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Originally posted on LLL USA New Beginings on August 19, 2025 https://lllusa.org/conversations-about-breastfeeding-support-in-aanhpi-languages/
By Uyen T. In celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Breastfeeding Week this year, New Beginnings is featuring stories from three individuals who support lactating families in an AANHPI language (or more than one!). We hope you will enjoy reading their experiences. Uyen’s experiences counseling and translating breastfeeding materials in Vietnamese I work with the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Program. At our clinics, the majority of families communicate in Spanish and English, and a small percentage speak Vietnamese and various other languages. In my role as a lactation consultant, I provide counseling in English and occasionally inVietnamese. I also translate breastfeeding and social media materials into Vietnamese for various organizations. Explaining lactation science and breastfeeding in Vietnamese can be difficult, either because technical terms are hard to find and to translate accurately or due to a lack of specific vocabulary. For example, “reverse pressure softening” and “biological nurturing” are techniques that are not commonly practiced or easily found mentioned in Vietnamese breastfeeding resources; therefore, the terms are nonexistent, and translating word-for-word can be awkward. Even seemingly straightforward terms, like “positioning,” “latching,” “engorgement,” and the names of various breastfeeding positions may require research to ensure meaningful translation. It can take a lot of verbal descriptions and even the use of body language to convey the intended meaning effectively. The architecture of the English language makes it very concise and straight to the point. Therefore, translating word-for-word from English into a language like Vietnamese that requires more context can make conversations sound very stiff and even strange. To convey the message clearly and effectively, it is important to understand the cultural context, to have a good grasp of the spoken language, and to be flexible so as to modify the sentence structure and rephrase the idea in a way that softens the meaning and makes it more relatable. For example, the English expression “You can’t put your baby to the breast too much” might be translated into Vietnamese as “The more often you put your baby on your breast, the better it is,” making the expression more fluid and fitting. Similarly, “breastfeeding” is translated as “nuôi con bằng sữa mẹ” or “raising a child with mother’s milk” which offers a broader context and longer-term view. Additionally, achieving inclusivity in Vietnamese can be extremely difficult. Vietnamese pronouns are specific to sex and gender, age, social and familial ranking and role, as well as the relationship between individuals in a conversation. The translations for terms such as “the birthing parent” or “chestfeeding” into Vietnamese are nonexistent at this time. More significantly, the specific pronouns used by individuals not related by blood are largely defined by their gender and age. In turn, they define the power balance within the conversation. This can also subtly shift the dynamic of the parent-and-support-person relationship. What is also so remarkable—and something I often take for granted—is the way Vietnamese people specifically, and East and Southeast Asians in general, receive compliments. In breastfeeding and lactation support, we are trained to give frequent praise as a form of reassurance that things are going well and to help boost parental confidence. However, out of modesty, many Asians tend to deflect or reject compliments. When someone praises us, we often respond with something like, “No, that’s not good enough,” even if we’ve worked hard or done well. Spiritually, it is considered taboo to give praise to a young child—or even worse, for the child to receive such praise—as it is believed to startle the child’s spirit, potentially leading to misfortune or illness. Parents may even give their young children odd or humble nicknames to avoid attracting the attention of spirits or the gods. So, instead of offering direct praise, we may show empathy and acknowledge the parent’s effort. We might let them know that things are progressing in the right direction and that there is no specific cause for concern. An unexpected aspect of providing support to the Vietnamese families for me is the sense of responsibility and heavy investment, almost as if there would be too much to lose if I didn’t give it all. This feeling may come from knowing the deep history and the narratives of our own people, which gives me a sense that I can anticipate their pattern. However, I must consciously take a step back to acknowledge and support each individual’s unique goals and purposes with respect. As complex as it may sound, counseling in a non-English language is certainly not impossible. The art of counseling definitely happens beyond the words. Understanding the cultural context, interpersonal relationship, way of life, and our shared history and lived experiences can be a great advantage. Using English, I can be much more technical in explaining breastfeeding and lactation. Yet it is an acquired skill, requiring a conscious effort, to offer emotional support and reassurance when counseling in English. In Vietnamese, however, I find it much more instinctive to set aside the textbooks and just have a natural dialogue between two individuals discussing “raising a child with mother’s milk.” Grace’s learned lessons about Chinese translations When I worked for WIC as a Breastfeeding Coordinator and Supervisor for the Peer Counseling Program, I interacted with diverse colleagues and participants, including a large number of Chinese immigrant families. Part of my work was to review the State WIC’s translated breastfeeding booklets and pamphlets in Chinese and to help translate educational materials into Chinese. I know that word-for-word translation from English into Chinese generally results in awkwardness and senselessness to the Chinese audience. Difficulties for translators and interpreters are compounded with the complexity of the Chinese language. Although there is one written language, there are two versions of writing: the traditional and the simplified forms. Words and phrases can be different between different countries and regions, too. A prime example would be: NICU is phrased differently in Taiwan (新生兒加護病房 xīn shēng ér jiā hù bìng fang), Hong Kong (新生兒深切治療部 sūn saāng yì sam1 chit3 ji6 liù bou6), and in mainland China (新生兒重症監護室 xīn shēng ér zhòng zhèng jiān hù shì). It’s important to know where your client is from. When I counseled participants in Chinese, I learned to first get to know my clients, then process the material in Cantonese or Mandarin, and subsequently convey the content from English into the client’s language. Counseling and learning is an interaction, not a one-way experience. I would engage the audience according to their needs and experiences, rather than follow my own agenda and goal. Humility is important. Even now, whenever I need to confirm or further comprehend certain breastfeeding terms in Chinese, I explore breastfeeding organizations in different countries that use Chinese as their main language. Last but not least, I plead with colleagues who are tasked with translating, interpreting, or counseling on any matters about lactation in Chinese, not to be shy to ask and always be humble. When it comes to the names of breastfeeding aids/equipment, it is helpful to look outside of the U.S. for the proper names in Chinese. It makes your work so seamless and organic, and most importantly, enables you to give your clients the most meaningful information. Wendy’s stories of providing lactation education I have been working at the Public Health Foundation Enterprises (PHFE) Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program for over a decade. I began my journey at WIC as a Registered Dietitian. One of the core services WIC offers is to provide breastfeeding education. As a new staff member, I often had to ask my supervisor for Chinese language breastfeeding education materials. Fortunately, we have a small team that speaks Mandarin and Cantonese—two major Chinese dialects. The absence of language-appropriate materials and culturally relevant images can make lactation education less engaging and effective. To help fill this gap, I volunteered to translate many of our materials into Chinese. Families feel more at ease seeking help when we share common experiences, culture, and practices. It’s important to remember that equity in lactation involves more than just providing materials in the right language—it also requires comprehensive, culturally informed care and support. There is a need for us to discuss and debrief, to ask questions and share our experiences, and to get reassurance and advice from other AANHPI support people. This collaborative approach is important for us to continue to grow in our capacities as providers, supporters, and community members. This year, the theme for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Breastfeeding Week (August 15-21, 2025) is “Diverse Voices, One Vision”. “We recognize that while our communities are unique, we share the same vision of safe pregnancies, healthy babies, and thriving families”. We invite you to stay connected with us for updates on upcoming events and initiatives. More importantly, whether you identify as part of the AANHPI communities, support AANHPI breastfeeding families, or stand as an ally, we encourage you to be part of this important conversation. Our goal is to build a welcoming and inclusive space where AANHPI communities can thrive, reproductive justice is respected, and lactation support is accessible. Our communities are leading the way toward lasting, positive change. Helpful resources for staying connected with the AANHPI Lactation Collaborative and breastfeeding counseling in AANHPI languages:
Originally posted on LLL USA New Beginnings on August 20th, 2024 https://lllusa.org/celebrate-aanhpi-breastfeeding-week-breastfeeding-in-public/ and on LLL Today llli.org/news/lll-today-8-a-view-towards-breastfeeding-in-public/in English, Chinese, Japanese, Dutch, French and Spanish. |
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| ahs_toolkit_-_english_final.pdf |
| ahs_toolkit_-_vietnamese_final.pdf |
| ahs_toolkit_-_chinese_final.pdf |
Originally posted on LLL USA New Beginnings on August 18, 2023 https://lllusa.org/celebrate-aanhpi-week-asian-postpartum-food-traditions/
One of my first cultural shocks when I first came to the U.S. from Vietnam was visiting at the hospital and seeing a newly birthing parent walking herself across the floor still attached to the IV fluid. Her baby could have just been a few hours old. All of my life before that, I only saw parents of newly born babies bound to the bed either in the hospital room or their bedroom, never to leave their home for weeks. During the immediate postpartum period, restricted movements and exposure to the outdoors, warmth, and restoring postpartum foods were necessities if not requirements.
What a contrast here in the Western world. It wasn’t a good or a bad thing; it was just different. And even though it was a shock initially, it was also, strangely, a relief. I thought of our old Eastern traditions which then seemed like a constraint, a misfit to a modern society. For many years to come, this idea allowed me to expand and adapt to the Western culture.
At the core of the Eastern belief system is the yin-yang ideology. Everything in the universe is constantly striving to reach the state of equilibrium. As I strived to expand and rise to a bright surface, I found myself longing to return and reach deeper into my own roots. In the brightest of light, it could be hard for the eyes to see. But in a deeper and darker place, the vision adjusted and I could start to see more clearly. That dark place was, surprisingly, becoming a new parent, birthing my first baby, the long days and long nights of feeding, caring for, and raising a child. In this space, I gradually saw myself in the rawest, most original, most authentic, most fitting, most Asian version of my identity. And, quite expectedly, what came with having a newly born baby was never to leave the house for a few weeks, warmth, and restoring postpartum foods.
Even though some parts of it weren’t easy (such as home confinement, no cold exposure including cold drinks, regular bath or shower!), this time I learned to not just “accept” it, but to understand why and to make sense of it, to appreciate the richness and the depth of my own culture, in the center of which is the food traditions, and specifically, postpartum food traditions that I found the most heart-warming, wonderfully scientific, deeply hydrating, greatly nourishing and amazingly delicious to those who need just all of these things the most.
Asian postpartum foods have the benefits of balancing energies and flow (“Qi”) within the body, cleansing and warming the blood, speeding up recovery from childbirth, restoring strength and vitality of the birthing parent, and, most wonderfully, bringing in an abundant breastmilk supply and supporting smooth lactation. Postpartum foods have traditionally been prepared by the grandmothers or other older family members. The beauty of it is that there are no written recipes but rather, they are passed down for generations orally. When I sent a message to my mother-in-law to ask her if she could send me the “recipes”, she didn’t respond for days. Finally, she sent a message back: “There is no recipe, just call me on the phone.” I knew it!
In my experience, Asian postpartum foods are the most delicious and labor-intensive foods ever prepared. And what made them the most delicious to me wasn’t just the foods themselves, but the comfort and warm feelings of being cared for, the association of joy and excitement of having a new baby.
Here are a few of my favorites:
Pork Knuckles and Eggs in Ginger and Sweet Vinegar Sauce
The sauce is prepared about one month prior to the expected due date.
The ingredients include ginger, vinegar, dark sweet rice vinegar, and pork knuckles. No specific measurements, just go by feel.
Double Boiled Chicken Soup
Ingredients include a small chicken and ginger, wood ear fungus, peanuts, Chinese cooking wine, cooking oil.
Red Egg and Ginger
Red Egg and Ginger celebration is an important milestone in Chinese tradition. It comes from the ancient times when infant mortality was high. The birth of a child wasn’t celebrated until he/she had reached 100 days old when it was believed the child was more likely to survive. The celebration was often held in a banquet style at home or in a restaurant with family members, relatives, friends, and neighbors. In this tradition, eggs represent fertility, birth, and a renewal of life. Red, in Vietnamese and Chinese cultures, is a symbol of happiness and good fortune. And certainly, ginger is traditionally present in every postpartum dish.
The eggs are hard boiled and the shells are dyed in red color. The ginger is pickled. A plate of red eggs – in an even number for a boy and an odd number for a girl – and pickled ginger may be placed at the center of each party table for guests to take home for good luck. This is also a gesture for thanking the guests for coming and having blessed the new baby.
In celebration of the AANHPI Breastfeeding Week, I would like to invite all to explore our postpartum cultures of heart-warming and delicious foods. I hope this speaks to new Asian parents who are far away from their homes, their families, and postpartum and breastfeeding-supportive traditions. Perhaps this will bring up good memories and inspire them to reconnect with their own cultures so that these centuries-old traditions, which have always given us a sense of belonging and meaning, will continue to be passed on for generations to come.
One of my first cultural shocks when I first came to the U.S. from Vietnam was visiting at the hospital and seeing a newly birthing parent walking herself across the floor still attached to the IV fluid. Her baby could have just been a few hours old. All of my life before that, I only saw parents of newly born babies bound to the bed either in the hospital room or their bedroom, never to leave their home for weeks. During the immediate postpartum period, restricted movements and exposure to the outdoors, warmth, and restoring postpartum foods were necessities if not requirements.
What a contrast here in the Western world. It wasn’t a good or a bad thing; it was just different. And even though it was a shock initially, it was also, strangely, a relief. I thought of our old Eastern traditions which then seemed like a constraint, a misfit to a modern society. For many years to come, this idea allowed me to expand and adapt to the Western culture.
At the core of the Eastern belief system is the yin-yang ideology. Everything in the universe is constantly striving to reach the state of equilibrium. As I strived to expand and rise to a bright surface, I found myself longing to return and reach deeper into my own roots. In the brightest of light, it could be hard for the eyes to see. But in a deeper and darker place, the vision adjusted and I could start to see more clearly. That dark place was, surprisingly, becoming a new parent, birthing my first baby, the long days and long nights of feeding, caring for, and raising a child. In this space, I gradually saw myself in the rawest, most original, most authentic, most fitting, most Asian version of my identity. And, quite expectedly, what came with having a newly born baby was never to leave the house for a few weeks, warmth, and restoring postpartum foods.
Even though some parts of it weren’t easy (such as home confinement, no cold exposure including cold drinks, regular bath or shower!), this time I learned to not just “accept” it, but to understand why and to make sense of it, to appreciate the richness and the depth of my own culture, in the center of which is the food traditions, and specifically, postpartum food traditions that I found the most heart-warming, wonderfully scientific, deeply hydrating, greatly nourishing and amazingly delicious to those who need just all of these things the most.
Asian postpartum foods have the benefits of balancing energies and flow (“Qi”) within the body, cleansing and warming the blood, speeding up recovery from childbirth, restoring strength and vitality of the birthing parent, and, most wonderfully, bringing in an abundant breastmilk supply and supporting smooth lactation. Postpartum foods have traditionally been prepared by the grandmothers or other older family members. The beauty of it is that there are no written recipes but rather, they are passed down for generations orally. When I sent a message to my mother-in-law to ask her if she could send me the “recipes”, she didn’t respond for days. Finally, she sent a message back: “There is no recipe, just call me on the phone.” I knew it!
In my experience, Asian postpartum foods are the most delicious and labor-intensive foods ever prepared. And what made them the most delicious to me wasn’t just the foods themselves, but the comfort and warm feelings of being cared for, the association of joy and excitement of having a new baby.
Here are a few of my favorites:
Pork Knuckles and Eggs in Ginger and Sweet Vinegar Sauce
The sauce is prepared about one month prior to the expected due date.
The ingredients include ginger, vinegar, dark sweet rice vinegar, and pork knuckles. No specific measurements, just go by feel.
- Peel and slice the fresh ginger. Marinate the ginger with salt for 30 minutes. Pan fry on the wok until completely dry so that they don’t mold during the long process.
- In a clay pot, add dark sweet rice vinegar, sour vinegar, and the ginger. Close the lid.
- From then, every three to four days, boil the mixture, then leave it open to completely cool, then close the lid back.
- After the baby is born, wait for about two weeks before adding the fresh pork knuckles in the sauce in the clay pot to cook.
- When the pork is done, add hardboiled eggs into the mix and bring everything to a boil.
- Refrigerate when finished.
- Serve over the next few days or even weeks.
Double Boiled Chicken Soup
Ingredients include a small chicken and ginger, wood ear fungus, peanuts, Chinese cooking wine, cooking oil.
- Cut the chicken into small pieces.
- Peel and slice the ginger.
- Soak the raw peanuts and wood ear fungus in water.
- Cut the wood ear fungus into small pieces
- Add oil, sliced ginger, chicken, peanuts, and cooking wine to the pot and stir the ingredients.
- Pour water into the pot, add wood ear fungus. Boil the mixture on low heat for about one to two hours.
Red Egg and Ginger
Red Egg and Ginger celebration is an important milestone in Chinese tradition. It comes from the ancient times when infant mortality was high. The birth of a child wasn’t celebrated until he/she had reached 100 days old when it was believed the child was more likely to survive. The celebration was often held in a banquet style at home or in a restaurant with family members, relatives, friends, and neighbors. In this tradition, eggs represent fertility, birth, and a renewal of life. Red, in Vietnamese and Chinese cultures, is a symbol of happiness and good fortune. And certainly, ginger is traditionally present in every postpartum dish.
The eggs are hard boiled and the shells are dyed in red color. The ginger is pickled. A plate of red eggs – in an even number for a boy and an odd number for a girl – and pickled ginger may be placed at the center of each party table for guests to take home for good luck. This is also a gesture for thanking the guests for coming and having blessed the new baby.
In celebration of the AANHPI Breastfeeding Week, I would like to invite all to explore our postpartum cultures of heart-warming and delicious foods. I hope this speaks to new Asian parents who are far away from their homes, their families, and postpartum and breastfeeding-supportive traditions. Perhaps this will bring up good memories and inspire them to reconnect with their own cultures so that these centuries-old traditions, which have always given us a sense of belonging and meaning, will continue to be passed on for generations to come.
Originally posted on LLL USA New Beginnings on December 13, 2022 https://lllusa.org/uyens-story-reflections-on-weaning/
Our breastfeeding journey finally came to an end. We had a small party to mark our milestone together. I am possibly the only one who is sad as I am always on the brink of tears lately. Last night I asked if he would want to “nip” (the word he used for nursing which was the combination of “nibble” and “sip” when he used to ask me so politely sometimes: “Can I have a little nibble?”, “Can I have a little sip?”). He wanted to, but after only a few seconds, he pulled away and said there was no more milk. I asked him if he was sad, because I was. He turned away, laughed, and said, “I already ate all of it!”
Four years and three months was a long time. It seems short now that it is over. I’m thinking of the nights that I had to get up and prop myself up against the headboard of the bed to nurse that baby. I remember the pain, sleeplessness, restlessness, the road trip during which we had to take several nursing breaks, and all the times that he asked for nursing when he was hurt and upset, right before drop-off and after pick-up from the daycare. How precious it was from the first time he asked in Vietnamese “bu” until the time he understood that he had to wait.
It is hard to believe it is all behind us now. He seems to not care any less about it while I’m sitting here in our memories, finding it hard to not feel so conflicted, because there were times that I found nursing extremely exhausting, and that I couldn’t bear it any more.
Here we are today, sitting at our usual nursing spot on the couch by the windows, and the boy still looks for ways to go inside of my shirt. He sometimes says, “I drank all of it” and motions his hands from “a lot” to shrinking to nothing. Other times, he asks me “Why is it stuck?”
“The milk?” I ask him.
“Yes, why is it stuck in there?”
I ask him if it wasn’t “stuck” would he still “nip?” And he says yes!
He is still inside my shirt, not to nurse, but perhaps for the other reasons like before. He sometimes tells me he likes that my body is warm and, other times, asks me, “How does your body get so warm?” He rubs his cheeks against my skin, smelling it and still calling it his house as he also used to call “going inside my house” for nursing.
I was so touched when I first read from The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding: “Maybe weaning never happens completely.” Maybe that is true. Maybe, it isn’t the end of our journey, but of a phase, an era. I try to find comfort in knowing that a part of me is in him and will last him and protect him far beyond our last nursing.
As we only have here and now, and though sometimes I would rather sit comfortably and freely without a kid inside of my shirt, maybe I should just kiss his stinky head, be okay with feeling all my feelings, and embrace this day.
Resources
Weaning: lllusa.org/how-do-i-wean/
Gentle Toddler Weaning: lllusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Gentle-Toddler-Weaning.pdf
Is My Baby Self-Weaning?: www.lllusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Is-My-Baby-Self-Weaning.pdf
Our breastfeeding journey finally came to an end. We had a small party to mark our milestone together. I am possibly the only one who is sad as I am always on the brink of tears lately. Last night I asked if he would want to “nip” (the word he used for nursing which was the combination of “nibble” and “sip” when he used to ask me so politely sometimes: “Can I have a little nibble?”, “Can I have a little sip?”). He wanted to, but after only a few seconds, he pulled away and said there was no more milk. I asked him if he was sad, because I was. He turned away, laughed, and said, “I already ate all of it!”
Four years and three months was a long time. It seems short now that it is over. I’m thinking of the nights that I had to get up and prop myself up against the headboard of the bed to nurse that baby. I remember the pain, sleeplessness, restlessness, the road trip during which we had to take several nursing breaks, and all the times that he asked for nursing when he was hurt and upset, right before drop-off and after pick-up from the daycare. How precious it was from the first time he asked in Vietnamese “bu” until the time he understood that he had to wait.
It is hard to believe it is all behind us now. He seems to not care any less about it while I’m sitting here in our memories, finding it hard to not feel so conflicted, because there were times that I found nursing extremely exhausting, and that I couldn’t bear it any more.
Here we are today, sitting at our usual nursing spot on the couch by the windows, and the boy still looks for ways to go inside of my shirt. He sometimes says, “I drank all of it” and motions his hands from “a lot” to shrinking to nothing. Other times, he asks me “Why is it stuck?”
“The milk?” I ask him.
“Yes, why is it stuck in there?”
I ask him if it wasn’t “stuck” would he still “nip?” And he says yes!
He is still inside my shirt, not to nurse, but perhaps for the other reasons like before. He sometimes tells me he likes that my body is warm and, other times, asks me, “How does your body get so warm?” He rubs his cheeks against my skin, smelling it and still calling it his house as he also used to call “going inside my house” for nursing.
I was so touched when I first read from The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding: “Maybe weaning never happens completely.” Maybe that is true. Maybe, it isn’t the end of our journey, but of a phase, an era. I try to find comfort in knowing that a part of me is in him and will last him and protect him far beyond our last nursing.
As we only have here and now, and though sometimes I would rather sit comfortably and freely without a kid inside of my shirt, maybe I should just kiss his stinky head, be okay with feeling all my feelings, and embrace this day.
Resources
Weaning: lllusa.org/how-do-i-wean/
Gentle Toddler Weaning: lllusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Gentle-Toddler-Weaning.pdf
Is My Baby Self-Weaning?: www.lllusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Is-My-Baby-Self-Weaning.pdf
Originally posted on LLL USA New Beginnings Blog on October 4, 2022 https://lllusa.org/becoming-a-parent-my-new-normal/
When my first baby was a few months old, there were days I felt so trapped. I felt that my “normal” life was pretty much over – the life where I was free to do whatever I wanted to do, to go places, to ever realize my dream. I asked a friend if that was true. She told me that I would feel “normal” again soon one day; it would come. That felt like a distant dream while I was in the thick of caring for a newborn, nursing and pumping, restless days and sleepless nights.
No one had told me that being a new parent would be so hard. I felt lost with my new identity. Running on empty, all the discomfort, sensations, and feelings were heightened. But my friend was right. Very slowly and gradually, the day came when I started to emerge from the dark bunker and see life in a different light.
I used to think that babies were so tiny and demanding of all my time and energy, and because of them, my days of freedom and my career were done (so dramatic!). But then, those babies eventually grew out of my arms, out of their baby shoes, weaned, learned to walk and run, to do cartwheels and roller skate, started school, and took field trips far out of my sight.
Even more, my career wasn’t over. It was starting over new. I always thought my babies held me back from advancing in my career. Instead, they inspired me and gave me wings to fly higher, to realize that I still could dream – for me, for them – and helped me gain the courage to make that dream a reality.
I thought I was tied to the baby and would never be able to leave my door alone for more than three minutes. But then, thanks to them, new possibilities opened up. New encounters and meanings were created in my new normal life.
Right now, somewhere, a new parent may be wishing for their life pre-baby back, and I want to go back to the night when everyone and everything was quiet and sleeping and only I stayed awake with my brand new baby in my arms, nursing the night away.
When my first baby was a few months old, there were days I felt so trapped. I felt that my “normal” life was pretty much over – the life where I was free to do whatever I wanted to do, to go places, to ever realize my dream. I asked a friend if that was true. She told me that I would feel “normal” again soon one day; it would come. That felt like a distant dream while I was in the thick of caring for a newborn, nursing and pumping, restless days and sleepless nights.
No one had told me that being a new parent would be so hard. I felt lost with my new identity. Running on empty, all the discomfort, sensations, and feelings were heightened. But my friend was right. Very slowly and gradually, the day came when I started to emerge from the dark bunker and see life in a different light.
I used to think that babies were so tiny and demanding of all my time and energy, and because of them, my days of freedom and my career were done (so dramatic!). But then, those babies eventually grew out of my arms, out of their baby shoes, weaned, learned to walk and run, to do cartwheels and roller skate, started school, and took field trips far out of my sight.
Even more, my career wasn’t over. It was starting over new. I always thought my babies held me back from advancing in my career. Instead, they inspired me and gave me wings to fly higher, to realize that I still could dream – for me, for them – and helped me gain the courage to make that dream a reality.
I thought I was tied to the baby and would never be able to leave my door alone for more than three minutes. But then, thanks to them, new possibilities opened up. New encounters and meanings were created in my new normal life.
Right now, somewhere, a new parent may be wishing for their life pre-baby back, and I want to go back to the night when everyone and everything was quiet and sleeping and only I stayed awake with my brand new baby in my arms, nursing the night away.
| ASAP! Breastfeeding Support Toolkit in Hindi |
| ASAP! Breastfeeding Support Toolkit in Tagalog |
| asap__breastfeeding_support_toolkit__korean_.pdf |
Author
Uyen Tran
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