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Friday, August 22, 2014

Breastfeeding: A Winning Goal for Life!

 
Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (August). For this month, we write about the World Breastfeeding Week 2014 - Breastfeeding: A Winning Goal for Life and share how breastfeeding can help the Philippines achieve the 8 Millennium Development Goals developed by the government and the United Nations. Participants will share their thoughts, experiences, hopes and suggestions on the topic.  Please scroll down to the end of the post to see the list of carnival entries.
#BF1st1000days



I love to read anything that concerns about breastfeeding. Breastfeeding had been close to my heart since the time I became a mom 20 months ago. It's just so addicting that I would never get tired of breastfeeding my baby until she weans by herself. 

Last Aug. 2, I joined the Hakab Na event and saw posters and message boards regarding the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and that was my first encounter about these nationwide concerns. I read through them and was proud to know that indeed breastfeeding has a way to achieve all these 8 goals.


WBW's 2014 theme - Breastfeeding: A Winning Goal for Life!

To give you a brief background, these eight (8) Millennium Development Goals (MDG) were set up by the government and the United Nations way back 1990 to eradicate poverty and promote healthy and sustainable development at a global level by year 2015. This year, the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) tagged the World Breastfeeding Week (WBW)'s theme as "Breastfeeding: The Winning Goal for Life" to respond to the current MDG countdown process by calling each and everyone to participate in the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding.

Message boards to show how breastfeeding can help achieve MDG.
 
The said eight (8) goals are as follows:
  1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
  2. Achieve universal primary education
  3. Promote gender equality and empower women
  4. Reduce child mortality
  5. Improve maternal health
  6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
  7. Ensure environmental sustainability
  8. Develop a global partnership for development

The two goals that made me easily relate my experience as a breastfeeding mom are to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, and ensure environmental sustainability.

Before me and my hubby got married, we didn't have our own business and the financial stability to start a family. We lived a frugal life and partially relied on our parents for our daily needs. When I got pregnant, my hubby doubled his efforts in growing our family's resources to prepare for the arrival of our little one. People continued warning us that having a baby would eat up much of our resources and mostly they are pertaining to baby's milk. I recalled my hubby showing to me his projection of our would-be monthly expenses, pegging the budget for formula milk at P4,000 a month. P4,000 is a huge amount and would almost eat up 1/3 of an income especially to those minimum wage earners. 

Fast forward to now, we are very grateful that we chose to breastfeed our child which helped us divert the allotted funds to grow our investments instead. This decision made us realize and prove that child-rearing is not that burdensome at all in terms of financial aspect. God gave us, women, the ability to produce milk and nourish our child through the act of breastfeeding, thus we must use this gift wisely. Breast milk is also known as liquid gold because it is so precious that it can save lives. Breast milk, aside from its many health benefits, is an all-natural, unlimited and free commodity which only nursing moms could produce.


Aside from saving on formula milk, we also eliminated the need to stock up on bottled water, saved on electricity for warming the water and sterilizer, baby bottles and teats, milk dispenser for on-the-go and huge baby bags to contain everything. There's just so much hassle and effort in formula feeding as compared to breastfeeding. In breastfeeding especially when direct feeding, you just need to let your baby latch and that's it. Exclusively breastfeeding for the first 6 months, without giving any water or vitamins except breast milk, can provide the necessary antibodies, nutrients and protection your baby needs. This in turn gives you a healthier baby with lesser chances of getting sick and lesser trips to the doctor.

If only every nursing mom could breastfeed their baby, especially those in the lower-income families, then they wouldn't feel their hard-earned money easily depleted. They can just use their limited money to buy basic necessities and feed the rest of the family members thereby lifting them up from extreme poverty and hunger. Also during times of calamity where there's very limited access to clean water, breastfeeding is the only way to nourish their babies.

Breastfeeding not only benefits us mankind but also our planet Earth. It is considered a "green" act because there's no water, no waste, no pollution, no packaging involved. Breast milk comes in the most extraordinary packaging in the world. You won't be stuck with empty tin cans and empty water bottles which tend to pollute our rivers if not properly disposed and add up to our landfills that would take years to completely decompose.
Breastfeeding is totally environmental-friendly, totally zero waste. I'm so happy to find my one and only guilt-less addiction, breastfeeding my precious 20-month old daughter as long as possible.


Baby here was only 4 months old.

Let's aim to normalize breastfeeding by helping one mother at a time, one baby at a time. Let's protect breastfeeding by helping report milk code violators; promote breastfeeding by sharing the many good things about it; and support breastfeeding by participating in breastfeeding-related activities. In doing this, we are preserving the future of our children and their generations. Let's join together and make breastfeeding a winning goal for life!

Here are many thoughts and reasons why we should all advocate for mothers to breastfeed for the first 1,000 days of life #BF1st1000days

Jenny shares experiencing the One Asia Breastfeeding Forum
Mec insists to do the Math and breastfeed!
Ams, The Passionate Mom says Breastfeed for a Better Future
Pat says breastfeeding saves money and the planet
Cheryl, the Multi-Tasking Mama, tackles maternal health as addressed by breastfeeding
2011 CNN Hero Ibu Robin highlights gentle births and breastfeeding, even in disaster zones
Felyn stresses that Healthy Moms = Healthy Babies
Monique reminds us that there are second chances in breastfeeding
Normi relates how breastfeeding gave her strength and purpose
Nats thanks Dr. Jack Newman for showing how breastfeeding can be a win-win situation
Em believes breastfeeding is a solution to societal problems
Marge shares what breastfeeding has taught them
Kaity was empowered financially and as a woman through breastfeeding
Madel relates her breastfeeding saga
Jen of Next9 reminds us to do our research and share what we know
Celerhina Aubrey vows to work on one mother at a time
Grace wants to put an end to stories of toasted coffee and similar stuff over breast milk
Diane shares how she prevailed when things did not go according to plan
Hazel appreciates mommy support groups
Roan combines two passions, breastfeeding and architecture
Queenie tackled breastfeeding as the best choice for the environment as well and breastfeeding myths and poverty
Rosa shares how the picture she thought of was realized
Sally believes breastfeeding benefits mankind and our planet Earth
Floraine reminds us that breastfeeding helps combat diseases
Crislyn was happy to realize that she improved her own health by breastfeeding
Armi reminds us how breastfeeding during emergencies is crucial
Arvi tells us how breastfeeding made her look at her body a different way
Clarice elaborates on how breastfeeding saves lives and the planet
Giane reminds us that women empowerment can begin by seeing breastfeeding as more than a feeding issue
Liza thought she was only breastfeeding for her child


Mommy Sally

37 comments:

  1. Sana talaga no, there will be more reports on violators after this month :) Thanks for joining the Milk Mama Blog Carnival

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  2. I can't imagine spending 4,000Php monthly just for formula milk. Hay, I really hope more families become aware of how convenient breastfeeding is. And this is regardless of your social status ha.

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  3. Natry ko ng gumastos ng P4,000 monthly for formula for my first son at di ko na gagawin yun ever!

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  4. Love this: "Let's aim to normalize breastfeeding by helping one mother at a time, one baby at a time."(: I really hope more and more moms will be encouraged and not be shy to breastfeed.

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  5. Kudos to you for breastfeeding. I only breastfed my son for two months and I agree the price of formula is not cheap.

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  6. So comprehensive! It's too bad that I had problems with my supply early this year, but I'm still glad that I was able to breastfeed my son as best as I could.

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  7. Sometimes I feel hinayang when I think about not really breastfeeding my first and second, but I'm glad I got the chance to exclusively breastfeed my third baby. I think most moms could because I once thought I couldn't.

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  8. Aww, I'm sad that I didn't know about this blog carnival before today! I would've loved to join because like you, I'm a believer of breastfeeding. I agree with everything you wrote here, and in fact, I'm still nursing my 2.5 years old son!

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  9. We're mix feeding and I know how formula can get too expensive. EBF did not work for us this time but I'm happy Mila is still growing up healthy. Hopefully we can EBF with the next baby. We'll definitely be more prepared next time.

    ❤Paulline
    www.milastolemyheart.blogspot.com

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  10. I just hope I have read your blog when I gave birth 10 months ago. I was only able to breastfed my baby for a month. Anyway, it's never late. At least I now know if ever I had another baby, I'll have him/her breastfeed na tlaga. =)

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  11. I have a question though, for the impoverished moms who will breastfeed, how does their diet affect their child's nutrition if they're breastfed? Just wondering. But I agree, one of the reasons we chose to breastfeed our children even though it lessens my mobility somehow was because it was economical. We didn't have to buy milk which is so much more expensive on its first year. Syempre hindi ka naman basta basta buy lang ng kung ano anong milk pag newborn, right? I think it even saved my 2nd son's ability to walk when he was hospitalized and he hadn't had vaccines then.

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  12. I admire you and envy you as well. Hindi ko kasi napa-breastfeed ang mga anak ko kasi nahihirapan sila dahil I have inverted nipples. Naaawa ako kasi mukhang lalo silang nagugutom sa pagttry na maka-dede kaya nagformula milk na lang.

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  13. I hope you all the best in your goals in helping moms be more knowledgeable in breastfeeding. Maybe we get to have better kids, kinder kids, when they are breastfed :-)

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  14. I am fully convinced of the benefits of breastfeeding but sadly, I was never really successful at it. The twins and I never got the hang of latching, and every feeding was sooo stressful! Mags-start pa lang kami tagaktak na pawis ko sa tension! Plus it was really a very stressful time all around, with twins born prematurely and no yaya to help out, only senior citizen lola. After a couple of months, nung nagsugat na ako, I just gave them expressed milk. I expressed milk until they're one year old but they were still mostly on formula. Inggit ako sayo Sally! I suspect that breastfeeding will be a lifetime hang up for me, but I have to learn to make peace with it somehow.

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  15. Good job mommy. :) And I agree. We save ALOT by breastfeeding our little ones.

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  16. My siblings and I were breastfed, sadly, I breastfed my son only, for a half a month- it was something to do with my c section that was healing slowly, too slow. Anyway it is a frustration for me. Yes, formula milk is really so expensive.

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  17. I breastfed for only two months, because I had to work after the maternity leave. Since then, we relied on formula milk which is eating a big chunk of our budget.

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  18. Yay for breastfeeding! I would have wanted to continue if only my son wants it. He stopped direct feeding when he was 2years old, that left me sad and expressing my milk for him to take.

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  19. I breastfeed for 3 weeks only. he prefers formula than breastfeed. But breastfeed is the best for our babies :)

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  20. I am breastfeeding advocate too..If I will get pregnant again, I promise I will exclusively breastfeed my baby. Though I was able to do it for Baby Rylee, my knowledge was not enough kaya until 7 months ko lang sya na-breastfeed kasi I'm a working mom. If only I could turn back the time...sigh...

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  21. How I wish I was able to breastfeed my little boy for a long time. I felt that I don't have enough milk and I don't know how to produce more so we just decided to stop.

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  22. I admire breastfeeding advocates like you.

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  23. I still breastfeed until now no matter how I try to wean my daughter. But I still let her because of the benefits. I hope that more women will embrace the benefits of breastfeeding to their children.

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  24. My 4 kids were all breastfed! In fact, sometimes, my 5 year old boy would still try and he said na may konting milk pa rin..:)

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  25. I loved breastfeeding my daughter, but ayaw na niya just after three months ;(

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  26. I really envy moms who get to breastfeed their babies for a long time. My daughter stopped at about three months, while I was already getting back to work. I couldn't keep up with the schedule and I had a really poor pump making me lazier. Maybe if I get blessed with another baby and I get to work from home, I'll do my best to breastfeed for a really long time. Perhaps I should also get those high-powered pumps instead of using the manual ones.

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  27. I am so proud that I was able to breastfeed and you are right aside from saving from buying formula milk we also save on time and effort on making the formula.

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  28. I'm a breastfeeding advocate, too! I had breastfed my eldest up to 6mos only since I applied for a job. With my youngest, up to 1 year ;)

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  29. I missed this year's Milk Mama Diaries Carnival. I also miss breastfeeding my son. I also miss blogging about breastfeeding. I hope to share more about breastfeeding in the coming months. Happy breastfeeding Sally! Kitakits soon!

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  30. I'm thankful that I was also able to breastfeed my children. Although there were many hurdles it was all worth it. Today my children are all healthy and thankfully do not get sick often. It was worth the personal sacrifice to see that they have benefited greatly. It's great that you're a breastfeeding advocate and are sharing the positive side of breastfeeding.

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  31. Hats off to breastfeeding advocates like you! I wish there was this big support for breastfeeding 6 yrs ago. I was only able to breastfeed for 2 months. I thought the books and articles I've read before giving bith are enough but support from breastfeeding advocates and family are important as well. I hope I can breastfeed longer when 2nd baby comes in the future :)

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  32. I only breastfed my son for 4 months, and I salute every mom who tried breastfeeding and continue it for 2 years or more.

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  33. I breastfed my children and I know that has helped them immensely in their growth and development.

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  34. Breastfeeding is one of the "greenest" thing we can contribute to the environment. It's sad that a lot of people do not realize this and instead focus their efforts in other things than this. This is also the most natural thing that a mother can give/do for her baby.
    Thank you for sharing this reminder to us...not for the money but more for the whole environment's benefit, which we will be leaving to future generations.

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  35. i'm also a breastfeeding advocate. At first may mga challenges sa breastfeeding pero maayos din habang tumatagal. Malaki din yung masa save than formula milk. Healthier pa!

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  36. I was a breastfeeding mama. I breastfed my daughter for 3 years and it's the best decision I've made in my entire life.

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  37. I also believing in the magic, privilege and love of breastfeeding! I hope that I'll be able to breastfeed again someday! :)

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