PADEDE MOM

Brawls and doles of a breastfeeding mother

By: Jeurdecel C. Martizano

Swollen feet and hands, morning sickness, and the feeling of being selective of what food to eat
that what one feels when it starts to appear. A lot of things of “no-no”, and the many bodily changes
occurs in the rest of the months that would passed by. Being too careless and being too reckless in the
process would mean danger to both lives of the mother and the child. One must be vigilant as to the
wellbeing and mental state of the mother for it is the basis of what would be the newborn would be
when he sees the world.
The voyage of a mother does not just happen when the baby is conceived and born out to this
world. This journey embraces the fact of getting all set to nurture and love the small being that would be
of your accountability. Nine months of conception was just the start. After it, would be a long-winding
expedition of physical, mental, emotional and psychological stronghold. One these challenges are to
breastfeed a baby after it is born and withstand this until the baby is grown enough not to need it.
Based on the most recent Family Health Survey, 92% of the children in the Philippines aged 6-35
months old have been breastfed at some time but only 27% were exclusively breastfed. In addition to
this, in a critical review of breastfeeding in the Philippines in 2013, it is said that during the first month
of life, only half of all infants in the Philippines are exclusively breastfed. The World Health Organization
(WHO) and United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) recommend that children
initiate breastfeeding within the first hour of birth and be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of
life – meaning no other foods or liquids are provided, including water.
Having this, it could not be denied the benefits of having exclusive breastfeeding of a mother on
her child after delivery. That what made Jaja, a mother of four decided to breastfed solely her third and
fourth child. It is not just about the fact of increasingly being expensive of the formula milk in the market
that she considered this, but the benefits that she and the baby can get in doing so. Despite being a
working mother, with her willpower, she made it possible.
“At first, it was difficult especially during the time nagpadede ako sa ikatlong baby ko. The first
two-three weeks was almost hell,” she uttered with remembrance of the pain as starting the
breastfeeding journey. This is the usual experience of mothers on the onset of breastfeeding. Breast will
be in the adjusting period and become swollen in the first month of the process. Sometimes, it would
have cuts but miraculously it will be healed if the little one continues to suck in the nipple of the mother.
“Despite its pain that would make you give-up, in the end, when you’re done on this phase, it will be the
most fulfilling moment and forget about the aching after surviving it,” Jaja exclaimed in teary-eyed as
she remembers the struggle during the moment.
On March 2010, Philippine government released Republic Act No. 10028 or also known as
“Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009”, that adopts rooming-in as a national policy to
encourage, protect, and support the practice of breastfeeding. Its intentions to create an environment
where basic physical, emotional, and psychological needs of mothers and infants are fulfilled through
the practice of rooming-in and breastfeeding. For as time passes by, most mothers-to-be neglect the
positive impacts of breastfeeding to both mother and child. Some would go to what we call as
convenience because breastfeeding is considered to them as tedious as it is to accomplish.
In addition, R.A. 10028 was also signed in support, protect, and encourage women who are
breastfeeding working moms. They should be given nursing room and enough time to breast pump at
work because government recognized the situation of these moms at work. The provision on these was
such a way effective for many are encouraged especially employed mothers. Yet, the percentage of
infants who received any breastfeeding at 3 and 6 months significantly decreased from 64.57% to
56.79% and from 48.69% to 38.62%, respectively. Positive gains lost its essence as these were the result
of the recent 2023 statistics of breastfeeding.
To encourage more mommies out there to exclusively breastfeed, here are some of the practical
benefits of doing so based on the Department of Health Advisory last 2014:
1. Breastfeeding provides all the energy and essential nutrients from birth up to 6 months in life.
Comparative to what formula milk offers, it can never have the same level of nutrients present
in the breast milk.
2. The first few drops of breast milk called colostrum contain antibodies that protect babies
against infectious and chronic diseases, such as diarrhea or pneumonia. Basically, from the
intake of this, the baby’s immune system is already boosted and prepared for the outside world.
3. It strengthens the bond between mother and child. The cuddle and the time spent in
breastfeeding gives the essence of feeling of the mommy and the baby. It is when the
connection between them is interlocked for a lifetime.
4. It reduces the risk of ovarian and breast cancer of the mother. Aside from the help the mother
gets in postpartum recovery, breastfeeding is a mean also of keeping away with reproductive
organ related diseases.
5. It helps space pregnancies due to the hormonal effect which often induces cessation of
menstruation. Breastfeeding moms may experience many months of no menstrual period
because of this but one should not be at ease of not getting pregnant, still, use other methods of
family planning in doing so.
It is out of the question that doing breastfeeding has a lot of benefits. But, sometimes other mothers
wanted to do so are not gifted to produce breast milk when they deliver a baby and hard it to be called
as padede mom in the journey of motherhood. That is sometimes, they ask breast milk from mothers
who has to be able to cope up with its benefits.
It is indeed a inspiring to be a mother. This is a lifelong job that considered having no remuneration
at all. But all mothers would agree that this is one of the most fulfilling roles to have in life. All mothers
deserve every respect, care and love despite not all of them are called padede mom.