Chronicles of a Nursing Mom

Philippine Perspective on that Time Issue

2012-05-31T09:49:00.000+08:00

Two weekends ago, an article was published in the Manila Bulletin focusing on the Time Magazine cover. The writer, Regina Posadas, interviewed 3 Pinay breastfeeding moms (including me!) on how we view extended nursing. Eliza of The Painter's Wife shared her profound thoughts - especially about the title. Meanwhile, I shared my own experiences nursing my first-born, N. Before you read, I want to ask you about the title of the article - "MY WAY". I thought that it was too aggressive (?) - almost like this is how I want to do things and screw you if you think otherwise. Or am I just being OA? :D

Anyway, don't forget to read Jen Tan's post on her experiences with attachment parenting and how her own kids (now 11 and 7) turned out.

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My Way

By REGINA G. POSADAS

May 19, 2012, 4:23pm

MANILA, Philippines — Breastfeeding is a practice widely praised and applauded by many. But when TIME magazine displayed on its cover a skinny young woman with her almost-four-year-old son suckling on her breast alongside the provoking question, “Are You Mom Enough?” for its attachment parenting feature, numerous moms reacted negatively.

“I was a little appalled at the cover,” admitted my friend, Beng Meneses. “It was very controversial, actually, and of course, received a lot of attention and publicity, good and bad. It was shocking to see an almost four-year-old boy still breastfeeding, because honestly, I can’t imagine my kids doing the same. But as is the case with everything else, the point of the article, which is “attachment parenting,” is a growing trend. Whether it will have lasting power or is just a fad, I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”

Eliza Santiago-Ypon or Teacher Eli, another friend of mine who teaches at Gymboree and has a two-year-old son, had this to say, “At first it was, “Oh great!” and then it was “Oh no.” I loved the picture. I thought it was great that extended breastfeeding was being put into the spotlight, but combined with the headline of “Are You Mom Enough?”, it became inflammatory. I didn’t think it was appropriate for attachment parenting at all. No mother should be made to feel she’s inadequate, no matter what parenting style she chooses to practice. I think it’s journalism meant to pit moms against each other, which I don’t agree with. I don’t like mommy wars.”

Different strokes for different folks

My two mommy-friends have dissimilar experiences when it comes to breastfeeding. Beng recalls that she did breastfeed her firstborn Justin, but due to some health issues, she didn’t produce enough milk to sustain him. “So my experience with breastfeeding was not really extensive,” shares Beng. “Although looking back, I wish I would have been able to breastfeed my children for nutritional value, since mother’s milk is reputed to be healthier than formula.” This working mom, whose kids are now grown-up and in college, is also not a fan of extended breastfeeding. “No, I don’t think I would have breastfed them until they were four. That’s simply too big already for me. As for attachment parenting, I think my kids turned out pretty well adjusted and normal for being raised the old-fashioned way.”

Teacher Eli, on the other hand, totally enjoys breastfeeding and intends to do it for several years. “Breastfeeding Basti to four years was always my intention, even when I was still pregnant. Attachment parenting supports extended breastfeeding. In fact, there are times that we already look like like the couple on the cover (of TIME),” she says.

The experience of breastfeeding wasn’t smooth-sailing in the beginning for Teacher Eli, but she kept at it nevertheless. “Now at two years old, I would have to say it’s probably one of the biggest and best choices I’ve made for Basti.”

It’s a well-known fact though that not all mothers can or want to breastfeed, and Teacher Eli believes they shouldn’t be condemned for it. “No one should be made to feel they’re less if they don’t breastfeed. As a breastfeeding advocate, I will always try to promote breastfeeding and its benefits to anyone I meet, but at the end of the day, we’re all just trying to be good parents. I’ve met some who express regret and guilt that they didn’t breastfeed but have learned to move past it. They have great, healthy children. No one should make them feel they didn’t do the best they could.”

To new mothers who plan to breastfeed, Teacher Eli gives this valuable advice: “Educate yourself. Be informed on the basics of breastfeeding, know what to expect, involve your support system in the decision, and keep a positive mindset.” If breastfeeding is a constant struggle for you, “Don’t hesitate to ask for help,” says Teacher Eli. “We’re fortunate that breastfeeding advice is so easy to find these days. Organizations like L.A.T.C.H., La Leche League, and the growing number of breastfeeding moms are all sources of help, guidance and information. Breastfeeding may be natural, but it’s a skill that needs to be learned and mastered by both mother and child.” In addition, she lauds moms who are already breastfeeding their babies, congratulating them on doing a good job, and urging them to “Keep it up!”

Parenting, Pinoy-style

On attachment parenting, Teacher Eli gladly observes that many Filipinos already practice it. “Attachment parenting is actually not uncommon to us Filipinos. When I was reading on it, the practice sounded very Filipino and much like the way I was raised. We are a breastfeeding, babywearing, co-sleeping family. Those three are the most obvious ways we “practice” attachment parenting, but there’s so much more to it than just that. It’s a whole philosophy built on positive discipline, nurturing, empathy, and balance. It doesn’t mean that if you don’t breastfeed, babywear or co-sleep, that you’re not an attachment parenting advocate anymore. That is what I don’t like about the TIME cover. It suggests that people who don’t do otherwise aren’t sufficiently parenting. It’s preposterous.”

Is EB for you?

Only a few mothers would continue to breastfeed their children well into their preschool years, or beyond the age of three. But while it is ultra challenging, extended breastfeeding can also be tremendously gratifying, according to Atty. Jenny Ong, a L.A.T.C.H.-accredited breastfeeding peer counselor, lawyer, and government employee.

Jenny, who is currently breastfeeding her five-month-old son Erik, recounts that she breastfed her firstborn Naima until she was three years and five months. She says that her daughter, now four, still breastfeeds occasionally –once or twice a week for five minutes or less – usually when she sees her brother breastfeeding. Here, she shares the pros and cons of extended breastfeeding.

Pros: “A big pro is the comfort that I am easily able to give my child. We love traveling and she doesn’t have any difficulty adjusting when we go to new places or meet new faces. She also easily sleeps at night, which I attribute to nursing. I also believe that she has grown to be a confident little girl because of attachment parenting and extended breastfeeding. This summer, teachers at her art school and ballet classes informed me that my daughter comforts other four-year-old classmates who are crying or do not want to be left alone during class.”

Cons: “Acrobatic positions. My daughter nurses in whatever position she feels like. Plus since she can walk and move independently, one con was when she wanted to nurse in public – she simply lifts my shirt or pulls down my top. Dealing with comments from people around me, particularly from colleagues at work, is another...what I dislike most is the comment, “She’s still nursing until now?!” with raised eyebrows and an incredulous voice.”

Jenny’s advice to moms who plan to breastfeed for as long as possible is to “Take it one day at a time. Don’t compare yourself with other moms. Each mom has a different parenting style and we all parent the best way we can to our children.” She adds that preparation, patience and perseverance are the keys to breastfeeding success. “It pays to be well read, well researched and well-informed so you can properly address the issues raised by naysayers.”

Winner: Pregnancy Pack

2012-05-28T10:53:00.000+08:00

Remember my blog giveaway earlier this month? I finally reviewed the entries and determined that there were only 4 qualified ones - I had requested people to post both at the blog and at my Facebook page. There were only 4 people who posted both in the comment box and the Facebook page. Anyway, here are their Facebook comments.

Sheryl Bagolor Bautista

Cindy Pineda Rogacion

Joyce Lara-Tioleco

Mona Liza Marcelo-Abalos

This makes my job easier since I only have to go through 4 entries! :)

Without further ado, our winner is Cindy Pineda Rogacion! She writes:

Hi Jenny! I am presently on my 5th month of pregnancy. This being my first pregnancy, I am swarmed by feelings of excitement & anxiety. I am a doctor by profession and have decided to put on hold further training for residency to focus on this great blessing. As a medical practitioner, it is given that I am an advocate of breastfeeding. However, I know that the technical knowledge that I acquired from lectures & textbooks is no match from the actual experiences & advice of breastfeeding mothers. I fear that I may not have enough supply & patience to sustain our baby's need for breastmilk. This early on, I am worried on how I would go about breastfeeding him when the time comes for me to go back to work. Your blog giveaway (So That's What They're For) would be a pleasant boost to my "inexperienced" knowledge & would be a huge help to calm my first-time-jittery-mom concern

Congratulations Cindy! Please contact me to claim your prize.

I'm happy that I was able to announce the winner before May ended! I still have more giveaways lined up and I hope to be more punctual in announcing winners. ;)

Watering Down the Milk Code

2012-05-24T10:01:00.000+08:00

Last Saturday, I woke up to this disturbing update about the Milk Code:

Marketing strategies of formula milk companies have become so widespread and pervasive that they have been able to ingrain the perceived need for formula milk in the minds of Filipino doctors and parents. Plus, they have been very crafty in getting influential celebrities to spout their nonsense.

In late May, I had an email discussion with a fellow breastfeeding mom. Her daughter is almost 2 years old and she continues to breastfeed her child. Her child also eats a lot and is being given fresh milk. However, her mom (or the grandmother) prefers powdered milk or formula. She was also surprised to meet a fellow mom at her pediatrician's office who gives her 2-year old Nido 1-3, every 2-3 hours except if the child eats.

The amount of milk that this 2-year old drinks plus the concerns of her own mother made her doubt her ability to provide milk for her child. I shared with her various websites showing that kids from 1-3 years of age actually just need 1 and a half glasses of milk. AND the milk NEED NOT be formula milk. Here's my post on why formula milk is not needed for toddlers.

If you notice, milk companies target their marketing efforts to parents of older kids e.g. 1-3, etc. That's because the rules and regulations implementing the Milk Code explicitly limits the marketing of infant formula and defines infants to be babies from 0-12months old. Now, Atty. Ipat shares that there are moves to change the marketing limitation to cover only babies 0-6months old. Why is this so bad?!

In a study published last year, the World Health Organization found that Filipino mothers are greatly influenced by advertisements or their doctors such that those who have been exposed to these influences are 2-4 times more likely to feed their babies with infant formula products. Further, these mothers are 6.4 times more likely to stop breastfeeding their babies within 1 year of age. Meanwhile, another World Health Organization study on the economic burden of infant formula on families with young children in the Philippines had the following findings:

"The economic burden from infant formula purchase and out-of-pocket medical expenditure exceeded $400 million in 2003. This cost was aside from other costs, such as absenteeism and the risk of childhood death and illness. These expenses caused an unnecessary burden on Filipino families and could instead have been invested in education and other social services."

There is a pending proposed bill to amend the Milk Code. However, while the principal author was on leave, formula companies stepped in and influenced other legislators (namely, Representatives Rufus Rodriguez and Roilo Golez) who revised the proposed bill - which now limits marketing restrictions to babies 0-6 months old [down from the original limitation in the Bondoc bill of up to 3 years old!]. Clearly, there are repercussions to the proposed limitation of marketing restrictions only to babies from 0-6 months old.

Arugaan, Breastfeeding Philippines and other organizations are setting up rallies to call attention to these sneaky changes. There is an online petition to stop the Milk Code 2. Click HERE to sign.

There is also a proposal to send letters to your own district legislators and ask them not to vote for the bill as revised by Rep. Rodriquez and Rep. Golez. Here's a proposed draft. Feel free to copy, revise and send to your own Congressmen. Click HERE to see the list of Representatives and look for your district:

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Dear Representative xxx,

As your constituent, I urge you to vote against the passage of House Bill No. 3396. The original bill has been modified and corrupted to water down the Milk Code - which goes against the essence of the original bill which was to strengthen the Milk Code.

The original bill seeks to limit marketing of formula milk to children up to three years of age. The revised bill reduces this period and limits the marketing of formula milk to children up to 6 months only. The Department of Health advocates breastfeeding for two years and beyond.

In a study published in 2011, the World Health Organization found that Filipino mothers are greatly influenced by advertisements or their doctors such that those who have been exposed to these influences are 2-4 times more likely to feed their babies with infant formula products. Further, these mothers are 6.4 times more likely to stop breastfeeding their babies within 1 year of age.

Another World Health Organization study on the economic burden of infant formula on families with young children in the Philippines established that the cost of infant formula (purchase and out of pocket medical expenditure) exceed $400 million in 2003. This excludes costs from absenteeism and the risk of childhood death and illness, which caused an unnecessary burden on Filipino families.

Clearly, the revised House Bill will only exacerbate the problems faced by Filipino families. Again, I urge you to vote against the revised House Bill No. 3396.

Thank you for your attention and looking forward to your favorable action on this matter.

Sincerely,

xxxxxx
Your Constituent

As a mom, what can you do? You can write a letter to your legislator. Under Republic Act No. 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, public officials and employees are obliged to act promptly on letters and requests by replying within 15 days from receipt thereof and include the action taken the request in the reply. Usually, public officials reply saying that request has been referred to xxx office. But I'd like to positively think that if enough moms write and make the request, they will sit up and take notice. Plus, it is election year next year ;) So get that pen and paper and write away!

Financial Lessons for Kids - Starting them Young

2012-05-21T10:26:00.000+08:00

This is totally different from what I regularly post. However, I feel that the tips given are very useful especially to parents with young kids, like me. I did not write this article but this was shared to me as part of the Weekly Wealth Watch shared by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas through its Financial Consumer Affairs Group. The BSP is planning to come out with a book compiling all their tips on being financially independent. So watch out for that!

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Financial Lessons for Kids – Starting them Young

Money can mean different things to different people at different stages in life. To a toddler, “money” is the clinking sound produced everytime a coin is dropped in a piggy bank. To a preschooler, it is all the toys and candy he can buy. To a teenager, it is having an iPad like the rest of his friends. To the head of a family of five, it is a means of living.

As people mature, their understanding of what money is and how it is used changes. Children are most receptive to learning, thus, parents should take the opportunity to teach their kids financial concepts at this critical period of development. The lessons they learn early will become valuable life skills analogous to reading, writing and arithmetic.

Below are some foundations of money management you can teach your children at different ages and stages lifted from Patricia A. Frishkoff’s Article “Teaching Children about Money:”

Infancy: Birth to 1 year

Obviously, money has no meaning to children of this age. But this is certainly the time when parents feel the financial crunch from expenses for childcare such as infant formula, diapers and strollers and, therefore, should begin long-range financial planning and saving for the future.

Toddlerhood: 1 to 3 years old

This is when children learn to use coins for pleasure, enjoying the sound of dropping coins and the visual effect of swirling coins in a barrel. What parents can do at this stage is to buy a see-through coin bank where you can toss in, with your children, loose change and start introducing them to the concept of money and saving.

Pre-school: 4 to 6 years old

At this stage, children begin to sense the power of money and understand the relationship between money and buying. They become aware of the concept of ownership (mine!) and may start learning how to count money but may not be able to distinguish between its various denominations.

· Money games. To enable children to tell apart a 5-peso coin from a 10-peso coin, it may be helpful to put labels and symbols on the coins such as flower (5-peso) and fish (10-peso) which may be easier for them to grasp.

· Playing store. The objective is to let them experience the fun of shopping and basic money exchange.

· Piggybank savings. The piggybank system is a time-tested tool for helping children to understand that although they may not have enough money now for a particular item, little by little, the money that they save adds up.

· Needs versus wants. It is crucial to impress to children this early that there are limits to the source of money, that people have to work to earn money and that money should be spent wisely – for needs more than for wants.

Middle childhood: 7 to 12 years old

Children this age gain vast knowledge about money and are able to work with different denominations. They understand that different things cost different amounts of money and may, in fact, appreciate paper bills more than they do coins. They are also better capable of understanding the concept of saving and its benefits.

· Learning allowance. Introduce children to the basics of budgeting and goal-setting by giving them an allowance. Encourage savings further by giving their allowance in smaller denominations, i.e. in P20s or P50s rather than in P100s.

· Learning chores. Let children experience the feeling of earning money by paying them to do chores that are non-routine or outside of their regular tasks such as polishing parents’ shoes or raking leaves in the backyard.

· Family grocery. Going to the grocery is usually a child’s first experience with spending and is a good exercise to show the importance of spending within the budget and living within one’s means.

· Matching savings. Reinforce to children the value of saving and earning interest by matching a portion of the money that they set aside, i.e. contributing P10 for every P50 they keep as savings.

· Power of small change. Teach children to value money by asking them to gather loose change and to pick up coins in the street which they may add to their savings and use later for purchases. Emphasize how small coins can go a long way when put together.

· Savings account. When the children’s savings reach a certain amount, consider opening a savings account for them so they can watch their money grow.

Office Pumping Set-up

2012-05-17T11:13:00.000+08:00

I have been back to work for almost 3 months now and have my milk expression routine set up. When I was pumping for N back in 2008, I had my own room. However, due to space rationalization issues, my employer renovated our office and we are temporarily assigned to another room while our office is still being fixed. In our temporary room, our set-up is an "open office" with no dividers in between. Luckily, we have a pantry which has become my "pumping room".

Set-up at the pantry

We also have a refrigerator in the pantry where I store my milk. Meanwhile, my horns go in the plastic box and in the chiller in between pumps. However, there are days that I can't use the pantry and must pump at my desk. Happily, we are a small office (with only 6 employees in the open office set-up) and my back is against the wall. So when necessary, I pump at my desk.

Pumping at my desk

How does my pumping schedule look like? While E is young, I try to squeeze in 4 sessions during the day - 830am, 11-1130am, 130pm-2pm and 4pm-430pm. I previously wrote a post on maintaining my milk supply when I was nursing N and I realized that I kept pretty much the same routine.

What are my pumping essentials? Of course, a good pump - this time, I'm using a Freestyle (which deserves a separate post), a nursing cover, my hands-free band, alcohol (or some other disinfectant), plastic storage case, some paper towels, and of course a refrigerator.

The nursing cover I use is called Pirose made by Reno Rose. It is huge piece of cloth with a hole in the middle where I slip my head through and the fabric fully covers my front and back. I find that this cover is perfect for pumping because I also need to have my back covered, especially when I am trying to wear my hands-free pump band.

With N, I hadn't discovered the hands-free pump band yet. Now, I can't imagine pumping without it! Even during my pumping sessions at home, the hands-free pump band is a must. I am able to multi-task, especially when I am working on my desk. The brand I use is PumpEase and I have both the petite and regular sized bands. The petite is cheaper but covers just about 2/3 of your breasts while the regular sized band is wider - giving more support although more expensive.

It usually takes me about 12-15 minutes to set-up, pump and pack up. I keep my pumping time to about 10-11 minutes and spent the rest of the time packing up. I store the horns in the chiller until the next session - this saves me time as I don't have to wash or sterilize in between sessions. I also keep my expressed milk in bottles in the refrigerator (not in the freezer) as I have to travel home with the milk and don't want a drastic change in temperature. Also, refrigerated milk is more nutritious than frozen milk so E takes my refrigerated milk the next day.

During the work week, I keep the expressed milk in the refrigerator at home for E's consumption. We only freeze whatever is left on Friday night. The frozen milk is stored for future use - to be mixed in E's food when he starts solids or to be donated (when we run out of freezer space!).

Are you a pumping and working mom as well? What's your schedule and routine like?

Guest Post: Knowledge and Experience are the Best Tool

2012-05-14T09:08:00.000+08:00

This is a guest post written by Dr. Anne Margaux Bautista-Quezada. Anne is a General Practitioner and works full time at the Rural Health Unit in Malita, Davao Del Sur. Anne has 3 kids - Reese Leila (3 yo), Kate Lauren (2 yo.) and Glen Marco (8mos. old). Her husband, Glinard, is also a Physician and is currently reviewing for his Diplomate Exam in Surgery.

Anne is from my hometown, Davao City and graduated from the Davao Medical School Foundation. She became a Licensed Physician in 2007. Aside from being a full-time doctor and mom, she also blogs at Diapers and Stethoscope and owns the online shop The Shop Next Door where she sells baby products.

It is quite refreshing to read about the experiences of doctors. We are a doctor-centric society and we usually believe everything our doctors say. I am happy that Dr. Anne was willing to share her own experiences - failures and successes in breastfeeding. Read on.

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"Breastfeeding is easy"... That was my first thought. I remember buying a cheap breast pump while shopping for my first child. I thought, "Why would I need breast pumps and books on breastfeeding? That should be easy I think". I assume during those times that it would be as easy as 1,2,3.

Why that assumption when it was not actually taught in medical school? During my first year, we touched on breastmilk vs. formula milk in Pediatrics. During my clerkship in OB-Gyne, we were tasked to give a lecture on breastfeeding during mothers' class. "Poor me", I thought. I don't know much about it, I'm not even a mother and there I was giving a lecture about it and I barely even know how to do it. But it was part of my clerkship or I wouldn't graduate. The visual aids were provided. Again, I went through it mechanically. I never really encountered any books on how to properly latch a child to the breast. Sure, I've heard of mastitis, in one or two books like surgery and pathology. Other than that, I didn't read anything else about breastfeeding. And this is the reason why I took everything about breastfeeding so lightly.

Imagine my surprise when I gave birth to my eldest child, Reese. Milk was coming out soon after giving birth. I didn't use the breastpump much. I was directly feeding my daughter. But what came over a few days after that, were pain and tears. Everytime my daughter feeds, I'd be crying in pain with sore nipples. She wasn't latching on correctly. I wanted to continue feeding her but I couldn't take the pain. My breastfeeding journey was over by 2 and a half months. It was a frustration.

Next came the blame game. I blamed myself for not knowing much. I was contented with what I knew then. I didn't see the need to read more about it. I blame my medical school for not giving much importance to breastfeeding. I could have breastfed longer had I known all I know now. Nevertheless, my daughter grew up to be a loving child, having occasional cough and colds but healthy in all aspects.

When my eldest was about 8 months old, I got into the online business. Since I was so passionate about kids, I started selling children's items. This is when I got to know Jen Tan of Next9, Monica and Denise of IndigoBaby. They were all advocates of breastfeeding. I read about their experiences attending

breastfeeding seminars and trainings. Through them, I met other people such as Chronicles of a Nursing Mom. That's when I realized how much people are exhausting to learn about what seemed to me, an easy thing.

By this time, I found out I was pregnant with my second child. I vowed to breastfeed my second child for at least 6 months. I read and read and read. I took all that I could. I even commented on one of the post on Jenny's site on the fact that breastfeeding wasn't taught much on medical school.

When my eldest was 1 year and seven months, she got sick. She had Kawasaki Disease. As I recall how she was up to the point when we took her to the hospital, my heart would ache. The thought of, "If I had breastfed her longer, she wouldn' have had that.'' Of course I wan't sure if that would have been the case.

But that experience made me want to breastfeed my second child longer.

When I gave birth to my second child, Kate, surprise surprise, no milk for 4 days. Not the thing I was hoping for but yes it happened. What does a mother do? Resort to formula milk. However, I was determined - come earthquake or tsunami, I would breastfeed her in any way. I pumped and pumped using my old cheap (P200) breastpump.

Everyday my breasts would be bigger but no milk would come out. They were becoming heavy and the pain was starting to affect me. I knew then that my cheap pump couldn't help me. Luckily, I had been browsing the net for cheap quality pumps although I didn't have the courage to buy myself one. I hurriedly bought the best second hand Medela breastpump. By the time I had it in my hands, I couldn't wait to wash it because I was already crying in pain. My breast was ready to burst. What came after that was 6 months of exclusive pumping. Yes, I wasn't feeding her directly, I still didn't know how to properly latch my baby. Nonetheless, I was feeding her breastmilk. So I was contented.

My breastfeeding career with my second child was over after 6 months. I was on ER duty at times and it was hard for me. Soon after resorting to formula milk, Kate began having various illnesses - flu, upper respiratory tract infections, the things that she didn't have while on breastmilk. I tried squeezing my breast if there was still milk, a few drops were there but she won't take it anymore. That's when I knew that we mothers are goddesses. We can really provide for our offsprings.

My third pregnancy came as a surprise. I was on my way to losing the weight I gained from pregnancy when I found out I was pregnant again. This was to be my last pregnancy - whatever the gender of the baby. I had Hyperemesis Gravidarum in all my pregnancies. I was vomitting more than 15 times a day. I had to be admitted to prevent dehydration. I couldn't take in anything even water. Everything that I ate would come out in 30 minutes. Plus during my third pregnancy, I was already regurgitating blood. My fear overpowered me and I didn't go to the hospital. One of the perks of being both doctors is that help was always just a phone call away - even the OB resident on duty at the hospital.

When I was about 3-4 months pregnant, I applied for a new job. I started working at the rural health unit here in Malita. I was visiting different barangays while pregnant. Nothing could have stopped me and I was seeing the finish line in full colors. At about 34 weeks, I got sick with Dengue fever. Good thing it was only mild. Though I was having contractions, the doctors were able to control it. I was having palpitations again, which I have not had since my first and second pregnancy. But I got better and was out of the hospital. Two days after, I had vaginal spotting and was back in the hospital again. I was having contractions again but they were able to control it and was discharged. However, I continued to have contractions at home so my OB, Dr. Malou Monteverde of Brokenshire Hospital, and I decided to schedule for my third CS when the baby was 37 weeks via ultrasound. So on August 14, 2012, Glen Marco was born.

As with my previous pregnancies, longer duration of breastfeeding was the first priority. I was able to produce a few drops for the first 4 days. We were giving him formula milk on a few occasions but I vowed to keep him on breastmilk. I bought a new breastpump. I was still reading blogs about breastfeeding.

I was also able to purchase my very first breastfeeding book from Babymama. As soon as my milk was established, he was exclusively breastfeeding. I also learned to put him on my breast which I had done since day 1. This has helped me feed him longer and established a proper latch.

Unfortunately when Marco was a month old, he had to undergo surgery for hernia. Imagine the heartache of seeing your child crying for food. They also noticed that he had jaundice. They were trying to get blood samples, which they couldn't. During one of our follow-up appointments with his pediatrician, the substitute

doctor requested for blood samples. His bilirubin levels were elevated. I knew what was coming next, to feed him formula. I was concerned. My heart was aching. On one hand, I didn't want to stop giving breastmilk and yet on the other hand, my mind was saying, what if?. So I fed him formula milk for 6 days. A repeat blood sample resulted to a decrease in bilirubin levels. As soon as I got the go signal from his pedia, I fed him breastmilk immediately. It was breastfeeding jaundice after all.

In my entire breastfeeding journey, I have relied on blogs, books and articles. I have read other breastfeeding mothers' stories, I have joined breastfeeding blog carnivals, I have joined contest online and actually won a breastpump. And when I see patients who are having a hard time breastfeeding, I try to teach them what I have learned. It's easier to teach when I have actually tried it. When my pedia patients are crying while examining them, I tell their mothers that they could breastfeed inside my office.

I do not claim to be an expert on breastfeeding, I do not have any certificates to show you that I am a trained breastfeeding counselor. What I have is all the knowledge gained through experience and constant learning from different people.

Up to this day, my almost 9-month-old son is still breastfeeding. I work full time at the health center. I have vowed to continue breastfeeding for as long as I could. It's not easy, so I count on different blogs and books and stories for inspiration.

Recently, we were able to donate Marco’s extra breastmilk. We were able to give more than 20 bags, about 2 ice box, of frozen milk to the babies of Southern Philippines Medical Center. My family is hoping we can still do it again soon as we continue with our breastfeeding journey.

To other breastfeeding mothers who are struggling with their supply or with how to do it despite the busy schedules, don’t lose hope. Just continue to feed your baby, read up, ask others and pray!

Babywearing Safely - Legs Out Position

2012-05-10T10:36:00.000+08:00

*This is Part 4 of a series.

As I mentioned in the Introduction, it was Steffany's post in the Natural Parents Network that really got me thinking about babywearing positions and safety. You see, what I picked up from that post was that babies - even newborns - should be in a legs out, spread squat position.

I had been babywearing E as a newborn and while we were in a tummy to tummy position, his legs were "froggied" inside the carrier. When NPN post came out, E just turned 2 months but since he was already a big baby (he was 6.7 kilos at his 2-month check-up), I was able to easily transition him into a legs out position and have been wearing him in that position since then.

However, I was concerned about other babywearing parents, especially those with newborns and with small babies. I think the primary concern would be how NOT to overspread baby's legs in the legs out position. Steffany has been most helpful in replying to my email questions:

To answer your question, the baby does not spread the width of your body when they are in the natural spread squat position. The term "spread squat" refers to the natural spread of the legs that would mimic how far the baby naturally spreads their legs when they pull them up naturally with a diaper change or while they are in arms. The width of the spread will not be determined by your body, rather by theirs, and it will look different as they age and grow, and also will vary from baby to baby as well. The spread of the legs is accompanied by the bottom being lower than the knees, which is also a necessary component for the spread squat positioning. You can see in this video how a 3.5 month old baby is positioned. The legs are not spreading the wearer, but a natural spread squat position is obtained. You can also see in this video how the same position is obtained with a newborn with a much narrower spread, yet it is still the natural spread squat position.

I have also done more research and the French wrap maker je porte mon bebe has this FAQ on how to prevent baby's legs from being over spread or forced into a squat.

My next question to Steffany was whether it was physically feasible for a small baby to have the legs out position in a carrier. Steffany sent me this photo of her wearing her 3-week old baby in a wrap.

The video here shows how to put a 1.5 month old baby in a sling with the legs out position.

The pictures in this link also show how small babies can be positioned with legs out. Finally, this link talks about babywearing a premature baby and the picture shows the small baby in a wrap with the legs out position.

Even for small babies, the legs out position is highly recommended. I have pasted below the reply of Beate Frome of the Babywearing Institute to my question on whether you can feasibly carry a small baby with legs out position. Beate's book is very informative and I would recommend it to parents who are still shopping for carriers. Meanwhile, you can also watch videos of small babies with legs out position in the je porte mon bebe website - although the site sells wraps, Pat of Wear and Nurse Baby, has successfully used the videos to carry her small baby, legs out in a ring sling.

Pat of wearandnursebaby.com
wears her 3-week old legs out
in a ring sling

It is important to remember however, that for really small babies, the legs out position may not be possible. I clarified the comment of the Babywearing Institute above with Hosanna Camacho, PT. She mentioned that newborns are normally not placed in carriers frequently due to mother's recovery time and baby's limited activities (sleeping). She further explains the physiological flexion of newborns, whereby they are still all rolled up with tight miuscles and ligaments. As such, she believes that it is okay for newborns to be in the froggy position, but NOT FORCING legs into the froggy position. Finally, she notes that there are also a lot of factors to be considered such as the size of the baby, size of the mother, in determining whether a newborn can be in the legs out or legs in position.

As the Babywearing Institute emphasizes, the safe position to be worn is the squatting straddle position (wrongly called the frog leg position) - see photo.

squatting straddle position
from the Babywearing Institute

The Babywearing Institute provides the reason for the legs out position and their recommendations should you wear your baby with legs in position:

Research has show how important the slightly tilted position of the pelvic floor for the hip is. If the legs are inside, the spine bears some of the jolts that would otherwise be absorbed by the squatting straddle position of the legs and knees. Baby can also not be actively involved in stabilizing him or herself which gives the baby a sense of loss of control. If baby is still all rolled up, try massaging and stretching baby's legs at least every time you change your baby. With legs in, the babywearer should not be moving around much but rather sitting down with the baby in the carrier. The spread-squatting position is the best for baby's hip development, hence a cradle position is not recommended, even for tiny babies.

Hence, if you must carry your newborn inside the baby carrier, the squatting straddle or the spread squat position is recommended - which is usually done legs out. But do not force your baby to do the legs out position. Instead, if you do wear your baby legs in, try not to move around too much to prevent jolting of your newborn's spine.

Whatever carrier you choose, make sure that it meets minimum requirements for a safe carrier. To end, here are some babywearing safety reminders:

Pat of wearandnursebaby.com
wears her 3-week old legs out,
off-centered carry in a wrap

Although babywearing allows parents to be hands free, they must still be conscious of their child and ensure that the baby can breathe – e.g. chin not tucked into chest, face not covered by fabric
Do not use your baby carrier as a car seat.
Use carriers that are appropriate for your baby’s weight and age. Some carriers are made to support older babies. Do not use them for newborns.
Carry your baby in positions that are appropriate for their age. For instance, for newborns, tummy to tummy carry is recommended and not hip carry.
Do not use your carrier while cooking as this will subject baby to an increased risk of burns. Don’t also use the carrier when doing activities requiring protective gear.
Inspect your carrier to ensure that it is safe to use – check the fabric, seams, buckles, rings.
Practice, practice, practice. Babywearing is fun and easy but just like breastfeeding, it is a learned skill. Practice with a doll and practice in front of a mirror.
Use a carrier that has a seat fabric that can be spread from one hollow of baby’s knee to the other, to enable baby to obtain the proper positioning.
When using carriers in public, remember that your baby can reach. Don’t forget to protect your baby from the elements either.
Carrier must fit the wearer properly. Particularly for sized carriers, do not attempt to share a carrier with your husband if your sizes are far apart. Safety of your baby is more important than money savings.

Questions? Concerns? Leave a message!
====================
Babywearing Safely: Introduction
Why Cradle Carry is discouraged
Front Facing, Front Carry?
Legs Out Position

A Mother's Day Giveaway from The Learning Basket

2012-05-07T08:30:00.000+08:00

Mariel Uyquiengco used to be a customer at my online store and eventually became the supplier of one of my more popular products. When she approached me about her hosting a giveaway on the blog for Mother's Day, I happily said yes, especially since one of her prizes was a book that N and I love - Guess How much I Love You. I'm a frustrated homeschooler and I do admire parents who are able to successfully homeschool their kids - and Mariel is one of them.

Aside from homeschooling, she’s also a Kindermusik educator grooving and feeling the beat with 5 to 7 year olds every Saturday. She started blogging about their fun learning activities at home in 2011 and received numerous questions from Filipino parents. This inspired her and her friend Sanne Unson to open an online shop featuring pre-selected and pre-loved children’s books paired with activity suggestions. Oh and lastly, Mariel is also an IT consultant working from home in most days.

Our mothers are our first and best teachers. Since this giveaway is for Mother's Day, let me share Mariel's previously published post on how SHE became her daughter's first and best teacher.

----

When my daughter was a baby, I religiously checked developmental milestones every month. I bought or made toys for different areas of development, and coached (okay, harassed) our Yaya on what to do with her whenever I was out. Our daily routine, then as now, was planned to have music, books, and a lot of play time.

As Little T entered that age where family, friends, and even strangers were asking where she went or where she was going to school, I found myself researching on what is out there. I considered several preschools, and even thought several times that a particular school or method was for us. Things changed when I stumbled onto homeschooling.

Attachment Parenting Beyond Diapers

Reading and reflecting about the possibility of homeschooling excited me. Little T learning at home, by my side, in a relaxed, unhurried way appealed to me immensely. After all, I have been her teacher from the moment of her birth.

She learned how to walk, talk, eat, and became the wonderful girl she is under my watchful and loving eyes. I am eager to witness her person continue to unfold before me in an environment of love, play, discovery, and exploration.

Being a breastfeeding and babywearing mom, I find homepreschooling a natural extension of attachment parenting.

The Best Education

My husband and I do not wish to enter Little T into the race that early childhood has now become. We are convinced that staying at home and being allowed to explore the world in her own terms is the best education we can give her at this time of her life.

Homeschooling beyond preschool fascinates us but it will have to be thought of, prepared for, and prayed about when the time comes. For now, Little T’s preschool is right here at home, with her first and best teacher – me.

The Learning Basket hopes to inspire parents to be their children’s first and best teacher, and is giving away a special edition of Guess How Much I Love You Book and CD to two readers of Chronicles of a Nursing Mom. The lucky winners will also receive a TeethingBling bangle of their choice.

Contest will run from May 7, 2012 until Mother's Day - 12 May 2012. Join through Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Babywearing Safely - Front Facing, Front Carry?

2012-05-04T09:33:00.000+08:00

*This is Part 3 of series.

I was quite surprised to read how long term front facing front carry position is also discouraged. As I previously mentioned, we used to carry N in a Baby Bjorn that way. According to Hosanna Camacho, PT, the front facing and front carry position is not advisable for young babies at it puts stress and pressure on their undeveloped spine. It is only an advisable carry when your baby can crawl as by then, the spine has already developed.
Hosanna Camacho, PT, also doesn't recommend the lotus or kangaroo position. According to Hosanna, only young babies [with undeveloped spines] will let you put them in an "indian-sit" position. Bigger babies will refuse to be in this position as it is uncomfortable - their entire weight will be sitting on their legs/feet.

from http://storchenwiege.com/babycarrierresearch.htm

Over-stimulation is also another reason why Western babywearing advocates advise against the front facing front carry position. French wrap maker je porte mon bebe emphasizes that front facing front carry should only be at home in quiet moments, never for transport and not for long periods of time. For German wrap maker Storchenwiege, it is the inability of the baby to turn inward toward a parent's body and block out surrounding stimuli, that makes this position unfavorable.

Meanwhile, although The Portable Baby does not buy the argument on over-stimulation, she also has her own list of disadvantages against the front facing, front carry position:

Please also note that the facing out position is not optimal for the baby's spine. While the Gemini allows for a slightly seated position (as opposed to dangling suspended by the crotch as with the BabyBjorn and other carriers), the ideal ergonomic position for a baby's spine is to sit with knees spread at the level of the seat. Prolonged use of the facing out position is not recommended, but it is fine for short periods.

You might also hear from Ergo and other carrier manufacturers that babies cannot stand to be facing out, as they become easily overwhelmed and overstimulated. Frankly, each baby is different. Some babies LOVE to face out, and practically insist on it. Other babies might prefer to face in. Your own baby will let you know what he/she prefers at various stages of development.

The only downsides to facing out that I have found are a) a baby that falls asleep facing out has no head support, b) facing out position is hardest on the wearer's back and c) facing out is not optimal ergonomically for the baby's spine, but is not harmful or damaging for short periods.

As I discussed in my previous post, the proper position for a baby, whatever the carrier, is the spread squat position - for the baby's bum to be supporting the weight, the knees be higher than the bum and for the seat fabric to be spread from the hollow of one knee to another. So if you do want to carry your baby in a front facing, front carry position, try to look for a carrier that will help you meet those guidelines.

If your baby prefers being in the front carry, front facing position in your arms without a carrier, please note that there are differences between being carried in a carrier vs. in the parent's or caregiver's arms. As this post explains, without a carrier, a baby carried in his/her parent's arms will get shifted about A LOT. Baby will not be in the same position for a long time. If you do go for a front carry, front facing position, don't keep baby in that position for a long time, make sure you change positions and more importantly, watch your baby if s/he gets bothered or uncomfortable.
====================
Babywearing Safely: Introduction
Why Cradle Carry is discouraged
Front Facing, Front Carry?
Legs Out Position

Blog Giveaway: So that's what they're for! + Birth Pack

2012-05-01T10:47:00.000+08:00

It's time for a blog giveaway! It's been 2 months since I went back to work and things have been quite hectic. My top priority now is de-cluttering our home - you wouldn't believe the amount of stuff we've accumulated in 5 years (marriage, having N, then now E). De-cluttering is good because we've been finding things that we thought we had lost. I also found some books which I realized I had bought 2 of - so I'm going to be giving away one of the copies I have!

One of these books would be Janet Tamaro's "So that's what they're for!" book on breastfeeding basics.

The book is mostly text but is written in a "girl-friend" style format. The author covers breastfeeding from start to finish (weaning). She also includes some stories and anecdotes from moms who shared their breastfeeding problems and successes.

A look inside the book

If you're a new mom who is already breastfeeding - I wouldn't recommend it at all since it is text-heavy and let's face it - new mom, lack of sleep, crying baby - mom would most likely throw the book out! However, I would recommend this book for pregnant moms to read in their 2nd-3rd trimester. The book is reader-friendly and the author explains breastfeeding in the most simple way possible.

This giveaway is for the 2nd edition of the book (as pictured). To enter to win, visit my Facebook page and leave a comment on how far along are you and what your biggest breastfeeding worry is.

Birth Pack

Once you've left a comment on my FB page, leave a comment in this entry in the DISQUS comment box that you've done so. Please note that your comment must be made in the DISQUS comment box to count. Comments made through the Blogger comment box won't be counted. I have to do this because Blogger does not record the email address which makes it difficult to contact the winner.
One entry per person please. Contest is open to pregnant moms with delivery address within Metro Manila. And since this is a pregnant mom contest, I will add a birth pack consisting of 3 huge maternity pads, 2 disposable panties and 2 peri-plus perineal cold pack.

Contest is open from 1 May 2012 until 8 May 2012. One winner will be notified via email and will have 3 days to respond to claim her prize!

Cloth Diapering 101

2012-04-28T09:07:00.000+08:00

Missed the Cloth Diapering 101 talk last Saturday? Don't fret! We are organizing another one - scheduled on 7 July 2012, 1-3pm still at Medela House.

This talk is something that pregnant moms and even part-time cloth diapering moms should attend. Cloth diaper pioneer mom Jen of Next9 plus cloth diaper mom experts from Tickled Moms Clarice and Abie share their tips and insights on how to make it work.

In the meantime, you can also check out this slideshow prepared by Tickled Moms and Next9 Baby.

Babywearing Safely - Why Cradle Carry is Discouraged

2012-04-26T09:08:00.000+08:00

*This is Part 2 of a series.

For newborns, the best way to carry them is tummy to tummy (upright). Cradle carry is discouraged because of the risks of hip dysplasia which is the general instability or looseness of the hip joint. Click here to see an animated video of how hip dysplasia happens and here for the different stages of hip dysplasia. Here's a photo of the proper position of a baby inside a sling to prevent hip dysplasia.

from the International Hip Dysplasia Institute

Note that hip dyplasia is a concern not only in slings but more so in baby harnesses and swaddling. Check out this photo of the proper way to wear your baby in a harness and compare it with the "moby" carrier from a leading baby store chain.

In our conversation with Hosanna Camacho, PT, she emphasized that to prevent hip dysplasia what is important is for the carrier to support the baby's buttock and thighs such that the fabric is from one hollow of the knee to the other. Thus, make sure that you avoid carriers with narrow seats. Watch this BBC video on dysplasia. In about 2:14 of the video, an orthopedic surgery consultant shares how to prevent hip dysplasia when babywearing.

Another reason why cradle carry is discouraged for newborns is because of the risks of positional asphyxiation. The BabyWearing Institute defines positional asphyxiation as follows:

[Positional asphyxiation] is essentially a kink in the airway. Baby's chin hits his chest and kinks the airway. Baby cannot breath and dies within 3-5 minutes without making a sound. Baby's head is too heavy for him to lift out of a compromised position like the cradle carry.

This is a concern in the cradle carry position because of the high incidence of the baby's chin getting tucked into the chest. Some manufacturers recommend adding a pillow, etc. which results in an additional suffocation hazard and actually defeats the purpose of babywearing since you will constantly have to watch your child so that he doesn't get suffocated or regularly adjust the position.

If your baby prefers being in the cradle carry position in your arms without a carrier, it doesn't mean that you should put the baby in a cradle carry position in the carrier. As this post explains, without a carrier, a baby carried in his/her parent's arms will get shifted about A LOT. Baby will not be in the cradle position for a long time.

====================
Babywearing Safely: Introduction
Why Cradle Carry is discouraged
Front Facing, Front Carry?
Legs Out Position

A Nursing Mom's Shopping Guide - More clothes!

2012-04-23T10:30:00.000+08:00

More than 2 years from my second post on nursing clothes and I've discovered several more nursing clothes available locally. I now have a second nursling and I'm quite pleased to find that there is now a variety of selection compared to the selection available when I started nursing N. For this post, I will be focusing on 3 brands - Maternalove, Eden and Latch a Babe.

Maternalove is a Singaporean brand which was brought to the Philippines by my blog sponsor Hatch and Latch. The brand was designed with with chic-oriented mothers in mind.

My favorite piece in the selection is the convertible dress which you can wear in 10 ways!

How's that for versatility? Check out the available designs over at Hatch and Latch.

A new local brand of maternity/nursing clothing is Eden, developed by Bianca Araneta-Elizalde together with LATCH President Buding Dee.

The brand is now on its second collection. The clothing line can be used from pregnancy to breastfeeding and are meant to be contemporary, sexy and fashionable. My favorite piece is the Eiffel dress from the first collection - the layers hide the extra bulges, especially on my thighs :D

Eden clothing can be purchased at their showroom at Unit 403, La Fuerza Plaza, 2241 Chino Roces St. Makati City.

Finally, we have another local brand - L.A.B. or Latch a Babe. Also on its 2nd collection, this brand was started by high school friends - Cheryl Tom Wong, Marigold Siy-Lee and Eulyn Reyes. All items are locally made and quite affordable.

You can purchase L.A.B. clothing through their Facebook page.

Check out my previous posts on where to buy nursing clothes in Metro Manila:

Part 1

Part 2

Breastfeeding Cartoon! Baby Bubbly

2012-04-21T09:04:00.000+08:00

I love this breastfeeding cartoon! N loves it too. Check it out!

Some edits that Dr. Jessa wants to do - skin to skin contact and non separation of mom and baby. Commendable would be the semi-upright labor, labor companion of choice and no IVF!

Incidentally, it is E's 4th month day today!! How time flies!! Happy 4 months E :)

Babywearing Safely - Introduction

2012-04-19T09:28:00.000+08:00

*This is Part 1 of a series.

I am not a babywearing expert nor I claim to be. I'd rather call myself as a babywearing enthusiast. I have my own collection of carriers all purchased [thank you Black Friday!] except for the following given to me: Ring Sling from Jen, Ring Sling from Jonie, Ring Sling from Clarice and Abie, Ruxpin Hybrid and MeiTai from Buding.

my collection: Peanut Shell adjustable pouch, Next9 ring sling, Ruxpin Hybrid, shower sling, Maya wrap, Mamaway ring sling, Moby wrap, Blissfulbabes Pouch, Saya carrier, BabyHawk Meitai, Olives&Applesauce Soft structured carrier, Patapum Toddler Carrier, Ruxpin Meitai and Hotslings Adjustable pouch

My interest with babywearing started with N, who is now 4 years old. S and I started wearing her at about 6 months in a Baby Bjorn, (gasp! what was I thinking?! I hadn't researched well at that time) and eventually in a pouch and Saya (a hybrid carrier). I am now babywearing E (who is turning 4 months on April 21) in a ring sling. Meanwhile, S babywears E in his soft structured carrier. I am transitioning E into our other carriers like the meitai and Ruxpin hybrid.

This series of posts is a result of my online research (thank you Ma'am Ampy for the research skills) and email correspondence with Steffany Kerr, founder and President of Babywearing International of Kansas City and a certified Babywearing Instructor. I have also inputted some information obtained from a consultation with Hosanna Camacho, a pediatric physical therapist, who I was able to meet thanks to Jen of Next9 Baby.

As an enthusiast, I had been organizing meet-ups since early 2011 but my interest in babywearing correctly and safely was piqued by this article written by Steffany for the Natural Parents Network. Next9 Baby and I are trying to bring a babywearing educator to the Philippines but high costs and lack of interested participants have caused us to temporarily shelve this project.

In the meantime, I have decided to compile the resources I obtained so I can easily access them when necessary. I hope readers will find this compilation useful.

==========
Babywearing is becoming more and more popular in the Philippines - and the list of locally made baby carriers is growing!! However, as with all products, safety issues have also cropped up. I put my legal research skills to good use and found several excellent resources on babywearing safety. Babywearing is fun and easy but needs to be done properly for it to be safe. My purpose in writing this series is to to inform, educate and compile the various resources available on babywearing safety.

The major concern that parents usually have with babywearing is that their babies might become bowlegged. If you check the physiological position of babies, spine is curved, limbs closed together and elbows/knees bent. Babies' legs are not straightened out [as is the desire of some parents to prevent babies from being bowlegged]. Proper babywearing actually responds to this as the goal is to keep the babies in their physiological position, even while wearing them. In fact, in an interview with Hosanna Camacho, a pediatric physical therapist, she emphasizes that what is dangerous is for parents to try to "straighten" their babies' legs and try to exercise them by going forward and backward.

So tell those naysayers that babywearing won't cause your baby to be bowlegged! More on babywearing myths in a future post! Next part of the series will be up next Thursday.

Update: Next9 Baby previously wrote a post about the STICK rule of babywearing. Read about it HERE.
====================
Babywearing Safely: Introduction
Part 1 - Why Cradle Carry is discouraged
Part 2 - Front Facing, Front Carry?
Part 3 - Legs Out Position

Going out of town with cloth diapers

2012-04-16T09:03:00.000+08:00

This post is written for the Real Diaper Week Carnival with the theme "Real Simple. Real Diapers." We aim to educate and advocate the use of cloth diapers in the Philippines. Please scroll below to read the other carnival posts about cloth diaper styles, how to's or must haves.

Prior to a planned trip to Subic where we would be spending the Holy Week, Baby E had been using cloth diapers and cloth wipes 24/7. However, the said trip made us debate on whether to keep him in cloth diapers or momentarily switch to disposables. We also had to consider the fact that we would be living in a friend's guest house. We eventually decided to continue to cloth diaper him 24/7 -- and we survived!

Happily, since we would be going on a car trip, excess baggage was not an issue. In fact we overpacked! We brought more than 20 cloth diapers for a 3-day, 2 night stay.

E's cloth diapers ready for travel (we overpacked!)

We also brought a small basin and some Perla soap to handwash the diapers. [Caveat: Some cloth diapering users don't like Perla because it causes residue build-up on the cloth diapers, causing them to repel liquid.]

soaking used diapers

At home, E's yaya is allergic to stains so she hand washes the inserts to remove the yellow poop before running them soap-less in the washing machine, then drying them in the dryer. For our trip, E's yaya washed the diapers in the bath tub (there was no laundry area) and hung them to dry in the garden. Since we were traveling by car and didn't worry about excess baggage, the damp diapers were simply stuffed in the wet bag to be machine dried at home.

The book Changing Diapers has great tips on traveling while on cloth diapers - from using a hybrid system to utilizing public laundromats or even handwashing your cloth inserts. For online resources, you can also read about cloth diaper travel tips from the Real Diaper Association, The Cloth Diaper Whisperer on the Flip System and AIOs/Pockets and the Eco Chic with tips on plane travel.

It is definitely easier to travel with cloth diapers on a road trip. Our next challenge is a trip to my home town - Davao in May 2012 which is an hour and a half away by plane!

Have you traveled with cloth diapers? Feel free share your tips and experiences!

==================
Check out the entries of the other participants. To be updated within the day. Thanks!
Next9 Baby's The CD Revolution
Tickled Mom Clarice's Stuff you need for an easier CD-ing life
Buntis' Milo's stash of real diapers
Happy Tots Studio's Matteo's Diaper Story
Hoo Goes Where's Real Diapers Our CD Journey
Misisagun's We Choose Cloth
MrsBry's Z loves: Next9 Cloth Diapers
This Mom's Life's Transitioning to Cloth Diapers
ms. Masungit's Cloth Diapers? Where?
The Odyssey of Dinna's nurturing rafael: the cloth diaper chronicles
The Articulate Pen's Making the Switch to Cloth Diapers
The Common Mom's Surviving the Holidays with Cloth Diapers
Tickled Mom Abie's Cloth Diapers. A Quick Review of the Different Systems
Swept Away's What We Love About Cloth Diapers
Organized Junk's Out and About with Cloth Diapers
Chronicles of a Nursing Mom's Going out of Town with Cloth Diapers

Review and Giveaway: Changing Diapers

2012-04-12T07:31:00.000+08:00

My first born N had been semi-cloth diapered and I do admit that at that time I thought that cloth diapering a baby at night and when going out was quite impossible. The book Changing Diapers was released in October 2011. I waited for the Black Friday sale and hurriedly purchased 3 copies - for myself, E's ninang Jen plus 1 more extra copy.

It was my first time to see a book dedicated to cloth diapering and I was quite excited. The book was written by Kelly Wels, a cloth diapering advocate who used to own the diaper store Kelly's Closet.
Released in October 2011, this book was the perfect read while I was pregnant with E.
What I love about the book is that it is very reader friendly. It deciphers the cloth diapering terms - AIOs, hybrids, snappis, prefolds, hemp, etc. and helped me decide which diapers to purchase for baby E. I especially liked the section on what's inside a disposable diaper (page 22) - yikes!

step by step guide to laundering

If you are new to cloth diapering or even just thinking about it - get this book! With its lovely photos and excellent illustrations, it will help you wade through the cloth diapering world and succeed 24/7. [The photos of cute diapers would be enough to convince any hip mom to cloth diaper!!] The book even tackles cloth diapering in the hospital setting and shares anecdotes from dads. For example, Jack's dad shares his Dads' Dirty Dozen on Cloth Diapering - and this is something you can share with your bub's dad, too! Wondering if you can cloth diaper even when traveling or when you have multiples? Changing Diapers has answers to those questions.
Even if you are already a cloth diapering mom, this book is an excellent reference especially for laundering diapers from removing odors, stains, storing. The book also lists several cloth diaper brands -- not too good -- as it added to my fluff shopping list!
Have a doubting friend? Lend her your copy of this book and it will definitely change her mind about cloth diapering!
Want your own copy? You can purchase one from Amazon or Kelly Wel's website. OR you can join this giveaway through Rafflecopter! As I mentioned, I have 1 extra copy which I'd love to share to my readers. So join now!
Contest starts on 12 April 2012 and will end on 21 April 2012. Limited to participants with Philippine addresses.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Product: Arms Reach Co-Sleeper

2012-04-09T14:56:00.000+08:00

Sometime in February, Pam of Perfect Pieces contacted me and asked me to post about Arms Reach Co-Sleeper. I got quite excited that this product is now locally available. I had been wanting to buy it but thought that the shipping costs from the US would be quite prohibitive.

Michelle

Pam

Pam and her partner, Michelle, met in college and have 2 (soon to be 3) kids between them. Although Michelle is based in the US, the two friends kept in touch and discovered that they both had a similar crib for their babies - an Arm's Reach co-sleeper. Both of them loved the product and discovered that it wasn't available in Manila. Believing that every new mom should have one, they decided to bring it into the Philippines. They were able to work out an exclusive distributorship for Arm's Reach co-sleeper in the Philippines and thus started their journey as mompreneurs. Both Pam and Michelle breastfeed (hooray!) and attest that the Arm's Reach co-sleeper has tremendously helped them enjoy that experience even more.

Here's more about the Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper:

The Arm's Reach® Co-Sleeper® Bedside Bassinet brand from the USA, the best-selling and only patented co-sleeping product on the market recommended by doctors and childcare experts, and endorsed by Hollywood celebrities. Co-sleeping provides the safest sleeping experience for baby, promotes breastfeeding, and enhances the natural bonding process between mothers and infants.

I'm all for co-sleeping but I do understand that some moms are uncomfortable or paranoid about having their babies on the same bed with them. With this in mind, the people behind the Arm's Reach co-sleeper created a bedside bassinet to allow moms to co-sleep with their babies and assuage their fears of squashing their babies.

Unlike our improvised co-sleeping crib, the Arm's Reach need not be pushed against the wall because it has a "patented secure attachment system affixes next to your bed for the safest sleeping experience possible." Perfect Pieces has brought in 2 types of co-sleepers:

"The Original co-sleeper retails at P15,999.75 and comes in Cocoa/Natural or Black/Toffee, while the Mini cosleeper retails at P13,999.75 and comes in Natural/Natural or Cocoa/Natural. Each unit comes complete with a breathable mattress, cotton, fitted sheet, and nylon carry bag. The unit easily folds up into a portable carry case that fits into most overhead luggage compartments, perfect for travel or even sleepovers at the
grandparents’ house."

The bassinet converts into a playard for older babies and toddlers. Would I buy it now? No, since we already have an existing crib for E (inherited from N) which we modified to become a co-sleeper. But if I hadn't previously bought that wooden crib for N, I most likely will purchase this co-sleeper for E.

For more details, contact +63917-8445942, email or visit their Facebook page.
Trivia: can you believe that they even have sleeping bassinets for pets?!

Since we don't have an Arm's Reach, we put N's old wooden crib against a wall and took out one side. N sleeps with Stan and I on the big bed while E sleeps in the modified co-sleeper. What are your current sleeping arrangements?

Join our Real Diaper Week Blog Carnival

2012-04-04T11:50:00.000+08:00

The focus for this year's Real Diaper Week is advocacy and education with the overall theme being "Real Simple. Real Diapers." If you're interested in joining this, then I'm sure you know all about the benefits of cloth diapering and bursting to share them! I also know that there are a lot of Pinay moms who are well-versed and highly experienced in the use of cloth diapers. Since we aim to educate, promote and inform and I'm not sure if there will be a future local cloth diaper carnival, let's try to cover as much information as we can during this carnival!
You can choose to write about any of the 3 categories below:

Cloth Diaper How to's - how to make cloth wipes, how to remove stains, how to prep new diapers, how to survive overnights or short trips on cloth diapers, etc. etc.
Cloth Diapering Must Haves - day-to-day essentials, when going out, when out on a trip, etc.
Cloth Styles - talk about your cloth diaper stash, post a review of your favorite diaper brand or store, the different types of cloth diapers

If this is your first time to join a blog carnival, you can check my previous carnival posts to have an idea how a blog carnival works. To join, please fill up this FORM. Deadline for registration is 14 April 2012. Posting instructions and carnival rules will be e-mailed to all participants on 15 April 2012. The carnival will go live on 16 April 2012. PLEASE POST ON 16 APRIL 2012, beginning 12MN.

Don't forget to email me your link once your post is up so I can include you in the list of carnival participants. <p>&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

Real Diaper Week 2012

2012-04-02T10:39:00.000+08:00

I'm pretty excited about this year's Real Diaper Week! It's actually my first time to participate. I had previously cloth diapered N during the day but used disposables for her during the night and when we went out. With E, I researched more, and was more experienced and currently cloth diapering him 24/7 plus we use cloth wipes, to boot!

N in her Next9

Real Diaper Week is scheduled from 16 - 21 April 2012 and this website has specific information on daily activities for the week to promote the use of real (cloth diapers). The culminating activity is the Great Diaper Change which seeks to beat Guinness World Book of Records for the most nappies changed at the same time. However, it is scheduled on 21 April 2012, 930am PDT which is 22 April 2012, 1230am OUR TIME. Since I'm a mom of 2 young kids and need my sleep, I'm not even going to attempt to join (much less organize) it this year. Clarice and I are in talks to organize one next year though - although hopefully, my little E will be toilet-trained by then!

E in his Rumparooz

My purpose in celebrating Real Diaper Week is to promote the use of cloth diapers and to show how easy and simple it is. With N, I was quite intimidated with the thought of cloth diapering - which was why she was only semi-cloth diapered. However, I got to talk to moms (yes, Clarice , that's you!), read information and forums on how simple and easy it was to cloth diaper 24/7, even a breastfed baby with wet poo! We are now cloth diapering E 24/7 and I'm hoping to promote its use to more Filipino moms!
First up is a blog carnival which will be the subject of a separate post. I'm also organizing a Cloth Diapers 101 Talk at Medela House on 21 April 2012 at 1:30pm. This will be organized together with Next9 Baby and Tickled Moms. Target audience would be pregnant moms or moms who are not using cloth diapers but are interested yet intimidated with the thought of cloth diapering. Interested? Sign up here.
I've also emailed the Lifestyle Editor of the Philippine Daily Inquirer in hopes that cloth diapers can be the subject of a future article. If you have the email addresses or contacts with other newspapers, do write them and ask that they feature cloth diaper during the Real Diaper Week.

There will also be a cloth diaper drive to collect old and used diapers for donation to The Little Children's Home in Taytay, Rizal. Target date for bringing the diapers to the orphanage is on 21 or 22 April 2012 (in the morning). Drop off point for the used diaper is at Medela House, 29 1st St. New Manila, Quezon City (M-F 830am-530pm, Sat 830am-230pm). You can also courier your donations to me (contact me to get shipping address). If you'd like to volunteer a location to be a drop off point, do contact me too. We need more drop off points!

*Update: Drop off point in (1) San Antonio Village, Makati or (2) West Ave. Quezon City. Please email me if you'd like to drop off diapers those areas so I can send you directions/addresses.
*Click here for complete list of drop off points.

If you are donating, please email me your name and how many diapers you donated so I can include your information when we deliver the diapers and the orphanage can properly acknowledge you. Please email me also if you'd like to join the drop off scheduled either on 21 or 22 April 2012. [Update: 22 April 2012 is Earth Day 2012!! So I think that would be a better day to drop off the diapers at the orphanage :D]

*Update: The beneficiary for the cloth diaper drive is The Little Children Home run by Help International Ministries, Inc. They currently have 18 kids, with 14 of them in diapers. The orphanage currently uses diapers made from flour sacks. They only have 7 waterproof or all in one diapers and with 6 infants, the diapers get used up quickly.

Are you a cloth diapering enthusiast and want to help? You can do so by asking a pregnant or non-cloth diapering friend to attend the Cloth Diapers 101 talk. You can also donate your old diapers for the cloth diaper drive. If you have a blog, you can join our blog carnival! Meanwhile, if you are a vendor, maybe you can hold some sort of promotion on your respective sites during the Real Diaper Week. On my part, I'm going to be giving away my extra copy of Changing Diapers book so watch out for it!
Do you have any suggestions or comments? Drop me a line!

Ruxpin - A First Look

2012-03-29T11:30:00.000+08:00

I got into babywearing with N quite late - she was already about 18 months old. During this time, Buding's new product - Saya - was introduced and I lined up to be one of the first customers. I purchased the SSK Brown Floral, replaced my existing pouch and happily wore N until my back couldn't take it anymore. Now that E is a little bigger, I have started using the Saya for him and E is loving it the same way his Achi did!

took the Ruxpin for a spin!

Buding developed Saya when N was a toddler and now that I have baby no. 2, she has developed a new carrier line with not just 1 or 2 but 3 new carriers! The new line is called Ruxpin and my favorite among the 3 carriers is the modified wrap which is essentially an adjustable Saya - perfect for sharing between couples and no more sizing issues. Detailed review of the carriers would be for a future post! ;)

The Ruxpin will be launched this Saturday at the Babywearing 4 meet so make sure you watch out for it! Meanwhile, read on to learn more about the brand, the history behind it and the carriers available

*Update: To buy Ruxpin, contact 8465929
==============================
Ruxpin Press Release:

Partners Bianca Araneta-Elizalde and Buding Aquino-Dee both agree that the best place a baby should be is in the loving arms of mommy. Having said this, the ancient art of Babywearing is something both of them dutifully practice. Buding is no stranger to the babywearing scene. She is the brains behind the well loved SaYa baby carrier and is also the creative designer of a beautiful line of Blissfulbabes pouches. Bianca, who is the maven and muse of Eden Designlab Intl. has been an avid babywearer since day one, long before babywearing has been in vogue locally. It is to her credit that the word "RUXPIN" was coined.

Filled with beloved childhood memories, Bianca now immortalizes one of her favorite characters by paying homage to TEDDY RUXPIN. He was an adventurous talking teddy bear who rose to fame in the 80's capturing the hearts of many boys and girls who enjoyed the books in tape and animated tv show series. Dubbed as the "thinking child's Care Bear", it was through one of the books that Bianca first heard a term that relates to babywearing, the word "marsupial". Teddy Ruxpin answered the question "Are Koalas Bears or Not?". So, at a very young age, Bianca nurtured her knowledge and love for animals while widening her vocabulary as well.

Fast forward to today, both these pioneering women are bursting in the seams with excitement to unveil their latest collaboration…a luxe line of baby carriers that will reinforce the Babywearing boom. The Ruxpin line is a collection of wonderfully crafted and thoughtfully designed carriers. Their signature product is the Ruxpin Mei-Tai, which is a traditional carrier spruced up with a lot of pretty and practical features that will make it appeal to every modern mama. They are also offering the Ruxpin Hybrid (Double Ring) Sling, which is a cross between a ring sling and a wrap.

The carriers will be informally unveiled and launched at the Babywearing 4 Meet this Saturday. Stay tuned for more details about this wonderful line of carriers that caters to the different stages of Babywearing to suit every need and lifestyle. Simply put, Ruxpin --- "Love the One you're In".

Update to the March 31 Babywearing Event

2012-03-26T14:30:00.000+08:00

We are overwhelmed with the number of people who signed up for Babywearing 4!! The form has been temporarily shut down since we have long passed the maximum number of people. The Painter's Wife will be sending email confirmations within this week. As much as we want to accommodate everyone, the venue is not huge so we have to shut down the sign-up sheet for now. Do monitor it within this week as we may be able to put it up again when we receive cancellations. So if you have signed up for the event but can't make it, please do cancel to give space to other interested persons.

View Larger Map
Let's get down to business. Pay parking is available in the middle of the Renaissance complex. The Function Rooms are in Tower B of Renaissance 3000 building. Please note that the event is not in a mall so there is nothing to keep your older kids entertained. Since you are attending to learn how to babywear, it is important that you bring the child you will be carrying but preferably, not your older kids so you can focus on the task at hand. Also, this is a private residential building so if the older kids get rowdy, security may step in and ask them to leave. There will be URC products (foods and drinks) available for purchase at the Function Room. If you have strollers, we ask that you leave them in your car as we expect the place to be packed. Let me emphasize again - we have limited space - so if possible, please leave lola, aunty, uncle behind if they will not be learning to babywear anyway.

Now for the fun stuff! We are happy to have so many vendors participate in the event, including 2 new local carrier brands! Participating vendors include Next9 Baby, Saya, Ruxpin, IndigoBaby, Bosom Buddy, Tickled Moms, Numa (Boba and Sleepy Wrap) and Mamaway. Plus we have raffle prizes galore - certificates and products from Next9 Baby, Mamaway, Blissful Babes, Roots and Wings Trading, Eden, Mothering Earthlings, Manila Baby Shop, Bailey Wrap, Indigo Baby, Numa, Googoo&Gaga, TickledMoms, Thrifty Mama, Celestina & Co. and Caleb's Closet.

Are you excited yet? I am!! See you on Saturday! I definitely will be babywearing E!

Please watch this space or The Painter's Wife for more updates within this week.

Concerns of a Milk Donor Mom

2012-03-22T09:36:00.000+08:00

I write this post because I have been receiving requests for milk or inquiries where to get breastmilk. I understand that some moms need milk for their sick or premature children but having been the receiving end of rude queries and emails, I want to emphasize some things to moms who are asking for milk. I previously wrote a post about responsible milk sharing and I'd like to reiterate a comment I made there:

Granted, there are emergencies that lead moms to request for donor's milk but it must be emphasized that requests for donor's milk should only be made one time and is really not a sustainable practice. Moms need to learn that they are responsible for their own babies' consumption and not too rely on other moms' milk.

As a full time working mom, expressing milk through pumping is a TRIAL I have to go through EVERYDAY to provide enough milk for my baby. Yes, I pump everyday including weekends to make sure my supply is enough for E who is growing bigger and drinking more! Plus, I do not have a private office so I pump at my desk with a nursing cover (in full view of 5 other people) or in our pantry.

Do you think I enjoy pumping? No, I don't but I know my body and based on past experiences, I know that I have to pump as soon as I wake up PLUS schedule 4 pumping sessions during the work day to make sure that my milk supply does not dry up. I also need to pump once each day on Saturdays and Sundays to make sure that my routine is not shaken up. PUMPING IS A ROUTINE! And to be successful, you need to keep your routine.

Because I have a small freezer, I cannot store a lot of milk which I can save for future use. Hence, I choose to donate it. My experiences donating Naima's milk had been pleasant. I donated to twins, triplets, preemies and milk banks. However, I cannot say the same for Erik's milk. There have been some demanding moms or friends of moms. After my post on PEDALA's milk delivery services, I received this email:

Do you deliver breastmilk? Where do you put your breastmilk? And the breastmilk which is Same day Delivery is good for 10 hours for an infant? Did I understand right?

I replied with this - "Please read the post carefully. I don't deliver the milk. It is PEDALA who picks up and delivers the milk. "
Then the writer replied with this:

Oh. You had a different understanding with my message. I know that the PEDALA bikers are the ones who deliver the milk. But what if you dont have a donor? Do you offer suggestions for a donor?

To which I answered - Sorry, I don't offer suggestions for a donor. PEDALA also doesn't offer suggestions of a donor. Thanks!"
She then sent me this reply - "Thank you very much for the very approachable way of answering my questions. Helping a mother in need of breastmilk for a baby."

I don't think I deserved the sarcasm. Plus, if you read the email thread, I do not see how I had a different understanding of the first email. She was CLEARLY asking ME if I deliver breastmilk to which I answered NO. Email messages like this frustrate me. Sometimes, I'd like to share information about breastfeeding or breastmilk but some people expect that things will be readily available and they want to be spoon-fed with everything. Let me repost this note from Human Milk for Human Babies - The Philippines on Etiquette of Milk Recipients.

If you are asking for breastmilk, you must know how difficult it is to express milk and fill up that milk bag you will be receiving. Breastmilk is made with love and care. Donor moms also pack their milk with love and care. For people asking for breastmilk, please read the following guidelines:

1. When you say you will pick-up the milk, please do pick-up the milk. If you promised to pick-up at a certain date and time, please text or email the donor if you will be late or can't make it. Do not pick up late at night. Donors are also mothers with families. BE SENSITIVE!

2. If you fail to pick up the milk at a certain date, CONTACT the donor first if the milk is still available. IT IS THE DONOR'S OPTION to give the milk to another recipient if you cannot pick up on the date you stated.

3. AT THE VERY LEAST, please replace the milk bags that the donor gives you. Milk bags are also purchased by the donor so please replace them so the donor can continue giving milk to other needy babies. (I'd like to add to this - did you know that Fabella charges P200 per OUNCE of milk? So really, the least you can do is to REPLACE the milk bags. The donor moms have the right to charge for their own breastmilk - they just choose not to do so.)

4. Be prepared when you pick up. Bring clean coolers. Donors prepared their milk with care and do not want the milk to be thrown out because of improper transport.

5. Do not ask the donor to text you if she has more milk. It is YOUR OBLIGATION to monitor the HM4HB Page if there are more milk offers posted.

Remember, it is not the donor's obligation to give you milk.

As I end, let me emphasize, I am happy that I am able to provide enough for my baby E and able to donate some extra milk. I do have a hierarchy of babies I give milk to - first would be the sick or premature babies then multiples and milk banks, then for emergencies, e.g. mom got sick, etc. If your baby is healthy and you just cannot pump enough milk, ASKING FOR MILK is not sustainable - you need to bring up your own supply (and I have previously written how to do it here).

Also, I'd like to remind you that I am not a cow. Pumping is hard work and is a hassle. So, before you ask me for milk, please think - are you pumping as many times as I do? I am a mother of 2 young children. So that pumping won't take my time away from them, I wake up EXTRA EARLY in the mornings so I can squeeze in some pumping time while they are slumbering. Pumping is a sacrifice which I make for MY OWN CHILD. So please do not ask me to include your child in that sacrifice. IT IS YOUR JOB as the mom to make that sacrifice for your own child.

Happy Three Months to Baby E!

2012-03-21T14:26:00.000+08:00

How time flies!! Little E is no longer a newborn!

Get ready for a FAB event!

2012-03-19T08:39:00.000+08:00

Guess what's coming up on the last day of March?

It's time for Babywearing 4! In a teaser post last February, I mentioned that BW4 is in the works. We have finally ironed out details and it will be held on 31 March 2012 (Saturday), 130pm at Renaissance 3000 Tower B Function Room. See map below (where "A" is) for details.

View Larger Map

To avoid the chaos that was in Babywearing Meet 2, we have prepared a sign up sheet for interested participants. As much as we want to accommodate everyone, the current location is a residential condominium complex. We don't want to antagonize the residents living near the function room as they might ban future similar events.
Anyway, we will open the event to as many participants as the function room can hold. So please do sign up early to help us plan ahead. The event is free. There is paid parking within the complex.
Vendor/manufacturers include Next9, Saya Baby, Ruxpin by Eden, Indigo Baby, Mamaway, Bosom Buddy, Maya Wrap, Bailey Wrap, Boba/Sleepy Wrap (through Numa) and Ticked Moms. We have asked the vendors/manufacturers to bring their carriers for sale.
We have come a long way from the original babywearing event! The very first event was held in May 2011, organized by me, Jen Tan of Next9 and Abbie Yabot of Maya Wrap at the behest of Benz of W@W. Since then, the events have become bigger and more organized. I'm really excited about this event, especially since I have a young (but not so little) baby to wear!! We will also be having raffles and so far prizes we have collected include gift certificates for the first 10 early bird registrants from Mothering Earthlings plus a Mamaway sling, a Next9 Baby sling, a Bailey Wrap, a Blissfulbabes Pouch, 2 gift certificates for P1,000 each from Numa, 3 1-week supply vouchers from Mommy Treats, Earth Pockets Bag from Indigo Baby, Transition Tubes from Eden and Babylegs from Roots and Wings Trading!
If you have questions, you can contact me through my CONTACT page. We have been trying to organize a local babywearing association of sorts and actually already have a name!! Hopefully we will be able to formalize the association by then.

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