Hats off to me and all breastfeeding moms

I remember signing my maternity leave form which only allowed me three months of rest after delivery before resuming work. Here I was with the dream of exclusively breastfeeding my baby for six months yet I was caught up between resigning and taking a three month leave. I however settled on handing in my leave form after marveling at how technology had changed the world.

Isn't it amazing how someone somewhere sat down and invented not just the breast pump but also breast milk packets and freezers to save the day? Aren't we a lucky generation? Who else would have thought that mothers could one day pump milk and store it for their babies when they are away?

I must say though it is not an easy path to go down. Not when you use the same technology to log on to social media only to be met by photos of tens of packets of breast milk from a mother about to resume duty after the three month leave! Just when I thought Friesians were cows, I met Friesian mothers online.

I know we are not equal but dear God, why would some women pump 1000ml of milk a day and still have enough to feed their babies exclusively yet some of us struggle to make it 200ml a day as we try to ration the same for the baby? Some of us try everything to increase our milk flow to be able to pump and breastfeed as well.

I remember doing just about anything to increase my milk flow. From drinking hot chocolate every hour (even all through the night) to having that type of beans known as 'Wairimu' on standby in a hot pot anytime I was hungry.

At some point, I even remember buying 'Lactation cookies' which someone introduced me to claiming they increased milk flow. My sweet tooth and I rushed to buy the cookies thinking they were as sweet as they sounded. Shock on me!

I swear the things mothers do for their children as the fathers sit there with their legs lifted high up as they browse through the channels on TV. The thunder that is supposed to strike some of these men is on silent mode. If only God could have made breastfeeding a 50/50 affair between the two parents so that mothers are not the only ones left to consume some of these things to increase breast milk supply.

I cannot even pronounce some of the things I consumed during my first six months of breastfeeding. Dear God of Isaac, Meshack and Abednego, are you still the one who created these things called fenugreek seeds?

The worst part is that even after consuming all these strange things, my milk flow was the same, I could only manage 200ml in a day! That is the time you wish whoever came up with the breast pump would just sit down, work a little bit harder and come up with breasts as well, I mean human breasts that can challenge those of a Friesian cow.

I remember packing my milk in two packs, both with 100ml and ensuring my baby took 100ml after every two hours when I was away. I had given my house help instructions not to give baby milk before two hours elapsed because that would mean the demand would go up yet my supply was low. Meanwhile, I spent the better part of my life praying that no power outage occurs and kills my stock.

I must however thank God that despite all the challenges, I exclusively breastfed for six months. Only my family knows the kind of party I threw that day, I felt like I had just offloaded a piece of heavy luggage off my worn out back. If only the government could increase our maternity leave from three to five months, maybe we would only worry about stocking milk for a month!

To all those still in the race, I wish you a Happy Breastfeeding Week!