Coleen Garcia and her son Amari. Image: Instagram/@coleen
Coleen Garcia got candid about motherhood and admitted that although she is committed to breastfeeding Amari, her son with actor-TV host Billy Crawford, it also gets “frustrating” and “draining” at times.
The actress talked about her experience of breastfeeding her one-year-old son and how she plans to continue it until he turns three, in a conversation with broadcaster Karen Davila, as seen in a vlog on Davila’s YouTube channel yesterday, July 16.
“Para sa akin, breastfeeding is really the most selfless thing I’ve ever had to do. It’s not just the act of lending your body for the entire two years pero hindi ako makaalis, I can’t go anywhere kasi hanggang ngayon gumigising-gising pa rin siya sa gabi,” Garcia said. “There are days na parang gusto ko na lang sumigaw in frustration and it’s very draining.”
(For me, breastfeeding is really the most selfless thing I’ve ever had to do. It’s not just the act of lending your body for the entire two years but I cannot go out. I cannot go anywhere because until now, he still wakes up at night [to breastfeed]. There are days when I feel like shouting in frustration and it is very draining.)
Garcia recalled when she gave birth to Amari and experienced breastfeeding for the first time, disclosing that she felt as if “life is being sucked out” of her. She then spoke about the sacrifices she has to make to be a full-time mom and attend to her son’s needs.
“I wouldn’t say I gave it up completely but definitely lumiit siya (it became smaller) and the capacity became so much smaller — ‘yung personal and career life ko (my personal and career life). And I don’t think it was just because of becoming a mom — a breastfeeding mom — but because of the pandemic,” she stated. “You just choose to be safe na lang because nakakatakot tuwing lalabas ka, the anxiety is there.” (You just choose to be safe because it is terrifying to go out, the anxiety is there.)
Garcia also opened up about her marriage with Crawford and described it as a “dream come true” for her. She then expressed her appreciation of Crawford and credited him for “giving her the confidence she never had.”
“I really feel like I’m living my ‘dream come true.’ It has always been one of my dreams and goals – even before I met Billy — kasi (because) my parents are separated,” she added. “I didn’t really grow up in the happiest childhood so it has always been my number one goal to have a family, be married, have children, and now I’m living it.”
Meanwhile, Garcia recently granted one of Crawford’s dreams after she made a way for his dad to meet Amari. The grandfather-and-grandson meeting happened on the actor’s 40th birthday last May.
The couple, who got married in 2018, welcomed Amari in September 2020. JB
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