An Interview With Gila — A Breastfeeding Mother of Twelve

Tell me about your family, Gila.

Our family has been blessed with twelve children. I gave birth to all of them naturally, including twins, and a few of my babies were born at home with midwives.

When did you become aware of the benefits of breastfeeding?

I always knew breastfeeding was the healthiest way to feed a baby; I never thought of feeding them any other way. My view has always been simple: cows’ milk is for calves, and a woman’s milk is for babies. Once I started, I also came to feel the bond it created between us — a closeness that lasts a lifetime. I knew I was giving my babies the healthiest milk possible, and helping them grow up emotionally healthy and fulfilled.

How was breastfeeding for you?

I loved every minute of it. My children were avid nursers, day and night — my firstborn son woke at least five times a night to feed. I never believed in a strict feeding schedule; I fed on demand and used nursing to comfort and reassure them. I nursed each of my children for between fifteen and eighteen months.

How did you manage feeding time with the twins?

Nursing twins was a challenge — they nursed all day. The blessing was that they rarely wanted to feed at the same time. I sometimes fed them together, but I found it easier to nurse one and give her my full attention, then do the second separately. It was almost non-stop, but I didn’t mind. Thank God they were easy babies! I’d nurse one and put her to sleep, then nurse the other, with only very short breaks in between.

Practically, how did you manage your life and time?

I learned to juggle my time. I accepted that I couldn’t have the cleanest house in the world — the children came first. The cleaning could wait; the babies couldn’t. No one else could give them the gift of my milk, so that was my priority. I never dwelt on the “cons” of being so committed, and I never felt any lack in my personal life. In truth, I never felt more fulfilled than when I was pregnant and nursing my children.

What was the reaction of friends and family to such committed, unconditional parenting and breastfeeding?

Family and friends used to tell me my milk wasn’t rich enough, that the babies were always hungry, that I should give them food and bottles, and so on. I ignored them, though it wasn’t always easy — my babies did seem hungry often, and I nursed constantly. But as long as they were gaining weight and were happy, I knew everything was fine. When my twins were born, they had to stay in the hospital for a few days. I gave strict instructions not to bottle-feed them, but the nurses didn’t listen and, behind my back, gave a bottle to at least one of them. That baby became constipated and unwell, and I knew it was the formula. As soon as I brought her home and gave her only my milk, she was fine.

What long-term physical and emotional impact do you think breastfeeding has had on you and your family?

I have no doubt breastfeeding has brought wonderful health benefits to all of us. I can’t explain it scientifically, but in my experience it makes a real difference to both mother and child, emotionally and physically. I also believe it helps a child’s immune system resist imbalances such as allergies. I can see a difference between breastfed and bottle-fed babies — though I wouldn’t say a bottle-fed child can’t grow up secure and balanced, since breastfeeding isn’t the only thing that shapes a child’s wellbeing. What I believe matters most is constant closeness to the mother; it is so important for a child’s mental and physical development, and it makes for a happier, healthier, more self-confident person. Nursing is simply the best way to create that closeness.

Thank you, Gila. For a final question — do you have any advice you’d like to share?

There’s one thing I’d like to mention. My family and I have lived all over the world, and in every country I ran groups for nursing mothers and advised them on breastfeeding. Yet despite all my efforts — and even those of well-known lactation experts — I came to see that a small percentage of women genuinely struggle to produce enough milk. For that reason, over the past several years my family and I have turned to nature, working with herbs to develop a remedy that helps these mothers increase their milk supply.

As for advice: see every child as a blessing, and try to find the good in every experience. Yes, your life changes when you become a parent, and you will make sacrifices — but you’ll never do a more important or fulfilling job.