Got Milk?

Unlike mothers who right away begin squirting off so much milk three days after they give birth, I had to struggle to get milk. It was difficult for me to accept because I did my homework, I read books, I watched videos, attended a seminar, solicited advice and joined a breastfeeding forum. However, the first lesson I have learned about motherhood is that I cannot spend so much time moping and caressing my wound both figuratively and literally.

In case I am not the only one who ever had to struggle to get milk, here is a list of how I got by in the beginning:

1. Nap I know this sounds close to a joke but I found that I collected more milk after a nap that could be as short as ten minutes. 
2. Kabya Clams This was recommended by a family friend and this really saved me. My milk really started to pour in after I ate these. I really felt a change even as I ate the clams. I do not know if it was just psychological but milk came in when I ate the Kabya Clam soup. 
3. Milo I read about this in the breastfeeding forums. I am not sure if this really helped but the change in my milk supply was definitely not as dramatic as the change brought on by the clams. 
4. Clear Soup Kabya clams are hard to find so when we ran out, I ate any type of clams. When clams are not available any clear soup from nilaga to sinigang to tinola did the trick. 
5. Natalac I have not tried any other brand as this was recommended to me by a friend. Our first pedia (yes, we have had more than one but more on that later) said I can have as much as three per day so that's what I take. Some people say you can also take fenugreek since it's a relative of the moringga. 
6. Latch It was difficult for us to latch directly because of my short nipples but I had to keep on trying because this can really increase your milk supply. I have tried it on the two breasts and true enough my right breast produces more milk because my baby latches on the right more often. Latching directly also updates the antibodies in the breast milk. I try to do this more frequently now that my nipples no longer chafe as easily. We are still learning how to do the deep latch and we are not giving up.
7. Pump or Feed Often In my case, I pumped every two to three hours. I was told that breast milk supply uses the supply and demand rule. You have to make your body think that you need the milk by pumping often. I know I should only pump 6 weeks postpartum but my baby could not latch. For those whose circumstance is more ideal, lucky you, you just need to feed on demand. 
8. Drink Lots of Water I know I drank more than 2 liters per day in the early days. I noticed, if I do not drink enough I get dizzy and I also produce less milk. Breast milk after all is mostly water. 
9. Relax I also noticed that if I relax and read books on my Kindle as I pump, I get more milk than when I just watch milk drip into the bottle. 
10. *Update* Ginger Tea A friend told me about this. I had ginger tea sitting in the cupboard so I tried it and true enough, this gave me milk too. 
11.  *Update* Green Papaya and Malunggay (Moringga) in Coconut Milk The househelp of my in-laws recommended this. She said back in Dipolog, this helped women to lactate. I think this helped me too. 
12. *Update* Oatmeal Cookie I tried this fairly recently and it was yummy haha! I just ate store bought cookies but here's a recipe a friend of mine shared.
13. *Update* Oatmeal Milk I have not tried this but my friend got an oversupply from this. Here is the recipe she shared. 

Heat 6 cups water. Add 2 cups oatmeal. Don't let it boil, once it starts to look like it will boil, set heat to low. Add a cinnamon stick for flavour. Strain out the oats & add 2 cups milk and sugar to taste (~1/2 cup). Drink this throughout the day.

 I need to pump now. If you have more tips on how to increase milk supply, let me know so I can add your tips on the list!

Go Bag List

As early as my 20th week of pregnancy, I already put together a list of things to bring to the hospital. However, as late as my 37th week of pregnancy, we have not bothered putting together our Go Bag. The result was a ton of stress because I gave birth at 37 weeks. I felt bad for my husband who had to go to our house to get the things on the list and then head back to the hospital in a hurry because he of course, did not want to miss the birth of our baby.

We did not want the clothes to be sitting idle in the Go Bag as we wait for our bundle of joy. I did not purchase many maternity clothes so I could not pack them away in a Go Bag. This was a terrible reason. So not worth the stress. I cannot urge you enough, pack your Go Bag.

Here is our list of things we had to bring to the hospital:

Baby's Things

• Tie side shirts These are easier to put on than those shirts that have to go over the baby's head.
• Mittens These are very important. The baby's nails are long and sharp and they really scratch their faces. The nails can only be trimmed 4 weeks postpartum so bring mittens and make sure you secure the mittens properly.
• Socks or Booties We were unable to bring socks because I had a hard time selecting socks without loose threads. It was only later that I realized I can just have the baby wear the socks inside out! Nobody cares if they look weird anyway, for as long as the baby toes and toenails are safe.
• Newborn Diapers At our chosen hospital, they provided the diapers but I think you can also choose to just bring your own so you need not be charged for the diapers. In our experience though, we could not be bothered to keep track of these things. We were too tired and too excited.
• Baby Wipes They also provided us with a diaper bag that has some of the needs of the baby like baby wipes, body wash, laundry soap and dish washing soap.
• Muslin Flat Cloth Diapers or Burping Pads We use the muslin cloth because these can have multiple purposes and can be used until the baby is all grown up (e.g., muslin cloth can be placed under their shirt to dry their back)
• Halo SwaddleSack We got this swaddle because it is safer against SIDS. Some of my mommy friends warned me that their kid did not like this swaddle. This was after we bought two SwaddleSacks for newborns and 2 for toddlers. We are fortunate that our son neither likes nor dislikes the swaddle. This has been helpful during the nights when our baby finds it hard to sleep because he startles himself with his Moro Reflex.
• Bonnet This was not on the list. I have forgotten about this. The hospital provided us with the bonnet.
• Pajama pants This was also not on the list but it was good that we had the SwaddleSack, we did not need this anymore but it would be nice to have anyway just in case.

Nanay's Things

• Health Card (this should always be in your belongings) Do not forget to bring this always. Save the number on your health card on your phone as well just to be sure.
• Toiletries The hospital had toiletries but if you have preferred brands then just bring your own.
• 3 Sets of Clothes This is overkill. I had a CS operation and only had to stay for two days. We could have gone home on the second day. You only need to use your own clothes for when you get discharged. Most of the time, you will be in a hospital gown. Bring extra nonetheless because you may end up staying longer. We had to extend a night because our child was jaundiced. This should have been two nights but the bilirubin level of our baby dropped already.
• Nursing Bras If you are planning to breastfeed, this is easiest.
• Breast Pads My breasts leaked already on the second day so better to play it safe and just bring breast pads. I have survived the last few weeks on washable Avent breast pads.
• Maternity Pads or Adult Diapers We had a hard time finding Maternity Pads so we just bought Adult Diapers. I think using Adult Diapers is better than using Maternity Pads because this way you are sure that there are no leaks. The last thing you want  to worry about are stains and having to move because they need to clean the bed especially post CS.
• Wink Binders I got my binders from the baby fair. These are my lifesaver. Without them, I felt like my body was going to get cut in half. They are also supposed to help with slimming you down. I am still fat but according to people who have seen me, I have lost some weight. This is not to say that I am no longer fat. I am still fat just less fat. :)
• Towel I did not take a bath at the hospital but there is comfort in knowing that I can should I choose to. Towels are also provided at the hospital but uhm... no thanks.
• Breast Pump We ended up not bringing this. That was a mistake because our baby could not latch because of my short nipples (yes, it's a thing). My husband had to go back to our house to get this and our sterilizer. 
• Sterilizer Our hospital of choice does not allow sterilizers to be brought in but in case your hospital allows, you may want to bring your sterilizer for convenience.
• Bottles We cup fed our baby because we did not want nipple confusion. We only used the bottles for milk storage.
• Nipple Shield This was not on the list but I wish I had it with me during the times my baby could not latch. This may lead to nipple confusion though but desperate times call for desperate measures. 
• Breast Shield I recently learned that you can use breast shields in between feedings to draw out the nipples. I am yet to use this but I might try. It is so hard to draw my nipples to the length that can be "detected" by our baby.
• Kindle I did not even glance at my Kindle. I had neither the time nor the energy to read.
• Phone Charger People will send you congratulatory SMS and some will ask if they can come and visit so keep this beside you. I did not. Hehe... I was too tired and could not be bothered. I would much rather spend time with our baby.
• Slippers We forgot to bring my slippers and so we had to get a pair from the hospital. The amount was exorbitant for our standards so better to just bring these. 

Tatay's Things

• Toiletries
• 3 Sets of Clothes
• Towel
• Camera My husband was allowed in the OR so he was able to take photos of us. I love looking at those photos because it reminds me of how little our baby was.
• Camera Charger With guests coming over, you will continue to take pictures.
• Car Seat Car seat should have been installed already. We were unable to buy a car seat in time. We were still waiting for the Britax First Class but it never came. I ended up carrying the baby during the drive home.
• Envelope of Documents These should have been prepared ahead of time because many of these have to be obtained from the office HR or from PhilHealth.

Documents

• Government IDs Have at least two in case they ask for these.
• Marriage Certificate We forgot to bring ours. This is needed for the birth certificate of the baby.
• Admission Slip from OB I discussed my birth plan at 36 weeks and then my OB prepared by admission slip. This makes it easier for you to get admitted to your chosen hospital.
• Birth Plan Copies This eliminates the need to discuss every detail. This ensures you will not forget anything that you need to say to the doctor.
• SSS Maternity 1 Form I filled this out and then I submitted this to HR. After it was processed by SSS, I was given a copy. This is usually just needed at the office but it will not hurt to put it in the same envelope as the other documents.
• SSS Maternity 2 Form This is to be submitted to HR later for your maternity benefit. This should be submitted together with a certified true copy of the birth certificate from the local civil registry  alongside proof of your giving birth signed by the hospital.
• PhilHealth MDR HR can process this for you but if they cannot, you may go to the PhilHealth office. There is a priority lane for pregnant women.
• PhilHealth Claim Form 1 HR will sign this and release to you. Do not lose this because you do not want your husband to have to go to your company just to get this.
• Certification Letter and Contribution HR will also provide this as proof that you are indeed working for the company still and it will also detail the last few months of contribution.

Free Lectures for Expectant Mothers

I wish I have heard about these Pregnancy and Beyond lectures earlier then I would have been able to hoard more freebies haha! Seriously though, the lectures like those at Makati Medical Center feature different topics useful for those who are expecting. An expectant mom can learn about Lamaze, prenatal yoga, breastfeeding, caring for baby among others. On top of the freebies, you also get a free lunch. This is from 10am to 1pm every 4th Saturday of the month, Hall 1 Auditorium, 8th floor of Tower 2. Admission is free. You can take your husband with you. There is also a raffle for mothers and another raffle for fathers.

I was only able to attend one session before I gave birth. I only heard about this lecture through an expectant mom whom I met at the Youji&Me Warehouse Sale. So to pay it forward, I am sharing this information to all the other expectant mothers. There is no need to pre-register, just show up at the venue and register there. When I was there, the venue was not filled, they were not even able to use up all the prizes from the sponsors. It was worth my while because I learned new things about breastfeeding, the speaker was a lactation doctor who gave a really great talk. There were exercises shared by a physical therapist from MMC and a prenatal yoga instructor from a yoga studio in Quezon City. There was also somebody who talked about cord banks.

For more information about the event you can check it here. 

Below is a picture of my loot from one session. I won a big Lactacyd bottle for women and a big Lactacyd body wash for toddlers (not in picture because I gave it to my niece). The pampers bag has a 12-piece pack of Pampers Newborn Premium diapers. We are now using this brand so I guess their marketing paid off. We plan to use disposables until the cloth diapers fit our son. The bear is from Manulife while the green elephant is from one of the cord banking companies. Another cord bank company gave a pen and a bonnet.

Watch out for baby showers from companies like Smart Parenting as well. They have lectures and workshops for moms and like the Pregnancy and Beyond series, these are also free. I was unable to go to the baby shower because the shower was too far from where we live.

Enjoy pregnancy!

Things Learned from My Birthing Experience

1. Prepare a birth plan and print many copies My OB was out of the country when I gave birth. We scheduled my CS to be on the 39th week but my baby wanted to see the world much earlier than we had planned. Hence, a reliever had to perform the operation. It was a good thing I had multiple copies. It was easy for my husband to just hand my birth plan to the reliever. 
2. Prepare the SSS and the PhilHealth documents You have to submit the Maternity 1 Form of SSS at least sixty (60) days within conception but not later than the date of delivery otherwise you will not be able to claim your maternity benefit. You need to get the Maternity 2 Form that you will fill out after you give birth. You have to get the Claim Form of SSS from your employer and this has to be signed by your HR. You also need to get your Member Data Record and list of contributions from PhilHealth. Usually, HR can do this for you but if they cannot, you can always go to a nearby PhilHealth office. They have a priority lane for pregnant women.
3. Prepare the HMO enrollment form Once you give birth, you want to make sure that you enroll your bundle of joy to your HMO so that your baby is covered. Check the enrollment requirements with your HMO. You never know what needs your baby might have once the baby is born. In our case, our son had to go through photo therapy.
4. Prepare an envelope containing all the documents My husband was more stressed than I was during labor. While the nurses told me that I should already be feeling the contractions, I did not feel a thing. My husband on the other hand was stressed because of the errands he had to run. It was a good thing that I have put all the documents in one envelope except for our marriage contract. I did not know they will ask for this because I only checked for documents needed for delivering the baby. The marriage contract is needed to process the birth certificate of the baby. This requirement will be submitted to the local civil registry. We were able to claim this two weeks after our baby's birth.
5. Prepare a list of things to bring to the hospital This will take a lot of cognitive load from your husband when packing. My husband just had to look at the list to pack what is needed to be packed.
6. Know where everything is While having a list helped my husband for sure, he still had to find the items on the list. Make sure you know where everything is. Better yet, put together all baby's things so it's easier for your husband to locate in case of an emergency delivery. Again, save yourself the hassle and pack the Go Bag early. Do not be like me. :) 
7. Wash baby's clothes, swaddle and cloth diapers It was a good thing that we washed the baby's clothes already. All my husband had to do was to pack the clothes.
8. Pack your Go Bag This will save your husband a lot of stress. All he will need to do is to pick this up. Remember to put the envelope in the bag. A colleague of mine advised me to bring the Go Bag everywhere because you never know when you will have your baby. Obviously, I did not heed her advice. I will also post the items on my list and even the things I wish I had on my list.
9. Learn how to use your sterilizer and your pump These gadgets should be very easy to use. However, learning how to use these prior will give you more confidence when you actually will use them already. This also gives you an idea of other paraphernalia that you may need. In our case, we had to get a place where we place the items that have been washed but not yet sterilized, special basins where we can wash and rinse the baby items, water containers that will store 100mL of distilled water for the sterilizer. This has made sterilizing items so much easier thanks to my husband who does not rest until everything is streamlined.
10. Sterilize everything you anticipate to use when baby arrives It is not advisable to pump on the first week. I know this because I have read books, watched videos, attended lectures and joined forums on breastfeeding. However, sometimes no matter how much you will things to go the way you want them, they don't. In my case, I apparently have short nipples. I did not even know that was a thing! This made latching close to impossible for my baby. I had to bottle feed my baby so I had to pump. This meant my husband had to sterilize my pump parts, bottles and nipples while we were at the hospital because my baby and I had to stay an extra night for the photo therapy. More on our struggle to latch later.
11. Set up the crib We bought a crib and had it assembled but we did not put the sheets on the crib. When you get home, the last thing you want is to still worry about these things. We are lucky because our in-laws took care of all these. When we got home everything was perfect. I suggest that you do not push your luck and prepare this ahead of time. 

I had to pause five times while writing this so that I can attend to our son's needs. Pardon the lack of coherence. I will add more if there are things I have forgotten. 

Youji&Me Warehouse Sale: Boikido Wooden Toys

When I went to the Warehouse Sale, I only wanted to buy two Boikido items, the Boikido Blocks 50pcs and the Boikido Workbench with Constructions but then I saw other items. *sigh*

Here are the things that I am guilty of purchasing.
 
Boikido Magnetic Blackboard Double Sided
This comes with 10 magnetic numbers and 5 signs. I can imagine my husband teaching our son Math using this board. I am sure he can come up with fun games. He's good with kids. :)

Discount: 50%
Retail Price: 1329.75 PHP
Discounted Price: 664.90 PHP

Boikido Magnetic Numbers and Signs 55 pcs
I actually found this before I found the board. I almost missed on buying the board because they ran out on the day that I went to the sale. It was a good thing that one of the mommies there put the magnetic board back. We could always buy a white board which doubles as a magnetic board but most of the white boards have sharp corners. I am also not sure about the price of white boards. I had to get this because my husband will need more than 10 numbers to teach our son Math. :)

Discount: 50%
Retail Price: 679.75 PHP
Discounted Price: 339.90 PHP

Boikido Magnetic Capital Letters 59 pcs
I think this will be helpful in helping our son read and spell. I wish they could have just combined the lower case letters and the capital letters instead of splitting them into two different products.

Discount: 50%
Retail Price: 679.75 PHP
Discounted Price: 339.90 PHP

Boikido Magnetic Lower Case Letters 59 pcs
Again, I bought this because it can help us teach our son how to read and spell. I had to get this because they just had to have a separate package for lower case letters.

Discount: 50%
Retail Price: 679.75 PHP
Discounted Price: 339.90 PHP

Boikido Blocks 50 pcs
Of all the Boikido toys I purchased, this is probably the toy that our son will be able to enjoy first. I like this because we used to have something like this in plastic when we were young. I think our son might enjoy building things using these blocks while his grip is not strong enough for Duplo. This is part of the two items that I really intended to buy at the sale.

Discount: 50%
Retail Price: 2,389.75 PHP
Discounted Price: 1194.90 PHP

Boikido Workbench with Constructions
I can see my husband and my son bonding over this toy since it involves using tools and building. This promotes creativity and motor skills development.

Discount: 50%
Retail Price: 2,799.75 PHP
Discounted Price: 1399.90 PHP

Boikido Construction Set 40 pcs
I know this is the part where I went crazy and went ahead to buy even more Construction pieces. I was just thinking how they would have more fun if they had more parts that they can put together.

Discount: 50%
Retail Price: 1,929.75 PHP
Discounted Price: 964.90 PHP

 Boikido Animal Constructions 54 pcs
Again, I thought it would be fun if they had more things to use to assemble things.

Discount: 50%
Retail Price: 1,390.75 PHP
Discounted Price: 695.40 PHP

This ends my shopping spree. I have bought my son's toys for the next five years. I do hope he likes to build things otherwise, my husband and I will be the only ones playing with these. :)

Youji&Me Warehouse Sale: Other Baby Stuff

My main reason for going to the Youji&Me Warehouse Sale was really the wooden crib. I did tell my husband I will also buy a baby tub in case they have the inflatable Richell tub which they did not have. Before he dropped me off, he told me to buy whatever I thought would be useful for the baby. My only checker was, I should not just think that the item is cute to have. I would never buy something out of the cuteness factor but my husband being my husband had to remind me. :)

Here are the other things that I got from the warehouse sale:

Richell Pottis Step and Potty
This particular potty is nice as it grows with the baby. Early on, it can be used as a stand-alone potty and then it can be used with the toilet seat later on. Richell is a Japanese company that manufactures baby products. I have checked some potty seats in malls and I think this price is really good already given that the product is versatile. I tried to check reviews online but all reviews are in Japanese. It scored 4.6 out of 5 with 146,000 reviewers.

Discount: 60% off 
Retail Price: 1,999.99 PHP
Discounted Price: 799.90 PHP

 

Richell Nasal Aspirator

I have read reviews on nasal aspirators and many found the nasal aspirators that come with a pump so that it looks like a medicine dropper to be ineffective. Many still recommend an aspirator that allows the parent to "suck" the mucus out using a tube. When I saw this, I decided to get it since we are also planning to get one anyway. I did not do a price comparison for this item prior to buying so I am not sure if 131.90 PHP is actually cheap but it has been discounted 60% so price must be good. I could not find a review for this item online but this is made in Japan.

Discount: 60% off

Retails Price: 329.75 PHP

Discounted Price: 131.90 PHP

Nuby Nibbler
This allows the baby to try solids without worries of baby choking. I read some reviews on this product and they are mostly good except that the handle is a bit of a challenge to open even for adults. I think that's actually good, at least I know the baby will not be able to open it and end up eating the entire food inside the net. I really planned on buying this because the baby will start with solids at 6 months. I got two of these.

Discount: 60% off
Retail Price: 389.75 PHP
Discounted Price: 155.90 PHP

Nuby Coolbite Teether Fruit
I originally wanted to buy the key ring teether but that one had very bad reviews online.  They say a cold teether is very soothing to babies so I got this one.

Discount: 60%
Retail Price: 215.75 PHP
Discounted Price: 86.30 PHP

Nuby Medi Nurser
A colleague of mine who has two children told me about this. I have never heard of this before, but she said that they found this extremely useful during times they had to give the baby medicine. This received very good reviews online.

Discount: 60%
Retail Price: 99.75 PHP
Discounted Price: 39.90 PHP

Luvable Friends 2 Multi Use Pads 
I would have loved this better if it were the size of our crib mattress but I thought this was good to have for bathing and changing diapers so we do not end up wetting our bed. We plan to use our bed as our changing station. There have been many accidents due to falls from changing tables so I think the bed may actually be a good place to do all the diaper changes and washes in between diaper changes.
This is water-absorbent  and quilted with waterproof inner layer. I am not sure if I overbought because I bought two of these but I was thinking of the drying time when this gets washed.

Discount: 50%
Original Price: 1,159.75 PHP
Discounted Price: 579.90 PHP

These are the items that I bought that are useful for the baby. I mentioned in my last post that there were wooden toys for toddlers at the Warehouse Sale as well. That deserves a post of its own because I uhmm... bought a number of the toys.

Youji&Me Warehouse Sale: Wooden Crib

We wanted to get our baby a wooden crib that can be used until his toddler years and then eventually be used by our next child. After looking around, I saw some shops selling wooden cribs but the sturdiest with the most reasonable price was Cuddlebug that is distributed by Youji&Me. Mothercare has some nice wooden cribs too but their price starts at 15K PHP.

Upon browsing the Youji&Me Facebook account, I learned that they hold annual warehouse sales and in these sales, they give as much as 50% discount on cribs and even more discounts on their other items. It was great that historically, they hold these sales around the month of September or October because these are the months that I can already shop for the baby. Since I learned about the warehouse sale, I have been waiting for their announcement so when the day finally came, my husband and I decided that I will go on leave to make sure that I get to buy the wooden crib we want for our baby. My husband had to work on the day I had to shop so I went on my own.

I went there with three criteria in mind:

• Price - Of course even with the discount, we still want the price to be reasonable
• Quality - We want it as sturdy and as solid as possible
• Color - Husband prefers dark color so it matches with the rest of our furnitures

When I got there, there were already some pregnant women and couples waiting in the lobby. The sale opens at 10am and we were early by 30 minutes. The elevator going to the 9th floor where the sale was is rather small and I was part of the third trip up. When I got there, some of the cribs were already marked as SOLD. Their inventory moves fast, it was good I came early.

The way they do it is, they display the actual item you will buy and that will be the one packed or delivered to you. I wanted to get this Fontana crib at first because this had a 40% off discount and it came in a dark color. 

I could have gotten the Fontana crib for 6K PHP but decided against it because I felt that the Brentwood crib was sturdier and more solid and the price difference was only 2,400.00 PHP. The color though did not match what my husband wanted but that's the least of our priorities. There was this other crib that came in exactly the same shade that we wanted, it was sturdy and elegant but the price tag was hefty at 12K PHP and this is already the discounted price!

I got this crib for 8,400.00 PHP which is not so bad since some of the Pack and Plays cost even more than this amount. My husband said that ten years ago he bought a wooden crib for at least 10K PHP so he thinks this is a great deal. I got it in Tawny so the wood is at least brown though not in the shade we wanted.

We also decided to get the mattress from Cuddlebug even though we could have gotten a much cheaper Uratex mattress because what they have conforms to the safety standards for cribs, it's supposed to be cooler to the skin because of the side vents, firmer because it has coiled springs and has a waterproof lining as well. The dimension is 52"x28"x6". This retails for 3,999.99 PHP and we got it for 3K PHP. The Uratex foam would have costed us almost 2K PHP.

While Youji&Me sells bed linens, I decided not to buy because it came with bumpers, blankets, comforters and other loose items that I did not want in the crib. We are just going to look for a fitted bed sheet. Since the dimension of the crib follows the standard dimension, it should not be hard to find the fitted sheet.

The Youji&Me Warehouse Sale is still ongoing from today, September 18 to 20, 2015 at Deco Centrum 10:00 am to 5:30 pm. There are other items that I got that I will post soon.

Baby Clothes

Baby clothes in my memory are cute, white little tie-side shirts. My mom told me she made all of us use Lipton. The only Lipton I knew is the tea brand. She told me that these are available at Divisoria. I am already huge and going to Divisoria will be very difficult so we went to an SM mall. I learned from the salespeople that they do not carry Lipton. I decided to go online and search for an online shop that sells Lipton baby clothes and I was not disappointed because I found this shop called Lipton Baby Garments and Accessories. I bought the following:

• 3-6 months Tie-Side Long Sleeves 3 pcs/pack at 133Php
• 3-6 months Tie-Side Short Sleeves 3 pcs/pack at 126Php
• 3-6 months Tie-Side Sleeveless 3 pcs/pack at 119Php
• Mittens 3 pcs/pack 84Php
• 3-6 months White Pajamas 3 pcs/pack 133Php
• 6-12 months White Pajamas 3 pcs/pack 133Php
• 6-12 months Sando 2 x 3 pcs/pack 238Php
• Bonnets 3 pcs/pack 84Php

They just charged me 50Php for the shipping fee. It took them one day to get my order to our door.
They also threw in a terry cloth baby bib for free.

I already looked around at SM and a Tie-Side Short Sleeves 3pc pack costs 250Php each. I really saved a lot by buying Lipton. I also checked the mittens for loose threads because my mom warned me that baby's fingers can get tangled and then this can cut baby's skin or worse even baby's finger. Yikes! That's enough to scare me plenty. The mittens, thankfully, are free of loose threads. The fabric also seems to be how I remember it from many years ago, 24 years ago to be exact since my sister is now 24.

I know I bought less than I planned to. Since we are cloth diapering, I expect to have baby's clothes washed more frequently so I guess it's alright if I do not go crazy buying all these cute clothes. I also bought bigger sizes, notice I did not get newborn sizes because I expect the baby to grow out of his clothes in no time. I can always order more in case I need more clothes anyway. My sister and my mom also gave us our baby's first set of clothes from Japan.

They got baby:

• 12-18 months alligator onesie with a matching alligator inner shirt 
• 12-36 months Dry Fit Sando 3 pcs/pack
• 12-18 months Dry Fit Onesies 3 pcs/pack
• 24 months Cotton Onesies 3 pcs/pack
• 6 months Sailor Onesie
• Frog Bath Towel

Seeing all these little pieces of clothing got me very excited. Two more months until I clothe our son in these!

Loot from Baby and Kids Fair

Last August 27, Thursday, after work, my husband and I rushed to the Bench Tower at BGC for the Baby and Kids Fair because I learned that some of the stuff I planned to get are available at the fair. The fair promises discounts and freebies and I am a sucker for these. We were at the Bench Tower two months ago for the Mothercare Sale but at the time, the gender of our baby was still unknown to us. My mom also advised me not to buy yet until my belly is 7 months already. The organizers of the Mothercare Sale contacted me to inform me of this Baby and Kids Fair and it was also timely because I can start buying already and we are now sure of the gender of our baby. You can imagine my excitement!

We had to shop really quickly though because we only had I think 30 minutes left to shop before it closed. We left the office a bit later than expected and the heavy traffic did not help. It was a good thing that I already had a list of things I wanted to get.

• Halo 2-in-1 SleepSack Swaddle for Newborns This is part of my Baby Shopping List because I did not want to use blankets on the baby to avoid SIDS. I also did not want to swaddle the baby myself because if the baby untangles the swaddle it becomes a risk for SIDS as well. If I do it too tightly too, it's a hip dysplasia hazard as well. Since a swaddle blanket is just 300 Php cheaper, might as well get this. I was only planning to buy one because it is a bit pricey but my husband convinced me to buy two for cases when my baby leaks and soils the swaddle. The woman manning the booth though, talked us into buying a "starter set" that inlcudes one Halo 2-in-1 SleepSack Swaddle for Newborns and a Halo SleepSack for a baby that can already lie on his tummy. The SleepSack Swaddle becomes dangerous when baby can already turn over on his own because baby might end up suffocating. If we buy the "starter set" we save 650 Php. We ended up buying two "starter sets". We got two different sizes for the Halo SleepSack. I am grateful because I have a husband who recognizes safety for our baby. :)  

• Cloth Diapers

• Bamboo Dappy As I have said in my blog about cloth diapers, I wanted to get Bamboo diapers for our baby because this is supposed to be more absorbent. However, bamboo diapers are harder to maintain because you need to wash them with hot water. Since we do not have a multi-point water heater, we will have to boil water and my husband does not want us or our help to routinely boil water because many accidents may result from this. After weighing the pros and cons, we decided against getting the bamboo diapers. Note that we did all these discussions within the 30 minute shopping window!  

• Next9  This brand is reasonably priced and has received good reviews. This uses cotton microfiber inserts and is lined with microfleece, a material that wicks away wetness even when insert is already wet. We got six pieces for 2000 Php. This can be bought online but since we were there anyway, we decided to get them from there. My only regret is not buying extra inserts then and there. Now I am thinking of ordering online but I can wait. They say two inserts are needed for nighttime use. 

• Wink Hip and Belly Shaper and Wink Ultra Bikini I read rave reviews about these binders so I got them. They are harder to get online because I was not confident in measuring myself. The people at the shop could have me measured then and there and I also will not have to pay for the shipping fee. This is quite a splurge though but since I saved on other stuff during my pregnancy, I decided I could get this. They say this will help me recover faster from my CS. Husband also approved of this purchase though I am not sure if this being a splurge sunk in.

• Sterilizer Chicco was a candidate but the brand was not at the fair. Months ago, Chicco was on sale at half the price but I was not allowed to buy a sterilizer then yet. We wanted to buy a sterilizer already so we did not consider Chicco anymore. Other candidates were much cheaper brands like Precious Moments and Looney Tunes. My husband did not think they were sturdy or safe enough so though they were much cheaper he decided not to get them.
• Pigeon The sterilizer is priced at 8500 Php but because we were at the fair, they were retailing it for 7500 Php. This is a 3-in-1 sterilizer as it acts as a food warmer, bottle sterilizer and bottle warmer. Since we are breastfeeding, we do not need to warm the breastmilk because warming it can destroy the micronutrients. Also, this is too expensive for a sterilizer in our opinion.

• Philips Avent At the malls this fetches for more than 5000 Php but we got this for a little more than 3000 Php thanks to the discounts. They call this a 3-in-1 sterilizer but this really just does one thing. It just allows you to change its size in three ways. We got this because my husband trusts the Philips brand. 
 
• Natural Bottles Since I have to go back to work after 60 calendar days, I need to train my baby to drink milk from the bottle.  I still want to let the baby directly latch to me even after I get back to work, I hope to avoid nipple confusion. While most breastfeeding advocates would recommend cup feeding, this is really too much of a hassle for the caretaker. Since cup feeding is not going to be an option, the next option is a natural bottle. They say this tries to simulate breastfeeding as much as possible.

• Pigeon Perstaltic Plus is a natural bottle that mimics the mother's nipple or so they say. We did not get this because we were not sure if this will work with our Spectra S2 pump. Pigeon was giving away Perstaltic Plus bottles though so we will still get to try this. I tried this morning if this bottle will work with the pump and I learned that it does not screw into the flange well. This can still be used for feedings though so thank you Pigeon for the extra bottle.

• Philips Avent Natural Bottle is the wide neck bottle that works with our pump. We bought six of these because we already bought 10 Spectra wide neck bottles. I decided to buy bottles instead of disposable storage bags because the bags can be very expensive as well. Transfers from the bag into the bottles can also introduce spillage and I do not want wastage. I tried the bottle with the flange and it fits. 

• Messy Baby Dishwashing Liquid We are going to use this for cleaning the bottles and the pump parts. I am not sure if we will be sustaining this or if we will eventually resort to ordinary dishwashing liquid. This is still up for another review. Another candidate for this is Human Heart Nature Tough Love Natural Dishwashing Liquid but they were not at the fair. I also did not find a powder laundry detergent so we have not washed the baby's diapers yet. I am beginning to ponder on just using ordinary detergent since some are using Tide on theirs.

• Messy Baby Shampoo The shampoo was available but it did not have an expiry date. The thing about organic things is that they have less preservatives so they expire earlier. I am particular about this. Though they assured me that the product was just manufactured, I did not feel safe buying an item that is not properly labelled. We do not have a shampoo yet. 

• Car Seat While we have decided on Britax First Class that can be used from 0 to 4 years old, we wanted to look at other options primarily because Britax First Class will not be available until September or October.
• Aprica Only had a booster car seat at the fair so it's still the Britax First Class for us for now. 

Because we bought so much, we also got three Bench loot bags! Each loot bag came with a Bench Baby Bear puppet. Hana antibacterial handwash 220 ml and Hana shampoo 208 ml, Cradle baby bottle and nipple cleanser 35 ml, Kodomo toothpaste 45g, Kodomo extra soft bristle toothbrush for kids, BC magazine, Oishi Choco Chug, Oishi Great Lakes juice, Oishi Bread pan and Oishi Pillows. All these came in a Bench environment bag.

Not bad for a 30-minute shopping window. :) 

On Cloth Diapers

For a while now, I have been thinking of using cloth diapers because I am thinking in the long run, this may be better for baby's skin. I know it is ambitious and I really do not know if we can sustain this given that cloth diapering really requires more diaper changes, more laundry and more stench. The initial investment one must make to jump into the cloth diaper bandwagon is also not cheap so this really makes me wonder if we should take the leap or not. My husband and I discussed this already and we have made the decision to give this a shot after computing how long it will take for us to break even.

Since I am not supposed to shop until September (only two weeks more of waiting!!!), I just read about the different brands and looked at the different features and designs.

I am looking into pocket style diapers so that I can add more inserts when more absorbency is needed, e.g. during the night.

Kawaii Cloth Diapers

Kawaii Cloth Diapers are available via Baby Chic Boutique. It's great that this brand offers diapers for heavy wetters called Kawaii Goodnight Heavy Wetters that can be used at night. This is priced at 450 PHP each. Each comes with two microfiber inserts. Inner lining is microfleece which I hear is better than microfiber in trying to wick away moisture without drying baby's tush. Moreover, they also offer Bamboo Charcoal inserts. I have read that bamboo is better than microfiber as microfiber tends to absorb moisture from the baby's skin causing the skin to dry and rash. Microfiber can also be difficult to clean compared to bamboo. I am also liking the Kawai Bamboo Charcoal Diaper which has as inner lining bamboo charcoal aside from the two inserts that come with this also made of bamboo charcoal. This costs 450 PHP a piece. This diaper has received wonderful reviews so I might get some of these for our baby.

Bum Genius

Bum Genius is a US diaper and it is priced like a US diaper. This is also available at Baby Chic Boutique. They also have pocket diapers and they call these Bum Genius 4.0. These cost 1450 PHP a piece. This is a bit too pricey for me. Also, this review says it's prone to leak and can smell of ammonia more easily than the other diapers.

Grovia

This diaper while also on the pricey side received a good review. This is also available via Baby Chic Boutique at 895 PHP without inserts. A two insert pack is sold at 950 PHP. It seems pretty absorbent though with four layers of microfiber and a microfleece top layer.

Wholesale Washable Diapers

I found they have BambooBumz, a diaper made also of bamboo charcoal and priced only at 300 PHP a piece including inserts. This is a Philippine-based business and the reviews seem to be good. I think I will be ordering from them too. They also sell charcoal bamboo inserts for 100 PHP. This is not made of bamboo entirely though as the inner layers are microfiber. Outer layer is charcoal bamboo though. They are currently updating their website and the designs are limited but hopefully, in the future, they will be posting more.

Next9

I read this blog that compares Alva, Bambino and Next9 and for the author, Next9 is the clear winner. I was also looking at Next9 before but they only have microfleece and no bamboo. They retail for 1000PHP per three pieces. Inserts are sold in packs of 3 at 300PHP.

Bamboo Dappy

Before I started to read more about other cloth diaper brands, this was my first choice. It is more expensive than the other local brands but this uses bamboo. My husband is just a bit worried about washing this as the care instructions says we need to wash it with hot water. Hot water is not easy to come by in the Philippines. Our household does not have a multi-source water heater and even if we did, we will definitely not have it directed to our washing machine. This simply is not the norm in the Philippines. If you buy using their Buy 5 + 1 promo, you end up paying almost 500 PHP per piece.

While people argue that disposables are ridden with chemicals that are harmful to the baby, it makes me wonder if these so-called safe cloth diapers are free of lead paint and other toxic chemicals. How safe are the inserts and how safe are the fabric and fabric paints used?

And the paranoia begins...

I really am becoming a mom.

Washing Essentials

I have read about how babies need their own mild laundry detergent and dish washing liquid and I have looked around as well.

Today, I re-stumbled upon Human Heart Nature. I have tried their products before. I was not too happy with their tinted lip moisturizer but then again, I might be allergic or overly sensitive to an ingredient they use as I had the same reaction to Chapstick, The Body Shop's Vitamin E lip moisturizer and Burt's Bees. Only two brands work for me, Ilog Maria's lip moisturizer and Shiseido's lip moisturizer. I digress. My point is, I will let this slide.

The other products that I have tried is their feminine wash which was okay and their sunflower oil which was also alright. Other friends gave it a stellar review, I did not like it much because my skin took a long time to absorb the oil. It could be my leather skin at fault. :)

I have read the reviews on the Tough Love Natural Powder Detergent and upon checking their ingredients, the laundry detergent might be something that my baby can use. I will buy one pack first and test it on baby's clothes.

I have also read reviews on the Tough Love Natural Dish Washing Liquid and they were good ones too so I might use this for the bottles, breast pump parts, which I will not be using until after six weeks postpartum. Baby should be able to directly latch to me in the first six weeks.

I will post my review of these products as soon as I am able to use them. There are other brands in the market that are more pricey and has more following but the ingredients also include synthetic ones.

On Breast Pumps

I was disassembling the pump my brother and SIL lent me because I wanted to learn how to sterilize the different parts. I was planning to teach the house help on how to do this so I can delegate this task later on. However, in the process of learning how to take the parts apart, particularly the membrane because I could not take it out, I came across articles on open and closed systems.

Apparently, the Medela Swing, Medela Pump in Style and Medela Mini Electric are single user devices because they are open systems. This means milk can backflow. This is the reason why the tubing can have molds. This also means that it is not hygienic to use because the other parts that are not sterilized come in contact with the milk. Many sites, including La Leche League says that open system pumps are not okay to share so getting a second hand open system is not a safe option for baby. Medela Symphony is a closed system but it's so expensive.

I started searching for the best pump that has a closed system and found Spectra S2. It's actually made in Korea. The price is lower than Medela, it's a double electric hospital grade pump and it has wonderful reviews.

This is probably what I will get.

I was a bit disappointed today that we have to get a new one because I really liked the idea of saving but if it will risk my baby then I would rather invest in a new pump. If I stick to breastfeeding, in the long run, we will be saving money anyway.

Breastfeeding Tips from Mommies

I have been receiving a lot of tips from mommies who have experienced breastfeeding and so before my short-term memory decides to put all their tips to waste, I would like to list them down. This way, I would be able to make use of each and every bit of wisdom from all these generous moms.

• Breast milk is a great healing agent. It can heal chafing, sore breasts and even baby's rashes.
• Pump frequently so your body knows it needs to produce more milk.
• You can pump in traffic.
• Use bottles instead of bags so you need not transfer the contents of the bag into the bottle unless you have limited freezer space, in which case, use bags.
• Do not. I repeat. Do not microwave milk. 
• Breast milk can last for 6 months if frozen. 24 hours if in a cooler with ice pack. 6 hours if at room temperature. 
• Nursing dresses are unnecessary, just get button down blouses and nursing bras.
• Save as much milk as you can if you are going to be a working mom.
• Pigeon breast pads are nice because they have adhesives. Use these when going outside the house.
• Washable breast pads can be used at home. 
• Massage your breasts to produce more milk. 
• Pump even though you are not producing milk. Your body will catch on.
• Drink lots of clear soup and take some Malunggay supplement for more milk supply.
• Take Malunggay supplement one month before giving birth. I have to get clearance from my OB for this. 
• Do skin-to-skin contact with the baby the first hour after delivery so that the baby can latch on. 
• Find a supportive, breastfeeding advocate pediatrician. 
• It is normal for baby to lose weight (up to 10% birth weight) at the beginning. Milk takes 3 to 5 days to come.
• Establish a deep latch. I am yet to learn what this means but let me list this here as well.
• Prepare things that will help pass the time for moments when baby falls asleep while feeding. Have Kindle available. Check. Wireless headphones. Check. Baby monitor in reverse so you can call out for help when assistance is needed. This we are still working out. Husband wants it to be available via IP. 
• Breastfeeding should not hurt. If there is pain, check if baby is properly latched.
• Milk Savers or Breast Shells can be used to catch the leaking milk from the other breast. Be sure to sterilize these carefully.

Pregnancy Reading List

Since I got pregnant I have been so focused on my pregnancy, reading about how our baby is growing inside of me and the changes I will undergo. I have been following my pregnancy by reading pregnancy sites on the net such as:

• Baby Center
• What To Expect
• The Bump

I check on the development of our baby on a weekly basis so I always have something to look forward to every week. I thought I was reading enough and then my mom friend and even dad friends told me about books I need to read. I felt like a student caught unprepared for the finals. I realize now that I still have much reading to catch up on. So I have to give my novels a rest for a bit to focus on these books during my free time.

What to Expect When You're Expecting by Heidi Murkoff

A friend of mine lent me this book and it has been great because it answers most of the questions that I have. This book is a New York Times Best Seller and has been for 25 years already, considered as one of the most influential.The very copy that I was lent has been used by at least five women already. 

What to Expect the First Year by Heidi Murkoff

A friend from Canada recommended that I start reading this book. I realized that I have not read anything yet on how to survive the first year so this is a must-read.

Parenting Guide to Your Baby's First Year by Anne Krueger 
A mother of four recommended this to me so I am guessing this is a really useful book. I am also fortunate that she is lending me a copy. 

Mothercare New Guide to Pregnancy and Babycare by Dr. Penny Stanway
I was told that this book has a list of things I need to get for the baby. It also has pictures (yey!) of how to carry and bathe the baby.

Happiest Baby on the Block
This book was recommended to me by a new mom. She says it's super helpful. The book teaches the reader how to calm the baby. I need this. I remember helping out my brother and my SIL for a few hours with my niece and it drove all of us crazy that she would not stop crying. There were many times we just could not figure out how to make her stop. This worried us because she cried so hard at times that she threw up.

I read some reviews about this book and learned that many parents thought that the book's content can just be summarized into one pamphlet. The entire book, they say, just repeats the 5 S's. Moreover, what is stated in this book may only be used in the first three months. Regardless, I think it is helpful if I put in here the 5 S's as the parents did say they were effective in calming the baby.

Swaddling - just ensure that the swaddle is tight enough so it simulates the environment in the womb. Tight enough but not too tight that the baby ends up with hip dysplasia. To be safe, I am really getting the Halo Sleepsack. I plan to get the 2 in 1 version for newborns. Swaddling is not recommended once the baby can already roll over and flip as this becomes a danger to them already.

Side Laying - allow the baby to lay on his side or on his tummy. Do not leave the baby to sleep this way as this has been found to be a danger for SID. The author says lying on his or her back gives the baby a sense of falling hence, baby feels insecure and so baby cries.

Swaying - while the baby is in the womb, the baby feels the gentle rocking in the womb. The swaying must be rhythmic but gentle to avoid the shaken baby syndrome.

Shushing - when the baby was in the womb, the baby heard shushing sounds. Actually, a closer sound is that of a washing machine's but sushing will do. Some recommend using white noise like a recorded washing machine or a vacuum cleaner. I hear this is available on Spotify.

Sucking - allow the baby to suck on a pacifier or your nipple so that the baby may calm himself or herself. I do not know about the pacifier as this may cause nipple confusion. I would think nursing would still be better.

In the end, after reading all the reviews, I ended up not reading this book anymore as I already know all the 5 S's.

My Baby Sleep Guide
This site provides guidelines on how to help the baby sleep: Swaddling, Sitting and Shush-Pat. I have not tried any of these to my niece before but who knows, this might work for our baby! Any help is really welcome when calming the baby.

Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by Diane Wiessinger, Diana West and Teresa Pitman

Things I know about breastfeeding I learned from the television and hosptal pamphlet and posters. I remember seeing a feature on the Oprah show many years back and the testimonies of the mothers are burnt in my memory forever. I have also many friends who breastfed and they really make it look so easy that if it were not for the horror stories I saw on Oprah, I would believe that all was really peachy and perfect in the breastfeeding land. The person lending me this book breastfed all her four kids. This book has been recommended to me twice already.

In Search of the Perfect Latch 
This link enumerates things to watch out for so a breastfeeding mom can tell if she needs additional help. This also identifies indicators that will allow the mom to tell if the baby is indeed getting some milk.  It's a short and easy read. This is actually from the blog The Leaky Boob which offers other interesting entries on breastfeeding and baby care. This was recommended to me by another mommy friend.

Chronicles of a Nursing Mom

I have been also advised to read this blog. I already started and it features many useful links on breastfeeding. I like that though the author has been blogging for a while already, she has kept links to the very important posts that new moms must read.

The Wonder Weeks
This is actually a best selling book turned into an app. This was recommended to me by a friend who says that the most challenging stages are the growth spurt stages of an infant. Suddenly, the pattern of an infant will be altered and you have to figure everything out again. Hopefully, this app or book will be able to aid me in figuring things out. 

Baby Rules for Baby by John Medina
This book explains how to raise a smart baby. This tries to dispel some myths about in utero practices like playing music, talking to  the baby via Morse code. Seriously? I think this is a good read though I have not really finished this book yet.

The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin

I cannot force this on my husband because he is not really into reading books but I can peruse it and maybe let him know what he needs to know.
Update: I have read some parts of the book. I decided to read this because my husband cannot be coerced to read this. It has some things the husband needs to track like the movements of the baby and the frequency of contractions. It even has template of what the record table should look like! This book also features how the husband can assist the wife during labor which at this point, is not a priority since I have no delusional ambition to deliver the baby vaginally. I am already 35 and it may be risky to choose that route so I am preparing for a Caesarian delivery. The book details on how the Caesarian operation is going to go and I literally cried because it was so scary. I have undergone and appendectomy in the past and a breast cyst excision as well so I am no stranger to an operation. Nonetheless, it scares me crazy! I just need to look at the positive side, I will get to see our baby after all the gory parts. 

Signing Time

This teaches baby sign language. This is a YouTube channel that the baby and mommy can watch. I do not know how much our baby will like this but I am curious as to how it will pan out so I will try this out. My only issue is that this is in English and we want our baby to learn Filipino first before English. I guess I will have to watch this and then translate to our baby.

Kangaroo Care

This promotes skin-to-skin contact, exclusive breastfeeding and support to the mother and child. I think the hospital we chose provide support for this. What this says is that the baby has to have skin-to-skin contact with the mother immediately after birth. They say this will lessen the stress on the baby caused by separation from the mother. I will have to read more on this and its advantages. 

I still have more or less four months to read all these. I need to prioritize breastfeeding materials though!

Breastfeeding Shopping List

I have created my baby shopping list and intentionally left out my breastfeeding needs because this is a whole different animal all on its own. I have already identified things that I will be needing.

1. Breast Pump I am fortunate because my brother and SIL gave me their Medela single electric pump so I do not need to worry about getting this. UPDATE: It is not a good idea to share a closed system pump like the Medela single electric pump. As such, I am now going to buy a new pump. More on this in this post.
2. Nursing Cover I am not sure if this is necessary since I think I have shawls in storage that can double as a nursing cover. I have to check if those shawls are safe for the baby.
3. Nursing Clothes I have managed to get to 22 weeks without having to buy so many maternity clothes in total I only had to buy five mainly because I have so many loose shift dresses. Nursing clothes is a different story though. I have not worn pants in a while but now that I am going to breastfeed, I might have to start wearing them again because I have not seen many dresses that are breastfeeding friendly. I dread the day when I have to go pants shopping because my waistline has gone where it has never gone before! I am also anticipating a Cesarean operation so I am not sure how easy it will be to wear pants. Update: A friend of mine recommended Mamaway Philippines. They have tops and dresses that are supposedly great for nursing moms. I can't figure out though how I will be able to pop one breast for my baby in some of the designs. I wish they had an illustration of some sort. Update: A mother of four told me that I can do without buying new clothes if I have button down blouses. I can just undo the top buttons if the top is a bit tight or I can undo the bottom buttons if the top is loose enough. The top can serve as a modesty cover as well.
4. Nursing Bra I have bought some in two waves. My size is continuously changing thanks to my appetite and to my hormones. I may have to buy more depending on how my size still changes. I was surprised that there were not so many options at SM Department Store. Wacoal and  Triumph do not offer nursing bras. It was only So-en that carries this type of bra they have been okay so far but I wish they offered more support.
5. Breast Pads I do not know what brands there are, I just know that I need to get these because I have been forewarned by my mom that I will get leaks if I decide to breastfeed. She thinks I will have a very difficult time once I go back to work. I agree but I want to try at least because I have heard of the many advantages of breastfeeding. I saw Mamaway Philippines also sells breast pads. It's almost 1300 PHP for 240 pads. I wonder how often I will have to change these. I was told the Pigeon brand is the best because this has adhesives around it so that it stays in place. I hear the locally manufactured ones are bulky though. To save on breast pads, I can also opt for washable breast pads that I can use at home. I will definitely consider this option.
6. Nipple Cream I have first heard of horror stories about how the nipples get chafed and raw on Oprah way back when I was in college. It scared me then and it still scares me now.  I read that ice can  help soothe the pain. I can only imagine the horrible pain described by mothers but as they say, smart people learn from their mistakes, smarter people learn from other people's mistakes. I want to be smarter. I will not go through this unprepared. I will be scared but prepared hence, the nipple cream. Update: I was told that I may actually not need a nipple cream. If I develop rashes, I can simply use my breast milk to heal myself. Breast milk can also be used on the baby's rashes apparently. Will read on this first and then update this post as needed.
7. Milkies Milk Saver This product is meant to catch the milk from the leaking breast while the baby feeds on the other breast. I only read about this today and I think this is a great idea. I read though that it tends to spill when the mom leans forward or when the mom is lying down. I am not planning on buying one right away, will try to catch leaking milk with a bottle, maybe that will work just as well.
8. Pump and Save Bags Since I will be going back to work two months after I give birth, I will have to stock up on breast milk. I hear I can store milk this way. Apparently, I can freeze the milk but in small amounts so the milk can thaw quickly. Also, I must remember not to microwave the milk because it can burn my baby's mouth. There are more tips in this site. Update: I was told that it will be easier to get more bottles and use them as storage for the milk, this way there will be no need to transfer the contents of the bag to the bottle. I will have to check the size of our freezer though.
9. Cooler I do not know how big the cooler should be or what kind I should get yet. I did see a 9-quart Coleman cooler yesterday at Ace Hardware that's less than 1,000.00 PHP. This looks like a small ice chest and it can hold up to maybe six cans of Coke so maybe it's big enough. I saw that there's a commuter tote that has the same capacity on the Coleman website. What's nice about the tote is that it can be compressed if there aren't so many things inside. I have not seen this in malls but that might be because I have not been actively searching.
10. Ice Pack Breast milk can only last up to 24 hours only if it is placed in a cooler with ice pack. Otherwise, it will only last up to six hours. 

This is my list so far. Will try to add more if I learn from other moms that I need more. I will also start to scout for the actual brands at stores. 

Search for the Wooden Crib

My brother and SIL have offered their Play and Pack pink crib but but because a) I am still unsure of the gender of my baby b) I am nesting c) eventually we will have to buy a wooden crib too for when the baby grows bigger, I have checked wooden cribs out as well. I have looked at so many wooden cribs today and I have identified the following shops that I would like to check out:

• Mothercare  I have not checked the price range of Mothercare cribs but the crib that Daphne Osena got for her first kid was still used by her other two kids. Also, my husband wants to make sure that the crib is safe and I know Mothercare sells items safe for kids.

• Youji & Me I have seen some of their cribs online and I like the brand Cuddlebug. I like this brand because most of their cribs can be converted into toddler beds. They also make use of non-toxic paint and really good wood.  I hear they hold warehouse sales and in 2014 it was around September or October. This is perfect for me because by that time I can already start shopping!

• Baby Company I know they carry Cuddlebug as well but I am unsure if they have a lot of choices.

• Rustan's They carry Cuddlebug along with other brands. At Alabang Town Center, they have one display unit and the others are just shown in pictures but are also available for sale.

• Ikea If only we have Ikea in the Philippines! They have nice crib options and beddings that will fit perfectly in the crib. They have a lot of cribs that can be converted into a daybed as well so I think it will be a good investment. There is one seller on Lazada offering an Ikea crib so I might consider this as well.

There are also online shops offering second hand cribs from Japan but I do not think my husband will be interested in purchasing a crib once owned by a stranger. If you are interested though, here is one of the sites I saw:

• Abebe Beybishop This shop offers Japan surplus items for kids. They have wooden drop side cribs. Please note though that drop side cribs have been prohibited by US already because there have been many infant deaths associated to drop side cribs. Eventually, the mechanism weakens or the assembly is incorrect so some babies get trapped in between the drop side and the base of the crib. For more information you can read about it here. 

I initially wanted a drop side crib because it will allow me to push the crib next to the bed. This way we can co-sleep without sharing the bed. The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages co-sleeping because it increases the chances of the baby getting suffocated so I was thinking this was a great work around. Also, this should help me in late night feeds but after reading the ban on drop side cribs, I have decided against it. Some cribs like those of Ikea and Mothercare allow the removal of the sides once the child is older so that it can be converted into a daybed but the sides cannot be conveniently removed and then placed back.

I am really learning a whole lot. I guess it is good too that I am nesting this early.

Baby Shopping List

I am now 22 weeks pregnant and I find myself suffering from a horrible case of nesting. I have not really purchased anything yet for the baby but it is a real struggle to keep myself from hoarding every cute little thing I see at the malls. Of course, it does not help that for so long I was not allowed to go to malls because I had a low-lying placenta. I had my ultrasound two weeks ago and the ultrasound shows I now have a placenta that is positioned higher in my uterus so I can now go gallivanting again. In the last ultrasound, I should have found out the gender of our baby but the baby will not let us have a peek so the gender remains a mystery. This has helped a ton in keeping me from getting into a shopping frenzy!

I have created a list of things I would like to buy when I reach my 7 month mark. My mom asked me not to start buying yet until my 7th month so I am not but it has not kept me from window shopping. 

Here is my short  shopping list to satisfy my nesting craving:

1. Wooden Crib My brother and my SIL have been kind enough to offer me a play and pack type of crib that my niece has outgrown. She has moved to a wooden crib that is sturdier and bigger since she is already turning 2 in August. The crib is in pink though, and since I am yet to learn the gender of my baby, I have to consider purchasing a new one. I have looked into different cribs and I think this deserves a separate post so will write about it in another post. 
2. Mattress Cribs normally do not come with a mattress so this needs to be purchased separately. Care must be taken to ensure the size fits the crib perfectly though for the child's safety. I was told that Uratex does custom mattresses and got this number from friend blogger Mel, 888.6800. I am taking note of this for future reference. She said the mattress was at a very reasonable price, much cheaper than those sold at malls so yey for this!
3. Bedding Again, this is sold separately. To avoid Sudden Infant Death Syndrome  (SIDS), the sheets must be fitted. Pillows, soft guard, blankets and other loose items are highly discouraged as this may cause SIDS. I might buy them only for playtime and not for sleeping.
4. Sterilizer Apparently, there are different kinds and I am yet to identify which one will be best for us so this will have another post of its own but here are the different types: Microwave Sterilizer, Cold Water Sterilizer and the Electric Sterilizer.
5. Bottles I really want to breastfeed my baby directly but eventually, I will have to pump when I get back to work which means we will be needing bottles. There are tons of bottles out there and I also wish to choose which ones will be best for us. Some brands thrown at me are Avent and Dr. Brown and then I also read about Nuby. I will probably get six bottles first and then work from there. They say babies are choosy so buying a lot of one kind might not be very practical.
6. Diapers I just know babies will pee and poop a lot so we will be stocking up on these. My niece uses Huggies so we may end up using these as well. I wonder when the next S&R sale will be. Somebody suggested Mamypoko and I know of some relatives who prefer this brand so I might try this as well.
7. Swaddle I have gotten confusing input on swaddling. Some say it's great because it comforts the baby and it really allows the baby to sleep for long periods of time because babies are not disturbed by their reflexes. However, sleeping for long periods of time is not necessarily good because babies are supposed to feed every two to three hours. Also, it has been found that prolonged sleep may also induce SIDS. Moreover, if you swaddle the legs of the baby too tightly, this can cause hip dysplasia. I am getting at least one for those times when baby needs to be kept warm while I hold him. I have looked into the proper way of swaddling too and there are pieces of clothing that only needs to be zipped up and voila, baby is swaddled. The Halo SleepSack was recommended to me by a pediatrician friend. Another example is that of Ikea's Sleeping Bag.
8. Bonnet I will just buy 3 of these because I will probably only use this for those times when we have to go out in the morning.
9. Mittens I will buy 12 of these because I will probably lose half of these. Also, the baby will end up getting drool and milk all over it so rather than risk food poisoning, we will just have to remember to replace them regularly.
10. Socks My niece used to feel cold all the time so I will be buying 6 of these. Again, half of these will probably get lost but I anticipate the baby growing fast so we will buy new ones again after a few months I think.
11. Shirts with Ribbons or Buttons Traditionally, the shirts are with ribbons, I remember my little sister had these but I read somewhere that buttons are faster and easier to snap on. I think the ribbons are more comfortable though because buttons tend to be hard and rough on the skin of the baby. I will get 6 with ribbons and maybe 6 with buttons. Some will be short sleeves and some will be long sleeves. 
12. Footies If I cannot swaddle a sleeping baby, I have to keep him warm with something. Enter footies. Hip dysplasia should not be a danger anymore since the legs can freely move. No need to put on socks as well since they are built-in. Baby will probably wake up because this does not keep the baby from getting disturbed by reflexes but that's better than risking SIDS. I will get 3 first because these can be pricey and also this might make diaper changes/checks a nightmare.
13. Bibs Babies will drool and spit and I imagine using these for the baby and for me so I am getting 12. Again, these items are easily lost.
14. Burp Pads I think cloth diapers can double as burp pads but will look into these as well. I am not sure how much these are but I imagine getting 6.
15. Cloth Diapers These will mainly be used for wiping drool, spit and milk because while my little sister did use cloth diapers, I cannot imagine storing, much more, washing soiled diapers. Then again, it might be too early to be saying these things. I will be getting 12 because these are cheap right?
16. Baby Tub Call me weird but I want a tub with holes so the bath water can freely flow. I will be on the look out for a good, cheap tub but for now I just know I need to get one.
17. Baby Towel I will be getting 3 bath towels.
18. Baby Shampoo I cannot wait to smell my baby! I will probably get J&J as this was the same brand my mom used on us. I also hear other brands are way more expensive and I already find J&J pricey haha!
19. Baby Soap I almost forgot soap! Cetaphil was recommended by a mom friend because this is milder than J&J. I wonder if this is good for baby's hair too.
20. Baby Ointment for Rashes I am expecting rashes if we are going to use disposable diapers. This is one of the reasons why I am thinking of considering getting cloth diapers too. I got a tip that virgin coconut oil can be used for the baby's bottom so you never have to deal with rashes but should rashes occur, just cook flour and use it on the area with rashes. I like that these are organic solutions.
21. Baby Wipes They say this is the Swiss knife of baby care so I am getting these.
22. Baby Powder I know this keeps the baby cool but it also smells so nice on babies. I was just informed by a friend that baby powder is not good for the baby because the baby will be able to inhale the small particles. Yikes.
23. Baby Lotion They say the baby's skin dries so I am getting this.
24. Liquid Soap for Bottle Washing I recently learned that I cannot use normal dish washing liquid on baby bottles so I have to get one from either Chicco or Enfant they say. Will look into this.
25. Bottle Brush I am sure I have seen my brother clean the bottles with this so I am getting one. I was told the Pigeon brush does the job.
26. Bottle Dryer I do not think my brother has this but it makes sense to dry the bottles before storing them so I will check this out. If this is too pricey or consumes too much electricity, I am not getting one.
27. Bottle Storage I imagine this is just a sealed plastic container where we can store the dried bottles so they will not get contaminated.
28. Nail Clippers I fear the day when I will finally have to trim my baby's nails. Still, I have to learn and it must be done so I will need to get nail clippers.
29. Diaper Bag This is not a priority for now since I have big bags. I need to look at what's so special about diaper bags first before I get one.
30. Thermometer I really need to get this and will probably end up poking our baby with it every hour because I get paranoid like that.A friend of mine recommends the type that you just point at the forehead rather than the ear. I do not think I have seen one like this but will scout for one.
31. Laundry Soap Again, they say ordinary laundry soap cannot be used on the baby so I will need to get milder soap.
32. Stroller Thank goodness for my brother and SIL, I do not have to worry about this because they are lending me one of my niece's strollers. She has three! :)
33. Car Seat There are so many options and so many safety tests to consider so I have not really decided yet on what we should get. This requires another post because there are just so many things to consider.
34. Baby Carrier My brother and SIL are also lending me their baby carrier but theirs is a bit bulky with lots of buckles that seem to be meant for older babies. For smaller babies, Boba Wraps might do. This is a bit on the pricey side and I imagine my husband raising safety concerns because this will rely so much on the way one ties the wrap around one's body. Will check this out though because the baby might like this.

I have quite a list! This does not even include the breastfeeding needs I will need to buy yet! 

I wonder if I am forgetting other stuff still!