‘Breast Milk is Best!’ – Ebube Imana

According to the World Health Organisation, “If every child was breastfed within an hour of birth, given only breast milk for their first six months of life, and continued breastfeeding up to the age of two years, about 220,000 child lives would be saved every year.”

When I had my first child, I was very sure I was going to breastfeed him for six months exclusively as recommended by the World Health Organisation and the American Academy of Paediatrics. In fact, I also decided I would continue till he was 2 years old.

However, I was not prepared for the shock I got! I did not start lactating until the 3^rd day after delivery and even at that, it was painful and difficult to breastfeed! Nobody tells you this before you start…

We tried all means to get me to lactate, but none of them worked! The nurses and doctors just kept telling me to continue to put him to the breast!

By the third day after delivery, my milk started flowing but the baby was hungry all the time and I could hardly get any shut-eye at night or during the day. It was hard, and since I did not understand why he wanted to nurse all the time I assumed he wasn’t getting enough milk.

After about three weeks, I was ignorantly told that my milk was not enough for the baby and have to supplement with baby formula. It was painful to do this but I agreed and I never felt so guilty in all my life! I felt so bad, like I was cheating my son and wasn’t being a good mother.

So one night, I went on the internet, did some research and read up on breastfeeding and oh, I wish I had done that research before having the baby. I found out that I was not alone!!! And yes, breastfeeding was hard but I could do it! Oh, and my milk WAS enough for the baby.

That night I felt liberated and I purposed to put aside the baby formula and continued with breast milk only! It wasn’t easy but I was able to do it with the support of my husband and we didn’t give my son formula again till he was about six months. Even when I returned to work when he was just three months, I continued to express milk in the office and stored for him to take when I was not available to breastfeed him.

I do not say this with any measure of pride, only with thanks to God that I was able to learn and get support to give the best to my child early enough. I finally weaned him off when he was almost 14 months old with tremendous pressure from hubby and friends to ‘stop giving that old man breast!’

The numerous breastfeeding challenges notwithstanding, I think breastfeeding is a necessary sacrifice every healthy mother should make for her baby. Read up on it and become knowledgeable and empowered!

Let’s celebrate the World Breastfeeding Week (1^st – 7^th of August 2015) by pledging to breastfeed exclusively and offering support to every nursing mother around us. We’ll have healthier children and in turn, a healthier world!