MommySense Davao's Gifts of Breastfeeding

Right after my office's breastfeeding awareness festival, I had to fly off to Davao City to give a talk about Breastfeeding and Working. My talk was part of the "Gifts of Breastfeeding" Meet and Greet Seminar organized by MommySense Davao. I was pleasantly surprised with the turn-out - more than 500 moms registered and participated in the event. The event was featured in a local newspaper, through the column of Davao mom-blogger Wowie Teves. More pictures of the event are available in Wowie's blog.

When I was making my presentation, I asked Lyn who the target audience would be. Lyn said that target audience would be English/Tagalog speakers. However, during the day itself, more Visayan speaking (local dialect) moms came. Yikes! Even though I grew up in Davao, my mom is from Luzon so at home, we use the "Davao Tagalog". Luckily, my exposure to Visayan in school and through my husband (from Cebu) came in handy. I felt that I was able to translate my English presentation to Visayan and make it more understand able to the audience and this was validated by Lyn and Alex - yay!

During the event, MommySense Davao also launched its breastfeeding ad which SM Davao agreed to show in its cinemas, as a public service message.

The "stars" of the ad are MommySense kids who were breastfed (or are still breastfeeding). It is indeed inspiring that breastfeeding advocacy is present not only in Metro Manila. Actually, I was able to talk to Alex of Unicef-Philippines and he mentioned there were more than 7,000+ breastfeeding groups in the country. But these groups are barangay-based and are usually connected with the local health centers.

Despite this huge number, I believe that there is still a need to create groups like MommySense and LATCH in major cities in the country. For one, mothers in the major cities usually give birth in big hospitals (which sad to say are major milk code violators) and do not access government health centers. It is this group of private hospital moms that need to be reached out to be breastfeeding advocacy groups.

It certainly is humbling to be part of groups such as LATCH and MommySense Davao who have been established and whose members have devoted much time, effort and resources to the promotion of breastfeeding in the Philippines. Hopefully, with the success of these organizations, more groups targeted towards middle to upper-middle class moms are established to combat the formula milk companies' grip on infant feeding practices.

Setting Up a Lactation Program at Work - Festival Success!

Finally! August is over and I am happy to report that our Breastfeeding Awareness Festival was a huge success :D Wooohooo! With the help of Ms. D and A of our wellness division and of FA of our training center, we were able to push through with the 2-day festival. I used my network in the mommy bazaar circles and was able to invite interesting exhibitors.

Since this is a "neutral" office, we were able to invite speakers from various breastfeeding groups in Metro Manila. As Judy of Planet Noah shared, this was the first time that she was able to really attend and listen to a wide variety of talks related to breastfeeding. I was also surprised that not only young moms were interested but also grandmothers, singles and dads as well. We included a raffle during the talks to spice things up but generally, the attendees were really interested in what the speakers shared.

Did you want to join an activity to support breastfeeding awareness during August but got busy and didn't join any? There is still 1 more event to join! Now on its 3rd year, the Mommy Milkshake Marathon is a fun, easy race for the entire family! This year's event will be at Fort Bonifacio, behind the NBC Tent. Click here to register for free.

I didn't join the 2007/2008 runs. I'm still thinking if I will join this year's event. The 5am meeting time is really early for me :D But this will be a great opportunity for me to meet other like-minded moms. Hmm.. still 3 more days to think.

Last hurrah for Breastfeeding Month!

This is a really toxic week for me. Just flew in from Singapore Monday night from a family vacation with Naima, Stan, my parents and mother-in-law. It was fun but really hectic! I'm currently busy preparing for the 2-day breastfeeding awareness festival at my government institution. Thanks to my partner, C, everything looks good! The posters are up, speakers and exhibitors have been contacted. Venue reserved and lay-out prepared. C is very efficient! :) Hoping that employees' participation will be high and that the event will be well received.
After the 2-day festival, I will be flying from Manila to Davao (1.5 hours plane ride) on Friday night with Naima and yaya in tow for the Gifts of Breastfeeding Seminar.

The "Gifts of Breastfeeding" Mommy Meet and Skills Seminar is scheduled on August 29th, 2009, at the SM Event Center in celebration of World Breastfeeding Week, and is listed as one of the activities for WABA this year. SM is one of our major sponsors. It is Mommy Sense's biggest project to date, and promises to be Davao's biggest Breastfeeding event yet! It will kick off in the morning with a motorcade ( jump-off point SM carpark), and the sponsors' tables will be open from 10:30 to 5pm. The programme proper starts at 130pm with the opening rites, then the seminar about breastfeeding begins. There will be prizes and raffles from sponsors all throughout.

Last year, I was part of Mommy Sense's Portraits of Love, a photo exhibit of breastfeeding moms, which was displayed in various malls in Davao City. This year, I will be a speaker at the "Meet and Greet" seminar, focusing on breastfeeding and working. I've completed my presentation with materials from Arugaan, C, LATCH and internet research. Two other members of Mommy Sense will also have presentations.

Aside from the Davao event, the Medela Moms and The Breastfeeding Club are sponsoring a "Baby Shower" for pregnant moms:

Pregnant? Be pampered at The Breastfeeding Club's Breastfeeding Month Offering - their first ever Baby Shower! Games + Raffle Prizes + Generous Loot Bags + Breastfeeding Tips + Baby Shower Tips + Discounts from Sponsors = FUN, FUN, FUN!!!! Co-presented by Prolacta and Medela, this event is being sponsored by Mamaway, HandyDandy Diapers, and Scholastic Books. Register now and see you on August 29, from 10am-1pm at the Medela House (29 1st St., New Manila, QC). You may register via email or via sms (0917-5614366). Just tell us how many are going so we can include you in the headcount.

Finally, Mommy Academy is holding its 18th Pregnancy and Baby Series entitled "The Inside Story: Surprising Discoveries About The Coming of a New Baby" on 29 August 2009, 730am-12nn at the Dusit Thani, Makati City.

Listen to experts as they help you prepare for the final stretch of your pregnancy, shed light on common myths about caring for baby, and let you discover what valuable lessons we can learn from our children. Be the first 300 online registrants to receive a thank you bag. Likewise, kindly take note that a minimal fee will be charged during the event to cover the event materials.

To register, visit their website or call 8257454.

It's going to be a busy Saturday to close Breastfeeding Awareness Month!

Milk Code Forum

As early as 1986, the Philippines already enacted a law regulating the advertisement of breastmilk substitutes, called the Milk Code. Almost a decade later, implementing rules and regulations (RIRR) were revised and redrafted by the responsible agency - the Department of Health and became subject of a controversial case between the Pharmaceutical and Health Care Association of the Philippines (PHAP) and the Department of Health and others. The case reached all the way to the Philippine Supreme Court who promulgated a decision in 9 October 2007.
The resulting Supreme Court decision did not result in a complete victory for either party. The Supreme Court struck down certain provisions of the RIRR particularly those which absolutely prohibit the advertising/promotion/sponsorships of infant formula, breastmilk substitutes and other related products. However, the Court agreed with the Department of Health that these advertisements/promotions needed prior regulation.
Regulation is being handled by the Inter-Agency Committee established by the Milk Code, whose Secretariat is with BFAD (809-4390, loc. 1051-1052). Responsible individuals include Ms. Merle Ramos, Flor de Moralejos and Atty. Christine de Guzman.
This topic is a thorny and controversial one but I believe that as breastfeeding advocates/counselors, we should at least read and be familiar with the law and its implementing rules and regulations. I, myself, want to know more about the Milk Code and whether the implementing rules/regulations have really taken effect – which was why I was happy to learn about the upcoming Milk Code Forum organized by Arugaan, UP Women in Law and UP Volunteers for Children, to be held at the UP College of Law on August 8, 2009.
The forum will focus on breastfeeding issues, the Milk Code Story, the Supreme Court decision and monitoring under the Milk Code as well as do’s and don’ts. With our upcoming Breastfeeding Awareness Festival, I really do want to know what we should watch out for that may be considered to be violative of the Milk Code. This promises to be a very enlightening event and I definitely will be there. For interested attendees, contact Nanay Ines of Arugaan.

Tips for Consistent and Long-term Breastfeeding Success

Welcome to the Carnival of Breastfeeding for August.For this month's carnival, the theme is La Leche League's World Breastfeeding Week theme: Prepared for Life. I checked LLL USA's website to obtain more information on what specifically the theme wishes to address. Focus of the theme is "solid breastfeeding information" to ensure successful breastfeeding at ANY TIME (including catastrophic and personal emergencies). Please check out the other contributing bloggers linked at the bottom of this post. :)

Being in the earthquake belt and typhoon path, the Philippines regularly experiences these natural calamities. In 2009 alone, a range of 7-34 earthquakes has been recorded every month, in various locations in the Philippines and in varying intensities. In the past 59 years, there has been an average of 19-20 tropical cyclones which has visited the Philippine Area of Responsibility. As of July 2009, the Philippines has been visited by 9 tropical storms. Evacuation centers are regularly set up to respond to the destruction wrought by these typhoons. Considering that only 34% of Filipino babies below 6 months are breastfed (2008 National Health and Demographic Survey), solid breastfeeding information should not only be established but be widely disseminated, particularly to the C-D-E classes.

I had previously written an article which was supposed to be published for a local magazine. However, due to space constraints, they had to scrap my main article and focus instead on the breastfeeding resources and support groups directory that I had also prepared. I have decided instead to submit the article to this month's carnival -- focusing on tips to ensure consistent and long-term breastfeeding success, which would enable Pinay moms to continue breastfeeding in the face of calamities.

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Breast is best. This mantra is heard over and over again by pregnant and new moms - and most, if not all of them WANT to breastfeed. However, most moms are ill-prepared for the challenges that breastfeeding may bring. Instead of preparing for breastfeeding and new life with the baby, most moms are more concerned with getting ready for the actual birth - packing a hospital bag, preparing a birth plan and researching which hospital to give birth at. Moms tend to forget that giving birth is just one day but the baby's very existence changes your life forever – and one of these major changes that moms need to prepare for is breastfeeding.

Pregnant moms are usually bombarded with horror stories about breastfeeding. Along with these stories comes the pressure to give your baby the liquid gold. Often, even before moms give birth, they already prime themselves that they will fail at breastfeeding based on their own moms’ or friends’ experience. Thus, preparation is crucial and is a key to a successful breastfeeding relationship with your baby.

Find and join a group

One of the best ways to prepare for breastfeeding is to join a breastfeeding support group. Good support is essential for successful breastfeeding and this support can be given not only by your family, but by knowledgeable counselors and consultants as well. There are several breastfeeding support groups in the Philippines focused on different advocacies.

A unique group is L.A.T.C.H. (Lactation, Attachment, Training, Counseling, Help), a hospital-based group of trained peer counselors who conduct breastfeeding workshops, breastfeeding support and hospital/home visits, among others. This group is based in The Medical City, Pasig City and holds monthly classes for pregnant couples in preparation for breastfeeding. Class topics include Breastfeeding Benefits, What to Expect in the First Week, Positioning and Latching, Back to Work and Busting Breastfeeding Myths.

Since L.A.T.C.H. is run by breastfeeding moms who are still breastfeeding or recently weaned their own babies, the counselors can better relate to the concerns of the new moms. Mec Arevalo, breastfeeding mom of 20-month old Yakee, attended two L.A.T.C.H. breastfeeding lectures and shares that “breastfeeding success had a face in the L.A.T.C.H. moms, so when they [nurses] gave her Yakee at the hospital, she was really prepared for the journey.” More information about L.A.T.C.H. is available on their website: www.theperfectlatch.com

Research and read, read, read

Breastfeeding relationships never start or are often cut short by the wrong information. Well-meaning relatives and friends share outdated (and false) information on why breastfeeding will not work or why moms are better off with formula milk. Joy, mom of 9-month old Brian, shares that her mom told her that she didn't have enough milk and it wasn't good to put then newborn Brian to the breast every time he started crying. Her mom also told her that since she wasn't eating well, Brian won't be getting any nutrition from her. She eventually stopped breastfeeding Brian when he was about 3 months old. Since Joy didn’t know any better, she just listened and followed what her mom told her about breastfeeding.

There is a multitude of breastfeeding information available in books and the Internet. Even while pregnant, moms can start reading up on breastfeeding and begin busting those breastfeeding myths. However, obtaining accurate and up-to-date information is equally important.

A top resource visited by moms and lactation consultants alike is Kellymom (www.kellymom.com). This site is run by Kelly Bonyata (a summa cum laude graduate of mathematics and physics) who is also an international board certified lactation consultant. Her website is a plethora of breastfeeding information, compiling relevant and authoritative references. Meanwhile, if you’re a visual mom (who prefers watching movies over reading books), check out the website of Dr. Jack Newman’s Newman Breastfeeding Clinic and Institute (http://www.nbcionline.org), which compiles various instructional videos on how to obtain the proper latch; cup feeding, good drinking, using lactation aids, and tongue tie. Dr. Newman is a pediatrician who founded the first hospital based breastfeeding clinic in Canada in 1984 and has been a consultant for UNICEF for the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative.

For instructional books, make sure you choose books which are truly directed toward breastfeeding mothers. A lot of books which have chapters on breastfeeding actually give the wrong information. Some good books to choose from include: La Leche League’s The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, Kathleen Huggins’ The Nursing Mother’s Companion, Martha Sear’s The Breastfeeding Book and Dr. Jack Newman’s The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers. There are a lot of other materials such as baby books, articles, booklets, pamphlets or brochures which also talk about breastfeeding. Note that materials which are sponsored by a formula company or bottle manufacturing company might give vague, inaccurate info about breastfeeding. So be an “informed reader” and check the source or author before considering these materials.

Talk to your doctors

Medical providers play an important role in the breastfeeding relationship. You can start by looking for an ob-gyne who supports breastfeeding. In this fast- paced world, more and more women are scheduling their births through caesarian operation. In preparing for your baby’s birth, talk to your ob-gyne, tell her that you would like to breastfeed and request that she/the doctors resort to caesarian operation only when all options for normal delivery have been exhausted. It is certainly more challenging to position and latch a baby born through a caesarian operation as compared to one born through natural delivery. Aside from finding the proper position, the nursing mom has to deal with her caesarian operation wound.

However, it is not impossible to breastfeed even if you underwent caesarian operation as long as the mom is willing and works with her doctor. Charyl Haw-Martin, who underwent caesarian deliveries for Liam (breastfed until 13 months) and Simone (2 months and currently breastfeeding), shares that she was able to successfully breastfeed both her babies despite her caesarian deliveries because she had commitment, determination and knowledge. She stayed focused, never thinking of quitting or giving in to the convenience of formula milk because she knew that the nourishment her children will get from mother's milk is the best gift she could give them.

Finding a breastfeeding friendly pediatrician is likewise very crucial, especially in the first few days of your baby’s life. These days are tough for a new mom – who has to deal not only with changes in her body but also with a new person who entirely relies on her and for whom she has to be responsible for. A pediatrician who pays lip service to breastfeeding and does not really believe in its benefits may eventually become a hindrance to the breastfeeding relationship by recommending that formula is necessary for the newborn baby to thrive since the mother’s milk has not come or is not enough. Hence, it is important to be prepared and not leave the choice of pediatrician at the last minute. Even while pregnant, moms-to-be can already start looking for pediatricians who are supportive of their desire to breastfeed by asking for referrals from friends or by talking or interviewing the pediatricians themselves.

Organize your life and utilize your resources

Talking to your family and friends about your plans to breastfeed your baby will also contribute to your breastfeeding success. Your own mom, mother-in-law or husband could unintentionally prevent you from continuing on with breastfeeding by making unhelpful remarks. One good advice I learned and share with nursing moms’ husbands or relatives is that if they don’t have anything supportive to say, then don’t say anything at all. If your husband or other relatives tell you that they want to participate in taking care of the baby, ask them to help in other activities like changing diapers, burping the baby, or singing and playing with the baby.

Filipino moms are lucky to be able to get help from a yaya or nanny. If resources permit, hire a yaya a month before you give birth and start teaching her how to help you in taking care of your baby. Do not try to do everything! During the time that she had to exclusively pump breastmilk, Claire (mom of 18-month old Clarisse who is still nursing) trained her yaya how to assemble her breastpump, wash her breastpump horns and store her breastmilk. This allowed her to spend more time with her daughter instead of worrying about setting-up and cleaning the breastpump.

Your own circle of friends is also a great place to find breastfeeding information and support. More and more moms are breastfeeding their babies and by asking them to talk about their experiences will help you learn from their mistakes and avoid repeating them. Find a friend who is a successful breastfeeding mom and who would be willing to respond to your texts, answer your calls and emails whenever you have questions or problems. This friend will be a good source of comfort and support especially during the early days of your breastfeeding journey.

Moms need to realize that breastfeeding is not as daunting as it appears. Preparation is the key to breastfeeding success and this should start even during your pregnancy, way before the baby is born. The best way to overcome your difficulties is to get help early on. Breastfeeding IS a mind game. Psyche yourself to overcome the challenges and be prepared.

Having strong and solid emotional support is also crucial. Remember that you don’t have to go through this alone. No sugar-coating - it is not always easy and if you’re having difficulties know that you’re not the only one. Be proactive - be ready to ask for help and utilize your resources. It is just a matter of asking and looking for the right help, which is readily available. You’ll soon realize that your fears were unfounded and you’ll be on your way to a fruitful breastfeeding experience.

Check out the posts of the other contributing bloggers:

HoboMama's Prepared for Life: Breastfeeding in local and global crises
Zen Mommy's How Breastfeeding has shaped my toddler's view of breasts
Pure Mother's Marketing Away "Real Milk"
Cave Mother's Three Moments That Made Me Thankful I Breastfeed
Motherwear Blog's The World Breastfeeding Week Carnival of Breastfeeding - Prepared for Life
Blacktating's August Carnival of Breastfeeding: Prepared for Life
Breastfeeding 123's Breastfeeding as a Lifesaver in Emergencies

Fusion Parenting's Breastfeeding - Prepared for LIFE!

Breastfeeding Slum Book

In late June, Cher asked me to answer some questions which she will be using to write an article for a local parenting magazine, to be released in August. She asked me to answer a certain portion of her survey. I wonder what the other questions were. This definitely was more challenging than answering a slum book ☺ I enjoyed answering the questions as it gave me a chance to immortalize my thoughts and hopefully, share them with Naima when she’s older.

IV. Breastfeeding and Daily Lives
1. What advice can you give moms regarding handling the day to day activities of work and running a household and breastfeeding?
Working full-time, breastfeeding and running a household are no easy tasks. Organization and preparation will allow any busy mom to balance the hectic daily activities. I work M-F from 8am-5 or 6pm. I've trained my helpers to prepare and pack my pump horns every morning. It also helps that get Stan involved and share in taking care of Naima. Hey, we live in the 21st century - no room for chauvinists here. Every Friday night, my cook and I discuss and prepare the menu for the week so we can do the grocery shopping over the weekend. Honestly, good help (and yaya) is essential to ensure that my household runs efficiently and Naima is being taken care of when I'm at the office. I also keep tabs by calling about 3x a day from the office (during my pumping times) to check on Naima.

2. How can breastfeeding be applicable to the fast paced modern life?
Breastfeeding IS a boon especially to busy moms. Since we co-sleep, it allows me to sleep better since I don't have to get up at night to fix her a bottle of milk. During the day, whenever Naima breastfeeds, it allows me to pause and take a breath - relax and enjoy the moment. Breastfeeding is our quiet and cuddle time together.

3. How can moms who exclusively breastfeed handle the following situations:
a. going to the mall - Postpone going to the mall till when baby is bigger. Your baby will be small/young only for a short time. Also, you can but a lot of the stuff online ;) If you really must go to the mall, bring the baby - use a sling to keep her close to you. Practice breastfeeding at home in front of a mirror to help you become more confident about nursing in public, if necessary. If you don't like nursing in public, visit a mall with nursing stations (there are a lot!!) and know the location of these stations.
b. going out of town for more than a week - Bring baby if possible. When Naima was 3 months old, we went to Cebu. When she was 5 months old, we went to Davao. When she was 9 months old, we went to Hong Kong. She has been everywhere :) If you can't bring the baby, start stocking up milk by pumping after baby feeds or if you're working, pump during weekends also. Bring your pump, milk bags and a cooler bag. I prefer bringing milk bags because they are less bulky than storage bottles. Pump as often as the baby nurses - wake up at night if you have too. A friend went to Hong Kong/Macau for 10 days and left her 11 month old baby. She pumped and dumped her milk (since she didn't have access to a refrigerator/freezer). When she went home, they simply resumed nursing without issue.
c. when one goes back to work - Check out your office's policies regarding break times. Talk to your boss and explain your circumstances - usually, they are willing to consider your requests - you just have to ask. Scope out places where you can pump (if you don't have a private room or a lactation room). Express milk at regular intervals. Set up your pumping station. I put my pump in one of my drawers and it's plugged and set-up. I just bring home the horns and leave the tubes (zipped inside a pouch). Some moms bring extra horns so they don't have to be bothered with washing after every pump. If you only have 1 set, you can rinse your horns, run it under hot water, store in a plastic container/ziploc and keep it in the fridge in between your pumping sessions.

V. Breastfeeding Etiquette
1. How can moms breastfeed in public? (Should moms ask people around her if it’s okay to breastfeed so as not to offend others?
Practice at home first - practice in front of the mirror. Practice in front of your husband, helpers, siblings, parents. It's not necessary for moms to ask permission to breastfeed. People don't ask permission when they shove a bottle into their babies’ face - so why should you? :P Since Naima has become aware of her surroundings, I've stopped covering up everytime she nurses. I also invested in good breastfeeding bras and nursing tops. These purchases allow me to breastfeed in public with ease. I've also noticed that it is only I who gets conscious and people don't usually look or mind me.

2. How can moms breastfeed in the office? (Is it okay to excuse yourself in a meeting in order to breastfeed? How do moms ask permission properly? Is it okay to bring your exclusively breastfed child to work?)
On bringing your breastfed child to work, it depends on your employer. Some employers have daycare where you can leave your baby, visit and breastfeed her during your break times. Other offices (like mine) have a “no-children policy”, so I have no choice but to leave her at home and express milk at the office. If I know that I have a meeting on a particular day, I schedule my pumping time so that I get to pump before and after the meeting. Again, it is important to talk to your boss about your concerns. If the meeting runs long, I will ask to take a break if there is an opportunity. I won't tell everyone that I'm going to pump, although I will inform my boss that I may take a break to pump. I think of it similar to excusing yourself to go to the bathroom :)

3. What are the challenges of a working breastfeeding mom?
Early on, it was to make sure that I had a good supply - ensure that I am able to leave enough milk for Naima when I'm at work. When my supply runs low, I pump over the weekend or at night before I sleep. This is also not the time to be lazy - I never miss a pump, even if the intervals between pumps are short. Also, instead of engaging in idle chit-chat with officemates, I try to work efficiently to maximize my office time and give me more time for my pumping breaks.

VII. Breastfeeding: Personal Anecdotes
1. What has been the most memorable, funniest, unforgettable experience you have had with regard to breastfeeding?
Most memorable for me is the peace that I experience every time Naima latches on - and the awe, wonder and satisfaction I feel when I think about how she gets all her sustenance (at least for the 1st 6 months) from me.