Page 86 - May 2018 - December 2018 Issue

Breast-feeding, A Committed Journey

By RJ Camano, Quality, Environment, Safety, and Health

August is “National Breastfeeding Awareness month”.
This advocacy aims to protect, promote and support
breastfeeding in the Philippines as the normal, natural
and preferred method of feeding infants and young
children. Likewise, Breastfeeding offers many benefits
to our child – breast milk contains right balance of
nutrients to protect your infants against common
childhood illnesses and infections for them to grow
into a strong and healthy toddler.

As we realized the importance and overall benefits of
BREASTFEEDING to every child, please allow me to
share the breast-feeding journey of my wife, Cris and
son Ram.

My breastfeeding Journey: 37 months and counting
— Marrycris A. Camano

During the last trimester of my pregnancy in 2015, one
of my office mates introduced me to a breastfeeding
group in Facebook. I was overwhelmed with all the
information regarding why breastfeeding is important
to all the mothers, tips and how to prepare your body
to have a stable milk supply and its extraction, and the
importance of Colostrum and its benefits to Ram. I
guess the help and encouragement from my office
mate who happened to be a breastfeeding mom led
me to this journey and of course, with the help of my
very own supportive husband, RJ. My first pumped breast milk

But was different when you were in the actual At first, I doubt if I had milk but on the third day there
scenario of welcoming our bundle of joy and was white liquid flowing from my breast during his
happiness amidst the stressful days. During the first feeding. It was a wonderful feeling that finally I can
week of delivery at the hospital, Ram had trouble provide what my son needed. We still needed to
latching onto my breast. Despite this, we still continue giving formula milk since his weight was not
increasing as per his pedia. The cycle continued until
persevered until he was to latch. He cried and fussed. we got home. We fed him two to three hours interval
That’s why his pedia advised as to mix his or when he cried. On the first month, it was hard for us
breastfeeding with formula milk. since supply of my breast milk was not consistent.
Dealing with nonstop crying, frequent change of wet
cloth diapers, cleaning my cesarean section surgery
wound, sleepless nights, and constant breastfeeding
accompanied by back pain that made me feel sick
were unexpected challenges that a first time parent
had to experience. I still persevered. Subconsciously
knowing the benefits of breastfeeding motivated me
to produce enough milk for my baby. Knowing
breastfeeding will help him develop immunity against
illnesses and other chronic diseases in the future as
well as protecting him from intestinal problems. I also
observed and felt that during breastfeeding my baby
become relax and easily wind down to sleep. Lastly,
breastfeeding served as our bonding, which explains
the mental, physical and emotional benefits for a first
time mom like me.
On the seventh week, which is considered the ideal
week for pumping to avoid over-supply leading to
mastitis. I was able to produce 2 oz (60 ml) in 45
First month of Ramon “Ram” Cristoff Camano

85 | SAFETY