Everyday Objects as Baby's Play Things

Stimulating senses is key in baby’s development.  Introducing age-appropriate toys is integral in nourishing his senses. Read this page to check on baby’s developmental stages.

Parents can encourage stimulation by introducing toys. But buying baby toys can drill a hole in our pocket! Believe me, hubby and I often go overboard when we stray in the mall’s baby toy section!  We’ve been tempted to buy a walker worth P3500 but luckily we haven’t given up to the urge. We’re still weighing in on the toy’s pros and cons.

Playing with baby need not be expensive!  There are ordinary things that could be useful tools in stimulating baby’s senses.

Here are of some ordinary objects that work as baby toys:

Baby’s hands

• Baby’s hands are also his first toys. His hands are most attractive to him in the first months as he  just realized that it is part of his body.  Baby’s vision at  1 month is still blurry so he is most attracted to objects near his sight, that includes his hands.


• As early as 1 month our pedia told us to remove baby's mittens. This is so that we can check if baby is able to move his fingers. Being able to do is integral in developing baby's fine motor skills. Just make sure you cut and buff his fingers regularly so he won't scratch his face.


• You are bound to hear “Close open! Close Open!” as your LSS. This is a good way to promote baby’s eye-hand coordination


• At about 6 months, baby learned to play with his hands and feet! At this stage din, kahit anong mahawakan ni baby, isinubo, so make sure to always sanitize baby’s hands and feet.

[caption id="attachment_215" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Favorite past time ni Baby ang paglalaro ng kanyang kamay.[/caption]

 Your hands

• Use his hands to tickle him and stimulate his sense of touch.


• My baby seems to be attracted to anything moving, especially near his eyes. He responds to the funny acrobatics his dad does with his hand. Daddy’s finger plays give baby quite a good laugh.


• Teach baby how to clap, count and point out his body parts.

 Baby’s Face and Your face

• At six months, baby recognizes many faces. He  laughs when you smile at him or when you make ridiculous faces.


• He learns to track persons from across the room. This can be a good time to play "Where's mommy?".  This game teaches him about the non-permanence of things to make both of you deal with separation anxiety better.

Mirror

• I’m surprised to find that baby finds his own face so amusing!Tuwing humaharap sya sa salamin at nakikita ang sarili niya, dahan-dahan pa syang ngumingiti!


• Just make sure you're giving him an unbreakable mirror if you intend to let baby touch it!

Cellular phone and other techie stuff

• The internet is a source anything and everything! My husband downloaded early learning apps on his Itouch.  Baby enjoys "playing these games" like "baby rattles" or "animal sounds". Some apps can be downloaded for free.


• Toy companies like Fisher Price also provides applications like baby games and apps that teach baby colors, animal sounds and numbers!


• Ipads and cellular phone hold tons of dirt  so be sure to always sanitize before letting baby touch them.

TV and Radio

• Expose baby to different sights and sounds.   For sure you've let baby watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Bananas and Pajamas... the list goes on...


• Expose his ears to different voices and music on the radio.

Posters   

• As early as 5 months baby can distinguish bold colors so choose brightly colored posters. Baby will surely spend hours and hours just staring.


• Colorful posters ang kadalasang tinititigan ni Baby pagkagasing.  We bought number and shapes posters from National bookstore for about P50 each.

[caption id="attachment_214" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Tinadtad ni Daddy ng posters showing number, colors, shapes, animals and alphabet ang dingding ng kwarto.[/caption]

Plastic cups and plastic balls

• These can act as shape sorter.  Just show baby how to enjoy them. Show baby how a ball can fit into a plastic cup.


• Avoid giving him small pieces for risks of choking.  Always guide him in playing with these toys.

Wooden spoons and cardboard boxes

• These will encourage him to tap and bang these together, producing sounds and rhythm. Of course babies need adult supervision while handling these stuff.

Flashlights

• At night when almost all lights are off use a flash light to reflect shadows on the ceiling. Baby will stare at shadows and light reflected from the bed. A fancy toy which does almost the same thing can be sold for around P1,500.

Tickle baby's sense of smell by letting him smell the aroma of anything cooking at the kitchen. Or make him smell freshly cut fruits. Or expose him to the scent of mild colognes and soaps.

Let baby interact with other kids. At this age (7 months) i noticed that baby is much more curious and turns toward any source of "new"voices and sounds.   This will serve as foundation of his social skills.

Give him lots of objects to touch and grasp. This will develop his sense of touch. Instead of showing him a picture of an apple, why not let him touch and feel the skin of an actual apple? Let him touch a variety of things  to make him accustomed to different textures. These activities improve baby’s fine motor skills, which are required for him to be able to feed on his tie his shows or dress himself up.

Here's WTE's  list of other non toys that could be baby's playthings.

After seven months as newbie parents, we've discovered that buying for baby could be quite expensive!  Parents need to be practical to better allocate the family budget. Avoid buying on impulse so you won't regret that decision when you get home.  Have a list of pros and cons before buying any toy.

Expensive toys are useless if you don't find time to play with your baby. In the end, quality time spent will make your baby an intelligent and independent little one.

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Breastfeeding Supplies and Tipid Alternatives

Breastfeeding is free! That’s among the main come-ons why I’ve decided to breastfeed. However there are necessary expenses that working moms need in order to establish and maintain breastfeeding. These buys are mainly for pumping and storing breast milk.

Money spent on these products can drill a hole in a family’s tight budget. As a working mom myself, i focused on finding cheaper alternatives .  I have searched high and low to find the most sulit breastfeeding supplies around.

[caption id="attachment_187" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] My pumping at work essentials
Always check your gear before heading out![/caption]

Here’s a list of my breastfeeding essentials and practical alternatives:

Double Electric Breast Pump

My most expensive "for baby" purchase so far is my Medela Pump-in-Style Advanced breast pump. I bought it for P13,000 from an ebay seller. Yes, it was splurge,  but I didn’t regret buying it considering how reliable the pump was. I had manual pump before this and my hand almost gave out after several weeks of pumping regularly for 4 to 5 times daily! The reason i decided to invest on this pump is because i read many good reviews about it.  It's also recommended by my officemates who breastfed. So far, i'm really satisfied with this pump!

Later I’ve read mommy blogs and most of them recommend the Ameda brand as a cheaper alternative. This can be purchased from Baby Mama. Babymama sells double electric pumps for as low as P4900.

You can also learn to express breast milk by hand. This requires skill and a lot of practice. Hand expressing saves the day when you accidentally forgot a piece of your pumping equipment.

You may also settle for a manual single pump. My First Years Manual Pump proved very useful in my first weeks after delivery. But I think double electric pumps are a "must have" for working moms. You might as well invest in a reliable pump when you’re working to save time and effort. You cut the pumping time in half if you use double electric.

Breast milk storage

Moms seeking to build up milk supply before going to work need to store milk efficiently. She needs to decide which type of storage to use depending on her need. Say, if you have limited storage space in the refrigerator or freezer, you may opt to use breast milk storage bags. You may want to use bottles to which you can pump directly then store right away, no need to transfer from container to container. Make sure you're using BPA Free plastic for storage.

These are the most affordable containers i found:

Evenflo Simplymilk 50z (P400 per 4 pcs) - If you have Medela electric breast pump, you can pump directly to these bottles. Medela bottles are much more expensive than Evenflo, each set of 3 50z Medela bottles costs P870 at Medela House.

Playtex bottle liners 8 oz (P425 for 125 pcs) Most blogs I read discouraged using bottle liners because they may be too messy since they don’t seal on their own. My solution is not to fill to its full capacity to avoid spillage. For example, you may put only 4 oz of breast milk in a 8oz bottle lines to make sure you can twist  and securely seal the plastic. Playtex bottle liners come with sealing clips to close the bag, but you can also use rubber bands to seal the storage bags.

Spectra milk bag (200 pesos per 30 pcs) from Baby Mama These are the cheapest self-sealing milk bag i found online. Lansinoh bags cost P350 for 25 pcs. The capacity of Spectra bags is 70z, for Lansinoh bags  12 oz.  Spectra bags have single lock, Lansinoh bags have double sealing system. Both are self-standing. Since these bags are for single use only, please recycle these plastics. I used mine as container of laundry detergent for use when we go to the province on  weekends.

Baby food glass jars with lids (Earth’s Best & Gerber) Glass containers are a good storage alternative. Just make  sure to sterilize these jars, including the caps.  These glass jars have a 1.5 oz and 2.5 oz capacity, good if you intend to store milk in small increments. Using these jars for breast milk storage is a good way to recycle.

Nursing Cover

Nursing covers gave me the confidence to breastfeed outside the house. The cheapest i know is at Php 300 from Nxt9. But a flowing blouse with hem that can be easily lifted might be a good alternative. Any ordinary shawl might also work, just tie the sides around you neck while pumping or breastfeeding and it will provide the cover you need.

Breastfeeding wear

Blouses and shirts specifically designed for discreet breastfeeding are a bit pricey, some up to more than P1,000 per pc. I have not purchased any of these. I just bought ordinary blouses the with buttons that fully open at the front and with wide v-neck designs.

Breastfeeding supplements

My OB recommened supplements to ensure that i get adequate vitamins and minerals while breastfeeding.  Breastfeeding moms are at risk of mineral deficiency as  most of her minerals will be channeled to breast milk. Supplements will also boost moms' milk supply.

My OB prescribed Natalac malunggay capsules twice a day. Each 250 mg costs  around P8.50 per cap. I found a cheaper version of  malunggay capsule at 500 mg per cap at P2.50 from agricultural shops in Quezon Memorial Circle. She also recommended to take Caltrate Plus to ensure adequate calcium supply. From Mercury Drugstore i bought Rhea Calcium Lactate 625mg tablets at P 100 per 100 pieces. The label says the tablets are for lactating moms.

Hands free pump support

I wanted a pump support to hold the horns of my double electric pump to free my hands while expressing milk. But I was surprised to find that it costs about Php 1500 in malls! I’ve decided I won’t shell out P1500 for a pump support so I improvised.

I cut holes on one of my old bras. I just made sure that the diameter of the hole is smaller than the diameter of my breast shield so it won’t slip. I put it on as a normal bra and slip on the breast shield before pumping.  So far, this improvised hands free works.

Kellymom provided a step-by-step guide how to make an ordinary nursing bra a hands free support.

Nursing Bra

A good nursing bra provides easy access and support. The cheapest nursing bra I found were from SOEN, worth P250 to P300. Invest in just 2 – 3 pieces. Breast size is largest 1 - 2 months  before delivery. Breasts may still be engorged from initial milk production until one month post partum. You could go back to using your regular bras 4 to 6 months after delivery because you breast size will normalize.

Pregnancy and breast feeding resources

Whenever I had breastfeeding  questions I turned to books and the internet for answers. I bought second-hand baby books from Booksale . The internet is a universe of free information. Just make sure the source you're using is correct and reliable. These websites are my trusted information provider: Kellymom, Work and Pump and Chronicles of a Nursing Mom

I also downloaded free Android smartphone applications like Baby tracker from Babycenter  and Pregnancy tracker from What to Expect. These applications give day-to-day tips of pregnancy and baby care, also breastfeeding tips.

Moms, armed with the necessary tools, you can be confident in taking your breastfeeding journey. Don't be intimated by the the long list of breastfeeding essentials. The supplies are just nice-to-have but your determination will be a good motivation to explore cheaper breastfeeding options. In the end, YOUR BREAST IS ALL YOU NEED FEED BABY!

Note: I’m not paid by the sellers I mentioned in this post.

Also worth reading:

• Breastfeeding "essentials" you probably won't use


• My DIY Breastfeeding Poncho

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Getting Ready to Breastfeed: Tips from a (non)Expert

Congratulations on your new baby! Today is the beginning of your days as a mom!

Part of being a mom is learning the art of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is among the best ways mom express their love for her baby. Breast milk is the best nourishment a woman can give to ensure baby's health and later on in his life.

I’m not an ob or a pediatrician, not even a lactation consultant. I'm a newbie mom, just sharing how I started breastfeeding based on actual experiences and months of research.

My baby is exclusively breastfed for almost seven months now, not a single drop of formula so far!

[caption id="attachment_155" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Source of Photo:DOH[/caption]

Here are my tips based on my own experience:

Breastfeed right away!

Ask your ob if you can breastfeed right after baby is delivered, right in the delivery room. You need to breastfeed as early as possible. The rationale is that baby’s suckling on your nipples will signal your brain to start milk production. But in my case, since i had emergency c-section, i wasn't able to latch right at the operating table. We've previously discussed this with our ob, she said it was possible to latch right away after delivery normal and uncomplicated delivery.

If you were not able to breastfeed right after baby was born, don't despair! Just make up for lost time by letting baby suck more frequently or if not possible,  pump frequently.  After this time, the law of supply and demand will apply, meaning the more your breast is emptied, the more milk shall be produced.

Make clear instructions to your pedia and the nursery staff about feeding baby.

Make it clear that you don’t intend to give formula. Ask them about  baby's feeding schedule you can be there to nurse her. If for some reason, you can’t feed baby directly, express breast milk  and bring this to the nursery. Nurseries usually have refrigerators or freezers where expressed milk can be stored. Husband and I would go everyday to the nursery during the entire period baby was in the NICU. We brought the expressed breast milk i pumped the night before. Make sure to write the necessary information on the breast milk container.

It’s a good idea to bring these items to the hospital:

• Breast pump (even just a manual type will do). This  can be used if, for some reason, baby can be directly breastfed right away.  Since my baby was stuck in the NICU for 7 days, my husband  bought a First Years manual pump so that i could start pumping milk.


• Breast milk containers – hard plastic bottles or stoarage bags  will do. These will be used to store the milk you expressed. Remember to use sterilized BPA-free containers.


• Masking tape and pen  to label and date your milk. On the container write important details like baby’s name, date and time pumped and volume of expressed breast milk.


• Warm water & cotton – I used this to clean my nipples. Lightly scrub the nipples with wet cotton to clean them.


• Hot compress – Heat encourages milk production. I used a hot pack with warm water and it put this on  my breasts for a few minutes before i  started pumping.


• Nursing cover – just in case if you have visitors and you need to pump in your room


• Cooler with ice packs – Good to store expressed breast milk here in case your still too weak to bring milk every pumping session. If ever baby’s left behind in the nursery once you're discharged, cooler can be used to transport your expressed milk.

In case you feel that your milk isn't enough

• Yes, you’re free to give formula just so baby can be fed upon pedia’s orders. But don’t be too  dependent of formula if you intend to breastfeed. Let baby suck on your nipples so that your will be stimulated. Giving formula should be your last resort if you intend to breastfeed long term.

• Ask for your nursing mom friends to give you some expressed breast milk. I gave expressed milk to my sister's newborn so we can avoid giving formula.

Don’t fret if you get too little milk.

• Baby’s stomach is still as small as  a marble, so he required small amount of milk per feeding.


• Milk initially "comes in" as colostrum, which is thick, sticky and yellow.  These are just a few ounces,the perfect food to you newborn. Then "true" milk (colored white and less thick consistency) comes in later days.


• Don’t stress out. Stress impedes milk production,so stay motivated.

Here's what you can do encourage milk production:

• Directly breastfeed. No other breast pump can imitate your baby's sucking powers. Always put you baby on your breast so milk production  is induced. Newborns usually feed every 2-3 hours.


• Pump for a few more minutes after direct breastfeeding. This will signal your brain to produce more milk.

If baby seems unsatisfied even right after breastfeeding, don’t fret.It may not be because of your milk. These could be the reasons why baby seems hungry often:

• A newborn's stomach is still small (just the size of a marble) so he requires small but frequent feeding.


• Unlike formula, breast milk is much more easily digested so baby needs to be fed more often (8-12 times per day). This is the reason why formula-fed babies  seem more satisfied longer than breastfed babies.

Learning to latch is hard! Some say breastfeeding is a natural process, but i had difficulties as well. It’so overwhelming to carry your baby for the first time and then feed him on your breasts.

• I found this visual guide useful when baby and i were learning how to latch. Research on  different breastfeeding positions and try which one works best for you and baby. Baby might cry if you try to let him suck, but don’t get stressed. Just try again.


• Some moms swear that trying to latch is painful at the breast,this may be because of your poor posture or bad breastfeeding position.


• Don’t be discouraged if you feel like an idiot learning to latch at the nursery. Once you are at the comfort of your own home, you'll be free to try other breastfeeding positions.

Newborns are naturally sleepy almost all the time. My then newborn sucked for 2-3 minutes and dozed off.

• You should wake baby up  to encourage him to suck some more.To wake baby, remove some of his clothing or tickle his feet! I did not this then, so i just held my sleeping newborn for one hour, hoping he would wake up so he could suck.


• Holding baby can strain your back and arms so use pillows for support.


• Some moms hire lactation consultants to learn breastfeeding techniques, but some, like me, learn as I go. Ask the nursery staff for some breastfeeding pointers.


• You can also contact breastfeeding advocate groups like Latch. They do respond! I personally emailed them once and they replied.


• This, this and this websites were my main source of information when i was doing research on breastfeeding.

Feed on demand.

• There’s no hard and fast rule on how long and how often baby should feed, so don’t be too strict in the timing. The every-three hour rule is arbitrary.


• Instead of watching the clock, watch out for baby's hunger cues like, sucking or putting her hands on her mouth.

 Baby’s suckling vs pump

• Babies are  better at emptying your breast than a pump. A pediatrician said pumps could only collect fore milk while with baby suckling,  he can access hind milk, which contains more fat.


• Treat the pump as a back-up to direct breastfeeding. Pumps come handy if you can’t directly breastfeed right away. These are some situations when direct feeding may not be possible:
  
  
  
  • If you had c-section
  
  
  • If you are too weak to go to nursery
  
  
  • If baby’s in the NICU and still under observation

If possible, avoid offering articial nipples or pacifiers. Initially, all of baby's suckling should be on your breasts.

• Milk can be fed thru cup feeding, but some doctors suggest a nipple to check on baby’s ability to suck.


• If it’s a must to train baby to take the bottle,  like when mom needs to work, introduce bottles later. Bottles can be introduced 4 to 6 weeks later or when direct breastfeeding is established.


• Bottle refusal is common, according to my pediatrician. She said, it’s natural since no man-made nipple (silicone or latex) can be as soft as woman’s nipple. Don't be too concerned about bottle refusal, my baby eventually learned to feed from a bottle after i went back to work.

Anxious moms ask, when does milk come in?

• This is a valid mommy concern. For me, breast milk came in 2 days after baby delivery. Some say milk comes in much later. Initially, when baby sucks on, you can't really tell if he get any milk at all. Don't be discouraged by this. Remember that every sucking motion will only be added stimulation to encourage lactation.


• What’s important is breasts are stimulated right away through baby’s suckling or pumping as soon as possible.

The first few weeks post partum are crucial to establish milk production.  One of my friends says she was frustrated with breastfeeding because her milk came in  only after two weeks! She said she quit breastfeeding because she got discouraged when baby cried and can't get any milk from her. She had a pump much later.  She then decided to give formula to baby.

How do you know if you're on the right track? You can't really tell how many ounces you produce or is that enough. Breastfeeding is on the right track if these conditions are observed:

• he's gaining enough weight


• he wets at least 6 diapers daily


• he seems satisfied after a feeding

Ask your pediatrician for advice if you feel you're not producing enough milk. I you feel intimidated about the volume you produce, you're also free to mix feed. By all means, add formula to his diet. It's better to supplement with formula than no breast milk at all.

Don't give up on breastfeeding right away. Exhaust all efforts to make breastfeeding a success. Virtually all moms can breastfeed but some moms lack the proper information and technical know-how.

Take time to try and give the best nourishment for your baby. You may read my list of breastfeeding benefits for your inspiration!

Good luck!!!

Also worth reading:

• Learnings from an emergency cesarean delivery

***

Top 10 Reasons why BREAST is BEST

I know of some mothers who  gave up breastfeeding after weeks or months of trying.  Some moms quit because of unbearable pain when trying to latch. Some decided to stop breastfeeding when they returned to work. Some gave up after the frustration of very low pumping yield. For some, breastfeeding isn't even an option!

Even I and my siblings were not breastfed. I'm not really sure why  but during that time mothers seemed to be more focused on working and earning money to buy formula.   Tinanong ko ang nanay ko kung bakit hindi ako napasuso, sabi nya kasi kailangan nang magtrabo. Hindi ba weird kasi kumakayod ka para makabili ng gatas, eh ikaw mismo puedeng makagawa nito. Kailangan lang itong pagpursigehan!

It's as if being able to afford to buy formula was a status symbol?  So moms pumped milk and then dump it, unaware of what a great waste of liquid gold they're doing?

I want to spread the word on the benefits of breastfeeding, both for baby and mom.

Being able to breastfeed empowers women, making them confident and secure, knowing that come hell or high water, you can sufficiently feed baby!!!

This post is also for future moms contemplating about breastfeeding.

I hope this helps you make a wise and informed choice!

Once you've made the decision to breastfeed, any challenge can be overcome with flying colors!

Mind you, it's not easy!  I'm sure most moms doubt whether or not she can produce enough breast milk for baby's daily consumption. But with will power and a lot of patience and effort, these doubts will fade.

Here's a list of breastfeeding benefits. With this, i hope i can  recruit breastfeeding moms!

Breast milk has antibodies. 

•  Formula companies often brag about added nutrients in the milk like DHA-AHA, lutein, "brain boosters" , etc but no formula can ever replicate the antibodies from a mom’s own milk.


• Sick moms (of common colds and flu) may breastfeed and then pass on to their babies antibodies, making their babies less prone to colds and flu! Can formula do that?

It’s free! 

• Need I say more? Syempre aminado ako na dahil LIBRE kaya talagang nagpursige din ako na magpasuso. Data from Unicef  shows that a Pinoy family spends P4,000 per month to formula feed an  infant. Oh diba, may dagdag na P 4,000 na budget na para sa ibang gastos sa bahay!!


• But it’s true that a working mom needs to spend on some breastfeeding essentials, like a reliable breast pump and breast milk containers. Working moms need these supplies to store pumped milk. An electric breast pump helped me a lot in maintaining milk supply after returning to work.  These expenses are still worth it, considering the benefits your baby gets from your milk.

Breastfeeding encourages special bonding between mom and baby. 

• Breastfeeding encourages frequent skin-to-skin contact. Sabi nga ng mga tita ko, mas malambing ang mga batang pinapasuso,  kasi mas madalas nilang nararamdaman ang init at yakap ng mga nanay nila.  My husband was breastfed until three years old. True, I can see the deep bond he has with his mother. How I wish P and I could have the same mother-son bonding!

It’s a handy tool to sooth baby’s woes! 

• Baby often wakes up in the middle of the night, sometimes crying. My solution is to let him nurse back to sleep. It’s a fool-proof way of soothing my baby.

Breastfeeding has long term benefits on babies.

• Breastfed babies are rarely hospitalized. Some studies even show  positive effects later on in your baby's life. A WHO study  showed long-term effects of breastfeeding may include lower blood pressure and cholesterol, higher intelligence and less risk for diabetes.  

No milk allergies from breast milk.

• I’m glad I did not have to go through the trouble of trying out formula from formula to see which one is compatible with baby. I have read about some baby's reactions to formula, including diarrhea and rashes if fed with incompatible milk products. Breast milk is "tailor-made" for your baby so you won't have to worry about any allergic reactions.

There's less risk for contamination when you feed breast milk.

• One  of the most shocking consumer stories I know is about the tainted milk in China. I was really shocked and angered by how some business owners would risk the lives of innocent babies by adding melamine to milk just to increase the milk's protein content. All in the name of profit?!! I’m glad my baby has unlimited access to pure, unadulterated human milk. With formula, you never really know the processes it has to undergo before the product reaches your baby's mouth.


• True, contamination is still possible especially if you use bottles to feed him expressed milk. So make sure to wash hands carefully before handling breast milk. Also wash hands when directly breastfeeding baby.

It’s convenient.

• No need to carry bottles, sterilizing tools, bottler cleaners, bottle brush etc, just lift your shirt and snap off your bra and viola.... ready to feed baby na!! Aside from tools needed to feed baby when formula feeding, you will be in constant need of access to clean water to dilute the milk.


• Feeding baby at night is easier, if you learn the side-lying breastfeeding position. You won't have to get up in the middle of the night to prepare baby's bottle of formula.


• Some women cringe about the idea of breastfeeding in public for risks of exposing her boobs. To avoid unwanted exposure, just use a simple shawl, a flowy blouse or a nursing cover so you can breastfeed incognito.

Getting back in shape is faster for moms who breastfeed. 

• Even moms benefit from breastfeeding! After pregnancy the uterus gets back to its normal size much faster if mom is nursing.  According to the book "What to Expect When You're Expecting", milk production burns 500 calories per day. So that means the excess weight you gained while pregnant will be lost much faster when breastfeeding.

Mama’s breasts are not just for aesthetics, these are mama’s milk-making machine!

• I've proven that these twins in deed have a special and meaningful purpose - that’s to feed your nurslings. As a teenager, i had trouble accepting my body image, being full busted and all...  But after breastfeeding, i've realized these mammaries' REAL purpose. Breast milk is the single most NATURAL and PERSONAL WAY to feed baby. 

Who would not want to see this face ---- this face that seems fully satistied and thankful after another great meal?

[caption id="attachment_103" align="aligncenter" width="300"] P fully satisfied after breastfeeding[/caption]

Again, i'd like to emphasize that breastfeeding is not the end-all or be all of motherhood. Formula feeding does not mean you're a bad mom. I'm also not saying breastfeeding moms are better moms. The decision to breastfeed is a personal one. Moms should not be pressured to nurse, nor should they be judged if they decide to formula feed the baby.

To breastfeed is a decision you have to make from day one after baby's birth! Your patience  and will power shall be tested. Your tolerance for pain shall reach its limits, but at the end of the day, the joy  and pride of providing the best milk  there is shall be your reward.

Also worth reading:

• Why breastfeed during disasters


• Getting ready to breastfeed: Tips from a (non)expert

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