We were on our way to my brothers wedding today when our flight was cancelled. It is just a 1 hour domestic flight. I wish we could just drive there but the drive would take 3 days. Normally, cancelled flights don't faze me. I travel for work very often so I just go home and reschedule a flight.
Things change when traveling with 2 children under the age of 3.
I've learned a few things along the way, let me share them with you:
1. Go straight to the rebooking counter
While other passengers are busy yelling and standing around getting mad or feeling lost, get your bearings and quickly go to the rebooking counter. That would give you first dibs on the next available seats and there's still no line to contend with. It helps to know your options too - can you be rebooked on a different carrier with a better schedule? Should you push for a free hotel stay if you live too far from the airport?
2. Don't bother yelling
I know it would be so nice to have someone to vent to. Yes, we have to open up the house, find something to cook for the kids, clean up and repack but there really isn't much choice. Our whole vacation turned upside down. It would be better to write a strong letter to the company afterwards... or post feedback on the web. I've experienced being the one yelled at as I work in tourism too. Trust me, it doesn't make the situation any better. Plus, you wouldn't want your kids to turn to yelling when stressed right? Anyway, the person you yelled at wouldn't pass on that feedback to his bosses.
3. Make sure there's a snack and enough bottles in your carry-on
Airplanes are late. Airplanes get cancelled. A hungry, cranky baby and toddler while you juggle things and lines are things mommy nightmares are made off. And make sure the snacks aren't sugary. I usually pack yoghurt for my daughter. (though I admit I bring mini-Oreos for emergencies too)
4. Lighten up on the rituals
Toothbrush, pajama... I usually bend rules when we get home. I'm tired. I'm cranky. My daughter's even more tired and cranky - plus she doesn't understand how we were supposed to meet Daddy in the province today and why are we back home - without Dad at that. I let things slide. She's probably more upset than I am.
5. Just let go
The plan didn't leave. There's no way for me to drive that plane. I can't do anything. Yes I am majorly irritated how our whole day preparing for the trip (yes, it took the whole day... there are 2 children and myself to pack for, get dressed, fed and out the door)- a good 4 hours waiting in the airport, waiting IN the plane, deplaning, getting the luggage, getting rebooked and going home only to repeat the next day. But it is what it is. Hazards of travel.
So tomorrow, I will wake up at 300am for a 530am flight. I hope the plane leaves with us in it and arrives safely. I'm not sure I can write a calm part II to this post if it's cancelled again.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Saturday, October 1, 2011
I heart churros con chocolate
I'm happy my 2 children share with me a love for churros con chocolate from Dulcinea. It's really my go to merienda.
I remember planning who will line up for it during Dia de Hispanidad (depending on whose class gets to go on recess first). It's also my treat for going to Simbang Gabi.
Nothing beats the warm crunchy churro and the super thick sweet-bitter chocolate. Yummy.
Friday, September 23, 2011
The Family Bed
In our bedroom, I have a baby crib and a double bed mattress. The crib is meant for my 10 month old Emilio and the mattress for my almost 3 year old Ava. So far, the crib is now used to store the toys Ava doesn't want Emilio to reach. And Ava's double bed is used by my brother when he sleeps over. Ava and Emilio have their own rooms... with beds in each too! Our king sized bed with 2 rail guards on left and the right is where we all sleep. The rail guards are actually for my husband and myself... so we don't fall off!
I've read many articles and books on why the family bed isn't good for a marriage. How symbolically, having the children in between them is symbolic of the status of their marriage. My husband and I do miss our privacy, of course. But we know that this stage will end all too soon. We are savoring every moment we have with our little ones. At night, when Ava and Emilio are asleep, we like to kiss each and every chubby finger, feel the weight of their soft feet in our hands and simply to stare at while they sleep. We are comforted hearing their steady rhythmic breathing and their sweet baby scent. The miracle of life still amazes us. Our children amaze us. It's parenting heaven.
I also still remember the feeling of being the kid sleeping in mommy and daddy's bed. My brothers and sisters used to all want to sleep in our parents' bed. I still remember waking up on my parents' bed and finding my dad sleeping on what was supposed to be our sleeping bags on the floor. I remember the odd kick here and there of a sleeping sibling. I remember my sister's mumblings. I remember my mom's scent, a mix of baby powder and her soap. And most of all I remember the feeling of belonging, of closeness and of family. I felt so safe. I want my children to feel the same way.
The family bed, has its other side of course - taking turns putting a child back to sleep (easier said than done), preventing one child from waking up the other, preventing Ava from kicking Emilio - it's all part of the package. Over-full diapers leak. Baby bottles leak. Mom and dad have to wake up and change not just the diaper but also the onesie and the pajama, put a towel over the wet spot on the bed and put baby back to sleep. We still prepare a bottle or 2 of milk for each of them at night (for some reason, I'm not being able to wean them sooner). It all seems easy, but not in the wee hours of the morning when you know you have a long day at the office coming or when your brain really wants to shut down. I'm really lucky my husband is quite helpful on those middle of the night baby duties.
In the rare instances when my husband and I get home past 8:00pm, Ava and Emilio are fast asleep in Emilio's room with yaya. I don't know if yaya has magic powers but she says the two sleep through the night. She doesn't have bottle leaking stories. She doesn't have 4:30am wakings by 2 little kids ready to play. One of these days, I'm going to sleep there just to observe how yaya does it.
In my linen closet, I have a brand new 600 thread count duvet, a pillow top mattress protector and a down alternative duvet filler. I will bring them out for the day the bed guards can come off, the water repellant mattress protector can be packed away and our king sized bed will be for two people again.
Until then, our family bed symbolizes that our family is blessed and growing. It symbolizes how my husband and I welcome with wide open arms these 2 little people in our lives.
I've read many articles and books on why the family bed isn't good for a marriage. How symbolically, having the children in between them is symbolic of the status of their marriage. My husband and I do miss our privacy, of course. But we know that this stage will end all too soon. We are savoring every moment we have with our little ones. At night, when Ava and Emilio are asleep, we like to kiss each and every chubby finger, feel the weight of their soft feet in our hands and simply to stare at while they sleep. We are comforted hearing their steady rhythmic breathing and their sweet baby scent. The miracle of life still amazes us. Our children amaze us. It's parenting heaven.
I also still remember the feeling of being the kid sleeping in mommy and daddy's bed. My brothers and sisters used to all want to sleep in our parents' bed. I still remember waking up on my parents' bed and finding my dad sleeping on what was supposed to be our sleeping bags on the floor. I remember the odd kick here and there of a sleeping sibling. I remember my sister's mumblings. I remember my mom's scent, a mix of baby powder and her soap. And most of all I remember the feeling of belonging, of closeness and of family. I felt so safe. I want my children to feel the same way.
The family bed, has its other side of course - taking turns putting a child back to sleep (easier said than done), preventing one child from waking up the other, preventing Ava from kicking Emilio - it's all part of the package. Over-full diapers leak. Baby bottles leak. Mom and dad have to wake up and change not just the diaper but also the onesie and the pajama, put a towel over the wet spot on the bed and put baby back to sleep. We still prepare a bottle or 2 of milk for each of them at night (for some reason, I'm not being able to wean them sooner). It all seems easy, but not in the wee hours of the morning when you know you have a long day at the office coming or when your brain really wants to shut down. I'm really lucky my husband is quite helpful on those middle of the night baby duties.
In the rare instances when my husband and I get home past 8:00pm, Ava and Emilio are fast asleep in Emilio's room with yaya. I don't know if yaya has magic powers but she says the two sleep through the night. She doesn't have bottle leaking stories. She doesn't have 4:30am wakings by 2 little kids ready to play. One of these days, I'm going to sleep there just to observe how yaya does it.
In my linen closet, I have a brand new 600 thread count duvet, a pillow top mattress protector and a down alternative duvet filler. I will bring them out for the day the bed guards can come off, the water repellant mattress protector can be packed away and our king sized bed will be for two people again.
Until then, our family bed symbolizes that our family is blessed and growing. It symbolizes how my husband and I welcome with wide open arms these 2 little people in our lives.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
10 Months After Baby
The dust is beginning to settle down.
I've officially packed away my Medela breastpump a few weeks ago. It was bittersweet, like moving away from home for the first time. I couldn't remember clearly a time when my body was truly purely mine - not pregnant or breastfeeding. I weaned very very gradually. If needed, my son still nurses but just to fall asleep. I can now go to the office with just my laptop bag and my purse - wow, no more cooler and breastpump bag. I can now be out of the house for a whole day without feeling I will burst or wondering if my son is going hungry. But of course I miss my bigger breasts and I miss the incredible closeness to my son. Now, nursing time has made way to play time. I'm good with that.
My household is starting to come together too. For awhile, I thought there was something incredibly wrong with me. I just couldn't put together my household. Just as it seemed solid, it would fall apart. I admit I'm a bit overstaffed right now but it's a pretty happy bunch I have. I come home to a clean house, happy children and smiling faces. What more do I want? (knock on wood, may my household stay stable)
I'm getting the groove back at work. I worked for a straight day today... as only a fellow working, breastfeeding mom would appreciate. I felt like I was on a roll... in my zone. No pumping break in between! And boy did it feel good. I guess the epidural left some of my brain intact after all.
After living in black leggings (the only thing that would fit) for the past year or so, I finally caved in and embraced my new shape. I got a pair of jeans a full size bigger. I am no longer in denial. Yes, I have mommy curves. At least now I can wear a regular bra to accentuate my mommy curves.
Ten months postpartum after 22 weeks of complete strict bedrest - a toddler, an infant, moving houses, going back to work, breastfeeding, travelling for work - oh what a ride this year has been. As the dust settles, I look around and thank God for the help of my husband (who has I'm sure lost more than a few hair this year), my mom, sisters and the entire support system behind me. I really wouldn't have made it without you all.
I've officially packed away my Medela breastpump a few weeks ago. It was bittersweet, like moving away from home for the first time. I couldn't remember clearly a time when my body was truly purely mine - not pregnant or breastfeeding. I weaned very very gradually. If needed, my son still nurses but just to fall asleep. I can now go to the office with just my laptop bag and my purse - wow, no more cooler and breastpump bag. I can now be out of the house for a whole day without feeling I will burst or wondering if my son is going hungry. But of course I miss my bigger breasts and I miss the incredible closeness to my son. Now, nursing time has made way to play time. I'm good with that.
My household is starting to come together too. For awhile, I thought there was something incredibly wrong with me. I just couldn't put together my household. Just as it seemed solid, it would fall apart. I admit I'm a bit overstaffed right now but it's a pretty happy bunch I have. I come home to a clean house, happy children and smiling faces. What more do I want? (knock on wood, may my household stay stable)
I'm getting the groove back at work. I worked for a straight day today... as only a fellow working, breastfeeding mom would appreciate. I felt like I was on a roll... in my zone. No pumping break in between! And boy did it feel good. I guess the epidural left some of my brain intact after all.
After living in black leggings (the only thing that would fit) for the past year or so, I finally caved in and embraced my new shape. I got a pair of jeans a full size bigger. I am no longer in denial. Yes, I have mommy curves. At least now I can wear a regular bra to accentuate my mommy curves.
Ten months postpartum after 22 weeks of complete strict bedrest - a toddler, an infant, moving houses, going back to work, breastfeeding, travelling for work - oh what a ride this year has been. As the dust settles, I look around and thank God for the help of my husband (who has I'm sure lost more than a few hair this year), my mom, sisters and the entire support system behind me. I really wouldn't have made it without you all.
Monday, May 30, 2011
The Mommy Diaries Bazaar
Going to mommy bazaars is my indulgence. It's me time that still gets things done for my family. So even if I was so sleepy and tired, I made my way to the Mommy Diaries bazaar at the Fort this weekend. The Mommy Mundo bazaar at Rockwell seems to have more booths and selection but I did get to buy the stuff I needed and picked some other stuff along the way.
1. Lactation Muffins from Paola at Mommy Treat - I love Paola's muffins. This is my 3rd order already. I picked up my months supply because my 2 year old also eats them. I prefer for her to eat these little muffins because they have more healthy stuff than the regular muffin. Actually, my brothers and sisters ate my stash when they slept over too!
I particularly like the lemon bites and the carrot walnut but I get all the varieties so that I don't get bored eating the same thing over and over. I usually put a pack in my pumping bag so I have a healthy snack in the office.
You can also order these online through mommytreats.multiply.com but I prefer to have them right away:)
2. Sunhats
I've been buying Ava's sunhats from the same booth since the time she was 6 months old. We've gone through 2 hats and she's on her third. I also got one for Emilio. I find them expensive at P650 each but they are the widest brim I can find and the fabric is good. They are also adjustable so overall more wearable. The prints are cute too! Anyway, I justify it on a cost per use and since they wear the hat practically everyday, I figure it's all worth it.
3. Smocked Dress
I picked up a smocked dress for Ava for P400. I still like these super girly outfits for her (specially while she still wears what I pick). This is an impulse purchase. I couldn't help it!
4. Saya Baby Carrier
I actually have a Baby Bjorn and an Ergo already. I don't use the Bjorn because I've read too many articles saying how bad it is for the hip development of a baby. I also can't use it for long stretches because it hurts my back.
I got an Ergo from Amazon and I love it. It distributes the weight on my hips very well. We actually used it when we went to Hong Kong and I could go for long stretches with Emilio in it. The problem is it's a little too thick and hot for daily use in Manila. Plus he can't face out so he starts to fret after awhile.
I got a Saya carrier so even yaya can put him in the carrier when they go for walks. It's reasonably priced at P950. I actually made my own wrap carrier when Emilio was an infant but I couldn't use it. Psychologically, I was so scared he'd fall off. My cousin lent me her ring sling but I couldn't position Emilio properly and I wasn't too comfortable with the weight on just one shoulder.
When yaya saw the carrier, she said she'd been using the same kind with her other alagas before. Yay! So no need to teach yaya how to use it. When we put Emilio in it, he didn't want to stay in it for long. Uh-oh. So I guess we still have to help him get used to it.
5. More Milk Plus
Anything to increase milk supply attracts me. This cost a hefty P1900 but I wanted to try. It tastes really bad and I saw it on Amazon for just $13. *sigh* Guess that happens when you buy on impulse!
'Til the next bazaar!
1. Lactation Muffins from Paola at Mommy Treat - I love Paola's muffins. This is my 3rd order already. I picked up my months supply because my 2 year old also eats them. I prefer for her to eat these little muffins because they have more healthy stuff than the regular muffin. Actually, my brothers and sisters ate my stash when they slept over too!
I particularly like the lemon bites and the carrot walnut but I get all the varieties so that I don't get bored eating the same thing over and over. I usually put a pack in my pumping bag so I have a healthy snack in the office.
You can also order these online through mommytreats.multiply.com but I prefer to have them right away:)
2. Sunhats
I've been buying Ava's sunhats from the same booth since the time she was 6 months old. We've gone through 2 hats and she's on her third. I also got one for Emilio. I find them expensive at P650 each but they are the widest brim I can find and the fabric is good. They are also adjustable so overall more wearable. The prints are cute too! Anyway, I justify it on a cost per use and since they wear the hat practically everyday, I figure it's all worth it.
3. Smocked Dress
I picked up a smocked dress for Ava for P400. I still like these super girly outfits for her (specially while she still wears what I pick). This is an impulse purchase. I couldn't help it!
4. Saya Baby Carrier
I actually have a Baby Bjorn and an Ergo already. I don't use the Bjorn because I've read too many articles saying how bad it is for the hip development of a baby. I also can't use it for long stretches because it hurts my back.
I got an Ergo from Amazon and I love it. It distributes the weight on my hips very well. We actually used it when we went to Hong Kong and I could go for long stretches with Emilio in it. The problem is it's a little too thick and hot for daily use in Manila. Plus he can't face out so he starts to fret after awhile.
I got a Saya carrier so even yaya can put him in the carrier when they go for walks. It's reasonably priced at P950. I actually made my own wrap carrier when Emilio was an infant but I couldn't use it. Psychologically, I was so scared he'd fall off. My cousin lent me her ring sling but I couldn't position Emilio properly and I wasn't too comfortable with the weight on just one shoulder.
When yaya saw the carrier, she said she'd been using the same kind with her other alagas before. Yay! So no need to teach yaya how to use it. When we put Emilio in it, he didn't want to stay in it for long. Uh-oh. So I guess we still have to help him get used to it.
5. More Milk Plus
Anything to increase milk supply attracts me. This cost a hefty P1900 but I wanted to try. It tastes really bad and I saw it on Amazon for just $13. *sigh* Guess that happens when you buy on impulse!
'Til the next bazaar!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Helping Baby Through Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema)
This April Emilio developed what I thought were bungang araw (prickly heat) on his neck and the folds of his arms. Though I doused heavily in cornstarch, they kept multiplying. When we went to Bohol for a week, they developed into red patches all over him. He was scratching himself even in his sleep! My heart went out to my little boy. I would put hydrocortisone but it only helped for a little while.
Yaya and I were trying to figure out what went wrong. I blamed it on the hot weather, thus we put him in the aircon 24/7. Yaya blamed it on the food I ate, thus I went on an elimination diet (oh how difficult that was being in a resort with a great chef). But the rashes persisted and even grew redder and redder. We stopped giving him solids as he had just started. Oh how Emilio stared longingly at his bowl. We even went as far as bathing him in mineral water.
Back in Manila, we went straight to a doctor. He was diagnosed with atopic dermatities (eczema), commonly known here as asthma of the skin. My mom has it. My brothers, sisters and cousins have it. And my husband has a bad case of allergic rhinitis. Our pediatric dermatologist prescribed steriods and corticosteroids to help calm it down. We were advised to put lotion on him regularly, moving to creams and eventually petroleum jelly should it flare up. My son would be having flares every so often our doctor said. What's important is to manage it well.
But I refuse to just take this sitting down. I wasn't comfortable on relying on steroids too. We were also advised to limit putting it on him to twice a day. But he was itching before the next dose could be administered!
I researched, researched and researched some more. There must be a way to help my little boy through this. As I write, he sleeps soundly. No itches, no red scaly patches and guess what, no steroids too!
Here's what helped:
1. Cetaphil cream: slathered all over him 3 times a day. This seems to work better than Aveeno.
2. Cotton clothing: we basically keep him cool (no need to aircon 24/7) and dress him in natural fibers
3. Calendula cream: Most of the posts I read suggested California Baby Calendula Cream. Where on earth would I find that in Manila?! But I remember buying a Calendula Diaper Cream from Dr. Cricket Chen's clinic when my first baby was born. I looked for that old tube and slathered it all over Emilio's tummy when he couldn't sleep (he was scratching his tummy). The next day, yaya said his back was still red. I asked her "how 'bout his tummy", she said it's pretty clear. Aha! Never mind that it's diaper cream, I asked yaya to put it all over Emilio. It helped a lot!
4. Elimination diet: I had to accept, albeit painfully, that chocolates, patis, bagoong and seafoods often triggered rashes in my son. So I gave them up. Cold turkey. Never mind that the chocolate covered espresso beans from Coffee Bean keep calling my name...
5. Probiotics: I kept reading about probiotics and how good they were for infants with eczema. Healthy Options didn't have any. And I didn't want to wait for June when I can ask friends to bring some home from the USA. Turns out, there is on our homeopathic/alternative medicine pedia's clinic! I gave Emilio immediately with my breastmilk.
6. Flaxseed Oil is supposed to be very good too. Unfortunately, Healthy Options ran out of the one for infants. So here I am taking flaxseed oil because Emilio will be able to benefit through my breastmilk.
I'm so happy because my baby's skin isn't itchy anymore. I really hope we can prevent flare-ups in the future. When he's much older, I will definitely detox him to rid him of the toxins accumulated when I was pregnant with him. My research suggests babies born of high-risk pregnancies such as mine often have higher incidence of atopic dermatitis. Perhaps its the barrage of medicines we took to carry them to term.
I hope this helps your baby too!
Yaya and I were trying to figure out what went wrong. I blamed it on the hot weather, thus we put him in the aircon 24/7. Yaya blamed it on the food I ate, thus I went on an elimination diet (oh how difficult that was being in a resort with a great chef). But the rashes persisted and even grew redder and redder. We stopped giving him solids as he had just started. Oh how Emilio stared longingly at his bowl. We even went as far as bathing him in mineral water.
Back in Manila, we went straight to a doctor. He was diagnosed with atopic dermatities (eczema), commonly known here as asthma of the skin. My mom has it. My brothers, sisters and cousins have it. And my husband has a bad case of allergic rhinitis. Our pediatric dermatologist prescribed steriods and corticosteroids to help calm it down. We were advised to put lotion on him regularly, moving to creams and eventually petroleum jelly should it flare up. My son would be having flares every so often our doctor said. What's important is to manage it well.
But I refuse to just take this sitting down. I wasn't comfortable on relying on steroids too. We were also advised to limit putting it on him to twice a day. But he was itching before the next dose could be administered!
I researched, researched and researched some more. There must be a way to help my little boy through this. As I write, he sleeps soundly. No itches, no red scaly patches and guess what, no steroids too!
Here's what helped:
1. Cetaphil cream: slathered all over him 3 times a day. This seems to work better than Aveeno.
2. Cotton clothing: we basically keep him cool (no need to aircon 24/7) and dress him in natural fibers
3. Calendula cream: Most of the posts I read suggested California Baby Calendula Cream. Where on earth would I find that in Manila?! But I remember buying a Calendula Diaper Cream from Dr. Cricket Chen's clinic when my first baby was born. I looked for that old tube and slathered it all over Emilio's tummy when he couldn't sleep (he was scratching his tummy). The next day, yaya said his back was still red. I asked her "how 'bout his tummy", she said it's pretty clear. Aha! Never mind that it's diaper cream, I asked yaya to put it all over Emilio. It helped a lot!
4. Elimination diet: I had to accept, albeit painfully, that chocolates, patis, bagoong and seafoods often triggered rashes in my son. So I gave them up. Cold turkey. Never mind that the chocolate covered espresso beans from Coffee Bean keep calling my name...
5. Probiotics: I kept reading about probiotics and how good they were for infants with eczema. Healthy Options didn't have any. And I didn't want to wait for June when I can ask friends to bring some home from the USA. Turns out, there is on our homeopathic/alternative medicine pedia's clinic! I gave Emilio immediately with my breastmilk.
6. Flaxseed Oil is supposed to be very good too. Unfortunately, Healthy Options ran out of the one for infants. So here I am taking flaxseed oil because Emilio will be able to benefit through my breastmilk.
I'm so happy because my baby's skin isn't itchy anymore. I really hope we can prevent flare-ups in the future. When he's much older, I will definitely detox him to rid him of the toxins accumulated when I was pregnant with him. My research suggests babies born of high-risk pregnancies such as mine often have higher incidence of atopic dermatitis. Perhaps its the barrage of medicines we took to carry them to term.
I hope this helps your baby too!
Saturday, May 7, 2011
A Pumping Mom's Worst Nightmare (aka I left my pump on the plane)
I knew I left something on the plane. Something but I couldn’t recall. I took a backward glance at all our seats and saw nothing. If it were just a blanket or a cloth diaper, it’s no big deal. If I could just rewind time for just a bit … I would’ve looked under my seat. And I would’ve seen that discreet little black pouch.
Full of hope, I asked the concierge to give the airline a call. Afterall, I reasoned to myself, who would want a used breast pump? Surely it would be there waiting for me. But it was gone. Really. Truly.
I was planning to pump another bottleful on the plane to Hong Kong so that Emilio would have something to drink when I went to all my meetings. Having just been to Hong Kong the month before with him, I realized Hong Kong is probably not one of the most breastfeeding countries in the world. Nursing stations are very few and far between – actually just 1 near Toys R’Us and with the absence of lifts and ramps, a struggle to go to. I was also given a rather dirty shawl when I was trying to discreetly breastfeed him in a corner of the hotel’s café. IFC Mall is better with ramps and elevators more accessible but still also no breastfeeding station anywhere.
Emilio usually drinks direct when I’m around. He has no problem drinking from a bottle too. But one thing he cannot do is to drink with a nursing cover on- he arches his back and swats at the nursing cover. He won’t drink when he feel suffocated… or when the world is moving around him and he can’t see.
Three meetings and I can’t leave him in the hotel room with my sisters. I tried to breastfeed at Peking Garden over lunch. Tried again to breastfeed at the waiting area of the first office we went to. I left him with my sisters for a while right after I fed as it was drizzling outside. I went to my 2nd meeting and rushed through it as fast as I could. When I got back to my son, he just finished a crying session that lasted, oh the entire time I was gone. He was hungry, tired and couldn’t nurse well.
Last meeting for the day, I took him with me. He was a good little boy, quietly playing in the conference room while I tried to focus on all the updates, trends and figures being thrown my way. I must have looked like a harried mom. Well I was a harried mom… a harried mom wanting to kick herself for leaving the breast pump in the plane. A harried mom who wanted to just sign everything and get out of there.
My sister brought him out for a little bit but no amount of walking up and down the corridors of that beautiful office was keeping him occupied. With as much dignity as I could, I asked everyone in the conference room to please step out as I had to feed my son in silence. He fed very well and fell asleep. I tried not to think about what everyone was thinking. I stared out the window with the million dollar view of the harbor and wondered, who has my pump? Who on earth took my pump and do they feel bad right now?
Fast asleep, I slowly lay him down in his stroller. Ahh finally, he gets his very late nap for the day. We push him out… I was thinking please just help me get through today. Tomorrow I have no meetings, I can just stay in the hotel.
We were almost there, out into the lobby, when another meeting ended and loud businessmen woke up my little boy with their small talk. I picked him up and prepared to go. Our associate wanted to take picture chronicling our HK visit. During the picture taking, my son made a pretty loud fart. Oops sorry. I put him down in his stroller trying to push the picture taking along. Emilio gave 2 grunts and the whole lobby heard him poo. Now that is a fantastic end to our super stressful day, it made everyone smile. My son will hear this story someday.
We washed him, cleaned him and headed back to the hotel. He had a good feed lying down on the hotel bed and fell asleep right away. He was nursing practically the whole evening… my sister said everytime she peeked at us, he was nursing.
We made it through the next day. We made it through the day after. I was still hoping I’d find my pump. But it was really gone.
Up to this day I sometimes wonder, who got it? Was it thrown away? I keep remembering its smooth egg like shape, the steady thump thumping and the reassuring gush of milk flowing into the bottle. My pump was my buddy, taking me through frantic work days, helping me keep my son healthy despite all the germs in the planes we take monthly.
If I could just rewind time for a bit, I would check under my seat. Instead of a discreet little black pouch, I will put my breastpump, droplets of milk and all in a clear bag for the world to see. I am a breastfeeding, working, often frazzled mommy. Please hand this back to me.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Breastfeeding Success Tips Part 1
When I was a first timer back in 2008, breastfeeding felt strange especially at the start. I would have given up soon after giving birth if not for the wonderful support of my mom and my ob/family doctor. Ava would wail and cry and even if I was giving my breast, she wouldn’t latch. My mom would be the one to carry her while I tried to position myself. It felt as if she wasn’t getting any milk at all. But my ob/family doctor said my milk will come in a few days, to just keep nursing.
True enough, in a few days, white creamy milk came. And wow, for the first time in my life, I had a cup B. Wowee!
I had to stop breastfeeding cold turkey when Ava was 5 ½ months old because I was diagnosed with a hyperthyroid. I wasn’t comfortable taking medication and breastfeeding at the same time.
This time, with Emilio, I resolved to breastfeed for as long as I can. The challenges of breastfeeding then vs now with a two year old as well as balancing a bigger household, moving houses right after giving birth and a full time job are very different. I was calmer when he wouldn't latch at the start. I also no longer have the fear of not producing enough milk but I do worry about finding the time and energy to breastfeed on top of my other duties. I also noticed my milk would decrease whenever I was stressed out or physically tired.
Here I am just a few days shy of 5 months and still going strong. I'm breastfeeding as I type this but let me share these 2 tips, many more to follow later.
Tip 1: Air dry your breasts after a feeding. I also didn’t put any creams or lotions on my breasts. I never had cracked or sore nipples with Ava or Emilio.
Tip 2: Nurse directly at every opportunity. Baby empties the breast better than any pump can. My brothers and sisters can attest, I am not ashamed to breastfeed in public or even as we hang around just talking. Unfortunately, Emilio isn’t too fond of nursing covers (or any cover for that matter) so I have to just whip out a breast (but try to be discreet about it) when he’s hungry.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Cloth Diapers
Did you know that a baby at age 2 would have used up 2 tons of diapers? (hmmm... I can't imagine I went through that much with my daughter) And did you know it will take more than 10 years for a disposable diaper to decompose? (Now that, I would believe)
When I was pregnant and on bed rest, I was carefully studying the option of cloth diapering my second baby. I really went dizzy with all the choices out there- wrap, birdseye, hemp, prefold, Kissaluvs, Thirsties, all in one, etc etc etc. I even made an excel sheet of my choices and the costs. Some websites suggested so many kinds. I knew I wanted something better than the birdseye my mom used to use for my brothers back in the 80s. It had to be changed practically after every pee and the bed or whoever was carrying the baby would be wet too. But the choices made me go crazy! Analysis paralysis.
I ordered a trial kit composed of a Thirsties wrap, Kissaluvs all in one and some liners from pinoybaby.com. I planned to try it on my 2 year old before I bought a whole supply in Amazon for my newborn. It didn't go too well because no matter how much I tried to make the yayas use them, they seemed to favor the disposables (old habits are hard to break). And my daughter would complain "ang laki ng lubot ko!" (my butt is so big) or "may mali sa diaper ko!". I think it was her way of saying it's too bulky. I even tried being the one to put it on her but I realized that having to put the diaper THEN the wrap on a squirming 2 year old was too much of a hasstle for us.
When my baby boy was born, I still hadn't made up my mind on what to buy for him. He was diapered in disposables until I found Charlie Banana in Hong Kong. I was shopping at Three Sixty the grocery in Elements Mall and decided to give a boxful a try. The print was really cute and the system looked easy to use. It cost 778HKD for a box of 6 with 12 liners already. Plus, it was cheaper than many of the cloth diapers in Manila.
Success!!! Yaya shifted to it after just 1 reminder from me. I realize that it's easier to use than the first set I bought. The only catch... 6 diapers aren't enough since we do the laundry every other day. So now Emilio is in cloth diapers until we do the laundry. I'll be asking my Tita to buy another box of 6 for me. And did I mention that it's one size so I'll be able to use these for a good long time?
I've been able to cut down a lot on disposables. Washing the cloth diapers is a breeze because we just pre-soak them for awhile and wash them together with Ava and Emilio's regular clothes. It's practically the same amount of soap and water. We still use the small load setting on the washing machine. Since it's summer, we line dry all our clothes too.
I don't cloth diaper Ava anymore since she's almost potty trained. She just uses diapers for naps and nightime. For daytime naps, I notice that sometimes, yaya already uses the cloth diapers I bought before. Note to self, remind her to use them for Ava's daily naps.
So here we are saving the world one cloth diaper at a time. Cloth diapering is really easy once you find the right system for you and your family. But I have to be honest, we still have some disposables too.
When I was pregnant and on bed rest, I was carefully studying the option of cloth diapering my second baby. I really went dizzy with all the choices out there- wrap, birdseye, hemp, prefold, Kissaluvs, Thirsties, all in one, etc etc etc. I even made an excel sheet of my choices and the costs. Some websites suggested so many kinds. I knew I wanted something better than the birdseye my mom used to use for my brothers back in the 80s. It had to be changed practically after every pee and the bed or whoever was carrying the baby would be wet too. But the choices made me go crazy! Analysis paralysis.
I ordered a trial kit composed of a Thirsties wrap, Kissaluvs all in one and some liners from pinoybaby.com. I planned to try it on my 2 year old before I bought a whole supply in Amazon for my newborn. It didn't go too well because no matter how much I tried to make the yayas use them, they seemed to favor the disposables (old habits are hard to break). And my daughter would complain "ang laki ng lubot ko!" (my butt is so big) or "may mali sa diaper ko!". I think it was her way of saying it's too bulky. I even tried being the one to put it on her but I realized that having to put the diaper THEN the wrap on a squirming 2 year old was too much of a hasstle for us.
When my baby boy was born, I still hadn't made up my mind on what to buy for him. He was diapered in disposables until I found Charlie Banana in Hong Kong. I was shopping at Three Sixty the grocery in Elements Mall and decided to give a boxful a try. The print was really cute and the system looked easy to use. It cost 778HKD for a box of 6 with 12 liners already. Plus, it was cheaper than many of the cloth diapers in Manila.
Success!!! Yaya shifted to it after just 1 reminder from me. I realize that it's easier to use than the first set I bought. The only catch... 6 diapers aren't enough since we do the laundry every other day. So now Emilio is in cloth diapers until we do the laundry. I'll be asking my Tita to buy another box of 6 for me. And did I mention that it's one size so I'll be able to use these for a good long time?
I've been able to cut down a lot on disposables. Washing the cloth diapers is a breeze because we just pre-soak them for awhile and wash them together with Ava and Emilio's regular clothes. It's practically the same amount of soap and water. We still use the small load setting on the washing machine. Since it's summer, we line dry all our clothes too.
I don't cloth diaper Ava anymore since she's almost potty trained. She just uses diapers for naps and nightime. For daytime naps, I notice that sometimes, yaya already uses the cloth diapers I bought before. Note to self, remind her to use them for Ava's daily naps.
So here we are saving the world one cloth diaper at a time. Cloth diapering is really easy once you find the right system for you and your family. But I have to be honest, we still have some disposables too.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Mustard greens in my juice why oh why?
I've been trying to get into the juicing habit for some time now.... A few years to be honest. Now that I have a real kitchen (vs the super tiny kitchens of our past condos and apartments), I finally unearthed my Matstone, wiped off the thick layers of dust and started green juicing.
Shoppersville is a great because it has parking and has an organic veg section. So now no more excuses. Romaine Lettuce, carrots, cucumber, celery, bell pepper... Check check check.
I taught my helper how to use the Matstone so that I can't even use laziness as an excuse for not juicing. Yehey, on my way to daily juicing!
My husband goes to work earlier than me. So I gave instructions to our helper on what to put in his juice. He had already finished his glass and left for the office when I went to the kitchen. When I drank mine, it felt strangely pepper-y. Sure, I know I have a piece of bell pepper in there but I didn't think that small piece imparted THAT much flavor. That evening, my husband praised my efforts in juicing but asked what the health benefits of black pepper were. Yikes! My helper misunderstood me! Turns out, our juice that day was generously flavored by black pepper.
Today, two weeks into juicing, I realized that mustard greens do not belong in my juice too. I was cleaning out the crisper and found mustard greens grown in our garden. I didn't know what to do with it so I juiced it.
Be warned my friend. I dared my husband to down his glass after I downed mine. But I soon realized I couldn't be that mean. It tasted horrible. Downright horrible. And I have a very high tolerance for odd tastes. And the taste, that horrid spicy overpowering taste kept coming up my throat. Yes, the pepper flavored juice was a walk in the park.
So far, we've been very successful with the ff (good for 2 people):
1/2 cucumber
1/8 bell pepper
long stick of celery
half a romaine lettuce
Now remember, it's better to drink your green juice first thing in the morning while your stomach is empty! We started with a shotglass full each to get used to the taste and to allow our bodies to slowly wake up. Now we're able to drink a glassful easily (pepper and mustard greens aside). I'm excited to add the red beets I bought from the Sidcor market and the beautiful carrots. Though I'm equally tempted to make a red beet salad and to eat the carrots on the side.
Shoppersville is a great because it has parking and has an organic veg section. So now no more excuses. Romaine Lettuce, carrots, cucumber, celery, bell pepper... Check check check.
I taught my helper how to use the Matstone so that I can't even use laziness as an excuse for not juicing. Yehey, on my way to daily juicing!
My husband goes to work earlier than me. So I gave instructions to our helper on what to put in his juice. He had already finished his glass and left for the office when I went to the kitchen. When I drank mine, it felt strangely pepper-y. Sure, I know I have a piece of bell pepper in there but I didn't think that small piece imparted THAT much flavor. That evening, my husband praised my efforts in juicing but asked what the health benefits of black pepper were. Yikes! My helper misunderstood me! Turns out, our juice that day was generously flavored by black pepper.
Today, two weeks into juicing, I realized that mustard greens do not belong in my juice too. I was cleaning out the crisper and found mustard greens grown in our garden. I didn't know what to do with it so I juiced it.
Be warned my friend. I dared my husband to down his glass after I downed mine. But I soon realized I couldn't be that mean. It tasted horrible. Downright horrible. And I have a very high tolerance for odd tastes. And the taste, that horrid spicy overpowering taste kept coming up my throat. Yes, the pepper flavored juice was a walk in the park.
So far, we've been very successful with the ff (good for 2 people):
1/2 cucumber
1/8 bell pepper
long stick of celery
half a romaine lettuce
Now remember, it's better to drink your green juice first thing in the morning while your stomach is empty! We started with a shotglass full each to get used to the taste and to allow our bodies to slowly wake up. Now we're able to drink a glassful easily (pepper and mustard greens aside). I'm excited to add the red beets I bought from the Sidcor market and the beautiful carrots. Though I'm equally tempted to make a red beet salad and to eat the carrots on the side.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)