Motherhood
sees no boundaries when it comes to giving the best for one’s own
children. A loving mother’s instinct would naturally ensure the
wellbeing of her child.
Philippine
Airlines’ (PAL) flight attendant Patrisha Organo made rounds in the
news for her admirable deed breastfeeding a passenger’s baby on
board.
In
a one-on-one interview with World Vision, Organo recounted that she
never had any second thoughts about it when she heard the baby
crying. "Soon
after takeoff,
narinig namin yung iyak ng bata. Makikita mo talaga na pagod na siya
sa kakaiyak. Bilang nanay din ako, alam ko ang iyak ng bata kapag
inaantok siya o nagugutom (we
all heard the baby crying. Anyone can see that the child is already
tired from crying. As a mom, I know when a baby cries out of
sleepiness or hunger)."
When
the child’s mother confirmed that she ran out of infant formula,
Organo first considered expressing her breastmilk, but she knew that
it would take some time. So, with the permission of PAL’s line
administrator and the child’s mother, Organo breastfed the infant
at the plane’s galley. Organo added that the child instantly gave
signals of latching as soon as the child sat on her lap. “I saw the
mother’s relief when the baby stopped crying and fell asleep.”
Organo considers that particular flight a special one because it was
a qualifying flight for promotion and she was able to help a
passenger’s child through the gift of breastmilk.
Organo
admitted that it was not the first time she wet-nursed a child. “I
also once wet-nursed the kid of my neighbor.” Wet-nursing is when a
child breastfeeds from another woman when his/her own mother do not
have the capacity to do so. The World Health Organization (WHO) and
the Department of Health (DOH) recommend wet-nursing when
breastfeeding and breastmilk expression are not possible.
Breastfeeding
in the Workplace is Possible
Organo
shared that her own breastfeeding journey has not been a walk in the
park, but the fulfillment, joy, and rewards of breastfeeding truly
outweigh any struggle she had to endure.
It
is worth noting here that a mother's breastfeeding experience can be
made a lot easier with a conducive environment and supportive people
around her. Organo admitted that she never had second thoughts of
breastfeeding her child prior to giving birth. Her husband’s
encouragement also gave her the confidence to breastfeed her daughter
even when she doubted her ability to produce enough breastmilk.
During
the flight when she breastfed the baby, Organo also shared that the
support of her colleagues
made
it possible. “There were only two female extra crew members during
that flight but I never felt ashamed. (Usually
after inflight service and I feel na kailangan ko nang magpump, I’ll
ask permission para makapag pump ako sa private area ng plane. And
they’d tell me, sige ma’am go ka lang (Usually after inflight
service, I’d just ask permission if I can express milk for a while,
and they’d tell me go ahead, ma’am).” Despite
the demanding nature of a flight attendant’s job, her work
environment still made it possible for her breastfeed
her
daughter even after maternity leave.
“Leaving
my child after months of being together was so hard. There was guilt
because I have to leave my daughter, but I see to it that I express
breastmilk for her and bring it home every single day. So, it is a
big deal for moms like me that my workplace actually supports my
decision to continue breastfeeding.”
She
also shared that the airlines has already set up a lactation station
in one of their offices to support breastfeeding for ground
employees.
As
mandated by Republic Act 10028 or the Expanded Breastfeeding
Promotion Act of 2009, all public and private institutions shall give
all breastfeeding employees not less than 40 minutes to breastfeed or
to express breastmilk and allot a breastfeeding station where they
can privately do so. In the case of Philippine Airlines, all
breastfeeding employees are allowed to express their breastmilk every
two hours or when the employee feels the need to express. During
flights, breastfeeding crew members are allowed to express their
breastmilk after inflight services. Organo also shared that
breastfeeding is also included in staff orientation, in support of RA
10028’s provision that breastfeeding policy shall be disseminated
among all employees.
As
World Vision and the Department of Health implement the Mother-Baby
Friendly Philippines (MBFP) project that aims to strengthen the
implementation of breastfeeding laws, Patrisha Organo’s story
proves that breastfeeding
in the workplace is possible and doable.
Her
story shows that a mother’s job is one heroic flight. No matter
where they are, they only want the best for their children. Giving
the best nourishment and protection through breastfeeding is the
finest prelude to a child's bright future.
“Breastfeeding
is the most natural way to feed your child. For breastfeeding and
working moms out there, you are not alone. There’s plenty of us
here breastfeeding our child, wanting the best for them. It is a
commitment to your child. So, keep on going,”
Organo
ended.
Visit
mbfp.doh.gov.ph for more information.
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