Visit our Canada siteAugust is Breastfeeding Month and we’d like to celebrate and honor all the powerful and beautiful breastfeeding mommas of the Mommy Mundo community. Breastfeeding is a gift from God. It is a commitment and a clear act of a mother’s love to her child. It contributes to a child’s optimal health and wellness plus its a practical way to add to the family’s savings. We know how precious every drop of this liquid gold to every mother and child. More than giving the best nourishment there is in the world, breastfeeding a child forms a unique bond between the mother and the child.
As she cradles the baby in her arms while she breastfeeds, their nearness plays the most beautiful song that only their heartbeats could understand and hear. Their nearness only sees the most beautiful picture only their eyes could see. Their nearness describes the warmest and softest only their skins could feel.
The joys and triumphs of breastfeeding were beautifully captured by photographer Stanley Ong and was witnessed by many during a photo exhibit named “The Nearness of We: A Breastfeeding Exhibit by Stanley Ong.” The enchanting portraits featured 13 modern Filipinas including Eizza Lim de Baron, Kaity Bato, Ani de Leon Brown, Jaya Crisostomo, Paula Peralejo Fernandez, Ruth Galang, Alexa Gutierrez, Janice Lizardo, Rima Ostwani, Em Sulit, Thammie Sy, Iya Villania, and Charissa Villanueva. Here are some of the gorgeous photos of the awesome breastfeeding moms and their thoughts about breastfeeding.
JAYA GARCIA
“I was blessed with an abundance of milk. I had an oversupply, and started donating breast milk to those who need. We’ve been going strong for more than six months. It’s so fulfilling knowing I provided all of Heaven’s nutrition, and that my body was (and is) the very reason why she has her chubby arm rolls & cheeks. Breastfeeding isn’t a walk in the park. It takes a lot of hard work. But the most rewarding aspect of breastfeeding is the bonding time we (my daughter and I) have together.”
ALEXA GUTIERREZ
“Enjoy your breastfeeding journey by immersing yourself in knowledge and patience. It didn’t come naturally to me. I took classes, talked to mom and attended events. It al helped me understand my body and importance of breastfeeding.”
IYA VILLANIA-ARELLANO
“This boy loves his mama’s milk! “ On some of her posts about her breastfeedIng journey, she says, “ (It’s) so fascinating how supply increases as baby’s demands do! The female body is just so amazing!” For being one of the moms celebrated during the photo shoot, Iyya added, “Thank you Mommy Mundo for making us part of this exhibit.”
ANI DE LEON-BROWN
“A lot of people assume that that you can’t work out, much less compete, when you’re breastfeeding. This is completely untrue. I breastfed my first born until he was three, and in the same period I finished 6 Ironman races. I’m currently breastfeeding my daughter who is 1 and a half, and I’m have an upcoming race this October for the Ironman Hawaii World Championship! I’m perfectly in good health!”
EM SULIT
“I always had just enough supply for my kids. My fridge never had overflowing stocks like other moms. It was a struggle to produce milk so I just had to mindful of it all the time, and not get pressured or intimidated with what I see on social media. I’ve set my own pace and my own goals – breastfeeding a day at a time. It’s never easy but I committed myself to it. It also helps I have my husband’s 100% support.”
THAMMIE SIY
“Every breastfeeding experience is unique. I can say as much for each of my children. I had a difficult and very painful start (‘bloody’ can also be used to describe it!), but it got better with every child. The eldest was the most demanding baby. The second was very steady, but I was always engorged and had clogged ducts (and fever!). The third had surgery due to a congenital issue. Because I met a lot of preemies while he was in the NICU, we ended up committing to sharing our milk to 6 of them for a year. The youngest, well…now we’re just enjoying our time together while nursing. ☺️ All these other moms have their own stories to tell. One thing I know for sure: you can’t do this on your own! You need a community. You need encouragement.”
PAULA PERALEJO-FERNANDEZ
“From wounds and imperfect latches to inflammations every week that we still have not completely solved, breastfeeding is the most challenging part of motherhood for me. But whenever I see the wonder of my own milk for my son, I just cannot stop. It’s been nine months and by making sure that I’m provided with the right info, scientific studies, and support from the lactation community (moms and experts), I am determined to continue this journey for as long as possible!”
RIMA OSTWANI
“Breastfeeding was far from easy at the beginning. It was tough the first few weeks figuring it all out and trying to get it right. But it has proven to be very rewarding and worth every effort & hard work I put into it. Nothing beats this bonding time Adriana and I spend together. Just being able to stare at her while having her so close to me is everything!”
The exhibit ran for a total of seven days at The Podium Mall then at SM Aura Premier. Mommy Mundo’s partners in The Nearness of We: A Breastfeeding Exhibit by Stanley Ong included School of Styling, Mommy Treats, Lumix, The Podium Mall, and SM Aura Premier.
Share your breastfeeding experiences, joys, struggles, big or small achievements by posting a photo and including the hashtag #TheNearnessOfWe. We’d love to see many beautiful pictures of this special bond between mommy and baby.
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