JOURNAL ENTRY ON BREASTFEEDING 2

Journal Entry on Breastfeeding

In the next three months I will be having my first child. I cannot describe how excited I
am at the thought of being called a mother. It is something that I have always dreamt of since
my teenage years.
I have some worries though. I need to return to work three months after giving birth. I
am worried that three months will not be enough for my child to have been breastfed
adequately. Knowing how important breastfeeding is, it has always been my desire to feed my
child exclusively on breast milk for at least six months after birth. Breastfeeding for that
amount of time will provide the baby with all the nutrional and emotional benefits of a
mother’s milk. Research has shown that breastfeeding offers babies with protection against
various allergies, obesity, and respiratory infections (Brahm & Valdes, 2017). It also improves
a child’s oral and vision development, enhances their cognitive development, and improves
the functioning of their kidneys and cardiovascular system (Yasmeen et al., 2019). Equally
important, breastfeeding will create a strong emotional bond between me and the child.
I fear that my child will miss out on these benefits if I have to return to work after just
three months of giving birth. I also cannot resign from my job to fully concentrate on taking
care of my child because I desperately need my income to take care of myself and the child.
That is why I need something in-between. Since I am determined to breastfeed my child for as
long as possible and also keep my job, I am planning to request my boss to provide me with a
flexible work schedule. For instance, I may work from home for some days or work half days.
Such flexibility will allow me to have adequate time for breastfeeding my child.

JOURNAL ENTRY ON BREASTFEEDING 3

References

Brahm, P., & Valdes, V. (2017). Benefits of breastfeeding and risks associated with not
breastfeeding. Rev Chil Pediatr, 88(1), 15-21.
Yasmeen, T., Kumar, S., Sinha, S., Haque, M. A., Singh, V., & Sinha, S. (2019). Benefits of
Breastfeeding for Early Growth and Long Term Obesity: A Summarized Review.
BENEFITS, 3(1).