My breastfeeding journey and if I knew better...

I am a mom of a 2 year old boy and I have had a beautiful breastfeeding journey. I had him when I was 31 years and I fed him from day 0 till around 26 months (2 years and 2 months). Yes there were moments when I felt I wasn't meeting the needs of my boy when he was growing, I had issues coping with his frequent feedings, especially the cluster feeds all evening away in a room; I was torn and wanting to take a vacation without him, to reconnect with myself but no none of that was possible as I lost myself in looking after him. But I always believed that women are meant to feed their babies. Science is proving now and we know from old grandma science how important breastfeeding babies is for strengthening their immunity and making them feel secure. I absolutely understand if moms are unable to breastfeed or make conscious choices to not breastfeed the baby.. however it is important to not overlook the benefits of breastfeeding at the expense of top-feed marketing and make a conscious choice which is well-researched. 

Breastfeeding actually comes very naturally to women so in most cases a woman should milk very naturally and normally for the baby, maybe with a little support in today's tough age. Even if you have a c-section baby you can successfully solely breastfeed your baby till 6 months till you add some solid foods along with breast milk feeding. In fact for babies born through surgical birth it is all the more important for mothers to feed them breast milk to help with iron flow to the baby. Early umbilical cord clamping is common in todays day and age, and one of the reasons why children now days have hypoxia or anaemia, and for this it is important that mothers feed their children their own breast milk which will ensure the child's nutrition is met. Formula milk might claim to have iron fortification but the child needs natural iron from the mother which synthesises easily in the baby's bloodstream. Hence the benefits of breast feeding cannot be overlooked or ignored.

My son never really took to any top-feed so he just consumed my milk till I started giving him cows milk around 1 year. Coping with this long journey of breastfeeding was not easy. A mother is easily led to believe that she is not making enough milk for the child, especially if we conceive after the age of 30. However, this is absolutely incorrect. Our bodies are designed to make milk according to the babys' demands. 

The first 2-3 months are mostly easy for all mom's where they are making enough milk for the baby, maybe even annoyingly leaking. After that is when it starts getting tough: hungrier baby, more frequent feedings, evening feeding-clusters and that's when the mom is tempted, often with the help of her family/in-laws that she should supplement the child's diet with top-feed/formula milk. However if the mom takes some lactation support at such a time she can greatly benefit from it and not only make more milk naturally but also feel more confident. Shatavari, for one, is a naturally available supplement which helps in breast milk production. It's bitter and not very easy to eat. When I was struggling with these things I wondered why there aren't enough products addressing this issue. With the help of mom's who shared their recipes and showed patience through various iterations of cookies, I was able to finalise a recipe for the lactation cookies which suited the demands of mostly all new mom's we reached out to. Many mothers have called and informed me that the lactation cookies have immensely helped them within a day of eating them. They found consistent milk production, their babies feeling fuller and not taking super long feeds. I personally saw a difference in 2-3 days of eating the cookies and I ate them consistently after my breakfast for 2 months. Even women who were using a breast pump to pump milk found that milk production increased when they were eating the lactation cookies. It is important to consume something natural without any preservatives or additives. Making correct choices like taking lactation support at the right time will not only help in increasing breast milk supply but also help your mind space, which is already pretty hectic with the new family member, we don't want self-doubt coming in the way!

Our lactation cookies have the following ingredients which help with breast milk production:

- Ragi: increases natural iron supply to the baby especially for Cesarean babies
- Shatavari: helps with natural production of prolactin and enhances milk supply
- Flax seeds: contain phytoestrogens which have estrogenic properties that help increase breast milk production
- Oats: contains prolactin and fibre
- Whole wheat: provides energy to the mother
- Jaggery: provides energy to the mother and helps with quick recovery

So don't doubt yourself. Every mother becomes a mother for the first time, there is nothing right or wrong, don't be shy to take help and enjoy the beautiful journey of motherhood.

Mohita Mathur

Founder 

Mo's Bakery