My Breastfeeding Journey

I would say my breastfeeding journey is a tough one. I was in critical illness 3 times.

First. I couldn’t even recall the exact date. But it was during my first 3 months. I’ve got a bad flu which I am forced to take a flu pill. Little did I know that it will cut down my milk supply. My supply is not sufficient to begin with. With the flu pill, my milk supply almost cut by half. With one ‘woman’ show (of cause my mom took care of my meals) of taking care a newborn day and night, I almost wanted to quit. Almost. But I didn’t. I persevere. (All in my mind was in the believe that bm is the best milk for newborn).

Second. 21 Jun 2015. I had food poisoning. This was serious. I vomited whatever solids I ate (include water and soup). I had no food. I cannot produce milk. I went to the doctor and requested immediate injection. No second thought. This experience is disastrous. Thank god. I recovered the next day.

Third. 20 Aug 2015. I was all ok in the morning but started with sore throat in the afternoon. I feel aches all over my body and started to have blur vision. I’ve got a 38.2 degree fever. For sore throat, I can do without medicine just take longer time to recover. But not for fever. I took the prescribed fever medicine (safe for breatfeeding). I almost give up pumping because I need plenty of rest. But I didn’t. I am just that stubborn. God bless me. My fever gone down to 37 the next day and with an extra 3 hours of sleep in the morning I feel so much better.

My initial plan was to completely cut down my afternoon pumping (from 3 to 2 then total cut off another 1/2 months). But this time round, my milk supply that I have built for the past 8 months just reduced by 30%. Therefore, I decided maybe not completely but just for weekend only so that I can have more rest and resume my runs.

One will never know how difficult it is to build the milk supply especially for low milk supply mothers like me. But my message here is if you work hard and persevere, this is something that is achievable. Breastfeeding is a job that cannot be stopped no matter when (day/night), where you are and how sick you are.

I just want to pen down all these that I have go through and share with my boy. Mommy did provide the best milk for him but he choose not to drink them a lot.

My boy turns 6 months o

I have never ever thought being a mother is so difficult.

For the first 6 months, I fought hard every single day/night for breastmilk. From a pathetic 2oz for the first months to double.  In my mind, I thought bm would be the best for my baby for the first 6 months. I work hard and finally i am getting it.  A lot of mothers unfortunately did not succeed.  However, what makes me heartbreak is my baby is rejecting bm. From 150-120ml to 80-100ml.  I tried my best in every single feeding so that he can absorb as much bm as possible.

Little did I know that I have put him into a risk of under growth. I didn’t realise that my boy is below 25th percentile until the doc told me about that and the doc gave me a serious lessons. I feel so horrible being a mother.  I always wanted my baby to be chubby but my bm came too late.  And now I have no choice but to put my 6 months hardwork to stop. Stop pumping.  Focus on solid for my baby. I feel so horrible, emotional.  A lot to catch up for my boy.

I once thought I can relax once my boy reach 6 months. Life is not always like that. My another challenge starts now.