Breastfeeding

I was made aware the benefits of breastfeeding when i was on my first pregnancy in the UK in 2002. Awareness in Malaysia has also grown: evidence i picked up from specialty shops selling breastfeeding equipments, blogs & websites, also government hospitals policies on breastfeeding.

Able to breastfeed In my personal opinion, I think every women is able to breastfeed. However, some may have to work harder than those lucky ones where milk supply is never a problem. Lack if milk supply is only a result of what your mind says to your body, not the cause of you unable to breastfeed. Eat/drink well and think positive always helps. Inverted nipples should not be a reason nowadays since there's stuff to help the problem. To some, time may be an issue but i've read a lot of outstation mothers still can find the time to express milk supply.

Don't criticize Good for those who breastfeed. The only thing that i disagree is when formula feeding mothers are criticised for their choices. I've seen a lot on blogs & website forums where formula feeding mothers were looked down by the breastfeeding mothers. Life is about making choices. They have reasons why they make those choices. You can only educate so they can make informed choices. You can educate, but don't preach. Seek to understand, then to be understood.

Breastmilk & intelligence I definitely disagree if formula is chosen over breastmilk because the belief of formula is better than breastmilk. Malaysian mothers are inclined to have that impression...just look at the formula milk adverts on TV. Even i (who breasfeed) sometimes doubt whether breastmilk is enough. Knowing the level of competitiveness in Malaysia, of course you want something that boost your kid's intelligence & health. Breastfeeding mothers boast to feed their child the best (which i disagree the boasting part). But breastmilk is only a factor,not a main factor in kid's intelligence. Simulation since young, parents' doa also play a part...

Matter of choice So breastfeeding is a matter of personal choice. Not mandatory. For Muslims, we are encourage to breastfeed until the baby is 2 years old.

Bond Breastfeeding to me, is more for the bonding between mother & child. If i weren't breasfeeding, my son would have ignored me when i come home from work. He would appreciate my maid more since his daytime is spent with my maid who plays, bathes and feeds him. But alhamdulillah, until now he still wants my cuddles and attention. I don't have the problem where my own son doesn't want me, or i have to pass my son to my maid to stop him from crying. To me, it is sad for a mother unable to calm down her own child. Calm down the child by saying, not yelling and hitting.

I have exclusively breastfed my eldest for 8 mths (she rejected the milk herself when i introduced formula milk), my second for 2 years and my third for 8 mths. I introduced formula milk (drank if breastmilk is not available) when they have started weaning around 8 months.

I am pro breastfeeding and i encourage all mothers to breastfeed. The benefits are tremendous and rewarding.