Today, we’d like to introduce you to Pamela Maldonado Esquivel.
Hi Pamela, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
Hi! My name is Pamela, I am 31 years old, married my best friend in 2018 and we have 3 beautiful children – I am currently 34 weeks pregnant with our third baby and due in early April 2024. I had my first baby in 2019 and I was shocked at how LITTLE I knew about new motherhood and how unprepared I was physically, mentally, and emotionally.
I struggled with my new identity as a mother, and felt so lost and lonely, despite never being alone and having the most support from family on both sides. We often hear about the beautiful moments of postpartum, but rarely how difficult it can actually be for some moms, and understanding that feeling a certain way is NORMAL and TEMPORARY would have helped me tremendously. Postpartum hit me hard and I experienced Baby Blues (BB) and postpartum depression (PPD) for months after birth.
PPD negatively impacted my ability or desire to breastfeed my baby so, for the first few months of life he was primarily formula-fed. At his 2-month checkup, they realized he developed an intolerance to the cow’s milk and that was most likely due to the formula he was taking. The pediatrician diagnosed him with a cow’s milk allergy that would resolve on its own at 6 months, or 12 months, or even at 24 months.
The doctor mentioned this was a common reaction with some babies and the solution would be to switch him to a hypoallergenic formula since I was not breastfeeding and was completely dry by 2 months postpartum. I felt extremely guilty and this day was a turning point for me. I blamed my lack of desire and intent to breastfeed for his allergy. Had I tried harder and given him breastmilk, he wouldn’t have developed this allergy. That day, I spent hours researching about re-lactation and methods of increasing or (re-establishing in my case) my breastmilk supply.
I tried everything possible – I made lactation cookies, tried teas, supplements, and brownies, and re-introduced a very dreaded pumping routine, which I had been encouraged to do at the hospital to collect Colostrum, the original Liquid Gold. After being discharged from the hospital, I rarely pumped, it was painful and uncomfortable and nothing ever came out so It was pointless for me.
Using a breast pump to stimulate breastmilk production felt different this time because I had a motive and felt determined to bring back my supply for my son. My goal was to completely remove the hypoallergenic formula he was on. As I learned more and more about lactation through extensive research, I realized I didn’t need teas, cookies, brownies, or any supplements at all – ALL I NEEDED was my breast pump, and indeed, pumping saved my breastfeeding journey. Pumping made breastfeeding through a bottle possible for me.
There is no secret formula and no magical drink or treat, all it took was a consistent, frequent, and effective milk removal routine. After a few weeks and months, I brought back my supply successfully after being completely dry and was able to remove the formula 100%. I learned so much – what works and what doesn’t – through this experience and wanted to provide valuable information and support to moms who probably felt just like me at some point.
I wanted to create a space to share all of my tips, tricks, hacks, and facts with other breastfeeding moms so that pumping is ONE less thing they have to worry about. I created – The Mommy Rebound, which represents the rebound from postpartum to new motherhood, a new identity, because the old you and new you can coexist successfully. I love sharing information based on research and personal experience, but I also love learning about other moms’ breastfeeding journey. I also share helpful products to help make breastfeeding life easier and more enjoyable.
Most recently, I decided to take on a new venture and started to make BREASTMILK JEWELRY. I love being able to capture a moment in time for moms during this beautiful phase of life using their own breastmilk. Creating breastmilk keepsakes has become a new passion for me and being able to honor their breastfeeding journey in this manner is so special.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Nothing worth having is ever easy, but comfort is the enemy of progress. I’m naturally a very reserved person and do not share much in real life, much less on social media. I prefer to keep my life very private, so putting myself out there on a very public platform was definitely scary and intimidating.
I struggled with feeling confident because oversharing was so new to me, but the reward of knowing I could help at least ONE mom feel better and relate to my story started to overpower any fear in me.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe you can tell us more about your work next?
My day job has absolutely nothing to do with the Mommy Rebound, which makes it so much fun because I never feel overwhelmed with my day-to-day responsibilities and creating content. I love my day job, making breastmilk keepsakes and other content for The Mommy Rebound.
I am a CPA, CIA, and working towards my CFE license to bring more value to my audit career. My career has nothing to do with making breastmilk keepsakes and sharing breastmilk and breastfeeding content on social media, but that is why I love it!
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs, or other resources you think our readers should check out?
Google and Instagram! I’m always researching breastfeeding topics to learn more and share information with my mommy community, but I also follow a ton of lactation professionals who have become friends on social media. I love learning from them!
Contact Info:
- Website: themommyrebound.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themommyrebound?igsh=MXU4dnVmcGFoMGJl&utm_source=qr
