Every year, Women’s Month is celebrated every March to give tribute and recognition to every woman in the world. Women are given importance by declaring a) first week of March as the Women’s Week and 8th of March as the Women’s Right and International Peace Day under the Proclamation No. 224, s. 1988, b) National Women’s Day is celebrated every 8th of March as well in Republic Act (RA) 6949, c) fourth week of March as Protection and Gender-Fair Treatment of the Girl Child Week under Proclamation No. 759, s. 1996, and d) last Monday of March as Women with Disabilities Day in Proclamation No. 744, s. of 2004. The 2017-2022 theme “We Make Change Work for Women” engages women to bring out the compassion and positive changes within themselves.
Every woman is special despite her nationality, skin color, body type and dialect. There are a lot of things a woman can do. The power of a woman’s ovary is to release unfertilized egg and shedding of uterine lining that leads to monthly menstruation or period in line with menstrual cramps, sudden mood swings and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) such as acne growth, specific food cravings and increased appetite. The power of a woman’s uterus is to turn a fertilized egg into embryo then into fetus and provide protection and nutritional support for the baby’s healthy growth and development. With this, mothers may experience breast tenderness, nausea, vomiting, constipation and frequent urination. The power of a woman’s reproductive organ (if normal delivery) or woman’s abdomen (if cesarean delivery) is to release the baby from the mother’s womb. Unfortunately, some mothers experience pre-eclampsia (hypertension + proteinuria + edema), gestational diabetes, excessive bleeding, preterm labor, insufficient oxygen supply and prolonged labor upon parturition. The power of a woman’s breast is to produce its own milk to provide the nutrients and antibodies needed by the baby. However, challenges may occur such as slow milk production, decreased milk supply and pain felt when the nipple is bitten by the baby. When the child starts to grow, the mother will start to struggle on how to feed her picky-eater child with nutrient-dense food. Despite this, mothers still face the battle and manage to turn her child into a full-grown person.
Discipline is needed to provide the best nutrition for the child. Once a mother decides to get pregnant, proper nutrition and healthy lifestyle should be practiced. The health of the child depends on the health of the mother. For example, an underweight mother may conceive a low birth weight baby (<1,500 g) and an overweight mother may conceive a macrosomic baby (>4,000 g). Experiencing monthly menstrual period, gestation for nine months, being a lactating mom and having post-partum depression are not easy at all. Salute to all the women, mothers and soon-to-be mothers for your sacrifices despite the struggles and pain you undergo. This is a tribute to all women this 2020 Women’s Month. (NKSLoyola)
Sources:
Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) Memo Circular No. 2020-02: Guide for the 2020 Observance of the National Women’s Month
https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-uterus-and-uterine-wall-structure-and-parts.html
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/307462#fetal-distress
