1st Time Mom
Baby Boy
2 Months old
Emergency CS


"I gave birth 2 months ago and my son's birthweight was 2.5kg. Pasang-awa ang timbang niya but I told myself na 'babawiin namin ni baby ang timbang niya via EBF."

Unang Yakap was done right away so ang saya-saya ko kasi nasimulan na agad ang breastfeeding journey namin.

I ate a lot of galactagogues and drank A LOT  of fluids every day. I also had a weekly lactation consultation and massage with a Lactation Counselor for 3 consecutive weeks. I took Moringga 3 times a day together with GI Norm (domperidone). But despite all these efforts, my baby still cries inconsolably.

Awang-awa ako sa kanya na every time na maglalatch siya eh iiyak siya out of frustration then makakatulog na siya dahil napagod na siya sa pag-latch at pag-iyak. Akala ko dati kaya siya nakakatulog dahil nabusog na siya---maling akala.

So days went by na ganoon kami at napapansin namin ng family ko na parang pumapayat si LO pero in denial ako kahit pa nakikita na ng mga mata ko ang visible bones niya.

In denial kasi ang taas ng faith ko sa benefits ng breastfeeding and for me, how can an EBF go wrong?My mom suggested na magstart na kami ng formula kasi mukhang kulang ang gatas ko but I didn't listen and still pushed for EBF.

And then the pedia check-up happened.

From his birthweight of 2.5kg then 2.1kg (6 days after birth) ay bumagsak siya sa 1.8kg (24 days old)! Iyak ako sa loob ng clinic! What have i done to my son??!! All I want is to give my son the BEST pero bakit ganito??

Nanganib ang buhay ng anak ko dahil sa kagustuhan kong i-EBF siya! Sa timbang niyang 1.8kg ay literal na buto't balat siya. Sobrang nakakaawa at nakakatakot.

My 1st pedia prescribed formula milk para makahabol kami sa timbang ni baby. Eventually, lumipat kami to a new pedia at nakukulangan siya sa basta formula lang kaya she prescribed vitamins and I'm glad that we have a new pedia na mas tutok sa baby ko. Thanks, doc!

From July 1 na 1.8kg naging 2.8kg (July 20) na si baby. He gained 1 kg in just 19 days! Thank, God! Malayo pa kami sa average weight ni baby para sa edad niya but I'm glad beccause we are gaining weight and we are even surpassing the ideal 30g weight gain per day. Now, double chin na siya, full cheeks na, sleeping well na, and with adequate urine output and BM. We also noticed happier na ang disposition niya now, unlike dati na lagi siyang umiiyak. 

I talked to my lactation counselor, we figured out the reason kung bakit under-supplier ako despite EVERYTHING that we did. The reason was I had a breast excisional biopsy sa both breasts 7 years ago and malaki ang possibility na may mga damaged milk ducts ako.

It was heartbreaking to know the fact na di ko pala talaga maa-achieve ang EBF sa anak ko kahit anong gawin ko. Buti na lang at naimbento ang formula milk kaya may pantustos ako sa nutritional needs ni LO dahil nga under supplier ako. Pero kahit under supplier ako I am still blessed kasi may BM ako kahit papaano and I am giving my LO the best BM that my body can offer.

Photos by Zhy Permejo Guinto

EBF is ideal (my heart is yearning for it even until now) but don't push for
it kung talagang di kaya lalo na kung manganganib na ang buhay ng baby mo. Being a good mother doesn't solely depends on how you feed your baby. Being a good mother is being able to decide for the BEST interest of your child.

Therefore, I must say that Fed is Best <3

~ Zhy Permejo Guinto
This entry was submitted by Kalisha Kring as part of an online promo for the Mixed Feeding Moms PH.