Ah Lian Mum

I just came across this blog written by an ah lian (in my opinion). She is only 18 but is already a mother of a 5-mth-old baby. Gosh...some of my ex-students are even older than her. I was only in JC2 when I was 18! I am not gonna include a link here because there is just too much hokkien vulgarities that would make you cringe - she is ten times worse than xiaxue. Well, swear words are never my cup of tea and reading those words is really like saying them silently to yourself. Worse than listening man! Well, better not mention any names, I'm scared of being beaten up. haha.

Anyway, I read about her traumatic breastfeeding experience and felt sorry that it had to turn out this way for her. If only she had given us BMSG (where I am helping out as a phone counsellor and until very recently as a secretary too) a call, we would have helped clear up all her misconceptions about breastfeeding and give her the much needed moral support and encouragement to carry on.

Here's a modified and cleaned-up extract of what she wrote:

"Feeling all feverish again. Was down with fever and breaking into cold sweats. The milk which I expressed out were not for consumption, had to throw them away. The left breast was sore and when I was expressing out there's pus coming out & it kinda hurt. Went to women's clinic for consultation, was told that probably it was due to infection of the breast that led to fever. Doc says it's inevitable as it's common to experience it. I requested for medication to stop breastfeeding. 2 small little tablets that costs around $40-$50. I and hubby were like =.='' , 2 tablets only!!! I asked my friend and she was also given 2 tablets also. My breast doesn't feel as engorged as before. I gave up after 2 weeks of breastfeeding. It's really very tedious especially since I'm expressing it out and not latching my baby. I cry out of frustration whenever I feel engorged and it hurts alot. Not an easy task to begin with. Thank god it's over."

What she was experienced is probably Mastitis. In actual fact, mothers experiencing mastitis should continue to breastfeed to relieve engorgement. The milk was completely safe for consumption (even with pus and blood), contrary to what she had thought. Thus, instead of pouring away (so wasted!!!) her expressed breastmilk (aka EBM), she should have given her precious EBM to her baby. And why didn't she latch her baby on in the first place? The baby would have drained her breasts more efficiently and thoroughly than any other breastpumps she had used. If she found it painful to breastfeed, most likely it could be due to incorrect latching-on. The doctor she saw should have explained all these facts to her and encouraged her to continue instead of prescribing the tablets!!!!! (Of course what, they stand to profit from the sale of those tablets. Makes me so angry thinking about it.) Also, how can the doctor say mastitis is "inevitable"??? Mastitis is preventable if mothers are equipped with the correct info beforehand.

Sigh.

I really wish more mothers would breastfeed their babies instead of succumbing so easily to formula companies. :(