MummyHugs celebrates World Breastfeeding Week 1-7 August 2010!

At MummyHugs we are passionate about encouraging more mothers to breastfeed longer.

Together with a baby sling you can breastfeed on the go and wearing your baby in a sling lets you breastfeed anywhere in public areas discreetly. You don't need a baby sling to breastfeed but in our active lifestyle, it does make life easier and encourages mothers to breastfeed longer.

When I was asked time and again if I was breastfeeding my 20 month old! I proudly says YES! But the next question I'm asked is when am I going to stop? My answer is I'm not planning to stop. Now why you may ask? I don't have a reason to stop and there's still so many benefits of breastfeeding a toddler. I've written a post on Nursing Beyond One Year, click here to read more.

WHO recommends breastfeeding till two years of age or beyond. Read more to find out :)

FROM THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION:

Breastfeeding is the normal way of providing young infants with the nutrients they need for healthy growth and development. Virtually all mothers can breastfeed, provided they have accurate information, and the support of their family, the health care system and society at large.

Colostrum, the yellowish, sticky breast milk produced at the end of pregnancy, is recommended by WHO as the perfect food for the newborn, and feeding should be initiated within the first hour after birth.

Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months of age, with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods up to two years of age or beyond.

To read more click here http://www.who.int/topics/breastfeeding/en/
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This year the slogan for World Breastfeeding Week 2010 is " Just 10 Steps"

Click here to view the video: Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding

Wondering how our society can become more breastfeeding friendly? Here are the 10 steps.

1. Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.
   
   
2. Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy.
   
   
3. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
   
   
4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within a half-hour of birth.
   
   
5. Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation, even if they should be separated from their infants.
   
   
6. Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk unless medically indicated.
   
   
7. Practice rooming- in - allow mothers and infants to remain together - 24 hours a day.
   
   
8. Encourage breastfeeding on demand.
   
   
9. Give no artificial teats or pacifiers (also called dummies or soothers) to breastfeeding infants.
   
   
10. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic.
    

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UNICEF News on World Breastfeeding Week
http://www.unicef.org/childsurvival/index_55388.html

NEW YORK, 30 July 2010 – Every year, nearly nine million children die before their fifth birthday. Breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways to reduce that toll...

More Links on World Breastfeeding Week:
http://worldbreastfeedingweek.org/
http://www.waba.org.my/
http://www.llli.org/wbw2010

MummyHugs Supports World Breastfeeding Week! 1-7 Aug 2009

Breastfeeding is truly the best you can give to your baby! The World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF recommendations - early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding until six months of age and continued breastfeeding for two years or beyond. Every drop of breastmilk that you can give your baby will give him/her the best start in life!

Together with a baby sling you can breastfeed on the go and wearing your baby in a sling lets you breastfeed anywhere in public areas discreetly. You don't need a baby sling to breastfeed but in our active lifestyle, it does make life easier and encourages mothers to breastfeed longer.

In conjunction with WBW09, MummyHugs offers free delivery to Malaysian & Singapore address & for Indonesia- a reduced flat fee of RM35 for 1 piece of baby sling via poslaju.* SO Hurry! get your baby sling to help you in your breastfeeding journey today!
(*the above promotion is only valid from 3Aug09-17Aug09 & only for retail purchases.)
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A Press Release from WABA: World Breastfeeding Week 1-7 August 2009

In Emergencies, Breastfeeding Is A Lifeline.

Emergencies can happen anywhere in the world. Infants and young children are especially vulnerable to malnutrition, illness, and death in these situations. Whatever the emergency from earthquake to conflict, from floods to the flu pandemic the story is the same: breastfeeding is a lifeline and a shield that protects infants in emergencies.

From 1-7 August 2009, the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), and breastfeeding advocates in more than 150 countries worldwide will be celebrating World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) for the 18th year. This year, WABA teams up with the Emergency Nutrition Network (ENN) and the International Baby Food Action Network-Geneva Infant Feeding Association (IBFAN-GIFA) who represent an international collaboration of United Nations agencies and non-governmental organisations (IFE Core Group) concerned with protection and support of safe and appropriate infant and young child feeding in emergencies. Together we call for the active protection and support of breastfeeding during emergencies and the prevention and refusal of donations of breastmilk substitutes1, bottles and teats that, too often, do more harm than good.

When an emergency strikes, simple measures can make all the difference in the world. Emergency preparedness is the key to quick appropriate actions. Mothers need to be secure and have priority access to food for the family, water, shelter and safe places to breastfeed.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF recommendations - early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding until six months of age and continued breastfeeding for two years or beyond - are even more critical in emergencies. Breastfeeding is the one safe and secure source of food and fluid for infants - instantly available, providing active protection against illness and keeping an infant warm and close to his/her mother. It also reduces the risk of post-partum haemorrhage in the mother, the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide. In the challenging and risky environment of an emergency, how infants are fed is key to their survival.

Protecting breastfeeding and infant and young child feeding from inappropriate marketing influences is an essential component of emergency interventions. Violations of the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent relevant WHA Resolutions are frequent2. International guidance3 developed by the IFE Group clearly states that donations of breastmilk substitutes, bottles and teats should not be sought nor accepted in emergencies.

Everyone can play a positive and important role in emergency preparedness and response. Find out what you can do by consulting the WBW 2009 ACTION FOLDER produced by WABA and the IFE Core Group that includes an extensive Guide for Action. Available online at the WABA website and in print in 4 languages from WABA.

Breastfeeding is a vital emergency response. When a disaster strikes, everyone should be ready!


For further information:

Julianna Lim Abdullah International WBW Coordinator Tel: (604) 658 4816 Fax: (604) 657 2655

Email: wbw@waba.org.my

Key links

1) World Breastfeeding Week 2009 http://www.worldbreastfeedingweek.org

2) Operational Guidance onIFE, available in 11 languages, http://www.ennonline.net/ and click on the link.

3) IBFAN-ICDC Focus on the Code and Infant feeding in emergencies, May 2009, www.ibfan.org and on WABA and ENN websites

4) For key resources to support WBW 2009, visit www.ennonline.net and follow link or visit directly at http://www.ennonline.net/ife/breastfeedingweek.aspx

1 Breastmilk substitutes include infant formula, other milks, infant foods, juices, teas

2 As documented in IBFAN-ICDC Focus May 2009 publication on The Code and Infant feeding in emergencies

3 Operational Guidance of Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies, version 2.1, February 2007. ww.ennonline.net

Singapore Breastfeeding Week Event

World Breastfeeding Week Event by BMSG - Breastfeeding Mother Support Group
Date: Sat 22nd August 2009
Time: 11am
Venue: Health Promotion Board

"single best strategy for the infant's survival, growth and development"

Trust that Breast is Safest and Best
(A Press Release by BMSG)

The Breastfeeding Mothers' Support Group (Singapore) (BMSG(S)) writes with utmost concern regarding the impact caused by the tainted Sanlu brand of formula milk and the needless deaths and loss of health of thousands of infants. In addition, newspapers have also reported on cases of contamination with urea by dairies in India some years ago. Although these, and other, scandals have largely been contained within the countries of origin, we can hardly afford to remain apathetic about the safety of artificial formula milk consumed by our infants whose only source of nutrition in the first six months is from milk.

The BMSG(S) takes this opportunity to stress to mothers that breastmilk stands alone in providing all the necessary nutrients in the necessary proportions required for the optimal health, growth and development of our infants. Mother's milk is special and every species of mammal produces milk that is unique for the young of that species. Simply put, human breastmilk is specially designed for our human babies. Whilst children might develop allergies to artificial cow's milk and many others are lactose intolerant, breastmilk prevents rather than causes allergies and is gentle on our infants' immature digestive systems. Only we as mothers, can ensure that our infants are shielded from the potential harm caused by synthetically manufactured products, contaminations, manufacturing errors, lax controls, cover-ups and errant profiteers. Our babies depend wholly on us for the crucial months of their lives to give them the best milk that nature meant solely for them.

Breastmilk contains many nutrients, some of which are present in minute levels that cannot be duplicated in formula milk and yet play important roles in meeting the needs of developing infants. Breastmilk is also a constantly changing formula through the months, weeks and even days. This ensures the best nutrition at every point in the lives of our infants and is not controlled by artificial nutrient levels set by man. When mothers choose to exclusively breastfeed, they choose to trust in the ultimate goodness of their own breastmilk. Their infants are thus protected from any errors in the production process of formula milk which can mean a difference of life and death or loss of health, as has been sadly highlighted in the scandals.

With the growing affluence of women, their desire to return to the workforce after birth and difficulties faced at their workplace, many mothers have been swayed over by savvy advertising to replace breastfeeding with formula milk as the convenient source of nutrition for infants. With fewer children born per family, it is all the more critical that we give our precious babies the best start in life through breastfeeding. This best start remains in later life as children who are breastfed have been found to have a higher IQ advantage. The World Health Organisation (WHO), in response to the scandal, has once again reiterated that breastfeeding is the "single best strategy for the infant's survival, growth and development".* Its message to mothers is to exclusively breastfeed their infants for six months and thereafter to 2 years and beyond with complementary feeding of solids.

Mothers often assume that if breastfeeding is not possible - which is a rare situation - then formula feeding is the second-best alternative. The WHO makes it very clear that this is absolutely not true. Second-best feeding is mother's own expressed milk given by cup or tube. Third-ranked best choice is donated breastmilk from a milk bank whilst formula ranks only a distant fourth.

Breastfeeding is a natural and loving act. The BMSG(S) urges all mothers to put their trust in their own abilities to breastfeed and to make breastfeeding their best feeding choice. The BMSG(S) offers workshops for all mothers-to-be to prepare them for their breastfeeding journey and trained counsellors offer support to mothers who face any difficulties with breastfeeding. The BMSG(S) would like to stress that breastfeeding difficulties can be managed and overcome if mothers request for assistance early and breastfeeding becomes easier once mothers get the hang of it. Mothers can contact us through our helpline at 6339 3558, email at counselling@breastfeeding.org.sg or website at www.breastfeeding.org.sg

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=a2vuxUAv62fg&refer=asia/

How long should we breastfeed? For 2 years and beyond...

Is is 'normal' for a toddler of 2 years to be breastfed? Who decides what is the norm? The media? I often hear medical professionals advising patients to wean off their baby after 6 months or after a year. I also often hear friends ask me " Are you STILL breastfeeding?". We should realized that our norm for the past 30 or more are determined by the intervention of formula companies. Breast milk was the only way of feeding before formula came into being. Mothers can breastfeeding for as long as they want.


United Nations recommends that Babies should be exclusively breastfed for 6 months, then complement with solid food till 2 years and beyond.

" Optimal infant and young child feeding means that mothers are empowered to initiate breastfeeding within one hour of birth, breastfeed exclusively for the first six months and continue to breastfeed for two years or more, together with nutritionally adequate, safe, age appropriate, responsive complementary feeding starting in the sixth month."
Extracted from UNICEF - Infant and child feeding goals
http://http://www.unicef.org/nutrition/index_breastfeeding.html/

"Pediatricians and parents should be aware that exclusive breastfeeding is sufficient to support optimal growth and development for approximately the first 6 months of life and provides continuing protection against diarrhea and respiratory tract infection. Breastfeeding should be continued for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child."
Extracted from La Leche League International - How long should a mother breastfeed?
http://www.llli.org/FAQ/bflength.html

Information on Extended Breastfeeding beyond one year.
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/index.html#concerns

Spread the message and save lives!

Dear family and friends,

Please forward this email to anyone you know who is pregnant, a mother or anyone who knows a mother. Mother's milk is the most natural, safest and a God send gift to mothers and babies of the world. It's sad that people do not realize that this is the way that human babies should be fed.

As mentioned by one of my friend: " The truth is, there is never a guarantee that formula milk contains all it is said or touted to contain, in all the right quantities. This China case was not the first, but neither will it be the last.

Formula contamination, or over/under supplementation of nutrients and chemicals is very real and not just confined to China.

Just a couple of years ago in Israel, there was a case of over supplementation of Vit B to dangerous levels. Again, there was no cross-check by authorities and it was not until babies fell ill and died that the problem surfaced. As in any factory/manufacturing scenario, human or machine errors are common.

It is a pity that in the midst of all this, that breastfeeding is not brought to the fore of public consciousness as the right and normal way of feeding infants. Had more Chinese babies been breastfed, and the reliance on formula been less, the impact would not be so severe. Today's Strait Times had an article on parents fretting about what to feed their babies. This is sad and all so unnecessary if breastfeeding had been promoted and supported in the first place. "

There's a lot of myths and misconception surrounding breastfeeding that has been spread intentionally or unintentionallly by the formula milk companies to the general public. As we know formula milk companies are driven by profit and some of their many of their marketing efforts are not necessary ethical. In many rural and third world countries, literally milllions of babies are dying due to malnutrition and contatmination due to unavaliibilty of clean water or lack of facilities and knowledge to sterilize bottles in preparation of formula milk.

Usually a manufacturer won't announce that the competition's product is a better choice. But when the competition is breast milk, infant formula manufacturers concede--right on the label--that breast milk is best. All the DHA and the ingredients that formula company promotes is present in breast milk in the best way to be absorb by the baby. And there are more than 200 ingredients that is present in breast milk that formula milk do not have. It's sad to say that we have to fight the odds and choose to breastfeed when it should be the most natural way if there wasn't any human intervention.

Here are some quick facts about breastfeeding and breast milk may not be widely known:

Breastmilk is
1) The ideal nourishment for human babies
it's protein content particularly suited for a baby's metabolism, the fat content is more easily absorbed and digested than the fats in cow's milk.
2) Baby cry less and happier
As breastmilk is easily absorbed, baby suffer from less colic and digestive problems. Therefore they cry less, are easier to manage and are happier :)
3) Baby are smarter
Some studies shows that breastfed babies are smarter. Some of the reasons presented are that breast milk contain all the brain building ingredients in the most readily absorb-able form for babies. And some shows that since they are easier to manage and cry less from digestive problems, they use those time observing and learning about their environment at a young age. Others shows that it may be due to mothers spending more time bonding and interacting with their children which in turn stimulates their brains at an early age.
4) Breastfed babies fall sick less A mother's milk contain cells from her immune system and antibodies against diseases to which she has been exposed. Antibodies she develops after the baby is born are also passed to the baby through the breast milk.
5) Protects the infants against certain diseases, infections and allergies


For Mothers
1) Helps mother's uterus shrink after childbirth Baby's suckling produces a hormone that helps mother's uterus shrink
2) Helps mother lose weight! Each day that a mother breastfeed is equal to losing about 500 calories per day
3) Reduced Risk of Cancer Mothers who breastfeed for at least 6 months have a decreased risk of breast, ovarian, uterine cancers.
4) Relaxes mother and baby and promotes bonding It's a wonderful way to bond with baby especially when a mother needs to return to work. For me it forces me to slow down in our busy life and spend quality time just nursing and bonding with my son
5) Most mothers can breastfeed their babies and most challenges faced can be addressed and corrected. There's only a few medical conditions known that the mother should not breastfeed. One of them is AIDS.
6) Working Mothers can breastfeed!
With a breast pump and a few minutes at work each day, a mother can continue to breastfeed her baby for as long as she wants to. Although some may argue that a breast pump is expensive, it saves you money on formula milk, medical bills when your child fall sick.
7) Saves Money and its convenient!
Breast milk is free and readily avaliable at the correct temperature and free from contaminant. Saving you substantial amount of money from buying formula milk.


Being a mother myself, I manage to successfully breastfed my son till 2 years and 3 months until he self wean. Although natural, breastfeeding may be faced with many challenges and many breastfeeding support group will be able to share knowledge and encourage other mothers to breastfeed. If you do know or anyone who is facing issues with breastfeeding, I will be more than happy to share my experience and knowledge or direct them to someone who can help them. I am currently volunteering at a breastfeeding mother support group as a trained counsellor- if they are situated in Singapore, they can contact +65 6339 3558 to get help.

To read more here are some great links or just google 'breast milk' or 'breastfeeding' you will get a lot of great information
http://www.kellymom.com
http://www.breastfeedingonline.com/

Here are some links re: the Sanlu Milk contamination case
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/376038/1/.html
http://www.dailysentinel.com/news/content/shared-gen/ap/Asia/China_Baby_Formula_Recall.html

Spread the message and you may just save lives!
Lets bring nature's way of feeding our babies back.

MummyHugs Celebrates World Breastfeeding Day 2008

The Annual World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) 2008 is here!
August 1st-7th 2008.
Theme for this year: Mother Support - Going for the Gold

In conjunction with the Olympics in August, WBW 2008 calls for greater support for mothers in achieving the gold standard of infant feeding: breastfeeding exclusively for six months, and providing appropriate complementary foods with continued breastfeeding for up to two years or beyond.
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The reason that inspired MummyHugs' existence is because of the love for my son. I quit my job so that I can nurse my baby and spend more time with him and hence I created MummyHugs. MummyHugs has enable me to work from home, continue to nurse my son till 2 years 2 months and provide support to other mothers to breastfeed.

Beside all the great nutrition and antibodies that breast milk contains, breastfeeding is more than just providing physical food for a baby. To me, it creates a strong bond between a mother and child and this relationship continue to flourish even when the child weans. For me, it 'forces' me to slow down in life and just spend quiet moments feeding my son. When I was working full time, I express my milk at work to continue to keep giving my son the best. It reminded me that I am a mother and it helps me to reconnect with my son when I return from work.

In celebration of World Breastfeeding Week, and showing our gratitude to God and mother nature for this gift of 'liquid gold', MummyHugs will be holding a sale of 25% for all slings in the month of August 2008.
Free Shipping for purchases over RM150.00 (For Malaysia, Singapore only. Promotion valid until 31st August 2008, The RM150.00 is applicable after the discounted price.)

Here are also some activities which MummyHugs will be participating during WBW.

1) Sun 2nd August 2008- Cellsafe Seminar:Crystal Crown Hotel-JB
MummyHugs is Sponsoring $250 worth of baby sling

2) Sun 10th August 2008-Cellsafe Seminar: Selesa Hotel-Pasir Gudang
MummyHugs is Sponsoring $250 worth of baby sling

3) Sat 16th August 2008- Breastfeeding Mother Support Group Singapore (BMSG)Celebrating WBW
Venue : National Volunteer Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) Time:12.30pm -4pm
MummyHugs will be setting up a booth, we will be retailing Baby Slings, Nursing Cover, Nursing Pillows etc... There'll be a special price for all baby slings on that day!<
For more info check out the website http://www.breastfeeding.org.sg/

To read more on World Breastfeeding Week and see what countries around the world are doing: Click here. http://www.worldbreastfeedingweek.org/

The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) is a global network of individuals organisations concerned with the protection, promotion & support of breastfeeding worldwide. http://www.waba.org.my/
For more information you can contact me at shirin@mummyhugs.com +6016 7585842

My Breastfeeding Experience

Ok... I have been trying to write this lactation story of mine for ages.
Now that I have decided to become a breastfeeding counselor, part of my first assignment to be considered to undergo the training is to write my lactation story.
Tristan is now 15 months and yes I am still breastfeeding :) yes! I am! For those who do not have a child or never breastfed this may be... weird, but for those who knows.. it's a acheivement. Well, it's a achievement for me at least. So here goes my story :

Title: Journey of a new mom in breastfeeding.


In the beginning
When I was pregnant, I was asked if I was going to breastfeed? I said yes. Partly because I was fortunate to have a sister in law who successfully breastfed her 2 girls till about 4 years of age. With a role model before me, I thought I will do my best at nursing my first born at least for the recommended 6 months.

The day came when I was in labour for 16 hours. I was extremely exhausted. I carried my little Tristan in my arms, so tiny, so fragile. After 9 months of anticipation and 16 hours of labour, it was indeed worth it. I thank God for my little angel from heaven.

My first experience of nursing
About two hours later, Tristan started crying. It was time for me to breastfeed for the first time. With a bit of guidance from the nurse, I fed him his first meal. Well, what the book said was true, babies are born with the reflex of suckling. I sang him little tunes and prayers while I nursed him. It was a magical moment.

2 hours later, I woke up.. without any alarm. Coincidentally, Tristan was crying in the next room and was brought to my arms again, hungry. Little did I realised that his tummy will be my alarm from now on. And.. it's every two hours, even through the night. My motherhood journey has only just begun. After we return home, Tristan was waking up in shorter and shorter intervals. Crying every other hour to be nursed. Tired, I carried on nursing on demand. On the third day, he surprisingly slept through from 6am to 11am. And he had whizzing sound coming from his breathing. As I was still recovering from the labour and not ready to move about freely, Chris, my husband and my nanny rushed him to the clinic. The first doctor said he had 'lung infections'! In disbelief, my husband went to another who referred him to the specialist. Arrived at the hospital, he was admitted and tests was conducted on him. Finally, to realise that he was just hungry and too tired to wake up and cry for milk. He was fed with formula at the hospital.

I had sore nipples from the every hourly feed and felt really depressed that it was my fault that he went through all that. I felt that I failed as a mother for not being able to provide milk for my son. He lost almost 500grams of weight. I was devastated; I totally blame myself for everything.

My sister in law came and together we went to the hospital to visit little Tristan. I cried the moment I saw him. He had developed jaundice and was put in the incubator with 'tubes' attached to monitor his heart beat and eye patch to cover his eyes. He looked so different from the day I met him, he lost so much weight. I tried to express my milk at the hospital, but after 10 mins, only one drop of Colostrum appeared.

We went to see the pediatrician to see if every thing was fine. In our conversation, my sister in law asked if I was able to continue to breastfeed. The doctor replied to say: 'dont be too sad, some mothers just have no milk'. I was speechless. The doctor confirmed my fears.

My sister in law told me not to worry and not to give up despite what the doctor said. She told me her milk supply only came in after 5-7 days. And from my own reading, I was told that almost 90 over percentage of woman can breastfeed. On top of that, I do not believe my breastfeeding experience will end this way, I was determined to continue nursing and pumping.

When Tristan was discharged after the fourth day, he then had developed 'nipple confusion'. When I tried to nurse him, he refused and kept turning his face away from me and cried as if asking for something else. Knowing that he had ended up in hospital from not having enough milk, we gave in and supplement with formula. He suckled happily from the bottle of formula. Although only a few drops, I still continued to express my milk and tried to nurse him every feed before giving him formula milk. This struggle lasted for a whole week.

On the 6th Day, we had a celebration for my 25th birthday. The best present I got was four ounce of breast milk! Yes I finally expressed four ounce of milk.

Without realising, I was nursing him more and giving less of the bottle. Before he reached his first month, I was really happy that I was finally able to breastfeed him exclusively.

Maternity leave over, back to work
We moved to Johor Bahru since Tristan was born as we had family members that could help care for him there. After three months of maternity, it was time to go back to work. Feeling unsure of what to do, and how to manage expressing and handling Expressed milk. I attended the Breastfeeding Mother Support Group (Singapore)Back to work workshop which gave me the confidence and knowledge to continue breastfeeding even after I went back to work.

As I wanted to spend more time with my little one and breastfeed directly as often as I can, I wrote to my boss to request for part time work. After much correspondence through phone calls and meetings, he finally managed to arrange part time work for 3 months. I was really thankful that he fought this request for me. [Actually in Singapore, the government provides a grant of WoW!(Work-Life Works) Fund, a scheme to help organizations implement flexible work arrangement, employers are more willing to arrange flexible work arrangement.]

When I went back to work, I had to carry a cold box, ice pack, pumps and containers to and fro through the customs from Johor Bahru to Bedok via public transport everyday. I was expressing diligently 3-4 times daily. Once before I leave for work, once when I reach work, once after my part time shift and once when I return home. This is so that Tristan will have enough supply for the next day. My colleague would ask if I was carrying a lunch box, well it is a lunchbox, my son's.

Traveling away from baby for work
After the part time arrangement was over, I felt the traveling was taking up too much time and I decided to sacrifice my job. I managed to find another job in Malaysia which is 10 mins away from my home. However another challenge came with this change. This new job requires occasional travel to other states of Malaysia. I panicked the day when I had to travel to KL for a weekend without baby.

I brought all my pumps, containers, ice pack along, but I was too tensed and stressed up to express much milk. I could not relax initially, but like all things, practice makes perfect. Taking deep breaths and visualizing my baby helped in let down of my milk. I would request the hotel to then freeze the expressed milk for me and plenty of ice for me to transport it from one place to another. After a couple of practice, it began easier for me to look out for places where I can pump and methods of storing and transporting my milk. I pumped everywhere, in the rest rooms of convention halls, in the car, borrowed a office room or store room, the list goes on.

Six months passed and I was still happily nursing my son, and thought I had no reason to give up. Since then, I found a way where I can spend more time with Tristan and still earn an income. I started a business manufacturing my own line of baby sling and selling them via an online store. With a baby sling, mothers can breastfeed in public more easily and in turn encouraging them to breastfeed longer. Going back to work did not stop me from giving the best to my son. I breastfeed him till today, my son will be turning 22 months in February 2008.

Last thoughts
Well, the initial 9 months of pregnancy and 16 hours was just a test of patience, strength and endurance to the mother. It was a preview of what a mother would do for her own child, a lifetime of love, sacrifices and perseverance. Although I am happy to have walked so far, my journey as a mom has only just began!