I'm breastfeeding, and that's that.

"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."

Just like all moms who were pregnant the first time, I had absolutely no clue about what lay ahead...after the delivery. You know how mosts priests include "it's not the wedding that is important, it's the MARRIAGE" in their homilies? I've always likened breastfeeding to that. 

A lot of moms are concerned about the nursery, the furniture, the baby clothes, the pump, the stroller, the sling, or whatever new-fangled what-have-yous, that they tend to forget to ask or learn about what happens once the baby is there. (And NO, it's not about hiring a good yaya, though I have to admit, it helps!)


I think the first thing to do is to empower oneself before the mom can actually communicate her breastfeeding intentions to her support system. One thing I didn't do when with my first kid P. I blame all the beautiful breastfeeding paintings such as this one we have at home:

I didn't realize that I should have, just as with anything, prepared by reading (at that time, the support groups weren't as many nor as active as the ones now).


Which is what I did with second kid K. I read, I joined support groups, and because I had experience with P, I trained to be a peer counselor.


However, within my family and my support group, all I did was just to very clearly state: "I am going to breastfeed my kids". My husband S, who didn't have a clue about breastfeeding (except that the breasts won't be his for X number of years), was supportive. My mom, who breastfed only my 3rd sister C, was supportive (because she just is). My FIL, was surprisingly (to me) very supportive (S tells me that it is probably because their family is from the province and he is one of the older siblings and thus saw all his brothers and sisters nurse). Them, I didn't need to convince.


However, I did have to convince three people:

• the doctor - labo, right? Which is why I switched when I had K. P's first pedia claimed to be pro-breastfeeding. And I guess he really is...but my lack of knowledge at that time and his inability to advise me didn't work well. 
• my MIL - it was difficult to convince her with P because I had bfg problems then. However, with K (and she saw how be ballooned -- you know how the older generation tends to associate fats to being healthy), she was convinced enough. I couldn't convince with books nor words. She had to see for herself. 
• with the very first yaya of P (who I fired after a month of being with us) - I just told her matter of fact -- "I'm breastfeeding". (It *does* get tiring to repeat it all the time if she isn't very supportive.)

Here are some suggestions of how you can communicate to your support system that you want to breastfeed:

• Take your support system to a workshop or a support group meeting. That way they will understand what the ins and outs are when you are breastfeeding.
• Shop around for a TRULY breastfeeding-friendly pediatrician. (not one who will quickly whip out his or her prescription pad to write down a brand of formula)
• While pregnant, slowly convince them by giving them tidbits about breastfeeding every single day till you deliver. (If they're not convinced, at least you've made yourself clear.)

But really, the most important thing is to know about breastfeeding yourself.

Happy World Breastfeeding Month, everyone!


Do check out the other posts!

DaintyMom's Creating a Pro-Breastfeeding Culture in the Family (Facebook and Twitter: @Dainty_Mom)
Wifely Steps' On Breastfeeding: Say It, Claim It, Get Support! (Facebook and Twitter: @macaronigirl)
Truly Rich Mom's How To Get Others to Support You in Breastfeeding (Facebook and Twitter: @tinasrodriguez)
EthanMama's My Best Breastfeeding Support System - My Husband (Twitter: @ethanmama)
Raising Baby Lia's A Shoutout to my Breastfeeding Buddies
Project Blog by Kate's Talk and Make it Happen (Facebook and Twitter: @kate_demetrio)
My Mommy Kwentos' How I Recruited my Top Breastfeeding Buddies (Facebook)
Apples  & Dumplings Communicating and First Time Breastfeeders (Twitter: @apple_dumplings)
I'm a Newbie Wife's How I Taught My Family to Breastfeed
TouringKitty's Communication Through Breastfeeding (Twitter: @Touringkitty)
Mec as Mom's Pre-Natal Pediatric Consultations Are Necessary
Escie's World's Ready, Get Set, Go! for Breastfeeding (Twitter: @Escielicious)
Nanaystrip's BreasTALK : Text, Retweet, Share your Knowledge and Experiences (Twitter: @bunsonimaestro)
Superwomom's A-S-Ks (on breastfeeding questions, help, support)
Go Help Yourself's “6 persuasion tips for breastfeeding moms and advocates”
Legally Mom's Breastfeeding Talk Between Me and My Formula Fed Daughter (Facebook and Twitter: @legallymomPH)
Handy Mommy's Couple's Communication and Decision: Key to Successful Breastfeeding
Chronicles of a Nursing Mom's Effective Communication Bucket List (Facebook and Twitter: @mamababylove)