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But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Importance of Breastfeeding to the Mother (Part 2)




I apologize if I haven’t been quite clear on my previous posting on “Importance of Breastfeeding to the Mother”. What I mean to say is “The Benefits of Breastfeeding to the Mother”. I quote something from Annie Lennox & Aretha Franklin:

“Sisters are doin' it for themselves.

Standin' on their own two feet.

And ringin' on their own bells.

Sisters are doin' it for themselves.”

YES LADIES, Its time for us to shout out demanding something for us. Its time to be selfish.

We moms and wives tend to turn into this selfless creature wanting and providing the best love and care to our family. This is not a negative thing, however we all know that at times it can get to the best or the worse of us. We might feel happy or frustrated. We might not need that “Thank you, Sayang” or “I Love you, Mama”, but we know we do need to feel appreciated at times. I don’t blame anyone for this. Most of the times I blame on the hormones. :D Hormones slalu buat kita moody and fikir benda negative.

So do you know, what is the best way to over come these feelings?

How about we start to change our perspective? How about we start to see our role as a wife and mother as something we have to do to be a great and superior woman. We are not just that great woman behind that great man.

We are that Wonderful Lady who can do many wonderous stuff that no other people can do. But we don't do it for them, we are doing it for ourselves!

And so, my previous posting is suppose to invoke that breastfeeding is not just to provide the best nutrition for our child. We shouldn't view as just that, while each day we enslave ourselves to the routine of breastmilk expressing at work or juggling between chores while breastfeeding our child.

It should be something more meaningful to us ladies because it is far more meaningful than just that.

Breastfeeding does have psychological and health impact on us.

But like what I said in my previous posting, not much research has been on on this topic. Most current literature available these days mainly discuss about the nutritional benefit to the child.

Its kinda unfair, isn’t it? The one who is providing the milk only gets to know more on the “best stuff about breastmilk” but not really on the benefit she is getting by trying to produce the milk.

Seriously, after thinking about the pains of breastfeeding, “afterpains” (pains that occur when a hormone is released from what is left of your brain and the milk letdown process begins. This hormone also stimulates your uterus to contract back to its pre-pregnant shape), crack nipple, engorgement, backpains from hours of breastfeeding, occasional blocked milk duct, routine milk expressing, lack of sleep or rest and many more (coz if i list it out, penuh la my blog nnt), how many women would brave it and breastfeed with all their heart, right?

So what is it in return we get from breastfeeding? For me:

1) Bonding- Production of oxytocin during lactation increases parasympathetic activity, thus reducing anxiety and theoretically fostering bonding, so it is generally understood that maternal oxytocin circulation can predispose women to form bonds and show bonding behaviour.Breastfeeding is also strongly believed to foster the early post-partum maternal bond, via touch, response, and mutual gazing. I was so scared tau when I first held Miya. But, breastfeeding helps me to bravely march into motherhood.

2) Voluptuous Boobies- I increased from A cup to B cup and on occasions to C. Boosted my body image confidence a bit.

3) Loss "after-baby" weight dramatically, but later gain proper me weight.

4) Increased of appetite- Healthy increase to my body weight, yet controllable. So proper calorie intake and usage, unlike before, where I am so skinning that my cousins keep on making fun of me “budak afrika g malnutri, weight problem, budak kecacingan).

5) Menstruation – I feel like my uterus cleans better.

6) Mood swings – 50-70% less than before baby...LOL.

7) Estrogens issues- Vaa vaa voom sex drive. Happy & No complains.

8) Self-confidence – Increased. Proudly carrying around breastpump to work, public breastfeeding, expressing yourself, thinking out loud and many more.

9) Cancer- My family do have a long line history of cancer. Knowing that breastfeeding does lower risk for certain type of cancer, it does give me a certain confort.

10) Friendship- I found lots of friends through breastfeeding support forum & blogs.

I do know that there are more reasons and benefit that breastfeeding gives me, but I can’t think of any more right now. Like I said before, I need to do more reading on this from research papers & literature so that we mommies will feel much more worth it in our mission to breastfeed our child.

Anyway....after reading my previous posting and this posting, I would really want to know on how u feel about what breastfeeding has done for you?

As for me, I am shouting "I breastfeed my baby for her benefit and MINE too!!"

(psst..its ok to be selfish on this issue)

10 comments:

Ina Hashim said...

All are very true dear

temp. housewife said...

What breasfeeding has done for me? Well, all of the things that you've mentioned plus it makes my life so easier when I don't have to wake up at night to prepare the FM. senang je, buka baju anak pun cari mana nak nenen. :D

Hanz said...

I echo your reason Mama Miya! Hi-5!

Dayah said...

I just quote this from one of local drama.The herowas saying that, whatever that he has been doing all this while is not a sacrifice but is a PRIDE.( actually dia tengah kumpul duit nak kwin, so dia junggle between studi, partime job, taking care of his family, so the GF kind of kesian di atas pengorbanan dia ),

so let me take this into our BF journey, yes is true, we sort of sacrifice to BF ( pumping even midnite,some buy costly pump,never give up if low suply, etc ) but actually we can say that is a PRIDE of doing this. because when u say sacrifice, u tend to hope for 'balasan' but if doing because of PRIDE, normally kita tak ungkit nanti..

oppss.terpanjang pulak

Confession of a Coffeeholic Mama-Miya said...

ina--> tu la..i feel like kalu we do it for us, no reason kita nak terasa unfair & merungut, like "y only mothers have to do this?"

temp housewife--> BF sebab senang nenen malam tu mmg la antara best reason. even kalo kita tgh letih or tak sihat or lapar, we can just cuddle dgn anak..rest & bg nenen.

hanz--> yes..we must do things for us too.

dayah--> super loving that concept. terasa cam zaman dolu2 or cam org jepun. I DO IT FOR HONOUR & PRICE. Chewah..betul la..kalau kita anggap cam ni our HOLY MISSION, kita akan rasa lebih bersemangat & takkan mengeluh or anggap this world is unfair.

Ummi Salsabila said...

yup,its true! plus its free!!! FM is so expensive.syg nak kua duit bila slma ni xperlu beli susu aufa.:)

Confession of a Coffeeholic Mama-Miya said...

ummi salsabila--> betul gak tu..mama bg BM so mama tak yah spend so much $$ on FM. :D so the extra money mama can spend it on something a lot more worth it...

nieda said...

betul tu, yang plg kuat bonding between anak dan ibu. Saya sangat2 percaya bonding yang sangat rapat sampai anak itu dewasa. say YES to breastfeeding!!!

CatlinaFly said...

rindunye nak Bf...tinggal kenangan jelah..hope boleh full BF utk anak kedua...

¥ α Ŋ α Đ z µ £ said...

yana dua2 anak bf sekejap saja..susu tak banyak kenapa ntah..

join contest yana :
http://yanadzul.blogspot.com/2010/01/yanadzul-giveaway-win-aivee-emart-toy.html

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