This Mommy's New Year's Resolution

It’s 2013 and I’m a proud mommy of a toddler! I'm glad that the pressures from P's birthday party are done and gone, sa wakas! I could not be happier, having such an active and healthy son.  I do hope it stays that way.

I have a few targets for the coming year, all for being a better mommy. So  I’m  sharing my resolutions this 2013!

Start saving for P’s education

• In a few years, tuition dues will come knocking on my door so best to start saving right now! A painless way to do this is to automate savings. I plan to have a no-touch account for him and ask my bank to automatically deduct a portion of my salary and transfer that to the no-touch account. This way, I won’t be “aware” of the deposits I’m making to that account since all that’s left in my ATM is salary minus my son’s “education fund”.


• I’ll be scouting for more investments since I’ve noticed a huge, huge hike in tuition! Imagine, when I was in high school an entire school year costs just P8,000. When I went to our high school recently i saw that tuition is P48,000! Just how much would that be my son enters high school?

Start saving for my retirement

• Yes, aside from my son’s schooling, I’m really concerned about my retirement.  I would not want to be old, toothless and penniless!  I have hard working parents who emphasized the value of every centavo they earn and how it’s important to prepare for old age.  In short, huwag daw gawing retirement plan ang pag-asang aalagaan ka ng anak mo pagtanda mo. Let’s face it, by the time i’m about 60 and retired (hopefully), my son will be busy earning for his own child’s future. So best to set aside a portion of your current income for that.


• I'm keeping a coin box on my work station for all my loose change. I'll open a savings account just for this. When it grows big enough i shall transfer the fund to higher earning investments like mutual funds or stocks. This may be loose change, but i gotta start somewhere, right?

[caption id="attachment_1561" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The iconic piggy bank should be always in sight so you'll be reminded of your financial goals.[/caption]

Cook more

• In 2012 i was swamped with lots of food deliveries and eat-outs. May be because the doting mother in me would not want to be away from the baby to cook. We were even introduced to eat-all-you-can restaurants lately! Well, this can be a culprit why i'm having such a hard time saving. So for this coming year,  i vow to cook more!. This way i get to cut back on those expensive meals. Besides, my toddler is starting to taste real foods and i would love to have my son taste my cooking, too!

Be more organized

• Clutter has been permanent in my life. Even when i was still single and living with my dorm mates, i really had that stash of junk that i can't seem to put away.  Now, baby's accumulating a lot of clothes and toys, which occupy a lot of space in our already cramped up room. So for next year, i vow to rid my space of all my junk to give way for his stuff.  It's time to make our space more baby-friendly.


• The diaper bag has also been a cause for concern. It's becoming heavier and harder to lug that around so i'm planning to simplify my life by bringing only the basic necessities. Here's  What to Expect's shortlist of the stuff to put in that bag.

Breastfeed longer

• That little toddler has been more up and about, eager to explore his surroundings but at the end of the day, he still looks for his mommy for that last minute meals... and i'm more than glad to indulge him. After a year of nursing, i'm still excited about it!  Although some can say that it's time to wean baby, i would rather not, not at this time. I guess it's me who’s not yet ready to say good bye to breastfeeding. So for next year I plan to sustain my dwindling milk supply.  No matter how disheartening it is to see how little my pumping output has been lately, I still continue to pump.  There’s really no better way to get more milk than to pump more frequently and to nurse directly whenever possible. I was inspired by this post on how beneficial extended breastfeeding is.

A new year marks the beginning of  another chapter in our lives... so it's never too late to start over and be better. Happy New Year, folks!

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Why Breastfeed Even during Disasters

Breastfeeding is best ESPECIALLY during disasters and emergencies! I’m lucky I have not yet experienced any severe any disaster like flood or typhoon like Pablo and Sendong as a nursing mom. But I imagined it will be more practical to be breastfeeding during a catastrophe like Pablo,  rather than to be on infant formula.

[caption id="attachment_1531" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Disaster strikes when you least expect it! It pays to be prepared. Breastfeeding gives the mom a sense of comfort, knowing that she can readily feed her infant on any event, disaster or not.
Source of photo:pcoo.gov.ph[/caption]

Breast milk is the only complete ready-to-eat meal for baby.

• Imagine having prepared a complete meal for your baby anytime and anywhere you go! Breast milk alone is best for babies until 6 months! You don't have to give any formula supplement or extra water.

Breastfeeding is the safest method of infant feeding! 

• The thing is, during disasters, access to clean water is probably impossible. On disasters, infrastructures might fail so potable water can be compromised. Formula feeding requires clean water to sanitize those synthetic nipples and bottles. Formula-feed if you have a constant and sure supply of clean water to dilute formula. Instead of being a lifesaver, formula can even do more harm if the water you used to dilute the powdered milk is safe.


• We usually see a rise in the number water-borne diseases like cholera, diarrhea and gastroenteritis  in the aftermath of floods or typhoons because the supply of fresh clean water was depleted. Would you risk using unclean water to feed baby?

Nursing comforts babies.

• On disaster events, a mom's warmth can help calm and soothe a baby in distress.  You can amplify the comfort by nursing baby in times of disasters. Skin to skin contact between mom and baby is maximized when breastfeeding. Babies older than 6 months can enjoy the warmth and comfort during nursing. 


• Breast milk has antibodies that strengthen the baby's immune system, which could be at risk during severe weather.

Nursing calms mom’s stress.

• To say that nursing moms in devastated areas are stressed in a understatement! Disasters of Ondoy, Sendong or Pablo proportions may leave the nursing mom in misery, hence the possible reduced capacity to produce milk. This situation will be overcome with the help of  a well trained health worker. It’s a must for evacuations centers to have a designated breastfeeding station. This way, moms and baby can concentrate on nursing.

According to WHO, malnourished mothers or mothers who lack food can still adequately breastfeed, if they are given extra fluids and food to protect their health.

Among the countless reasons, this, by far is the best reason to breastfeed!

Also worth reading:

• Top 10 reasons why breast is best


• Keeping your breastmilk safe during brownouts

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What to Do When Your Baby Has Colic? 5 Solutions that May Help

Do you have a baby who cries.. and cries a lot? I'm one of the lucky ones who was seldom been up late at night to comfort a crying baby. Baby has been very mabait that when he stirs for a bit, he returns to him calm self after i nurse him. Some moms complain of overnight crying. The old wives explanation is kabag (or stomach gas).

Others refer to prolonged crying as colic.  Below is a piece submitted by Heather Green, our guest blogger! She's a mom of two and has long bouts with colic. Her worst bout was when baby cried nonstop for 24 hours! In the post she shares tips on how to deal with a colicky baby.   

[caption id="attachment_1522" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The crying baby: Every mom had to deal with one once in a while!
Source of photo: tuczonaz.gov[/caption]

All babies cry. Some babies cry more than others -- and they don't stop. Some babies will cry for hours at a time -- each and every night for months. But how do you know if your baby has colic or is just plain fussy?

The secret to understanding if it's colic lies in the threes: It involves crying that lasts for at least three hours at a time at least three days a week for at least three weeks. It usually begins when your baby is about three weeks old and lasts until about three months of age.

Three-hour-plus stretches of crying on a near daily basis for weeks or months on end? It's enough to make anyone go crazy. Of course, your baby probably doesn't enjoy it very much either. If you (and your baby) have been unlucky enough to experience colic, here are a few solutions that may help:

Check Your Diet

Doctors don't know what causes colic, but they believe it may be related to digestive issues -- gas, specifically. If you are nursing, what you are eating could be having an impact on your baby's sensitive tummy. Some common offenders include dairy products, chocolate, caffeine, and gas-inducing veggies like broccoli and cabbage.

Try an elimination diet in which you cut out the common offenders for a few days or a week and see if you notice any changes. You can start adding these foods by one at a time to see if any cause symptoms again.

Check Baby's Latch

When babies take in a lot of air, they can suffer bad gas pains, contributing to colic. This might happen when they become upset and cry for long periods of time (we see a cycle...). It can also happen when they are breastfeeding and don't have a proper latch, allowing too much air to enter when they are feeding.

Make sure your baby has a good latch when feeding, forming a solid seal. Listen to hear the soft "k" sound that indicates your baby is swallowing and not just sucking in air.

Try a Foam Wedge

Some babies suffer from acid reflux, causing their colic. Using a foam wedge to prop up your baby during sleep can reduce the symptoms of acid reflux. The wedge props your baby into a semi-inclined position, helping to reduce the severity of the reflux.

You can put the wedge under your baby while sleeping, or put it under the mattress to incline it slightly. Always be sure to use a foam wedge that has been specially designed for this purpose.

Use the Five S's

Dr. Harvey Karp brought relief to parents everywhere with the techniques he calls "the five S's" in his book and DVD "The Happiest Baby on the Block."

These include:

• Swaddling, or tightly wrapping, your baby, emulating the close comfort of the womb. • Side holding your baby, like a football tucked across your chest, and facing out.

• Shushing your baby or using white noise.

• Swinging or jiggling your baby to create a rhythmic motion Sucking -- allowing your baby to nurse, take a pacifier, or suck on your finger.

All of these techniques are intended to calm and soothe your baby, helping to reduce the symptoms of colic and to promote longer and more restful sleep.

Try Gripe Water

Finally, there is a homeopathic remedy called "Gripe Water" that many parents swear by for calming colic. Different brands have different ingredients, but the primary components are bicarbonate, ginger, dill, fennel, and chamomile. The ingredients work to relieve digestive issues and to calm your baby.

Some parents never have any luck with Gripe Water, but others swear by it to get them through the long weeks of colic.

Being a new parent is hard enough. Dealing with colic makes it even harder. Though there isn't any "cure" for colic, these time-tested remedies have worked for sleepless parents the world over. Try these the next time you can't get your baby to stop crying.

Heather Green is a mom, freelance writer, pet lover and the resident blogger for OnlineNursingDegrees.org, a free informational website offering tips and advice about online healthcare administration programs. Note:  To determine whether or not your baby has colic, consult your pediatrician. Every case is unique so always follow your health practitioner's advice!

Note: Every baby is different so seek advice from your doctor before trying any of these!

Learnings from an Emergency Cesarean Delivery

It's Pulô's birthday month! This time last year i excited but at the same time nervous about the arrival of our little boy! To say that we are looking forward to seeing the little one is an understatement. I guess every parent is over the moon excited so looking forward to touch and cuddle the baby. But along with the excitement comes the preparation. Like many expecting parents, we had a very loooong list of things to do and prepare back then.

We thought that since i'll be having SCHEDULED C-SECTION naman, malamang hindi na kami mabibigla! BUT NO! Baby was excited to come out. We chose January 13, 2012 as his birthday but he had other plans and came out on December 22, 2011. Humabol pa sa Pasko!

Although we had most of the baby stuff on hand,  we were still caught off guard.

[caption id="attachment_1477" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Having a baby is among the events is our lives that need utmost preparation... but all the stress is worth it when you finally hold that little bunch in your arms. Best Christmas gift, ever![/caption]

Here's a few things a mama can do  before the big day! It pays to be prepared, i'm telling yah!

Get these things ready as early as your 7th month: 

Baby bag containing everything you''ll bring to the hospital

• Set of clothes that he'll wear when he's discharged 


• Mittens


• Socks


• Receiving blanket


• Diapers

Bag containing your clothes after giving birth 

• Loose blouses and pants or shorts (it will be easier to put on if they were a little loose) 


• Nursing bra


• Maternity panties


• Maternity pads


• Nursing cover (for privacy when you breastfeed or pump)


• Toiletries

Bag for your hubby

• Change of clothes


• Food


• Toiletries


• Cellular phone


• Stuff to keep him busy like Ipod, books, etc

Food for the visitors. 

• You may be a bit groggy after the operation but your well wishers will surely go hungry! 

Money and documents

• Put money in the safe place, like a carry-on wallet  that your hubby can wear.  All the documents like your Philhealth form, SSS form  should be neatly kept in a plastic envelope.  

Update your Philhealth and SSS records.

Do the checking and updating as early as possible. If you're employed, notify your Human Resources Department about your condition. Notify them as early as possible.  Aside from updating your records, be sure to check if in deed you are updated with your monthly contributions.

Have your status and your contributions updated. This is really important, i tell you! This way, you won't have to shell out money anymore since all the Philhealth deductions will automatically be reflected in your bill! Be makulit about this, kung ayaw nyo maging sobrang laki ang babayarang hospital bill!  Hubby and i were really broke after i was discharged because the deductions from Philhealth were not reflected in our hospital bill upon discharged.  Learn from our mistake of not being makulit enough. We underestimated the inefficiency of some HR staff who did not update our records on time even if we passed all the requirements early.

Since the deductions were not reflected on our bill, we had to personally file for reimbursements. It  was really a a hassle, which can be avoided. So  again, please please please, double check with your HR to see if they've updated your records!

Aside from the hassle, you'll have to wait long for the check from Philhealth. If i remember correctly, the check was released 2 months after we filed for reimbursement!

For SSS, you have to fill in a maternity notification. If you're self employed and have an online account with SSS, you can notify them of your pregnancy through the internet.  If you have to undergo a cesarian delivery, you need to pass a medical certification from the OB that you'll be having CS.  Mas malaki ang maternity benefit pag CS.  If you do this early, you can get your SSS maternity benefit even before you give birth!

Bring these important documents to the hospital: your SSS ID, Philhealth ID and the updated Member Data Record from Philhealth. Some baby blogs and websites recommend bringing a birth plan.

Prepare your breastfeeding stuff early on.

Among the things i planned to buy weeks before i return to work was a breast pump. But that was wrong pala! Based on my experience, i needed the pump even before i returned to work. Sadly, baby was not well enough to directly breastfeed. Since he was a few weeks premature, he had to be confined in the NICU and i was not able to directly breastfeed him until three days after his birth.

On events like this, you'll have to have a breast pump. You'll need to breast pump or express milk if you can't latch. So hubby bought a manual pump while i was still in the hospital.  The manual pump was a big help, don't get me wrong. But we won't need it if i had the double electric pump i'm using earlier.

So i recommend getting your dream pump even before giving birth. Read this for more tips on getting ready to breastfeed. If you can't get that pump beforehand, then you can always learn how to express milk by hand. After you gave birth, it's important that your breasts are stimulated to initiate breast milk production.

Get a steroid shot.

If you're a complicated case, your OB might ask you to get steroid shots. The steroid is injected to you tomature baby's lungs. I had this shot on my 7th month and believe me, i'm very thankful that i did!  Read here for more about the shot.

Before your maternity leave, leave things in order.  

Of course you'll have to notify you boss ASAP about your pregnancy. You also need to update and have things in order before you take your leave.  So while pregnant you'll have to work doubly hard to ensure you won't leave too big a backlog, or at least finish the requirements you promised before you take the leave. 

Baby came a day before my expected leave so i was not able to officially turnover my tasks or even formally say goodbye.  For working preggy moms, it's a must to have things in order before going on that much awaited maternity break.

Bring these extra stuff to bring to the hospital: 

• blanket, mats and pillows so you wont't be charged extra.


• extra food for your visitors


• books for you to read eg baby books and magazines

Some hospitals charge extra when you request for more blankets and pillows so better to bring your own.

Bring the  camera! 

This was my frustation that time, i can vividly remember my OB asking for the camera seconds before i heard bebe cry.  Hayyy... kung kaya ko lang bumangon noon lalabas ako at kukunin kahit ung camera phone ko. Too bad we did not have baby's first ever pics.  So to expecting moms, prepare and charge that camera and have it on hand every time.

Moms, daig ng maagap ang masipag. That's what the old people say. And actually it is in deed very true, especially for someone who's expecting.

Also worth reading:

• My pregnancy complication: placenta previa


• Do's and don'ts with placenta previa


• Downloadables for Pregnant moms 

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