for him, it affected my milk supply. Thankfully, my friend Didi Tang introduced me to her friend Jackie Lim, who agreed to donate milk to supplement my stash. That took a load off my boobs and my sanity. Thanks Didi and Jackie!

Next, travel time from Paris to Manila, including getting to the airport to have enough time to scan our tax refund forms, waiting in the lounge while transiting, and waiting for our luggage practically meant 24 hours of travel time. I did not know if my breast milk would survive.

The Checklist*

What was for certain though was I was resolute in the idea of pumping breast milk while traveling, and I was going to bring it home.

My friend Chris Daez said she has brought home milk from long haul trips abroad, all I needed was a ( __ ) Fridge-to-Go and ( __ ) Techni Ice, and I'd be fine.

Staying at an Airbnb apartment also proved beneficial to my cause. When staying at hotels, I had to get the bell boy to come and get the milk I've pumped, to be kept in the communal freezer.

This time around, I had a dedicated ( __ ) freezer for my breast milk.

I managed to pump anywhere from 18 to 24 ounces a day, less towards the end because Tepper was not around to keep on feeding heehee. I think I went home with about 30 6 oz bags of breastmilk. I can't even remember anymore exactly. I blame it on three epidurals.

While searching on how to pack French butter for bringing home, I read that wrapping it in newspaper keeps it from melting faster. Figured it would be the same for frozen breast milk. I didn't have newspaper though so I just re-purposed two La Grande Epicerie ( __ ) paper bags into a breast milk wrapper. I then slid packs of brown paper wrapped breast milk bags in ( __ ) Ziploc gallon bags.

I didn't have time to buy the Techni Ice that Chris recommended, but I had some ( __ ) Silver Ice from Babymama.ph to take with me to Paris and boy was I glad I brought some along! When I got there, the Monoprix nearest us didn't have any, and I didn't have enough time to look for a store selling  these, so I strongly suggest to bring ice packs for your expressed breast milk.

This Silver Ice packs flat, you'd just have to fill it with water and freeze prior to using it

Tips for Pumping and Packing Breast Milk

1) Pack your breast pump, extra bottles and parts, Ziploc bags and the first half of essentials (see topmost photograph for reference) in your carry on luggage with the insulated bag. I also packed one manual breast pump kit, just as a back up. I was never questioned about my pumping equipment as my luggage went through the baggage scan, even when I had bags of expressed breast milk added through the course of the trip.

2) Estimate how often you will be pumping to ensure you have enough supplies. In my case, I could space my pumping to every 8 hours at the longest, so I only had to pump 3 times while in transit. This meant I had to bring 3 clean bottles so that I use a sterilized one each time I pumped. The used bottles I kept in a Ziploc bag. Pumping for the entire trip amounted to 6 six ounce bags. The expressed breast milk I also kept in a separate Ziploc bag. I also packed disposable breast pads to change with.

3) While on the plane, I asked the flight attendant to keep the expressed breast milk for me in the freezer. She was happy to help me out, and gave me a claim tag so I could ask for the milk back prior to landing.

4) While in the lounge, they didn't keep my milk for me, but they gave me some ice to put in my Ziploc bag. I kept the milk inside the Ziploc bag and only took it out when I handed the bags again to the flight attendant in my connecting flight to Paris.

5) While in Paris, I made sure to pump before leaving the apartment. This allowed me to have enough time to not have to worry about pumping while out. I would resume pumping when we got back to the apartment. The same is the case when we are traveling in Singapore and Hongkong, where I could go back to the hotel to pump. But if you absolutely have to bring your pump with you, make sure to bring a frozen ice pack along to keep your milk cooled.

6) I waited until the last minute to pack my insulated bag with the frozen breast milk in my suit case, just to prolong the time it was frozen. I kept the entire bag in the freezer prior to packing.

7) As much as possible, use a super lightweight suitcase so you don't waste precious kilos. I packed the entire insulated bag in my check-in. Didn't have any trouble with it.

Inside the insulated bag, wedged between the milk bags were ice packs and four bars of Bordier and Echire butter, hahaha. The perks of traveling with what is practically a freezer.

7) Because I made it my priority to bring home about 9 kilos of frozen breast milk and French butter, everything else that took up precious space in my luggage had to go into this balikbayan box. 

My French pharmacy stash, half-empty bottles of toiletries and remaining kitchen paper towels, non-perishable food items, and my used shoes and clothes that I had no immediate use for like jackets, capes, jeans, sweaters, scarves and booties, they all went into a balikbayan box.

I learned of this balikbayan box service by Eliza Travel from my friend Kat Dy, who shared with me this tip years ago. I finally put this information to good use. Heehee. If ever you are in Paris, and need stuff shipped home, contact Liza or Boualem of Eliza Travel at +33-0140506074 or text +33-609182432. We just had to pick up the boxes at their address, on 20 Rue Bois le Vent, 75016 in Paris (Metro: La Muette).

8) Because the frozen breast milk was packed well, it survived the grueling long haul flight. While most of the milk remained rock hard, some had melted a bit. According to my cousin, Dr. Jamie Isip Cumpas, who is an International Board Certified Lactation consultant, as long as the core of the milk bag is still frozen, it is still safe to ingest.

I am happy to report that Tepper drank all of the milk I brought home, he was fine, and there were no issues at all. So yes, pumping while traveling, it can be done!

*I've taken the liberty to put ( __ ) on items you'd have to pack so you can literally tick them off your list

For more tips on pumping while traveling, read THIS and THIS.

Part 2: Shrink the Belly Project

Read Part 1, HERE. 

5. Kat Power + Lemon Water. Before lemon water in the morning became a thing,  my fitspiration Kat Garcia, was convincing me to take lemon water early on, because it speeds up metabolism daw. 

This is Kat, she's a mom of two and has 6-pack abs

I didn't take it seriously then, but two months after I gave birth, I consulted with her and she said I had to do it as part of my fasting cardio routine, which was safe to do two months post-partum. 

 

Since there was no escaping it, I eventually did so and I saw for myself how fast I lost the extra weight! I am now a believer. She recommends mixing lemon water with some honey and cinnamon, which is actually quite yummy. I take it warm first thing in the morning.

via healthandlovepage.com

Which reminds me, I am actually due for toning sessions with @mamakat na! (She's @mamakat on Instagtram). I don't need to be super ripped, but it would be nice to get toned. If you want to consult with Kat, message her at +63917 620 6876.

6. Watch what you eat. This is going to be a downer, but nutrition plays a key role in losing unwanted weight. What worked for me in general:

- Ge Lai Herbs that my mother in law made me take as a tonic. She says it helps flush out toxins and dirty blood from the body

- NO junk food or salty food so you don't have to deal with water retention while pregnant (I eventually caved in after I gave birth and had my well-deserved share of chips and stuff, about once a week)

- Taking my Food Intolerance results seriously and avoiding gluten, dairy and eggs as much as possible

- Kat recommends avoiding salt and sugar in general, but allowing for weekend cheat days

- Do not deprive yourself, do it the French way and eat what you like, but always in moderation. I now give in to cornick, corn chips and cheeze curls once in a while

7. Clarins scrub down to fight cellulite.  Ladies, if you can have babies early on, do so na. Being pregnant and getting your body into shape in your late 30s is not as easy as when you're in your 20s to early 30s. 

Being an older mom, Clarins pre and pos-natal massages were part of my pregnancy indulgences.

I have to stress, I was more masipag going to the Clarins Spa in Rustan's Makati when I was pregnant with Xavi but was really delinquent when I was pregnant with Tepper and I could see the difference talaga. Cellulite was greeting me with wide dimpled smiles with Tepper.

8. BREASTFEED. It really helps the uterus shrink really fast, and allowed me to eat all I want without putting on the pounds.

9. NO Yaya. This I think is the real secret. If you have no yaya, or you have someone to assist you, but you do most of the work, especially the puyat at night, that's the highway to losing weight, coupled with breastfeeding. 

I figured this out when we were living in the US and most of the moms there were like me, puyat, babywearing and pushing strollers, probably lacking the right nutrition, but dressed in Alexander Wang and Isabel Marant. Eye bags covered by Tom Ford sunglasses. Happy na din. Hahaha.

When we moved back here, and became pregnant with the boys, I kept up with the habit of taking care of them at night, puyat and all. Effective with weight loss, promise.

So there, I won't expect you to do all I did, but this is what worked for me and my lifestyle. Maybe you can take bits and pieces of advice from here, and see what's effective for you!

MFO's Verdict On: The Spectra 9 Plus Rechargeable Breast Pump

I've tried manual breast pumps, electric breast pumps, and just recently, the Spectra 9 Plus Rechargeable Breast Pump, thanks to Mi'Ann Reyes Oblea, my friend and founder of BabyMama, the go to site for everything a mom needs to breast feed.

The Spectra 9 Plus is the latest addition to BabyMama's formidable lineup of affordable, quality breast pumps, all of which have been received with rave reviews, from moms who have successfully produced a lot of milk, they can even afford to donate dozens of bags at a time.

If you read the stories of the breastfeeding moms in BabyMama's Facebook page, you'll see how powerful the right attitude and the right tools are when it comes to breastfeeding. So inspiring.

As for my verdict on the Spectra 9 Plus? Find out below ;)

The Product: Spectra 9 Plus Rechargeable Breast Pump

The Product Origin: Made in Korea

The Promise: Ultra quiet. Rhythmic suction. Long life span. Massage mode and variable suction settings. May be used for dual pumping. BPA Free. For the full product features, click here.

The Spectra 9 Plus Rechargeable Breast Pump comes with an instruction booklet, 1 pump unit, 1 adapter, and two sets of tubing, back-flow protectors, breast shields, valves, bottles, bottle covers, nipples, bottle caps and disks

Put to the Test: Both my manual breast pump and electric breast pumps require some bit of assembly as with this rechargeable breast pump. In that sense, I spend about the same amount of time setting up for a pump session.

The back-flow protector on this one is not bulky at all. It looks like a UFO disc actually.

Composed of three parts, it's quite easy to assemble and disassemble.

For obvious reasons, using this is less tiring than using a manual pump. I just place the breast shields on my boobs, press the power button, then the massage button, and I'm good to go.

To start expressing, I just press on the massage button again. I adjust the suction speed via the + and - buttons where it says vacuum. The LCD Screen tells you what mode you are in (massage vs expression), the vacuum level, and has a timer and a battery power indicator as well.

The pump unit fits into my palm, and is about the size of a 3x5" index card

Size wise, it is so compact and handy, that I do not have to sit down and prop my pump unit on a table to keep it steady.

That said, it is very convenient to use. I can pump while sitting on the couch, while on the La-Z-Boy, even while on the bed, sitting against the headboard. As long as the unit is charged, I don't have to plug it into a socket while pumping.

It's super quiet too. I can pump anywhere, any time, even late into the night, when everybody is fast asleep, and no one would ever be bothered by it.

Passing the Verdict: This is a definite BUY. Price, Power and Proportions wise, it's a win-win all around.

Practical Tip: Because of the Spectra 9 Plus' small size, and the fact that it supports all voltages and currents (it may be plugged into a 110V plug in the US and 220V plug in Europe and Asia, 50/60Hz), this will be coming with me when we travel, that's for sure.

I can even fit it in my coat pocket if I wanted to. With the bottles and other parts, they can all fit in a gallon sized Ziploc bag. It's that tiny. But despite the diminutive proportions, this rechargeable breast pump has plenty of power.

Another thing, the bottle is freezer-ready, so there is no need to pour out the contents into a milk bag or another bottle if you so choose.

The bottle cover converts to a regular bottle collar, so you can just easily insert the nipple through it for a feeding.

Price: I am super happy to share that this one is super affordable at only Php9,000 and it does the job just the same as my Php30,000 electric breast pump.

I pump about 10 oz of milk (both breasts) which is just about as much as I would get from my electric double breast pump.

Point of Sale: Order the Spectra 9 Plus online at http://www.babymama.ph/. BabyMama also sells various breast pumps, lactation aids, milk storage products, spare parts, books and journals. 

You may also visit the BabyMama Store at 1006 Burgundy Place, B. Gonzales Street, Loyola Heights, Quezon City. Open Mondays to Saturdays, from 10 AM to 5 PM.

For inquiries and updates, visit the BabyMama Facebook page, HERE or call +632 435 7943.

3 Day Cleanse with Detox in a Bottle

Because all that Dada & I practically did in Singapore was eat, I made arrangements to go on a 3-day juice cleanse with Nikki of Detox in a Bottle as soon as we got back. I figured, I needed a cleanse that was "supervised" and not just something I did by myself.

Note: Since I am still breastfeeding, I pumped milk daily during our trip so Xavi could still have my breast milk while I was doing the cleanse.

Detox in a Bottle is a detox cleansing program designed by US Certified Fitness Nutritionist Nadine Tengco. The program was initially developed in 2009 for Nadine’s clients who were always in some  “quick fix" weight loss scheme that often destroyed their metabolism. 

Depending on your goal, Nadine's bottles of detox juices and cleansing soups can either help you lose weight through her Weight Loss Formula, or "re-set the digestive system after indulging in unhealthy eating or drinking" via the Cleanse Formula.

In my case, as you know, it was the latter. For three evenings in a row, Detox in a Bottle delivered freshly prepared juices + a soup to my home, that came in this thermal bag:

Here's whats inside. Bottles are labeled with numbers to prevent confusion:

Along with it came a schedule on which drink to take, and I liked that I had the option to drink tea or coffee if I wanted to.

I didn't drink any tea the whole time I did the cleanse, but on my 3rd day, I had a cup of coffee, which I felt was much deserved haha.

Overall, it was not as difficult as I thought it would be, I think it is totally doable. Curious but not convinced? Let me address your concerns:

Hunger. As with liquid diets, I got hungry very fast! Thankfully, the 2 hour spacing makes the wait between drinking juices negligible. The morning session was a breeze. Lunch was a different matter. By noon, my tummy was growling with hunger. But the soups I had were filling enough and quite delicious!

Day 1 Soup: Cream of Pumpkin

Day 2 Soup: Roasted vegetables (tasted like pureed baba ghanoush! My favorite!)

Day 3 Soup: zucchini & carrot

The afternoon juices were just as yummy, and I never had the chance to feel hunger pangs since I kept myself busy. But the challenging time, aka witching hour, happens at 10 pm.

Day 1: by the time I was in bed, I felt the urge to eat, like my body was asking for it. What did I do? I slept it out. If that's how going to bed with an empty stomach feels like, well, it's torture.

Day 2: I couldn't ignore my hunger any longer. I had some cheese with melba toast and water.

Day 3: Slept through the hunger, it was the last day anyway.

Taste. I don't know if its just me, but I like the taste of vegetable juice in general. I get a kick out of drinking healthy and it makes me feel good. For me, doing the cleanse actually felt like I was treating myself right. As Nikki says, "a positive mindset helps magnificently", so during weak moments when you are feeling kawawa drinking vegetable juice, remember, "mind over matter". Just enjoy it and imagine how kind you are to your body.

Some of the ingredients used in Detox in a Bottle juices and soups include Lemongrass, ginger, cilantro, basil, parsley, tarragon, spinach, wheatgrass, banana, pineapple, papaya, lemon, cinnamon, turmeric, cloves, cayenne, stevia, pumpkin, bell pepper. Vegetables and fruits are all organic and free of preservatives.

Juice #1 had a banana taste to it

Juice #2: lemongrass + grit from ground flax = refreshing & delicious!

Temptation. I made the mistake of attending the Negros Trade Fair while on a cleanse. You know what, I have never felt so deprived in my life. The smell of chicken inasal and seeing all these Bacolod treats was torture. I wanted to drop the cleanse right there and then so I could eat! If you are going to cleanse, make sure you just stay home the entire time so you stay away from temptation. I had to exercise tremendous self-control just so I would not break down. I ended up buying five dresses at Ines Moda Infantil and home stuff from Domesticity to distract myself from the food. Well I did buy food, but for consumption after the cleanse na. Why am I being so defensive? Hahaha.

Side & After Effects. Just a lot of peeing but nothing too distracting. After the cleanse, I found that I actually lost about 3 lbs and my tummy was looking flat. I actually happened to have a blood test scheduled around the time I was doing the cleanse and the doctor noted that my ketones were elevated. Apparently, elevated ketones mean that my body was burning fat for energy. Hey not bad. Not bad at all.

 
If you want to learn more about DETOX-IN-A-BOTTLE Delivery Program, read the FAQs and other details below:

1 set of Juice Cleanse consists of the ff:
6 350 ml bottles
1 Non-Dairy Soup 

PRICES: 

WEIGHT LOSS FORMULA 
1-day Php 2,500.00
3-days Php 7,500.00
5-days Php 12,500.00

CLEANSE FORMULA
1-day Php 2,000.00
3-days Php 6,000.00
5-days Php 10,000.00

JUICING HOURS:

Open DAILY 8:00 am to 9: 00 pm to answer all your questions and schedule your juices.

DELIVERY SCHEDULES:

Monday - Saturday from 4pm onwards.

PLEASE TAKE NOTE THAT Juices are delivered the day before consumption so please allot at least 24 hours lead-time to prepare your juices.

DELIVERY CHARGE/S :

FREE OF CHARGE for deliveries within Metro Manila.

A fee of Php 200.00 is required for deliveries in Alabang, Muntinlupa, Paranaque, & cities after Monumento QC. Deliveries should be scheduled 2 days ahead.

CONTACT INFORMATION: 

READY TO ORDER?
Call: 02-966-33-93
Text: 0917-555-6479
Email: detoxinabottle@yahoo.com

Mom Must Have: Philips AVENT Storage Cups

If there is one other product that I love using from Philips AVENT, apart from their electric breast pump and bottles, that would be their milk storage cups:

Since I hardly pump these days, especially since Xavi prefers to feed directly, and I find little to no use of our milk storage cups, we've converted them into snack containers and they're so handy dandy! I can fit 4 in Berry's lunch box, apart from her sippy cup!

I just might keep buying them because they are so lightweight and compact. Plus, I love that these have screw on lids! No struggling, no surprises.

My stint as a Philips AVENT Trusted Mom is coming to a close, but I know my relationship with Philips AVENT will last well until I become a grandma, I bet. Philips AVENT has always been part and parcel of our parenting journey.

Thanks so much Philips AVENT for having me on board as a Trusted Mom. It was fun road testing your products and discovering new products to love and share with family & friends along the way!

For the latest updates on their products and promotions, like Philips Avent Philippines on Facebook.

Moms for Moms: Our Fabella Hospital Visit

I have heard of Fabella Hospital and have only seen it in pictures, so when Kris of OC Mom in Manila invited me to join the Johnson's Baby team and our mommy friends for a visit to the OB ward, I said yes right away.  

Having heard so much about the conditions at Fabella, we were prepared for the worst. After all, this is the hospital known as the "baby factory", and on the day we visited, there were a total of 744 patients in the hospital and 47 moms who had just delivered a baby. Imagine that.

But you know what, despite the cramped atmosphere, the strength and resilience of spirit was evident in each of the moms faces. It was not depressing at all. The rooms were bright and airy. The moms, although reserved (I mean, who wouldn't be, I've given birth too and I didn't exactly like receiving strangers in my room soon after heehee) most of them had a ready smile and didn't mind us coming up to them to talk about breastfeeding, touch therapy/baby massage and how to give their babies a bath.

Yes, Touch Therapy. Johnson & Johnson sponsors a Touch Therapy room in Fabella hospital, to teach the moms the importance of touching their baby for bonding via baby massage, skin-to-skin contact and kangaroo care among others.

While we were inside the Touch Therapy room, neonatologist Dr. Imperial shared with us the practice of kangaroo care for pre-term babies. It was wonderful seeing it put to practice in Fabella, and heartening to see daddies cradling their babies in their own blue "pouches".

After meeting the key doctors in Fabella, we all set out to talk to the mommy patients by twos. My partner for the day, Jenny Reyes of My Mommyology and I went from bed to bed talking to the moms and handing out baby care products from J&J. Some moms were quiet and probably did not want to be disturbed, but there were a few who were genuinely interested in baby massage and bathing tips for their newborns. It was fun learning from each other.

We were there for just an hour, but seeing all the cute babies made me miss Xavi and Berry. As soon as we were done making chika with the moms, I just had to check on my little ones. Ayan tuloy, caught texting on camera haha!

Thanks so much to Johnson's Baby Philippines and Kris for inviting us. It was a great way to spend a morning. And good to know that Fabella while old and shabby is a clean, happy place. They are doing such a great job with Unang Yakap, breastfeeding, and taking care of their patients with the limited resources they have. Although of course, every help from corporations and private citizens would do so much in making Fabella a truly world-class hospital. 

It would be nice to see every Filipino mom give birth to her baby in a most ideal atmosphere conducive to labor, rest and rooming in. Every drop in the proverbial bucket counts. When you can, maybe you and your friends can organize activities or raise funds to purchase equipment and supplies that could help Fabella's patients too.

Photography by Lawrence del Mundo

MFO Anniversary Blog Giveaway: Ameda Purely Yours Breast Pump from BabyMama

Around May last year, my friend Mi'Ann Reyes-Oblea of BabyMama and myself had a fun contest here in the blog. 16 entries, 1 winner, a little over a year and 11,690 Facebook Likes later, Mi'Ann and BabyMama have become synonymous with breastfeeding advocacy. The BabyMama page has become a nurturing and encouraging online community of breastfeeding families, and MFO is happy to have played a part in growing a forum for everyone to talk about breastfeeding!

Since August, my anniversary month, also falls during Breastfeeding Awareness Month, this contest sponsored by BabyMama is for breastfeeding mommies, moms-to-be and family & friends of nursing moms and moms-to-be.  

Here's what you may win for yourself or your loved one, an Ameda Purely Yours Dual Breast Pump valued at Php8,800:

- Individually adjustable cycle and suction controls
- Closed system design prevents milk and moisture from entering tubing
- Keeps outside air away from milk
- Weighs less than 1 pound
- Can run on A/C adapter or 6 AA batteries
- BPA-free
- Comes with 220v Euro plug
- Parts made in China; Assembled in Mexico

Even if you've joined the other giveaways, you are still welcome to enter the BabyMama Breast Pump Giveaway. If you would like to win the Ameda Purely Yours Breast Pump, here's how:

1. Follow me @cd_mfo on Twitter

2. Like BabyMama and Manila Fashion Observer on Facebook

3. Leave a comment* with your Twitter ID & email and share:

- Why should women breast feed?
- What are the challenges of breast feeding?
- What is the best advice one can give to encourage a mom to breast feed?

*If you would prefer to enter the giveaway via private email to me, do all of the above and send an email to manilafashionobserver@gmail.com with the title: MFO BabyMama Breast Pump Giveaway and leave a comment on this post saying, "MFO, this is great!"

General Rules:
- Shipping within the Philippines only
- Giveaway is for the whole month of August 2011
- Giveaway closes on 11:59 pm on August 31, 2011
- Winner will be announced by 1st week of September on MFO and via private e-mail
- Anyone can enter for a chance to win any of the Anniversary Blog Giveaway prizes, but can only win once
- No need to send multiple comments or emails per Anniversary Blog Giveaway prize. One entry per prize is sufficient

My Breastfeeding Story

"Welcome to the first Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (March). To celebrate National Women's Month, our participants share how breastfeeding has changed them as a woman. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants."

For me it was a no brainer. Even before I gave birth to Berry, I knew I was going to breastfeed her. I had done my research, and I knew all the benefits of breastfeeding that no one could persuade me otherwise.

It also helped that my friend Tet was such an advocate of breastfeeding. She attributes her daughter Eliana’s good health to breastfeeding. Eliana never got sick until she was a year old, and only because she caught colds due to their constant air travel. And well, a huge convincing factor was that my friend Tet was so skinny, no one would have guessed that she had given birth at all! So yeah, breastfeeding appealed to my vanity too! Hahaha!

I continue to breastfeed Berry until today. She is 21 months now, and what I can guarantee is this:

* Berry is a very healthy baby! The first 18 months, we only went to the doctor for her scheduled immunizations, that’s it! Like Eliana, she only got colds around the holidays because we were flying in and out.

* It’s true what they say that breastfeeding helps the uterus contract. Whenever Berry would drink her milk, I could feel the inside of my tummy throbbing and contracting. In two weeks, my baby belly was gone. I lost all the baby weight in one month. Without any exercise, if I may add!

* Breastfeeding is so convenient. If Berry needs to feed any time, any where, I don’t need to prepare a bottle. I would just lift or unbutton my shirt, and voila! Instant milk!

* No bottles mean a lighter diaper bag too!

* When I think of the amount of money we saved by not buying formula, I really can't help but get a kick out of it. That's a start-up fund for  Berry's college education right there.

Proponents of breastfeeding also believe that breastfeeding strengthens the mother and child bond. Berry and I are very much bonded I would think, and at this point, we can really pick up on each other's cues even with just eye contact. When something funny happens, or when she gets naughty, even without speaking, when we look at each other we just both know how to react. It's like an unspoken bond. Especially precious now because it's how we communicate, given her limited vocabulary.

The only real challenge to breastfeeding was of the sartorial sort. I had to find clothes that were stylish but breastfeeding friendly! I eventually found the perfect pieces for nursing, which you can read here. Here's my typical breastfeeding outfit (i.e. button down shirt & jeans, don't forget the breast cover, I think a big shawl or huge scarf is a stylish alternative):

Judging me from my "cover", no one can really guess I still breastfeed right? I just look like any girl on the street! LOL.

So yeah, about all these supposed physical and lifestyle changes - you know, breasts sagging, mastitis, cracked nipples, crazy sleepless nights, I was lucky that I never went through that. My mom is very spiritual and I just took her advice to pray while breastfeeding, recite the rosary or read the bible. This isn't spiritual mumbo jumbo. I would like to think it was my faith and belief that I would have an abundant milk supply that kept the milk flowing. Especially since Berry is allergic to dairy and still wouldn't take soy or goat's milk.

Did breastfeeding change me? Both yes and no. I am still me, in fact, even better.

P.S. A couple days ago, Daphne Osena-Paez, breastfeeding advocate and UNICEF Special Advocate for Children, asked me to help spread the world not just about breastfeeding, but EXCLUSIVE breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life. No water, no baby food, no formula. She says this practice alone can save the lives of thousands of babies. I've tweeted this and continue to share this with all the moms I speak with, but let me use this  post as a platform to spread her message as well.

P.P.S.- Thanks for inviting me to join this Carnival, Cai! 

Breastfeeding Changed Me at Apples & Dumplings

The Choice to be More Than a Woman at Mec as Mom [@delisyus and Facebook]

Breastfeeding made me a better and stronger mom...and woman at Ethanmama: The Working Mom...Finding Balance [@ethanmama and Facebook]

My Superpower at I'm Perfectly Created

Supercow Isn't Sexy at Rainy Days and Mom Days [Facebook]

Of Nursing and Self-Awareness at Changing Nappies in High Heels [@Lilly_pad and Facebook]

Same Old Brand New Me at the odyssey of dinna

Juggling Mommy Act: Fully Breastfeeding while Caring for "ME" at Handy Mommy

Breastfeeding is beautiful at Topaz Mommy [@FrancesASales and Facebook]

Breastfeeding and My Career at Soprano Mom Writes [@touringkitty]

riding the milkwagon at domestication of dotty b

A Love Story at Misis Teapot [@stellapastores]

Breastfeeding Has Made Me a Better Woman at Truly Rich Mom [@tinasrodriguez and Facebook]

Please think before you comment at Chronicles of a Nursing Mom [@MamaBabyLove and Facebook]