Talk and Make it Happen

Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (August). For this month, we join the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action in it's "Talk to Me!" theme where participants will share personal experiences, insights or recommendations in communicating breastfeeding intentions and goals to their support system. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants.

I was advised by a surgeon (when I was still single) that I have to breastfeed so that the lumps in my breasts will disappear. She added that those lumps are breastmilk waiting to happen. Whoa?! This surprised me - a lot.

What she told me has marked in my mind and has led me to set my mind on breastfeeding. I did not know breastfeeding was more, way more than words can say (Isn’t that a cliché?). I thought, just breastfeed and voila! Everything will be okay. It was far from thought that a support system is important for me to breastfeed successfully.

I was pregnant with my first when I was fortunate enough to attend the Infant and Young Child Feeding training organized by our office. So timing! All the more, it strengthened my decision to breastfeed. There I learned that aside from “just breastfeeding,” you need the people around you to know that you intend to breastfeed, for them to support you and the need to create an environment that will help mothers to sustain breastfeeding. It is important to communicate with the people you know will be with you in your journey to breastfeeding – determine your support system – your family, friends, etc. Talk and make it happen. How did I do it with the people around me?

1. The Husband

Seeking the support of my husband did not present any problem. After my IYCF training, he got a dose of it. Haha! I told him everything I know about breastfeeding even the counseling part. I love how he accepted and supported my decision to breastfeed our baby, besides knowing the benefits – the savings we get from breastfeeding is the all-time favorite. May I add? My husband is my number 1 fan and main cheerleader. The support I get from him is a whooping 110%. He helped me all the way most especially with my needs in breastfeeding.

2. The Parents

When my first-born had fever in his 3rd day, my mom bugged me that there may have been something wrong with my milk or I don’t have enough milk (I know my mom means well. She was just concerned with his grandson). We argued when they insisted that I give formula milk to our baby. Yeah, I missed seeking my parents support with my decision to breastfeed – I didn’t bother since we were not living with them and they live in the province. My mistake, I know.

Until I brought my parents to a breastfeeding lecture, it was like magic! My parents were so happy with what they learned about breastfeeding that during the lecture they were tapping me as if telling me, “well dear daughter, you’re doing a good job with your baby! Do it your way, breastfeed.” I felt so fulfilled after that. It was like they waved the white banner of surrender haha! After that, my parents became technically breastfeeding fan.

But it was not just the lecture that did it. Every time my parents visit us here in Manila, I give bits of facts and information about breastfeeding or share experiences of other breastfeeding moms that I have met – I inform them like a trivia thing for “recall.” Little did I know that I was turning them into “breastfeeding advocates.” When they go home to our province, they would mention about breastfeeding to their friends, convince them about it and how it is good for their daughters and sons (or for their grandsons and granddaughters).

Now, I have their support (all out!) with breastfeeding – from baby #1 till baby #2.

Running in thoughts

A lot of things have been in my mind lately. They say you have to unload to feel better. No, these thoughts are not "problems," but more of things I want to do or I want to happen. 


I tweeted one time that I admire people who make things happen. Yes, I do. I want to be like them when I grow up. (LOL!) I want to make things happen, to bring change and I want to do a lot of things (I have a list and it isn't finish yet).


What should I do? I have myself to rely on to make "things" happen. I love this quote. 

Do you believe what it says?


And these thoughts on my mind? 

Will happen! Yes, I believe so!

And please...

At this point in my life, a wife and mother of two boys, with an 8-5 work time (or more) - I feel time is a luxury. I know other moms or other people will agree. With conviction, I know I will materialize these thoughts in mind. The next question is when. Soonest! In God's own time. So help me God. But I know (sometimes), I have to...

... smell the flowers, appreciate the sunlight...


And I know...

God is good. He will make a way for me. 


What's running in thoughts lately? Share.

“My Milk Is All My Baby Needs” by Sherrie Mae Siy Ong - What Struck Me Most

Its breastfeeding month! Hurray for breastfeeding moms and breastfed babies!


This blog post may have been written years ago but i wanted to share it with you. The article is so beautiful and inspiring. And my post was part commentary and sharing. I was breastfeeding J1 then.


Happy reading! 


Share your thoughts on the article too!

Back from hiatus (hopefully, and I’m crossing my fingers)

I may not have readers in my site, but I would like to apologize for being inactive in my blog for a long time (more than a year). Though I have active in my facebook and twitter accounts. And sometimes, I chance to post in my tumblr and in my instagr.am (these two are linked).

A lot of things happened after my last post in my project blog. I know I said in the intro in this blog that I am making a dream happen for me, but some things have been out of hand (sort of). For the past year, hmmm, what happened?

• Tons of work… (that I don’t want to elaborate further lol!) 
• I got PT (pityriasis rosea) which lasted for almost 3-4 months, which got me technically depressed. So depressed, I want to forget what happened. 
• And amidst that, I got pregnant!!! At first, I was so surprised, I (we) didn’t expect it. Though we were not in any (artificial) family planning method during that time. Come what may was the theme. (LOL again!) Highlights? 
• I was already six weeks on the way when I learned I got pregnant. 
• I was still breastfeeding J. It hurt every time he latched (but it wasn’t in my nearest thought that I might have been pregnant). 

I did not think of stopping breastfeeding J but I got a blood clot inside me then that may contraindicate breastfeeding while I was pregnant (I was ready to breastfeed and even with tandem breastfeeding). My OB advised me to stop breastfeeding J. Stubborn that I was, I texted people I know if I can still continue but if baby’s health is at risk, I really have to stop. J had to be weaned (fast). And thank God, he managed.

Now, we have Uriel Jacob! My second J.



And now, I have J1 (Joaquin) and J2 (Jacob). Love love love!



Fast forward.

I am back to work after giving birth to J2. I am exclusively breastfeeding him for four months now. I am back to the “hullabaloo” of my job lol. I am trying to manage having two kids, adjusting. God is good. And I am excited in “revive” my blog. I am rather inspired with other moms who have their own blogs. See the blogs I am following – most (or all) of them are moms!

This is my “first” post after my hiatus. And I am crossing my fingers that there will be more posts after this.

And its August, happy breastfeeding month everyone!