From the bottle to the breast: Reclaiming our power to nourish
Nona D. Andaya-Castillo
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (2004-2024)
Almost three decades ago, in preparation for motherhood, I read books on natural birthing and breastfeeding. Having experienced numerous illnesses and hospitalizations since childhood, I was determined to breastfeed my baby, fully aware of its health benefits.
However, when I gave birth, I was separated from my baby, and she was given artificial formula milk. For the next 15 days, I bottle-fed my baby. With changing hormones and the absence of breastfeeding, postpartum blues crept in. I often found myself crying and feeling awful for not being able to breastfeed.
Fortunately, a phone call gave me the determination to return to breastfeeding. By the 16th day of my newborn daughter’s life, I transitioned from 100% bottle-feeding to 100% breastfeeding. This journey inspired me to pursue a profession that empowers mothers to give birth naturally and breastfeed their children. I passed the accreditation exam to become an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant in 2004, although I began counseling mothers as early as 1997.
In 2002, the World Health Organization issued the Global Strategy on Infant and Young Child Feeding, calling on governments to support mothers by providing access to skilled support to:
The golden window for relactation (the period to restart breastfeeding) is within 45 days after stopping. However, it’s possible to reintroduce breastfeeding to an older child. My own daughter, instead of using a pacifier when I was away, breastfed from my mother-in-law for a year! The oldest child I helped return to breastfeeding was two years old, and he continued to breastfeed until he was four, alongside his sister!
Breastmilk remains a crucial part of a child's diet up to about 2.5 years old, with 50% of their nutritional needs coming from breastmilk. Anthropological studies show that mammals, including humans, breastfeed from 2 to 7 years of age. From 5-6 months onward, a child typically consumes about 750 ml of breast milk daily. Breastmilk helps prevent malnutrition in young children.
The benefits of breastfeeding go beyond nutrition and emotional bonding. Breastmilk also provides immune protection, with three million germ-killing cells per teaspoon! For instance, at age five, if a breastfeeding child receives just five teaspoons of breastmilk a day, they get 15 million germ-killing cells. A woman essentially carries a medicine cabinet in her breasts!
There are many inspiring relactation and adoptive breastfeeding stories I've encountered while attending conferences as a lactation consultant. One such story is of an Australian mother who adopted a three-year-old Chinese girl and successfully nursed her.
Here’s how a mother, with the support of her group, can return to breastfeeding:1. Reconnect.
Keep your baby close at all times, ensuring no other caregivers are involved. Engage in plenty of skin-to-skin contact, not just during feeding. Sleep with your baby, and ask others to assist with other tasks. For additional support, subscribe to my YouTube Channel and watch the playlist on Breastfeeding: www.youtube.com/c/NanayNona.
2. Relax.
Now is the time to relax. Practice deep breathing and apply warm compresses to your shoulders, shoulder blades, lower back, and breasts. Ask someone to massage these areas afterward. You could also try a "rebirthing bath," where you soak in warm water with your baby. Your baby may naturally crawl to the breast and initiate breastfeeding.
3. Stimulate.
Learn the art of hand expression and express breast milk every two hours or more. If you can’t preserve the milk on some occasions (e.g., while lying down), rub it on your nipples to toughen them. Improve your breastfeeding techniques, including proper latch and positioning.
4. Help.
During skin-to-skin contact, your baby will likely bob their head and crawl toward your breast. Position them to latch easily. Avoid pressing the back of their head or shaking your breast. You can also express breast milk directly into their mouth.
5. Offer.
Offer your breast whenever your baby is willing to suckle, whether when they are sleepy, after a cup feed, in different positions, or when you feel your letdown reflex.
6. Cup-feed.
Cup-feeding is ideal when relactating, as it offers several advantages:
7. Eat.
Now is the time to focus on a healthy diet. Health experts recommend 10-12 servings of fruits and vegetables daily (80 grams per serving). Avoid soups with meat, food additives, or cholesterol-rich foods like eggs, meat, and dairy products. (See Nutritional Guidelines and Indigenous Food and Recipes.)
8. Drink.
A breastfeeding woman needs to drink 2.5 liters of water per day. Add water, smoothies, and vegetable soups to your diet to boost milk production, especially during summer. I also recommend preparing healthy, hearty soups using indigenous vegetables. If your baby is over six months, you can offer them these soups (without salt) instead of formula.
9. Monitor.
To prevent dehydration, monitor your baby’s output with cloth diapers (recommended) or disposable diapers with a white lining (not ideal for health and environmental reasons). Restarting breastfeeding may take time, but it is entirely possible. Seek help if needed—but the best strategy is to get support before you even stop breastfeeding.
10. Support.
Get support from your family to restart breastfeeding. Show them the warning labels on formula cans so they can understand why you want to return to breastfeeding. Encourage them to read the White Lies Report to learn about the dangers of dairy consumption. www.whitelies.org.uk/resources/white-lies-report-2014 Invite them to like Iwas Gatas Pilipinas Ngayon on Facebook for further awareness.
Breastfeeding Philippines
Globe: +639153999992
Nona D. Andaya-Castillo
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (2004-2024)
Almost three decades ago, in preparation for motherhood, I read books on natural birthing and breastfeeding. Having experienced numerous illnesses and hospitalizations since childhood, I was determined to breastfeed my baby, fully aware of its health benefits.
However, when I gave birth, I was separated from my baby, and she was given artificial formula milk. For the next 15 days, I bottle-fed my baby. With changing hormones and the absence of breastfeeding, postpartum blues crept in. I often found myself crying and feeling awful for not being able to breastfeed.
Fortunately, a phone call gave me the determination to return to breastfeeding. By the 16th day of my newborn daughter’s life, I transitioned from 100% bottle-feeding to 100% breastfeeding. This journey inspired me to pursue a profession that empowers mothers to give birth naturally and breastfeed their children. I passed the accreditation exam to become an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant in 2004, although I began counseling mothers as early as 1997.
In 2002, the World Health Organization issued the Global Strategy on Infant and Young Child Feeding, calling on governments to support mothers by providing access to skilled support to:
- Initiate and sustain exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months
- Ensure the timely introduction of adequate and safe complementary foods
- Continue breastfeeding up to two years or beyond
The golden window for relactation (the period to restart breastfeeding) is within 45 days after stopping. However, it’s possible to reintroduce breastfeeding to an older child. My own daughter, instead of using a pacifier when I was away, breastfed from my mother-in-law for a year! The oldest child I helped return to breastfeeding was two years old, and he continued to breastfeed until he was four, alongside his sister!
Breastmilk remains a crucial part of a child's diet up to about 2.5 years old, with 50% of their nutritional needs coming from breastmilk. Anthropological studies show that mammals, including humans, breastfeed from 2 to 7 years of age. From 5-6 months onward, a child typically consumes about 750 ml of breast milk daily. Breastmilk helps prevent malnutrition in young children.
The benefits of breastfeeding go beyond nutrition and emotional bonding. Breastmilk also provides immune protection, with three million germ-killing cells per teaspoon! For instance, at age five, if a breastfeeding child receives just five teaspoons of breastmilk a day, they get 15 million germ-killing cells. A woman essentially carries a medicine cabinet in her breasts!
There are many inspiring relactation and adoptive breastfeeding stories I've encountered while attending conferences as a lactation consultant. One such story is of an Australian mother who adopted a three-year-old Chinese girl and successfully nursed her.
Here’s how a mother, with the support of her group, can return to breastfeeding:1. Reconnect.
Keep your baby close at all times, ensuring no other caregivers are involved. Engage in plenty of skin-to-skin contact, not just during feeding. Sleep with your baby, and ask others to assist with other tasks. For additional support, subscribe to my YouTube Channel and watch the playlist on Breastfeeding: www.youtube.com/c/NanayNona.
2. Relax.
Now is the time to relax. Practice deep breathing and apply warm compresses to your shoulders, shoulder blades, lower back, and breasts. Ask someone to massage these areas afterward. You could also try a "rebirthing bath," where you soak in warm water with your baby. Your baby may naturally crawl to the breast and initiate breastfeeding.
3. Stimulate.
Learn the art of hand expression and express breast milk every two hours or more. If you can’t preserve the milk on some occasions (e.g., while lying down), rub it on your nipples to toughen them. Improve your breastfeeding techniques, including proper latch and positioning.
4. Help.
During skin-to-skin contact, your baby will likely bob their head and crawl toward your breast. Position them to latch easily. Avoid pressing the back of their head or shaking your breast. You can also express breast milk directly into their mouth.
5. Offer.
Offer your breast whenever your baby is willing to suckle, whether when they are sleepy, after a cup feed, in different positions, or when you feel your letdown reflex.
6. Cup-feed.
Cup-feeding is ideal when relactating, as it offers several advantages:
- The baby can stop feeding when satisfied, preventing overfeeding.
- There’s less exposure to harmful chemicals present in bottles, artificial nipples, and pacifiers.
- The baby experiences human contact throughout the day, especially with a caregiver.
- There’s no need to train the baby to drink from a cup later on.
- Cups are easier to clean—no sterilization needed, just soap and water.
- There’s no risk of milk spilling into the baby’s ears.
- Cups are cost-effective and readily available.
7. Eat.
Now is the time to focus on a healthy diet. Health experts recommend 10-12 servings of fruits and vegetables daily (80 grams per serving). Avoid soups with meat, food additives, or cholesterol-rich foods like eggs, meat, and dairy products. (See Nutritional Guidelines and Indigenous Food and Recipes.)
8. Drink.
A breastfeeding woman needs to drink 2.5 liters of water per day. Add water, smoothies, and vegetable soups to your diet to boost milk production, especially during summer. I also recommend preparing healthy, hearty soups using indigenous vegetables. If your baby is over six months, you can offer them these soups (without salt) instead of formula.
9. Monitor.
To prevent dehydration, monitor your baby’s output with cloth diapers (recommended) or disposable diapers with a white lining (not ideal for health and environmental reasons). Restarting breastfeeding may take time, but it is entirely possible. Seek help if needed—but the best strategy is to get support before you even stop breastfeeding.
10. Support.
Get support from your family to restart breastfeeding. Show them the warning labels on formula cans so they can understand why you want to return to breastfeeding. Encourage them to read the White Lies Report to learn about the dangers of dairy consumption. www.whitelies.org.uk/resources/white-lies-report-2014 Invite them to like Iwas Gatas Pilipinas Ngayon on Facebook for further awareness.
Breastfeeding Philippines
Globe: +639153999992
