Next week, our baby Trey will be four months old already. How time flies, isn’t it? And as he turns another month old, next week also marks my 4th month of breastfeeding journey. I’m flashing a big smile right now because yeah, I did it and will continue to do it!
Looking back at my 2nd week of breastfeeding, that time when I had tender, bleeding nipples and hurting breasts (which I’ve read to be not unusual several days following the birth of the child), I am glad I persisted because I can’t be this fulfilled!
The week after that went even ‘rockier’: I got sick, I had high fever and was feeling very weak. Worried, my husband advised me to stop breastfeeding as he believed the baby could catch the flu virus I had. But after seeking advice from fellow breastfeeding mommas, I latched on and learned that breastfeeding helps protect babies from getting the flu. Ah, what a relief! That was just one lesson, we learned several along the way.
I almost feel like a first time momma again with BabyTrey, I admit. I had to practice proper latching, diapering, and baby-bathing once more. It had been almost six years since I last did those with my firstborn Kyle! And for one, Trey is exclusively breastfed.
I’d like to share that my firstborn Kyle wasn’t exclusively breastfed (He drank milk from me for barely 3 months). When I went back to work, we had to supplement. I remember crying in the washroom on my day 1 of work because milk in my boobs leaked on my office uniform which made me miss my baby terribly as my instinct was telling me he was hungry!
Even at work, I tried my best to continue breastfeeding Kyle (I pumped and pumped at my workplace), but in spite of all the efforts back then, I felt my supply wasn’t enough. Little did I know that if I just pushed and educated myself more, I could have succeeded breastfeeding my firstborn even when we were not always together (But bottle feeding is equally beautiful, I tell you… it’s just that breastmilk is of course, healthier!). So now that that I’m blessed to work from home, I am determined to breastfeed our second baby.
Each time I nurse my BabyT right now, I am thankful for the beautiful opportunity. I fall in love over and over looking at my little man each time he looks up at me with his sweet little face and innocent smile during our breastfeeding sessions.
How beautiful it is to know that each time I offer my breasts to my child, I am giving him exactly what he needs for his brain development and perfect growth! We have several more breastfeeding months to go. And just like any breastfeeding momma, I pray for abundance of milk!