My Breastfriends

Breastfeeding my son was perhaps the best decisions that I've made in my life.  Not only I was able to provide the best nutrition for my son, our bond was incomparable.  Breastfeeding moms, they say, need all the support that they can get in order to be successful.  I have met people and learned about things in my breastfeeding journey.  They are what I call my "Breastfriends."

La Leche League - Manila.  La Leche is an international non profit organization that provides education, support, information and encouragement to women who wants to breastfeed.  My endless netsurfing has lead me to the La Leche meeting information and without any hesitations I confirmed my attendance.  Abby Yabot, the La Leche leader was very accommodating.  What I like about it is that everyone is there to help everyone.

Mommy Treats - Galactagogues-full yummy muffins, cookies and brownies.  Malunggay leaves and malunggay capsules work for sometime but nothing beats Mommy Treats.  I noticed that my milk became creamier and my milk supply didn't dip even if my stress level increased.  Oh and they're organic, even my son and daughter loves it too.

Next 9 Ring Sling - Probably the best thing I won on a contest. With the ring sling I am able to wear my baby and breastfeed at the same time.  The sling has a tail that can double as a cover. Perfect when nursing in public.

Boncho - Before I had the ring sling, I purchased a Boncho (breastfeeding poncho) from Indigo Baby.  This is not just a breastfeeding cover but a stylish piece of clothing.  You can wear it in 14 different ways.  So I use it as a shrug when we're at the malls and then transform it to a breastfeeding cover if my little one wants to feed.

It's not just for the nursing mom.

Breastpump - For working moms like me, the breastpump is more of a necessity.  I need to keep my milk supply up and what better way to do it than to sneak in 2-3 sessions within my 9-hour shift.  My Avent Isis on-the-go is the best birthday gift I got last year.  It comes with the manual pump, two ice packs, two milk bottles, a newborn nipple, insulated bag, extra parts, instruction manual and a couple of breast pads.  It's simply on-the-go because everything that a working mom needs is found in that small box. 

Avent Isis Manual Pump, via cup (not part of the set) and the insulated bag shown above.  The set comes with breast pads, gel packs and another feeding bottle.

Breastmilk containers - I need to keep my stash organized so my yaya knows which milk to thaw or use first.  For the containers, I love the Avent via cups.  With the use of the adaptor, you can pump directly to the cup and store it in the refridgerator.  Use the same adaptor and screw the cap with the newborn flow nipple and you can already feed your milk to your baby. OR just unscrew the lid of the via cup and you can immediately offer that to your toddler.  Best thing about the container is that it's stackable and reusable too.

I also like Babymama's spectra bags.  I got this as a freebie from Mommy Treats.  It's self standing, freezer safe, pre-sterilized, ziplock, self standing, BPA free and you can store up to 9oz.  For a box of 30, you only need to pay 200php -- that's around 7 pesos per piece.  

Ice Packs - Even if my Avent Isis on-the-go Set comes with two gel packs, I bought extra packs from Babymama.  It can keep your milk cold for 12 hours and its cheap at 100php for a pack of 4.