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Fight the stigma: Filipino moms encouraged to breastfeed babies

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Jasmin Romero, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/08/21/20160609-hospital-josefabella-jc-4.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption>Young mothers care for their babies at the Jose Fabella Hospital, June 9, 2016. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA- Merycris Madola admits that she still gets judgmental stares whenever she breastfeeds her baby in public.“Mentalidad kasi ng tao kapag nagpapadede ka na, ikaw na ang lowest of the low. Ikaw na ang pinaka-mahirap…’mahirap yun walang pambili ng formula,&quot; she said.(It&#x27;s common thinking that when you breastfeed, you are the lowest of the low. You are the poorest and that you cannot buy formula milk.)Despite the prevailing stigma against public breastfeeding, Madola said she usually ignores the stares since she is well aware of the many benefits of breastfeeding.“Proud ako. Di ko kailangang ikahiya. Pangit man ako, may sanggol na binubuhay ako!” she said.(I am proud. I don&#x27;t have to be ashamed because even if I am ugly, I&#x27;m giving life to a baby.)The World Health Organization and the United Nations Children&#x27;s Fund recommend that children be given breast milk within the first hour of birth and be exclusively breastfed for their first 6 months.Globally however, 3 in 5 babies are not breastfed early, putting them at higher risk of death and disease, the two UN agencies said in a report earlier this year.Twenty-seven children out of every thousand died before the age of five in the Philippines in 2016, according to WHO data.WHO and UNICEF estimate about half of Filipino babies were initiated into early breastfeeding in 2013, barely changed from 46 percent in 2003.Nona Castillo, an international board-certified lactation consultant explained that mothers have the right to breastfeed their children anytime and anywhere.“Mothers and children have the right to breastfeed anywhere and anytime. Walang gustong kumain sa banyo, o kaya sa isang sulok na malamok,&quot; she said.(Nobody wants to eat in a comfort room or in an area with many mosquitoes.)Castillo said mothers shouldn&#x27;t wait for babies to cry before breastfeeding them since the tendency is for babies to bite, making breastfeeding more difficult.“Ang sobrang pag-iyak ng bata ay masama sa brain development. Pagkain yan eh di naman kabastusan,&quot; she said.“Ang bata, hindi puwedeng maghintay. Di pwedeng takpan ang ulo ng bata habang kumakain dahil walang tao ang gusto na kumain na may takip,&quot; she added.(Too much crying is bad for a child&#x27;s brain development. Children cannot wait. You cannot cover a child&#x27;s head while eating because no one wants to eat like that.)Lita Malundras of the Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns also encouraged mothers to fight the stigma against public breastfeeding, citing the cases of local tribeswomen in the country who breastfeed their children in public.“Ang problema ay pagwasak ng kultura, sobrang high-tech na natin...Dapat ikinakampanya ng buong pamilya... Di dapat ikahiya kasi ito ay ikakabuhay,&quot; Malundras said.(The challenge is fighting the modernity. The whole family should campaign for public breastfeeding. They should not be ashamed because it is a source of life.)“Pag nakita niyo ang mga Mangyan, ang mga Aeta, kapag nagpapadede ang mga yan, labas talaga ang buong dede ng mga yan...Sinusuportahan ng mga tatay ang pagpapadede,” she added.(If you look at the Mangyans, and the Aetas, when they breastfeed their children, their breasts are really exposed. The fathers support public breastfeeding.)Castillo said breastfeeding mothers must learn how to ignore the stares they’re getting and “put their heads up high,&quot; since they are doing something wonderful.However if mothers feel they are being harassed, they should ask for help.Sometimes, Castillo said humor can help defuse the stares. Instead of resorting to a confrontation, they can smile and engage people looking in a friendly conversation.And for those who call out mothers breastfeeding in public? Castillo has this to say:“Cover their face. Kung kayo ay naiinis sa nagbe-breastfeed, eh di wag kayong tumingin,&quot; she said.(If you are irate by breastfeeding mothers, then don&#x27;t look.)<div>-with a report from Agence France-Presse</div>

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Fight the stigma: Filipino moms encouraged to breastfeed babies

Jasmin Romero,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 21, 2018 06:39 PM PHT

Read More:

breastfeeding

motherhood

mom

public breastfeeding

health

wellness

babies

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