The Filipina Mom in Denmark

I just read in Urban a few days ago about how desperate the Chinese parents in trying to find alternative solutions in the wake of the tainted milk scandal. Some are thinking about hiring a cow or call the agency that organizes mother who are willing to breastfeed because they parents won’t dare to buy powdered milk anymore. Some mother who ares still breastfeeding can earn as much as 270 US $ per month. I have some chinese classmates that there a lot of announcement in the internet regarding this.

But it’s not only in china that one can sell mothers milk but also here in Denmark you can sell it to the hospital and they pay 176 Danish kroner or around 18 US$ per liter. Most hospitals accepts this kind arrangement because they need give to the premature babies since it has been proven that mother’s milk gives more immunity against long lists of sickness.

There was a story published in a news paper BT (Berlingske Tidende) last March 7, 2008 that there is a 53 year old woman, Sisser Weinreich, mother of 7 children who became richer by 460,000 DKK around 120,000 US$ just by selling her extra mother’s milk whenever she’s breastfeeding her children.

All in all she supplied the hospitals 3,408 liter because she was blessed with 10 times extra than normally what a mother can produce. She said that she started to sell her milk when she give birth to her second child upon the suggestion of her midwife.

The funny thing is the tax office was in doubt if the mother’smilk should be taxed because of it’s unsual quantity imagine she can produce 4.2 liter just 3 months after she gave birth. But mother’s milk is tax free so it was blessing financially for her and the premature babies.

Her 2 children continued her legacy because they inherited her extra power.

Mothers who chose to breastfeed should observe the following tips:

1. Avoid alcohol because the baby also will be affected since it goes with the milk.
2. Find a good position that is both convenient for both mother and baby.

3. Invest in a nursing pillow it can help you to find the right position and it will be a great relief not to hold your 5-6 kg baby for a long time. You can sit and relax your muscle and avoid back and neck pain. The baby can use it too.

4. Remember to let your baby finish one breast before changing to the next one. It is because the first flow is to quench the thirst so it is low fat but the last is the rich in protein which is what the baby needs. It will also helps you against breast infections because when it’s full of milk it blocks the milk ducts then comes sore and later on fever.

5. Eat healthy food and drink a lot of milk ( I tried drinking a lot but my son stomach became bad so I need to drink something to nutralize mine and my son’s stomach , potato juice was a great help

6. Rest a good night sleep is also important well sometimes we can’t so we need our partner/husband help to alternate us when we the “milking cow” has to rest or recharge

7. Invest in a electric nursing pump if you think you more than adequate milk production and store it properly. There are some milk containers or plastic that you can buy and put it in refrigerator in 3 days and 3-4 months in the freezer. I will post a more thorough guidelines for this topic.

8. Use a nursing pads to avoid embarrassing moments when I use a woolen one it was good.

9. Avoid smoking its not good for you and the baby.

10. Don´t set no particular time to nurse when the baby is hungry . Always feed your baby on demand. This will stimulate your milk production.

11. Use a good supporting bra that will support your breast to help it form sagging.

12. When the baby is done never pull your breast to break the suction but use your little finger inside his mouth and carefully pull it.

Well that tips is according to experience although I used 2 sizes over my normal size I wasn’t able to sell my milk maybe because my son was so dependent on it until he was almost 2 years old. Until now he trying to trick me to nurse him but I waned when he turned 2.

I was lucky because it is normal and actually encourae here for mothers to nurse their baby. Actually they will not let you go home from the hospital when you are not ready or breastfeeding isn’t working or there you can ask help form your nurse about it.

So it was financially rewarding I wasnt tied to buy milk which might be contaminated (well not here in Denmark) and my son is healthy since he rarely sick but when he does he can recover almost instantly.

How about you can you sell your mothers milk also?

The scandal of contaminated milk that killed 4 babies in china makes me angry and it terrifies me seeing the news on with all those babies lying on the hospital fighting for their lives. How can they do that terrible thing to babies.

According to the news in the TV there are at least 6,000 affected and more parents still flocks the hospital to have their children checked for contamiantion. There are 1,300 babies that are still in the hospital and 168 have kidney problems. They have found traces chemical specifically of melamine which is being used in plastic kitchen utensils like cups and saucer, glues, laminates in furnitures and many things. There are some who says that they used melamine to increased the protein contain in the milk so they can passed the strict requirement.

The milk in question is Sanlu is produced by China’s biggest dairy producer but the world largest dairy producer from New Zealand, Fonterra the world’s biggest dairy trader who owns 43 % of Sanlu said in their press release that they already known about it since august. But how come that it just now that we heard about it according to the different newspaper it was due to China’s policy on covering news. I just hope the Chinese government can find the root of the problem and put to jail those who are responsible.

I don’t know but I just really disgusted with this news. I also at some point gave my son breast milk supplement although I breastfeed for at least two years because I thought that he wasn’t getting enough milk from me but I’m glad that he himself preferred breast milk.

In the Philippines most mothers use infants formula because of many claims form the producers of higher IQ, speedy growth, and many others because they put a lot of vitamins and minerals. But Just as what they always label their products that “Breastfeeding is the best for babies” which is true. But of course there’s a lot of reasons why they can breastfeed like getting back to work. But I think it’s most of it is lack of information from the health department which should give guidelines to all pregnant women and parents about child care. Because even mothers from poor sectors in the country uses infant even it so expensive formulas because of lack of guidance from health workers but it’s what they see in the commercials.

I hope that the Philippines authority will act and bans importation of suspected dairy products from china and warns the public about the dangers of this milk as other countries have done. This not only confines to powder milk but all dairy products like yogurt, cheese, butter and ice cream.It should be a wake up call for the health authorities to sit down and think about infant care and information dissemination and don’t let the big Pharmaceutical companies do it just to promote their products but rather use them to give the right information about infant or child’s health. And to the dairy producer or the big pharmaceutical companies I hope that they will be RESPONSIBLE and reminded that they are dealing with human beings not guinea pigs and not just think about big profits.

How about you what do you think about this news/scandal?