To the struggling first-time mom: You are not alone

MANILA, Philippines – On my Facebook timeline, I saw the NESTLÉ MOMMALOVE® video and I remembered how I was after giving birth the first time. This video reminds me that what I am going through is normal – that all moms focus on their babies’ welfare first and tend to overlook their own needs. I usually post photos of my kids but I rarely post photos of them with me. Why? Because just like the mom in the video, I normally have no make-up, I have messy hair, and most of the time I am haggard.

During pregnancy, my partner and my doctor are constantly there to remind me to take care of myself. I get to lay down, rest, and watch my favorite series until I fall asleep. But after giving birth, who takes care of us moms?  

Just like the mom in the video, I was skipping meals and not sleeping even while the baby was sleeping. I remember looking like a zombie, being so thin, having disheveled hair, and not being able to take a bath every day. Being pregnant with baby #2, I realized that I needed to take care of myself more so I could be my best for my baby.

Sheena Sy-Gonzales, a millennial momma of two, who is still breastfeeding her second baby now, feels the same. On her website, she mentioned that she breastfeeds and pumps at night. NESTLÉ MOMMALOVE® Choco, along with balanced meals and proper exercise, helped her increase her breast milk so that it allows her to pump and travel. She recently took a 4-day trip without her baby and was able to successfully bring home around 150 oz of breastmilk!

According to her Instagram post, Sheena believes that moms need to attend to their personal needs in order to become a happier and better mom to their kids. After seeing the NESTLÉ MOMMALOVE® video, she thought that it was nice to finally see the unfiltered side of every momma’s journey being shown to the world.

Seeing this video and the reaction of other moms, I realized I’m not alone. Being a mom is definitely one of the best things that can happen to a woman’s life but it also comes with difficult but fulfilling challenges. I’m glad that the NESTLÉ MOMMALOVE® video shows the reality of motherhood nowadays.

It also helps people see how moms are different in many ways but that we are all in this same journey to becoming better than we were yesterday. It’s not a glamorous job but it’s the most important role we will ever play. And thus, we are more than worthy of care and love as much as our babies.

Since I just gave birth again, I am looking forward to taking care of myself more – and this starts with what I put in my body. 

After giving birth to my firstborn, my dad cooked meals with malunggay leaves for me. I believe it has been very helpful in my breastfeeding journey. But now I am glad to discover NESTLÉ MOMMALOVE® – it’s a lactation drink with 1,200 mg of malunggay in one sachet plus the nutrients moms need like Iron, Folate, and Calcium. I first heard about it from a friend who’s also a first-time mom and she swore that it helped her a lot with breastfeeding and pumping milk.

Today, I’m looking forward to drinking this updated recipe of an ingredient I know has helped me in my previous pregnancy. With testimonies from my friends and other moms, I am confident in the support this lactation drink, along with balanced meals and proper exercise, will bring to my experience as a second-time mom. 

To the struggling first time mom: you are not alone. It’s okay to feel what you’re feeling. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed and tired – most of the time. This magical but challenging phase of motherhood will pass. For now, while enjoying your time (and sacrificing sleep) with your newborn, please remember to take care of yourself too. – Rappler.com 

NESTLÉ MOMMALOVE® is a lactation milk drink for breastfeeding moms that contain wheat flakes and 1,200 mg malunggay. It also has nutrients such as iron, folate and calcium – para habang alaga mo si baby, may nag-aalaga rin sa’yo. Try NESTLÉ MOMMALOVE® today; it’s available at all Mercury Drug stores nationwide at only P35 per sachet and P350 for a box of 10s SRP. You can also purchase it online at Shopee by clicking on this link. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sheryl Quarte is a 30-year-old, tandem breastfeeding mom of two: a 2-year-old high-spirited boy and an almost 1-month-old adorable baby girl. She’s recently become a stay-at-home mom after being a working (and pumping) momma for more than a year. Before focusing on her growing family, she worked in an Australian online marketing and advertising company.