Exclusive Breastfeeding in the Workplace - Philippines

We now live in the Philippines, have been for the past 5 months. It is a wonderful country filled with happy and friendly people. Also filled with poverty, heartbreaking gut wrenching poverty, which is in your face on a daily basis.

Women have babies, women need to work (its literally a life or death scenario), ALL babies deserve to be breastfed. When I first arrived I was shocked at the amount of formula available... aisles dedicated to the stuff. Plus the expense... over PHP1000 per can. Some woman who work as nannies only earn between PHP2000 and PHP3000 per month!!! (That is why formula gets watered down). Plus they leave their babes at home to go work in the cities. What ever happened to basic human rights for infants? They have the right to their mothers milk, especially vulnerable at risk infants (those living in poor families).

My husband's current employer has a new building going up, he tells me that they have really lovely lactation rooms in them for their employees. This kind of news makes my heart sing.

One World Birth is now live

Have a wonder over to OneWorldBirth.net to watch lots of free video's from the world's most well known names in the Birthing World as they discuss, the problems, the research, the solutions to Birth in our society.

A good place to start is with "A Negative Image" on the Problems page. Discussing how media has influenced our societies view of childbirth.

Using Twitter to Find Answers and help others _AtYourCervix_

I am looking for all birth professionals i.e.: Midwives and Doulas as well as Breastfeeding professionals i.e.: lactation consultants, breastfeeding peer supports, extended breastfeeders to join "The Birth Team" on Twitter.
Basically people will tweet their pregnancy, birth, labour and infant feeding related question to the Birth Team ( _AtYourCervix_ ) twitter account using the hashtag #AYC and their question will be retweeted out to the Birth Team for answers.
Simple, Easy, Helpful.
Please join us.
DoulaTam
_AtYourCervix_ <- Twitter account for the Birth Team.

Breastfeeding Links in the Philippines

I <3 Google, I really do. I wonder to whom all our questions were posed before the Great Google was invented.


Anyway, I am searching for some breastfeeding support/groups/entities websites specifically for the Philippines.


This is what I have come across this far.


¬ Breastfeeding Philippines - "We dream that all mothers will breastfeed their children..."
¬ The Perfect Latch - Peer to Peer support, face to face, at home or in hospital, email, text, phone support.
¬ LLL meetings in the Philippines - LLL meetings in Manila & Cavite.... 


I want to do more research but I am really looking forward to being able to help other families have beautiful breastfeeding experiences. 


I haven't however come across any websites or information on breastfeeding support groups and organisations in Cebu yet. If you happen to come across this blog post and know of one please leave me a comment with the details. Thanks.

I have lived here, here, here and now here.

Since my last blog post we have moved to our fourth country in 2 years. Have baby, will travel :)

We now live and are in the process of settling and adapting to life in sunny Cebu in the Philippines. We have been here for a little under 2 months now.

As is said "at the end of your life you will only hold regret for the opportunities you did not take, the paths you did not follow and the decisions you did not make". We have chosen the road less followed and are loving it. There is so much more to this life than your village, town, city, province, country and even continent. You can read it, but you don't understand until you experience it.

I am looking into picking up my breastfeeding support work in Cebu. Wish me luck.

Doula! Film Introduction

I came across this short introductory film piece which tries to explain what a Doula does. This film warms my heart and brings a smile to my face.

I think we need a screening here in Scotland. I am on it!

I really wish I had a Doula at my Birth, here's why...

When we settled into our then new home and I started planning my home water birth I knew I wanted a Doula to be part of my birthing care team.

I started searching for a Doula, I was even happy to have the support of a doula trainee. I couldn't find a Doula who would charge less than £250 to support at my home birth. We couldn't afford this, I was devastated and also a bit angry. I really missed the support of a Doula at my Birth, there was a definate role she would have fulfilled. * I am flexible with costing, discuss it with me *. 

I went into labour on a monday night, I was in my 40th week of pregnancy and had experienced 5 practice labours so dh and I knew it would be soon. In preparation for the upcoming birth and in order to get all his work done  dh worked extra late and went in extra early the monday I went into labour. Consequently he was bushed when he got home and in the early hours of tuesday morning I sent him to go catch some zzzzz's in preparation for the long labouring day ahead. At this point my midwife had come and gone, with some wise words basically letting me know that I needed to get a grip, this was just the beginning. Your midwife will most likely not be able to be with you in early labour and the Labour & Delivery of your hospital ward will send you home.

At this point let me say I found my early labour the hardest to deal with. I really could have done with a Doula to help me through early labour. I got through it but it was a bit lonely breathing through my contractions in a darkened room whilst dh got some much needed rest.

I think it is important for pregnant moms to bear in mind that your partner/mom/sister may not be able to give you the support you need at some point during your labour. This is not because they don't love you or don't want to, on the contrary I think its because they love you so much that they struggle to see you in labour pain and sometimes don't really know how to support you in fear of either angering you or somehow making it worse (Think about it, how many labours and births have they supported at, having a baby is not the same as supporting a mom have her own baby). A Doula on the other hand is more objective and intrinsically understands that labour and birth are a journey and can walk the road with you and offer you support in various ways without fear of reprisal. Plus Doulas have a much larger knowledge and experience base to work from, as well as tried and tested comfort measures. A Doula can also help by directing your birth partners to better support you.

Just a thought :)

Are you interested in finding out more about what part a Doula could play in your birthing support team? Drop me an email. Doulatam (at) gmail (dot) com

PS: I am based in West Lothian Scotland