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My Story Page |
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Angelo at 20 days |
Angelo at 3 months after exclusive breastfeeding |
My name is Pilar Davila Olivo. I am from Peru and my story begins like this.
In 2003 I gave birth to a premature baby. I was seven months pregnant when he was born. He weighted 4+11 lbs. In my culture is very important to breastfeed your baby.
In my country we had special classes in middle school that covered the importance of breast milk to infants in their first 6 months of life. What I did not know even with that early learning, is that having a premature baby would require special care for him and myself and it required a lot of work. To me this is labor of love, because I wanted nothing less than to give him the very best. I knew that my breast milk would be vital nourishment for my baby, and after realizing that I needed extra help, I found myself very blessed that when I woke up in the recovery room I had tools such as an electric pump and information provided by the hospital and BELLAS in Spanish which I read and learned from.
From there I learned how the stimulation to the breast helps keep your milk supply plenty for the pumping routine ahead. In the days that followed, I saw that my baby was only receiving my milk and gaining weight little by little at first. I never gave up and with the support from BELLAS and my labor of love, my baby looked a full term baby by 2 months. I am eternally grateful to BELLAS and what they did for me because my goal to give my baby the best was achieved even with the circumstances. I now encourage other moms to do the same labor of love for their babies because I have seen the benefits that breast milk has done for my son.
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My daughter, Matteah, was born at 6lbs. 7oz. on March 8th, 2007. All up to the time of my delivery my greatest expectation aside to her being healthy, was that I successfully breastfeed her. I knew there were health benefits involved, but beyond that I just knew this was something I supposed to do and joyfully looked forward to doing so. But the day before we left the hospital I was told by the lactation consultant that I would have to supplement because she had lost too much weight and wasn't getting enough calories. I was devastated! I felt like less than and terribly emotional; no way did I want to give my baby some synthetic nourishment, formulated by man and not GOD. How horrible it was. But I refused to give up!
I went home and went through my information that I received at PRC's classes and found the number for BELLAS and called them immediately! I left a message on their Warm Line and someone called me back within 48 hours, which for me at the time felt like 48 years! Fortunately I got in touch with a great PC named Angie who also happened to work for WIC. She came by the next day, helped me get Matteah latched on, and set me up with an electric pump. But that if she hadn't have come, if BELLAS wasn't in business, then I wouldn't have received the help I needed and this is why: she wouldn't have been able to do a home visit with me, I would have had to come to the WIC office and would have been shuffled in and out without a notice to the fact that I was retaining too much water shown by my super swollen ankles and calves (which she noticed as I was walking down the stairs with my capri pjs) which indicated, after questioning me, that my blood pressure was high, and thus, encouraging me to go to the doctor to be checked out ASAP!
That wouldn't have happened without a home visit from my BELLAS peer counselor! Because I was latching on correctly, but I wasn't producing enough milk and she explained why - which made me feel a million times better about myself, even though I still felt horrible for not being able to solely provide nourishment for my newborn. She encouraged me, followed up with me and told me not to give up, just keep nursing! Now I am a thankful mother of a newly turned three year old who is a lot healthier than if I wouldn't have breastfed her and I know this by observing other kids her age who weren't breastfed.
The best part is that not only did BELLAS help me breastfeed my daughter successfully, but a year later gave me a job as a peer counselor so now I joyously get to help other moms start out right by giving their baby the best through breastfeeding! How wonderful is that considering my disability! GOD is great and this program has truly been a blessing to me and others I am sure!
Thanks BELLAS!
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