The Benefits of Breastfeeding and Getting a Lactation Consultant

When Euan was born, I did try to breastfeed, only to fail a few weeks later because I was discouraged with my milk supply. For almost a month of pumping and trying to latch my premature little boy, the most amount of milk I got from my useless 38C breasts is a disappointing 2oz. So for four years (until now), Euan drinks formula milk - an item in our grocery list that we could have avoided if only I continued breastfeeding.

So when I got pregnant with our second child Euri, my husband made me promise to give breastfeeding a second chance. I was more than eager to give it another try as budget is extremely tight, so it is only right to avoid additional expenses such as milk. Also, aside from saving a lot of money from buying expensive formula milk, breast milk has a lot of benefits for both mother and child.

Painting by Gioia Albano

Breast milk contains antibodies that help your baby fight off viruses and bacteria. Breastfeeding lowers your baby's risk of having asthma or allergies. Plus, babies who are breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months, without any formula, have fewer ear infections, respiratory illnesses, and bouts of diarrhea. - www.webmd.com

Here are some of the benefits of breastfeeding to mothers and their children:

1. Healthier baby - Why? Nutritionally balanced meals. Everything your baby needs is in your milk - this means more protection against common childhood sickness and infections.
2. Long-term protection for baby - Breastfed babies have less chance of developing allergic diseases and type 1 diabetes.
3. Stronger bones for mothers- Breastfeeding women have a lower risk of postmenopausal osteoporosis.
4. Lower risk on SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
5. Fewer weight problems for both mother and child - Breastfed babies are less likely to suffer from obesity and breastfeeding aids in postpartum weight loss. Breast milk contains 20 calories per ounce, so imagine how many calories you shed in a day if you feed your baby 20oz a day?! That's a whopping 400 calories!
6. Faster healing -  Breastfeeding helps the uterus contract which reduces post-delivery blood loss. Breastfeeding also helps the uterus return to its normal size faster.
7. Less chances of postpartum depression - Mothers who breastfeed are less likely to experience postpartum depression which is more common in mothers who do not breastfeed. So breastfeeding is beneficial to the hubby too! ;-)
8. Less risk of cancer - Breastfeeding can decrease the risk of some childhood cancers, and lower risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
9. More effective vaccines - Breastfed babies have a better antibody response to vaccines than babies who are formula-fed.
10. Cheaper and easier - No need for sterilized bottles, check milk temperature, etc. Mother's milk is always at the perfect temperature and is easily available. Shirt up, breast out, let the baby latch. Voila!

There are so much more to breastfeeding aside from the list above. I really believe all mother's should aim to breastfeed their little ones. Some may have the same reason why I stopped breastfeeding my first born, but I hope they don't get discouraged the same way I did. My mistakes were I didn't try harder, didn't try to know more and didn't get much support.

Breastfeeding is 90% determination and 10% milk production.

When I started breastfeeding Euri, I was afraid that I have no milk. My colostrum didn't come out until the third day, and when it came out, it was so few: less than a teaspoon (turns out, it is perfectly normal). Then when I tried directly breastfeeding Euri, she had difficulty latching. That's when Euri's pediatrician advised us to see a lactation consultant.

We contacted a veteran lactation consultant Ms. Josie, who patiently gave a whole day lecture and demo on the following topics (plus a body massage and body steam).

1. Hand expressing - Aside from breast pumps, you can use your hands to express milk. Hand expressing your milk is better as it makes sure that you "drain" your breast to the last drop. When you drain your breasts, it produces milk faster.
2. Latching - There are different ways to help babies to properly latch. There's the "belly to belly" hold and there's even the more complicated "football" hold!
3. Breastfeeding aids - Your lactation consultant will assess your breast and nipples. I found out that Euan and Euri had difficulty latching because my nipples are inverted. So I was advised to invest in a nipple shield. There are also other breastfeeding aids like: nipple creams, soothing nipple wipes, breast pads, nipple puller, etc.
4. Proper breast massage - A must-learn for hubby. ;-) Massaging the breasts aids in better and faster milk production. It also avoids clogged milk ducts.
5. Food and supplements to aid in milk production - The famous lecture on "sabaw" and "malunggay".
6. What to avoid - No ice cream for 1 month, no cold baths, no coffee, and the list goes on. This is a list of your worst nightmare. Seriously, no ice cream this whole summer? Kill me now!
7. Basic newborn care - The bonus part where I learned how to properly "swaddle". Yep, I only discovered recently, the difference between a hooded blanket (rectangle) and a receiving blanket (square). Good thing there's the swaddle blanket available in baby stores! Yey!

Getting a lactation consultant can be a bit pricey, so consider it as an "investment". For people like me who's stressed on producing more milk, consulting a lactation expert is worth it (just make sure the lactation consultant you get is really good).

Our home-service lactation consultant costs Php3,000 (plus Php300 fare and tip) and the following sessions (a week after the first session, and 6 months after - depending on the need) is Php1,500 (plus Php200 fare and tip). A single session could last from 3 to 5 hours if home-service. Going to a clinic would cost less but could only be for 30minutes to an hour at most.