Get to know our longtime Annee Matthew customer, Shendy, and her experiences with her 3 adorable children!
Greatest joys
Baby Belle is the latest addition into the family. She’s my third and youngest in the family. Exchanging smiles and chuckles, nursing them plus looking at all three growing up healthily are my greatest joys!
Greatest challenges
Like most mommies, I’m into breastfeeding for all my three children as there are so many benefits when the child is on breast milk. I would prefer to nurse them directly i.e. Latch the child directly so as to have the personal touch. Lots of people say it’s hardship as the child will bite and I’ll have to wake up in the middle of the night to nurse, can’t go for shopping trips without disturbances or even tours.
But I don’t consider these things to be hardship at all. These are just part of the territory when it comes to breastfeeding and being a mom.
That said, the greatest challenge started when I had my first child. In the first two weeks after delivery, I wasn’t able to produce sufficient milk to feed my child despite taking supplements, having massages, etc.
I had to turn to formula. To ensure my milk supply, I did whatever I could (trust me, I tried every single thing) until I nearly gave up. FINALLY, milk supply came but I was still unable to have sufficient milk for the child. The child at this point, too used to milk bottles started to reject me！I was devastated…I tried whatever I could, which included many rounds of tears, pain and even blood. It took me slightly more than a month before I won the battle.
TIP
Ensure child is properly latched on if not child unable to feed and ‘air’ might enter; plus, mommies might experience pain as well.
What helped me in my breastfeeding journey
I would say, everything! Family, friends, supplements, etc! In my case, without family support, I wouldn’t have been so determined to continue my painful breastfeeding journey.
General thoughts on being a mom…
Well, as my children grow day by day, I realize that it’s more than just having love for our children – as parents, as moms, we must also be able to truly understand, and most importantly, communicate with our children. Many think that by providing our children with money and things they like is good enough. But it isn’t! What our children really want is our time with them. It is definitely not just about throwing them an iPad, giving them enough pocket money or getting them their favorite toy. So in short, to me, quality time spent with our children, truly listening and talking to them are the most important.
General breastfeeding tips:
– I feel that the top priority is to have patience. Some people might think, Baby has been sucking too long, I don’t have the time for it or it’s so boring, etc. Don’t be… Baby finds comfort when sucking, sucking can calm them down and hence they will take their time at the nipple.
– Don’t worry about the positions – as long as you choose a position that both you and your baby are comfortable, that’s good enough!
– Remember to drink plenty of fluids and feed regularly so that you can keep up with the flow.
– Do not eat anything that might affect the taste of your breast milk as it affects the baby too. (i.e. Anything too spicy might make your milk spicy, drinking alcohol might make our baby drowsy from our milk or coffee that contains caffeine will make the baby stay up all night, etc.)
