I Am Mom Enough

It is not easy being a mom - only mothers truly understand this.

Motherhood is an incredible journey. We experience pure joy and love like no other. We also experience a whole range of life-altering changes - both physical and mental -  and moments when we feel overwhelmed, frustrated and alone (trust us, you are not alone in this).

On top of it all, society wants us to be the perfect mother - and they have varying opinions on how we should get there. Nowhere is this more prevalent than when it comes to the question of breastfeeding vs formula. 

In the past, mothers were told formula was best. Now, we are told, “breast is best” – a well-meaning message which has led to a profound pressure to breastfeed and formula shaming.

But breastfeeding is difficult (an understatement, really), and not every mother is able to, wants to, or has the support system that allows her to breastfeed. 

Breastfeeding mothers don't evade scrutiny either. Many continue to be shamed for breastfeeding in public. Those who breastfeed their child to toddlerhood face stigma for breastfeeding for “too long”.

Instead of judgment, we believe all mothers deserve our support and respect, no matter their feeding choice.

So this Mother's Day, we are launching a campaign to celebrate mothers and empower them to feed their child however, whenever, and wherever. 

I Am Mom Enough captures the feeding journeys of seven breastfeeding and formula-feeding mothers in Singapore and struggles they had to overcome.

By sharing candid and empowering accounts of mothers who are doing their very best to raise healthy and happy children, we hope to broaden society’s acceptance of all feeding choices - one evocative photo and story at a time. 

"Breastfeeding has been the hardest part of my journey. I had a lot of support from those around me but they all had very different opinions on how I should feed my baby. 

The nanny says I should bottle feed so I can know and be able to control how much my baby is feeding. The mothers tell me I should use formula because during their time they were told that formula was best. And then you have the mother-in-law who says latching is great and I should give my baby the breast every time she cries. 

I really wanted to breastfeed, but it was very hard holding true to what I believed in, especially as a first-time mom - I wouldn’t think I know better than any of them.

I hope other first-time moms learn to believe in themselves too. A mother knows what’s best for her and her baby. Whatever you believe in - go for it."

- Mabel Lee in our Soft Ribbed Nursing Tank (Camel) 

"I suffered from postpartum depression and a really traumatic birth experience. When I attempted breastfeeding, I had recurring mastitis. It didn’t help that I had pain all over my body. I could not catch up on sleep because I had to care for my baby. I fell into a depression. I had to quit breastfeeding and pumping for the sake of my mental health. 

Some people might say breastfeeding is best, but I think it’s important to choose a path that makes both mother and baby happy. Fed is best. 

My advice to first-time moms is to join a mommy’s group. They say it takes a village to raise a child. That village doesn’t have to be your family, it can be other mothers as well."

- Niyaa Mazlan in our Soft Ribbed Nursing Tank (Lilac) 

"I breastfed my son until his third birthday. 

I received a lot of comments about it: “How come you’re still feeding him? He’s already walking. He doesn’t need breastmilk.” “He’s very clingy and fussy because he’s breastfeeding.” “He doesn’t eat solids very well because he’s breastfeeding.” They would blame everything on breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding doesn’t have to be looked at as a burden, or something that is out of the ordinary. Breastfeeding is natural, and it doesn’t matter if I am breastfeeding a baby or a two-year-old. 

To me, breastfeeding is a special way to bond with my child. I can not only provide nourishment for him, but also a sense of security and comfort when he needs it most."

- Shwetha Murali in The Nursing Dress (Cocoa Brown) 

"Adding formula to our feeding routine gave me the ability to have a bit of independence, which has been great for my mental health. 

I felt like I was able to be more present during the day whereas when I was exclusively breastfeeding, I was dead during the day because I was feeding through the night. Introducing formula also allowed my husband to help with the night feeds. Because you know, he can't breastfeed and sometimes, my flow isn't there. Formula really took the pressure off. 

I believe it’s totally your choice, your journey. Whether you are formula fed, or breastfed, it doesn’t matter as long as the baby is healthy; he or she is growing at the right pace. I am really happy with the choice I made for us."

- Sejal Bajaria in The Daily Ribbed Maternity Tank (Black)

"In Germany, it’s much more common to breastfeed in public. In Singapore, it’s not that common, but I still breastfeed anywhere and everytime my little one is hungry. I feed her in public - in the MRT, in buses, in malls, parks, restaurants – anywhere she is hungry.

We should empower all mothers to breastfeed in public if they want or need to. If a baby is crying because they are hungry, we should feed it regardless of where we are, without worrying about what others say."

- Susann Gedan, in The Nursing Dress (Lilac)

"With my firstborn, I thought breastfeeding was going to be easy - you just pop the nipple into the mouth and that’s it, right? Little did I know how difficult breastfeeding was! I tried very hard but between the sleepless nights, being a new mom and sore nipples, I just couldn’t breastfeed - my supply was too low.  

My breastfeeding experience has been so different and surprisingly easy the second time round. This time, I was relaxed and tried not to be stressed about it, and my milk just came."

- Loretta Chan, in The Nursing Dress (Black)

"Breastfeeding really is one of the most challenging aspects of motherhood. There is enough physical pain and emotional stress after delivery - there is just no space for judgment around feeding.

I have had to pump regularly since returning to work. I wish malls and offices would prioritise cleaning their nursing rooms. Too many times I’ve had to leap out of the nursing room because of baby roaches crawling around, and this has happened even in big luxury malls in town. That can’t be too big of an ask!"

- Nicole de Silva, in our Soft Ribbed Nursing Tank (Cocoa Brown)

"Being a mom is hard when breastfeeding toddlers/in public is inappropriate but formula feeding is frowned upon. When rocking our baby to sleep is spoiling them, but sleep-training means we don’t love them enough. When being a stay-at-home mom means you aren’t motivated but going back to work means less time with your child.

When you’re trying to be the best mom you can be, but everyone has an opinion on how you’re doing it wrong.

While our campaign is focused on feeding, it applies to every aspect of parenting – every mother raising her child the best way she can, and should be celebrated for the effort and love she puts in."

- Claire Mercieca, in our Soft Ribbed Nursing Tank (Black) 

Watch our official Campaign video here: 

Credits

Photos by very the lovely and talented Rebecca Berger. 

Special thanks to Amanda Wong, Jasmine Tan and Nicole de Silva for their guidance in the planning and execution of our campaign, and to Jane Tor for capturing BTS content. 

And of course, to all the mothers who participated in our campaign, and to those who answered our casting call, thank you all.