Breastfeeding

Nowadays, working mothers who breastfed their babies have special rooms at their workplace for them to pump their breast milk and even store them in the fridge provided. 

When I was working and was also breastfeeding my first born, I had to pump my milk in the telephone operator’s room which was next to the small  cafeteria at my workplace back then.  Luckily the telephonist was partially impaired and also female, so I had no problem in pumping my breastmilk in her small room.

After pumping, I would then put the small bottle of fresh breastmilk into the fridge at the cafeteria.  I also had to label the bottle ‘Breastmilk’.  At first, I was the only mom who pump breastmilk at the office, and then when word got around, and also when my storage of breastmilk was seen in the fridge at the cafeteria, a few other moms joined me at the operator’s room…

I would go pump my breastmilk each time my breast became full and also when it began to ‘leak’ meaning, milk would slowly seep through my breast pad…I would then leave my desk (I was a confidential secretary) and disappeared for a while.  My boss and my colleagues were very understanding….and they knew where to look for me if I was not at my desk.

By the time I left my office, I would have at least three bottles of milk ready to take home.  My maid will warm up the milk to feed my daughter when I worked.  I would breastfeed my daughter  when I returned from the office and during the night (she got up at least twice during the night to feed). 

I breastfed all my six children, and all of them suckled on my breasts 24/7 since I was already a full time mom (I quit my job when my eldest daughter was eight months old).  Only my eldest daughter had both breastmilk and formulas, since I was working, and the maid always complained that my daughter refused to drink the warm-up breastmilk!  So….my eldest daughter was on formulas for only eight months, since I quit my job and became a full time housewife.

The longest time that my children were breastfed was two years…and only Sofiyah hit that target! She was the youngest and since there was no way she could have another brother or sister, hehehe…(I was forty years old when I had her). She completed her breastfeeding in two years exactly!

The Holy Quran, Surah Al Baqarah verse 233 "The mothers shall give suck to their offspring for two whole years, if the father desires to complete the term.  But he shall bear the cost of their food and clothing on equitable terms.   No soul shall have a burden laid on it greater than it can bear.  No mother shall be treated unfairly on account of her child.  Nor father on account of his child, an heir shall be chargeable in the same way.  If they both decide on weaning, by mutual consent, and after due consultation, there is no blame on them.  If you decide on a foster-mother for your offspring, there is no blame on you, provided you pay (the mother) what you offered, on equitable terms.  But fear Allah and know that Allah sees well what you do." 

My other children had to cut short their breastfeeding because I was already pregnant before completing their two years breastfeeding time….. (They all started to drink from the cup usually after 16 to 20 months of complete breastmilk.)

Once my children stopped breastmilk, I gave them MILO.  Except for my eldest child, the other children never use the feeding bottle when they were babies….AND all of them were not addicted to the pacifier either….