Junia is the beautiful model and new mum you see in our latest launch!
Greatest joy: Seeing your baby smile back at you or laugh with you.
Greatest challenges: After losing a child 3 years ago, going through numerous fertility problems and surgeries in my uterus, I was told I was not able to have children. I then fell pregnant unexpectedly. I was a high risk case due to previous complications and surgeries and at 20wks had a cervical cerclage put in via laproscopic, robotic surgery as they were not able to put the cerclage in trans-vaginally like they normally would; it was done through the abdomen.
They came across problems during the surgery and had to make an incision on the lower abdomen to complete the procedure. I was then in hospital on bed rest for 2 months, then in a wheelchair for the remainder of my pregnancy. Because my belly was getting bigger, the wounds from the surgery were not able to heal, so I was in an excruciating amount of pain the rest of the pregnancy. And because there was still a chance I would go into preterm labour, I was also not allowed to be alone unsupervised, and was always prepared for an emergency. I finally delivered via C section at 37 wks, and in the end, and all was fine.
What helped you on your breastfeeding journey? Nurses at the hospital (Mount Elizabeth Orchard), and also information on the internet. I found an extensive amount of resources and information on the internet from different websites and mothers’ forums.
Being a mum is 24 hour hard work – but it’s also more rewarding than words can describe.
General breastfeeding tips: Don’t be too hard on yourself. My baby has reflux and my doctor recommended express pumping milk, then mixing it with a thickening powder to help keep the milk from spitting up. We started doing this when he was 2 wks old, and he now prefers the bottle rather than latching on.
I felt guilty and sad he didn’t want to latch on – but then I realized that baby not wanting to breastfeed is not a reflection of whether you are a “bad” or “incapable” mother. It is merely a different way of feeding and caring for your baby. You are still able to bond through bottle feeding, and with a lot of persistence and patience, he now latches on half the time and bottle feeds the other half. Not latching on or breastfeeding does not mean your baby doesn’t love you or has not bonded with you. So just like there are different ways to make a baby (intercourse, IVF, surrogacy, adoption…etc) there are also ways of feeding a baby. Us parents should all be supportive of each other!
