I breastfed both my kids far longer than I originally intended.
With E, my firstborn, He was a few days shy of his second birthday. I had to abruptly wean because I underwent chemotherapy and the meds are not going to be good for him. Since he was almost 2 anyway, I decided that maybe it’s time for us to stop with the nursing. Anyway, since I had to be confined in the hospital for a surgery and will be gone for 5 days, perhaps he won’t be looking for my breasts when I got home again.
I was wrong. It was such a traumatic experience for both of us since neither of us was ready to stop at that point. E was so happy when I finally got home and couldn’t understand why my breasts were suddenly off limits to him. I knew that more than the nutrition E was getting from my milk, it was the emotional closeness that he was after. It was his source of comfort and security and maybe a symbol of love. It broke my heart, but he definitely can’t nurse because of the drugs in my system. I didn’t want to repeat that experience!
Now I am still breastfeeding R, and she’s now 2 years and 5 months old! I do not see any desire for her to stop our breastfeeding relationship. And since she may well be my youngest child, I am hoping for child led weaning this time around. (more…)
Next year, our high school batch will be the the Silver Jubilarians of Saint Jude Catholic School. I can’t believe that it’s been 24 years since I graduated from high school!
To prepare for our grand alumni homecoming, the batch core group organized a party-cum-planning session under the guise of J.O.’s birthday celebration. It was a hit as 70 batchmates came. Guess we were all excited about seeing each other after all those years.
What has happened to our former batchmates? Well, I’d say we’ve gone a long way since we left SJCS. Aside from the physical changes like the need for reading glasses and the increased girth some of us now have, it’s gratifying to see that many of us have become successes in our own right, whether in our chosen fields and / or in raising kids who we hope would grow up with the same values that we learned, grew up with, and apply in our own lives.
It’s surprising to see that while there are many changes that maturity (!) has brought about, many things still stay the same. 13 years is a huge chunk out of anybody’s life, and the influence of the institution and the “comrades” in those formative years are sure to make a mark somehow. The beauties and hunks are still as beautiful and handsome as I remembered them. The leaders still have that commanding presence and the shy ones like me are still quite shy.
I loved the Human Bingo game, as it “forced” me to make an effort to seek out my former classmates and ask about what they are up to now. So even if I wasn’t able to complete the form, I was able to know my former classmates just a bit better.
I really enjoyed going to this party. I am confident that next year’s Grand Homecoming would be a success. Go Invictus 1987!
“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.”
It is such a nice. nice time to be a breastfeeding mom as there are so many pretty breastfeeding clothes available nowadays. These clothes not only have hidden access points for your baby to reach your breasts easily, they also flatter your new shape, accentuating your much larger breasts and camouflaging your post pregnancy tummy. (more…)
Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (May). This carnival is dedicated to all moms, celebrating Mother’s Day today. Participants will share various topics covering A Breastfeeding Mother’s Top Ten List. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants.
(This is part 1 of a series)
I would like to list breastfeeding both my kids as one of my mommy achievements. Well, see, it wasn’t really easy, and you have people who would naysay your efforts. But I’m so proud to say that I breastfed my eldest until he was nearly 2 years old (had to stop then because I was undergoing chemotherapy) and currently, I’m still breastfeeding my youngest, who will turn 2 next month!
I believe the true ESSENTIALS of successful breastfeeding are a mom who’s determined to do so, a baby and support from everybody who’s close to the mom (especially the dad!).
However, there are now plenty of things out there which make life easier for the breastfeeding mom. While these are not truly essentials in the strictest sense of the word, I would say that these are must-haves for a smooth breastfeeding experience.
Moms who can’t afford these products though do not need to fret, because there are certainly cheaper alternatives, so you can still make your breastfeeding journey easier without breaking the bank! (more…)
Welcome to the first Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (March). To celebrate National Women’s Month, our participants share how breastfeeding has changed them as a woman. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants.
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There were quite a few things that I really wanted to be “when I grow up”.
I wanted to be a doctor. Check, I was able to get a medical education in one of the nation’s top medical schools, pass the board exams, trained and qualified to be an ophthalmologist.
I wanted to be a wife. Check. I got married to the man I love and who I know loves me.
I wanted to be a mom. Check. I got pregnant a month after the wedding.
But then I quickly realized that having a baby and BEING a mom is really not the same.
Being a mom means making decisions that would affect the well being of your baby. One of those decisions was what to feed your baby. (more…)
I thought Valentine’s Day would be just an ordinary day for us, married with young kids with no one to leave the kids with. That was ok by me. After all, we had our priorities.
Secondly, our kids. We’re now having pleasantly cool weather which I’m enjoying. But our kids had bouts of viral infections. My girl even had to be brought to the hospital when she had benign febrile convulsions. Thank goodness it’s over now but definitely not a good start to the year. (from this post)
… I had no idea that it’s not over yet. The end of that particular week, my son had another bout of infection, this time it was acute tonsillopharyngitis. When he got better, R got fever and colds again. Her last fever bout occurred yesterday morning, and it’s less than 38 degrees. Since then, she hasn’t had any fever. I’m keeping my fingers and toes crossed that it really is the last of it.
That means that Valentine’s day is pretty much not a couple day but a family day again. Well, we were really not much into celebrating Valentine’s day, what with all the expenses associated with it. We see no reason why we should spend for overpriced flowers, have dinner in crowded restaurants on that particular day.
While romance brought us together, what keeps us together is commitment. And while it may not be as exciting as the first flutter of romance, it’s immensely more satisfying.
And although romance may not be as obvious as when we first got together, it’s always there. We try to make time for each other, even if it’s just a late night DVD movie session or take out fast food dinner in the car while driving home for work. For while we now have other priorities that, most of the time, takes precedence over romance, a little time reconnecting with just each other helps keeps the romance alive, even if we have to sneak it in once in a while.
Pina Colada
(Rupert Holmes)
I was tired of my lady
We’d been together too long
Like a worn-out recording
Of a favorite song
So while she lay there sleeping
I read the paper in bed
And in the personal columns
There was this letter I read
“If you like Pina Coladas
And getting caught in the rain
If you’re not into yoga
If you have half a brain
If you’d like making love at midnight
In the dunes on the Cape
Then I’m the love that you’ve looked for
Write to me and escape.”
I didn’t think about my lady
I know that sounds kind of mean
But me and my old lady
Have fallen into the same old dull routine
So I wrote to the paper
Took out a personal ad
And though I’m nobody’s poet
I thought it wasn’t half bad
“Yes I like Pina Coladas
And getting caught in the rain
I’m not much into health food
I am into champagne
I’ve got to meet you by tomorrow noon
And cut through all this red-tape
At a bar called O’Malley’s
Where we’ll plan our escape.”
So I waited with high hopes
And she walked in the place
I knew her smile in an instant
I knew the curve of her face
It was my own lovely lady
And she said, “Oh it’s you.”
Then we laughed for a moment
And I said, “I never knew.”
That you like Pina Coladas
Getting caught in the rain
And the feel of the ocean
And the taste of champagne
If you’d like making love at midnight
In the dunes of the Cape
You’re the lady I’ve looked for
Come with me and escape
But in spite of my over-all optimism, I just can’t help feeling a bit jittery.
First, finances. December is really the month of big spending…and limited income. You see, as self employed private doctors, we only get income when we have patients, and of course, there are less patients in December. And, of course, we want to spend time with family, have Christmas dinners and vacations, which means even less time at clinics = less income. Add the fact that we are spending a lot for gifts. I have nothing against gift giving coz this is the chance for us to show people our appreciation. But gift giving means spending for gifts. Which combined with the limited income = depletion of the family kitty. And in January some bills and must pays keep creeping in. Sigh. Double sigh.
Secondly, our kids. We’re now having pleasantly cool weather which I’m enjoying. But our kids had bouts of viral infections. My girl even had to be brought to the hospital when she had benign febrile convulsions. Thank goodness it’s over now but definitely not a good start to the year.
Thirdly, our career. There are so many changes coming that we really do not know what’s ahead. There are now more and more HMO patients and some HMOs, instead of increasing the fees that they pay to doctors, are actually decreasing it. No wonder established doctors shun HMOs.
Fourthly, my/our desire to finally have a place of our own. I want so much to have my own “kingdom” so to speak. It’s rather limiting not to be able to make your own decisions regarding your own self and your own family and having things done your own way. But, it seems that we have to postpone that too. For now, the best thing for our kids is to stay put, where a loving grandma can and will watch them when we are away, especially when they are sick. And hired help does not have the same sort of loving care that blood relations do.
Well, January is now over. Maybe February, with the beginning of the Chinese New Year, will be a better month for us? I certainly hope so.
