If one person strongly believes in the statement that “The children are our future,” it’s Dr. Marini Tabon Esguerra. Not only does she have unwavering faith in kids, but she somehow has a hand in rearing them so they may serve their purpose in society.

Dr. Esguerra is no stranger to dealing with young ones as she is a Pediatrician and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. In fact, she is a household name among expecting parents and new mothers.

And when it comes to shaping children’s future, it starts from when they were breastfeeding infants. As an expert in breastfeeding medicine, it’s no doubt Dr. Esguerra is an advocate of child wellness.

Read on to find out how she got into her profession and what she has been up to at TitaDocMom.

Why did you choose to become a doctor?

I was only 20+ years old when I decided. At that time, I thought that it would be something meaningful to do, and I can be effective with training. I was not wrong.

What drew you to specialize in pediatrics?

I like kids. Also, among the specialties, it’s the one where you can have a patient with the most impact in the world, when they grow up to contribute to society).

How long have you been practicing, and what do you love most about your job as a pediatrician? Aside from practicing general pediatrics, you’re also a lactation consultant at TitaDocMom. What inspired you to become one, and for how many years have you been practicing?

I’ve been a pediatrician for more than a decade. I found my niche in Breastfeeding Medicine quite early in my career and have been doing it for seven years. I enjoy seeing my kids healthy and, when sick, get well. Plus, kids are just cute!

My own breastfeeding challenges drove me to sit down and study Lactation. At first, I thought it would just be a module or short course. Later, I realized it’s actually a whole new world!  I studied for myself, then later pursued certification to assist those who struggle with breastfeeding.

I recorded an online breastfeeding class for expectant parents to watch anytime for free.

What made you decide to open a breastfeeding-only clinic?

I needed a clean space where there are no sick children. Our sessions are always one-on-one; pre-COVID, we’d have meetups at the lawn or a café.

In addition to my TitaDocMom Facebook page, I’ve been moderating a breastfeeding support group on Facebook called Milk Making Mommies & Breastfeeding Support Group (MMM), for eight years.

The MMM is for community support with almost 30,000 Bisaya-speaking members. The breastfeeding center is where I provide professional support.

However, because of COVID, all of our sessions are limited online. If I need to see a patient for a breastfeeding concern, we will do an hour-long online session and have a 15-minute (max) face-to-face visit only if needed.

For those who have quick questions about breastfeeding, like if they can take this drug or drink, they may request a short 15-minute consult as well.

I also trained some breastfeeding peer counselors who are called Breastfeeding Mom-Coaches who provide virtual mom-to-mom support.

Aside from advising mothers on breastfeeding concerns, what other forms of services do you offer at TitaDocMom?

At the start of the pandemic, I opened the TitaDocMom Facebook page for Pediatric concerns appointment booking for face-to-face and clinic consults. And when I come across something interesting in my readings or my practice, I post about them as well.

Together with Growing Baby Classes, we provide online education for parents-to-be and parents of small children. Examples of our classes are: what to expect in labor and delivery, newborn care like bathing the baby, burping and carrying, feeding the baby, what to put in the diaper bag, etc. These are monthly classes.

We also organize the annual Global Big Latch On Cebu. It’s our 8th year this year. At this (now virtual) event, mothers will breastfeed for one full minute together with other mothers all over the world at a certain time, and be counted.

We usually had between 1,500 participants pre-COVID. We are preparing for a smaller group this year. It will be on August 8, 2021, from 10 a.m.– 11:30 a.m. via Zoom. They can start signing up by August 1, 2021. Registration is free.

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As a mother and an established doctor in your field, how important is breastfeeding for moms and newborns?

Breastfeeding is of utmost importance. It impacts the child from infancy to adulthood, and even the future apos. The effects aren’t only nutritional but also cognitive and socio-cultural.  It’s also life-saving for mothers with certain conditions and has no carbon footprint.

Companies also stand to gain from supporting breastfeeding to expect higher skilled employee retention rates, less absenteeism, and fewer healthcare claims. I try my best to support every parent who desires to breastfeed.

What do you think are the biggest misconceptions about breastfeeding and the real facts that mothers need to know?

• That with the right information, they CAN and SHOULD breastfeed.
• That giving non-human milk to babies has no adverse consequences. For example, babies who are not exclusively breastfed have a 77% increased risk for pneumonia.
• That breastfeeding is always easy. For some moms, like myself, it isn’t easy.

Lactating mothers need nutrition, too. What’s your number one advice for these moms to stay healthy while nursing their baby?

Start having good nutrition during pregnancy. You can use the Pinggang Pinoy as a guide. Eat food with as many colors as you can!  Exercise and try to get rest.

With each baby and family who can reach their breastfeeding goals, I feel that I have made a lasting impact on the world. My own children see me when I teach and give myself to my craft. I hope it will inspire them to become persons of character.

You wear many different hats as a wife, mom, and doctor. How do you manage your time and attention for each role and still stay in tip-top shape?

I have been more mindful of where I direct my energies lately. The process of blocking out the noise around me is a tremendous challenge! Once a week, I try to sit down with a cup of coffee or tea and be with myself. I’m a work in progress, but a guiding principle that seems to be working for me is: keep only the people, events, advocacies, goals, and things that give you JOY.

How can mothers reach you or book an appointment with you?

They may message my Secretary, Bebe via text 0933 8506 770, through TitaDocMom at www.titadocmom.com, or book through my online EMR.

I’m usually doing face-to-face consults in the morning and online consults in the afternoon.  Once a month, my team at Growing Baby Classes offers a free birth preparation class.

^{Photography by Ryan Seismundo | Videography by PointUp Films | Hair and Makeup by Karlo Damolo and Jerwin Batastas | Set design by Cuckoo Cloud Concepts | Shot on location at Asmara Urban Resort & Lifestyle Village}