I've been a strong advocate for breastfeeding since I got pregnant and have (and still am) armed myself with enough knowledge and skills. It is the best start for the baby and it does have its benefits for the mother as well. But the bottom line of the value of liquid gold is that THERE IS NO PRICE for it. You cannot put a price on it.
It's frustrating to hear and also breaks my heart when uninformed mothers, fathers, relatives run to The POD with the intention to purchase breastmilk. Such information would come from the nurses from hospitals and as to where they get the idea that we sell breastmilk is beyond me.
Breastfeeding moms who have extra stash give their milk wholeheartedly without the expectation of being paid. We are currently helping out Baby Pilar in Manila and have been sending her breastmilk and because of the recent natural calamities hitting our country, the group of moms that I have been actively and tirelessly involved in have pooled in resources in order to collect breastmilk to share. The collected breastmilk is hand carried to Manila (about 2 hours by plane) and pasteurized in one of only two pasteurization milk banks then shared to the babies and mothers affected by the calamities. However, this is just a stop-gap method. This is not sustainable. Instead, breastfeeding groups such as Arugaan and L.A.T.C.H. go to these disaster-stricken areas and make sure that the breastfeeding mothers and babies are getting the nutrition they need but also to bring the babies back to the breast. If it's anything, that's their main goal: to bring the babies back to the breast.
Our group, HM4HB-Davao is not a network where selling of breastmilk happens. It is a network for moms, dads, relatives of babies who are in need of breastmilk can ask for donations and moms who have the extra stash can offer their breastmilk. Usually they just ask to have the breastmilk storage bags replaced so that they can continue pumping their milk and sharing it but that's where it stops. They do not ask for money in exchange for their milk.
If you happen to know anybody who says that The POD or HM4HB-Davao is selling breastmilk or is a milk bank where you can purchase breastmilk, please be aware that this is not the correct information. We would like to dispel such information as it gives false hope and the wrong start for the mother and the baby. We are open to donations and are able to share milk as long as there is enough stash. But there is no need to pay for such.
I hope that more people will be able to read this blog post as it should be known that breastmilk is not a commodity to be bought but a blessing to share.
Zest.Passion.Love
Friday, March 14, 2014
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Potty Training: Our Own Way, Our Own Terms
After D's circumcision, I thought that we'd have a short vacation from using our stash of cloth diapers (and when I say stash, I mean his 60++ cloth diapers). Since the surgeon advised open dressing, he was basically "bottom"-less during his recovery stage...the first two weeks anyway. So, naturally, we just stayed home and didn't go to any social events or mall trips. The scabbing became more and more evident when we were on Days 10 and forward of his recovery which meant that his wound is healing just fine. I'm sure it was itchy because during the night he would be scratching it while sleeping. And yes, that meant bed wetting as well because of the "bottom"-less deal.
We already noticed from the beginning of his recovery that he was able to hold his pee for a longer period of time, let's say an hour to an hour and a half, before he would go. Out came the towels and rags to wipe off the mess but I was slowly keeping a cycle of how he would pee. During the third week of his recovery stage, he was a little braver in a sense that he would pick on his scabs. I think he also noticed that part of his anatomy more because he had no bottoms on. His first obvious signal to us was that he would cry and it did take us some time to get the message during that week. Also, we noticed that as long as he would pee before he'd sleep and right after he'd wake up...we would have dry nights.
We also noticed during the third week of his recovery that he HATED wearing bottoms! Well, he hated his cloth diapers and he certainly hated being dressed up! Two weeks at home and that's what happens! After a battle royale, we did get some clothes on him and managed to attend our weekly playgroup. I was careful and made sure to change his pull-ups every hour, when Yaya Wilma and I changed his pull-ups, it was actually dry and he peed on the sink! We were then aware that he didn't want to pee in his pull-ups or bottoms and would rather pee in the bathroom.
Now, it's been a month and a week since his circumcision. His wound is all healed and he's all well, though there's still his VCUG pending (I still hope this is unnecessary and can be cancelled). He signals that he wants to go by pointing at the bathroom door and calling out to us. Before he sleeps at night, we make it a point to head on over to the bathroom and pee (no matter how small the amount of the pee) and I am rest assured that he can hold his bladder until early morning. Or, if he stirs in the night and would start crying and holding his groin, L carries him to the bathroom and he pees. Of course, as soon as he is beside me...he goes back to the breast for a quick drink and then snores back to dreamland.
He hasn't stopped his night feedings and I know that he's not ready for that. But I am quite proud that he has the ability to control his bladder at 19 months. That was a journey that I hope to not experience anymore (we're crossing our fingers that his urinalysis would be clear) and we have learned a lot. I understand that circumcision is a choice of a parents especially when the child is not aware and I know we have made the best decision for him because it was for his health.
Did we actually potty train him? I'd say not. Are we still potty training him? Yes, we are. We look at his signs and cues from him, and we keep a schedule in such a way that we head to the bathroom once every hour and a half or two hours so that he can empty his bladder.
I'd say that we did the "potty training" in our own way and our own terms. Do we have a goal that he be potty trained when he reaches a certain age? Weird as it may sound, no. I'd say that we're taking it all in stride and what amazes me is that we leave it all up to D.
We already noticed from the beginning of his recovery that he was able to hold his pee for a longer period of time, let's say an hour to an hour and a half, before he would go. Out came the towels and rags to wipe off the mess but I was slowly keeping a cycle of how he would pee. During the third week of his recovery stage, he was a little braver in a sense that he would pick on his scabs. I think he also noticed that part of his anatomy more because he had no bottoms on. His first obvious signal to us was that he would cry and it did take us some time to get the message during that week. Also, we noticed that as long as he would pee before he'd sleep and right after he'd wake up...we would have dry nights.
We also noticed during the third week of his recovery that he HATED wearing bottoms! Well, he hated his cloth diapers and he certainly hated being dressed up! Two weeks at home and that's what happens! After a battle royale, we did get some clothes on him and managed to attend our weekly playgroup. I was careful and made sure to change his pull-ups every hour, when Yaya Wilma and I changed his pull-ups, it was actually dry and he peed on the sink! We were then aware that he didn't want to pee in his pull-ups or bottoms and would rather pee in the bathroom.
Now, it's been a month and a week since his circumcision. His wound is all healed and he's all well, though there's still his VCUG pending (I still hope this is unnecessary and can be cancelled). He signals that he wants to go by pointing at the bathroom door and calling out to us. Before he sleeps at night, we make it a point to head on over to the bathroom and pee (no matter how small the amount of the pee) and I am rest assured that he can hold his bladder until early morning. Or, if he stirs in the night and would start crying and holding his groin, L carries him to the bathroom and he pees. Of course, as soon as he is beside me...he goes back to the breast for a quick drink and then snores back to dreamland.
He hasn't stopped his night feedings and I know that he's not ready for that. But I am quite proud that he has the ability to control his bladder at 19 months. That was a journey that I hope to not experience anymore (we're crossing our fingers that his urinalysis would be clear) and we have learned a lot. I understand that circumcision is a choice of a parents especially when the child is not aware and I know we have made the best decision for him because it was for his health.
Did we actually potty train him? I'd say not. Are we still potty training him? Yes, we are. We look at his signs and cues from him, and we keep a schedule in such a way that we head to the bathroom once every hour and a half or two hours so that he can empty his bladder.
I'd say that we did the "potty training" in our own way and our own terms. Do we have a goal that he be potty trained when he reaches a certain age? Weird as it may sound, no. I'd say that we're taking it all in stride and what amazes me is that we leave it all up to D.
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