Every breastfeeding mom must have experienced backache, engorged breasts, sore nipples, or all of these. Despite these difficulties, moms power through their breastfeeding journey for the benefit of their children.
I remember the time when my nipples blistered a few days into breastfeeding. My hungry little one would latch without a clue that I am clenching my fist, biting my lip, fighting the urge to scream, and crying due to pain. Back then, I thought about how other moms survive breastfeeding for a long time.
To reach a year in breastfeeding is a feat in itself. Many moms would consider this the finish line; however, many would continue beyond the one-year mark. If you’re at a crossroads in thinking about whether to continue breastfeeding after one year, allow the stories of these three moms to shed light on your journey. Read on.
My husband and I conceived a baby a week after our wedding day.
For many women, this is the stuff of dreams. In fact, I was already (and unknowingly) pregnant during our honeymoon, which we postponed in favor of settling first into our new home.
But as a woman who wanted to enjoy her husband for a while before having kids, seeing the positive result of the pregnancy test gave me conflicting emotions. On the one hand, I was happy at the thought of having a child; on the other, I was devastated that I would never get to enjoy being just a wife.
Just when we finally started to warm up to the idea that we would soon have a little one, a second ultrasound had our hearts dropping to the floor: our baby’s heartbeat was slowing down. A third ultrasound confirmed that the heartbeat was completely gone. We lost our child merely weeks after conceiving him or her.
The next couple of months were an emotional rollercoaster as we tried to keep up with what was going on inside me and around us.
I waited as my body accepted the loss of the baby in my womb. While waiting, I had to face countless friends and acquaintances who placed their hands on my tummy and asked me excitedly: May laman na ba? How could I turn to them and answer, “Yes, there’s a dead baby inside my womb right now”?
I chose to deliver my unborn child naturally in the hospital. I labored for 15 hours until I was able to pass the embryo, to the sounds of new babies and nurses congratulating other moms around me. I came home empty-handed, exhausted, and numb.
It took months for me to process this life-altering event and make my peace with it. Here are some of the realizations that helped me along the way.
I had my first child’s first ultrasound immortalized by a good friend in a way that evoked life and hope. No blurred black-and-white image here; just a lot of colors to symbolize the joy this little one brought into our lives, if only for a short while!
My husband and I decided it was time to have kids after a year of marriage. However, as someone who experiences irregular periods, I made the decision to consult an OB-GYN first in order to assess how easy or how difficult it would be for us to get pregnant. After a recommended ultrasound, it was then that I confirmed that I had PCOS, or polycystic ovarian syndrome.
I still remember how anxious I felt going back to the doctor after being diagnosed with PCOS and possibly hearing that it would be hopeless, and to face the fact of not having kids. But when I showed her the results, she was still all smiles and just assured me, “Don’t worry. Magagawan ‘yan ng paraan (There’s a way to fix that)!”
And truth be told, a PCOS diagnosis is not the end of your dreams of having children. In fact, my husband and I are now parents to a 2-year old daughter. So while PCOS is one of the most common causes of infertility, it’s also good to know that it is treatable.
I’ve sought the help of board-certified OB-GYN, Dr. Anna Isabella B. Flores, MD, DPOGS, to break down PCOS, its symptoms, and how to manage it for an easier path toward the journey to pregnancy.
Summer beach trips are all about making fun memories with the family. If a beach vacation is something new for your little ones, then they will surely welcome the experience with wide-eyed wonder! As you let them explore, you also want to make sure they’re dressed properly so they can play all-day long without any trouble and you won’t have to worry about whether or not they’re protected enough from the heat of the sun. The bean x Anina Rubio swimwear collection is intentionally made for that exact purpose.
To help you pack for your upcoming summer trips, bean collaborated with visual artist and environmental advocate Anina Rubio. This collaboration brings you a swimwear collection that’s interestingly named after Philippine beaches! Take a peek into the collection and what it offers right here. Keep on reading!
