Mel and the New Normal

For sentimental reasons, I took a picture of my last pump. It wasn't supposed to be the last pump, I don't even know why I took a photo. Today I made the decision to just stop, cold turkey (since I've been hanging on so long anyways). I keep extending and extending... it has to stop at some point. No better day than Kat's 6th Month Birthday.  My Last 3 Oz The last batch of donations. I took a photo of the last batch of milk in my freezer as well. It was supposed to go to UST, but they haven't picked it up, so it could go to any other babies (it's about 70 oz). I can't help but feel sad, looking at this picture. But I really know I have to let go. Ever since I started lessening my pumps, I've been seeing so much of my children. I didn't realize how much we missed out on each other, and it's time we catched up. I'm so happy seeing that there are many donations in the HM4HM Page now, overflowing with donations in fact. It puts my heart...

I have begun the slow, and slightly painful process of 'weaning'. To be exact, 'weaning' actually means the process of gradually introducing a baby to food, so that he takes less and less breastmilk. When he/she is fully weaned, the baby has stopped taking breastmilk. Personally, though, I have always referred to the time I stop donating as 'weaning', even though I don't have a baby to wean from me. I mean, I always knew what weaning meant, but for some reason I have always used that term when people ask up to when I plan to donate. Perhaps it's an unconscious thing. Perhaps I am the one weaning, in the sense that I get much of my strength from helping these babies, and slowly I have to let go. You'd think that it would be a relief to stop, but it's actually a very sad process for me. From the get-go, I knew myself well enough to know that 'weaning' would be difficult for me, both physically and psychologically. Probably more of the...

A few weeks ago, I was saddened to read that another mommy lost her baby. Mommy MJ lost her son at 32 weeks, while he was still inside her. Her friend told her that she could donate the milk to babies in need, and though mourning, she posted in the Human Milk for Human Babies - Philippines page that she was willing to donate. MiAnn of Babymama pitched in and offered to lend her a pump for this, and Mommy Zel offered to lend her a pump as well. Though I am sad for her and her family's sudden loss, I am so happy that she has stepped forward and decided to help other moms. I'm sure it helps her. She's from the same industry as I am (kiddie parties) so I know that work can be hectic, but she continues to donate until now. Wonderful!! I feel the exact same way! My current thoughts now are focused on helping other families and babies. There are several reasons why donating milk is so important. This deserves a separate entry, but I read one good example this afte...

Yesterday, I received a tag from Yheng, a mommy I met in  Human Milk for Human Babies Philippines  (she arranged the donation of milk for one of her friends). There was a call for help for milk, and I was able to contact the mom. Before even contacting her, Dra. Martinez from Makati Med already texted the request, so I knew that the milk was urgently needed. Zel and I were able to PM each other, and discussed that her brother might pick up the milk the next morning. When I woke up today, the milk was already picked up. I messaged Zel to remind her to ice it (since milk has to be frozen solid or else it spoils, and can't be refrozen.) Apparently though, it was another family from Makati Med who picked up the milk (which I have no problems with!) And for good reason. The milk donations for Baby Bailey were, in Filipino terms -- "umaapaw!" Can you imagine? A mom went there to express milk at MMC during her free time, another mom gave 120+ oz, and another gave 96...

Do you know how Kobe Beef cows are taken care of? They are fed with beer and massaged on a daily basis (with 2 attendants at a time, mind you!) to provide you with the juiciest, tenderest beef in the world. J and I often joke that if we were to live another life again, we would like to be two Kobe cows raised beside each other, hahaha.  For the first time  since  July, I gave milk to a baby that I personally knew. Actually, he's my flesh and blood, the son of my cousin Terry. We're working together to give super cutie Baby Andres the best milk until 6 months. It was the first time I also have personally met one of my "babies". How awesome is that?  And for the first time ever, I got a gift for donating (courtesy of Papi Nico!) Since most of my donations are anonymous, and I insist on getting nothing in return (mahirap na may favoritism when segregating the milk, haha! Kidding!), it's the first time I ever received anything in return. This came with a bott...