A mother’s wish – Poland
Breastfeeding was extremely important to Agnieska or Aga as known to her husband. She breastfed her 3 older children for as long as possible. Anytime and anywhere they wanted it. As a doctor she knew how important it is for newborns. Tomasz, her husband recalls her saying “In the beginning I was a little afraid with breastfeeding in public, but now I don’t care and I just load off my boob anywhere when the baby wants it”.
Aga’s youngest child, Bogusia, was born via C-section at 29 weeks. The moment of her birth was chosen by the oncologists to hasten the time when she could have the therapy she needed having been diagnosed with metastatic cancer of the brain during the 4th month of her pregnancy. She received 2 cycles of chemotherapy whilst pregnant.
Aga really wanted to breastfeed Bogusia as well and was seeking the opportunity to check the level of chemotherapy drugs in her breastmilk. She had hoped to be able to collect her colostrum. She wanted to do all that she could for her baby, to give her the greatest possible support.
Tomasz wrote: Bogusia was born at the Princess Ann Mazovia Hospital in Warsaw which has access to a milk bank and she was fed human milk from the milk bank from birth for the next 2 weeks. After her delivery, my wife had 2 cycles of radiation. Breastmilk is one of the greatest gifts a mother can give to her newborn and milk from a bank is also a gift a donor gives to another mother in need. Bogna’s development was completely normal, at 9 months she caught up with her peers born at term. Now she is a healthy, happy, intelligent and eloquent child.
Very sadly, Aga died when Bogna was 5 weeks old.
We extend our grateful thanks to Aga’s husband Tomasz for sharing these memories of Aga for whom breastfeeding her children was so important. We have included their names in accordance with his wishes.
Aga breastfeeding her daughter Wanda on a ski slope
Bogna is a healthy, happy, intelligent and eloquent child.