Legally Mom

BREASTFEEDING BEYOND 1 YEAR: BARRIERS AND ISSUES

2011-11-04T18:07:00.001+08:00

"Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (November). For this month, participants share their experiences on extended breastfeeding. This includes tips to moms with young babies, as well as barriers and myths which discourage extended nursing. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants."

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I breastfed my now 6-year old daughter C until she was 2 years old. I am still breastfeeding my baby B who is now 14 months old.

Whether one is breastfeeding an infant or a toddler, one thing has remained the same--breastfeeding benefits the child and the mother. Having this evidence-based fact in mind, I made a conscious decision to breastfeed for as long as possible.

The issues and concerns that I have in breastfeeding a toddler are the same and yet different from the concerns I've had while breastfeeding an infant.

Pain. With my baby B, I dealt with sore nipples for the first two weeks due to improper latch. When he started teething at around 6 months, I had to endure the occasional bites until he learned that he is not supposed to "bite" the "goose that lays the golden egg", or in this case, the mom who produces the liquid gold. (Sorry, my Tax Law Review class is about to start. I've been reading a number of cases where the Supreme Court used this idiom.)

Now that B is more than a year old, he has suddenly transformed into a Manny Pacquiao boxing wannabe and a football striker, rolled into one. My days and nights of reading while breastfeeding have ended. I have to be alert to make sure that B does not get a lucky kick straight to my jaw. Gentle hands and gentle feet, something that I've learned from my daughters' pre-school teachers, has become a favorite reminder to my baby B.

Supply. "Is my baby getting enough?" This is one of the common concerns of breastfeeding moms, especially during the first few weeks of breastfeeding. Fortunately for me, this was not a problem. That was until my daily yield of expressed breastmilk (EBM) went down from 24 ounces to 15 ounces when B was around 9 months old. The decrease, coupled with the fact that B is not as chubby as his formula-fed counterparts, made me question myself if B is getting enough milk and nutrients.

But my worrying about my milk supply in relation to B's weight gain was short-lived. Why should I needlessly fret when B is an active, healthy toddler who drinks breastmilk and eats complementary solid food, and is regularly seen by his pedia? And instead of using the growth chart in B's free baby book which is most likely based on the growth of formula-fed children, I used the WHO growth chart after learning that this new chart "makes breastfeeding the biological 'norm' and establishes the breastfed infant as the normative growth model."

Besides, a study showed that in the second year (12-23 months) of life, 448 ml (about 15 ounces) of breastmilk provides:

29% of energy requirements
43% of protein requirements
36% of calcium requirements
75% of vitamin A requirements
76% of folate requirements
94% of vitamin B₁₂ requirements
60% of vitamin C requirements

Time. As a full-time working mom who is usually out of the house from 6 am to 8 pm every working day, I need to express milk several times in the office. I need to do this in order to maintain my milk supply and ensure that B will have something to drink while I'm not with him. It's a good thing that Republic Act No. 10028, otherwise known as the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009 (EBPA), grants nursing employees paid lactation breaks of not less than 40 minutes for every 8-hour working period. And as I've written in my previous post, nursing employees who are breastfeeding children up to 36 months of age are entitled to this break. Yes, up to 36 months!

Support. I am fortunate to have supportive family, friends, employer and co-workers who never questioned or commented on, no matter how well meaning the comment may sound, my decision to breastfeed my daughter C until she was 2 years old. I even brought C, who was then 17 months old, to an out-of-town strategic planning session.

If you don't have a support group, then this is a good time to join one. You'll be surprised at the number of local breastfeeding support groups we have here in the country!

Breastfeeding in Public. It is possible, however, that you may get unsolicited comments and stares while breastfeeding an older child in public. You may consider these suggestions from babycenter.com:

If you're bothered by unsolicited comments and stares, you might find it easier to nurse your child at home before heading out to the store or the park. Some moms find it more acceptable to nurse at set times during the day — like in the morning, before naps, or before bed — and teach their toddlers to drink from a cup during meals and snacks.
If you don't care what people think or say, then have some snappy responses ready when someone asks you the inevitable question: "Is she still nursing?" Sometimes a simple "yes" is the best conversation stopper. Or, the next time you're nursing in public and someone asks, "Are you ever going to stop breastfeeding?" say, "Yes, in about ten minutes."

Now, I happen to fall under the second category!

What about you? What concerns did you deal with or are dealing with in breastfeeding your child beyond 1 year?

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Please do take the time to read the posts of the other blog carnival participants:

J and the Three Boys - No more "de-de"

My Mommyology - My Extended Breastfeeding Experience

Mommyluscious - Breastfeeding for Two Beyond Two

Truly Rich Mom - On Extended Breastfeeding (a perfectly normal thing to do)

Life of a Babywearing and Breastfeeding Mommy - Still breastfeeding after 2 years

Got To Believe - Breastfeeding Room Story

Apples and Dumplings - My Constant Challenge with Extending Breastfeeding

Mommy Kuwentos - Challenges and Rewards of Extended Breastfeeding

The Odyssey of Dinna - Nurturing Rafael: Extended Breastfeeding, Stretching Some More Lovin'

Homeschooling Mommy - Yes, I've Got Milk

SOlovelyN - As long as he wants, I can

Touring Kitty - Extended Breastfeeding is Possible

SassyBiatcheMom's World - 1.4 and still breastfeeding

Mec as Mom - Shooting for the Benefits, Extending the Love

Chronicles of a Nursing Mom - Barriers/Myths vs. Extended Breastfeeding

PHOTOBOOK

2011-09-15T17:05:00.003+08:00

I just discovered photo books. And I'm hooked.

Just like most moms, I've taken lots and lots of pictures of my three children. But in this age of digital photography, most of our pictures have not been printed, much less placed in albums or scrapbooks. They are just posted on Facebook and saved in my computer's hard disk.

That was until I found out about photo books. To put it simply, a photo book is like a coffee table book and a personalized photo album rolled into one. And since my baby B's first birthday is fast approaching, I felt that this a good time to give photo books, which I intend to show around during the party, a try.

Edit Your Pictures. I read somewhere that it is important to edit your pictures before using them for your photo books. I edited mine using Picasa, a free photo editing software from Google. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a techie. The extent of my editing prowess is limited to crop, highlight, fill light, increase shadow, and sharpen. But the pictures came out a lot better even with my minimal editing.

For my initial venture, I tried two photo book makers, one of which is Photobook Philippines.

1. Software. As a newbie, I want a software that is ultra user-friendly. Photobook's software meets this criterion. In fact, it even offers a number of ready books--photo books that have pre-designed templates.

A sample of a ready book. All you need to do is add your pictures.

Since I want a personalized photo book, I decided to make my own from scratch. I never had trouble with Photobook's software. It was very easy to use. The instructions were clear and even a non-techie like me had no trouble following them.

Just drag the page style of your choice to the page you're making
then add your pictures.

This is another page style that I like.

It was also easy to insert text. Just click then drag the text icon (A+)
to the page you're editing.

You can also change the color of your page background.

You can also use a picture as your page background.

Unfortunately, and this is my only beef so far with Photobook, it does not have readily available page backgrounds to choose from. (Or it may have but it was not apparent to me.) I still need to ADD images that I can use as background. Contrast this with Picturebook, the other photo book maker that I used, which has lots and lots of available backgrounds in solid colors and in prints. But I guess this is a small price to pay for a stable and error-free software.

Just drag your chosen background (right side) to the page
you're editing.

Picaboo, another photo book maker, also has lots of wonderful backgrounds. However, I didn't want to pay US$24.99 for shipping alone so I said adios to it.

The other thing which I wish Photobook has is the online sharing capability that Picturebooks and Picaboo have. The best that Photobook could suggest is for the client to create proof files which can be combined into a PDF file and then emailed to family and friends.

A sample of a proof copy.

But as you can see, with the words "Proof" prominently appearing on the page, it was easy to understand why I decided not to email the proof files.

2. Customer Service. I am pretty impressed with Photobook's service. I called its Philippine office and requested if it's possible to have my photo book delivered by Friday, or barely 4 working days from the day I sent my order online. The girl I talked to politely said that it normally takes 7 working days to finish the book and another working day to deliver it. However, she said that she would take note of my request.

And guess what? My photo book has just been delivered to our house this afternoon, 3 working days from the day I made my order. That was fast, really fast!

I can hardly wait to see my photo book!

(To be continued. My next post would be about the photo book's quality.)

*I added an image zoom effect on the pictures. I hope it works. (It does work!)
** I paid for the product mentioned here. I don't personally know anyone from Photobook Philippines. I have not received any compensation to write this post.
*** I've already discovered how to download the frames and images which I could use for the background. Upon opening the Photobook software, click the "Check for Updates" tab, then click "Start". A list of frames, images, etc. will appear. Just click those you want to download. Note that you have to be connected to the internet to do this. (Updated on 08 November 2011)

HAIRCUT

2011-09-12T17:35:00.001+08:00

Disregarding tradition, my baby B had his first haircut yesterday, a week before he officially turns 1 year old.

Getting ready for his haircut.

What will happen to me?

"Excuse me, but what are you going to do to me?"

The barber had an easy time. B was so well-behaved!

Call it overacting but I really felt emotional about it. It was like I was saying goodbye to his "babyhood". Unlike my experience with my two daughters whose hair I just trimmed myself, the change B's first haircut brought was so drastic.

B with his new look!

All of a sudden, I now have a little man!

BOOKS, BOOKS, BOOKS

2011-08-24T17:38:00.001+08:00

I just wrote in my previous post that a number of local publishers are selling storybooks that are written both in Filipino and in English. I also mentioned that these storybooks are relatively inexpensive compared to those written by foreign authors.

Guess what I saw on FB this morning:

Adarna, the publisher of some of the storybooks that my children love--Isang Mayang Uhaw, Si Pagong at Si Matsing, and Papa's House, Mama's House--will be selling bargain storybooks at PhP35.00 each and brand new storybooks at PhP55.00 each. Great!

This book fair is so timely! I, together with my batchmates, intend to help Bautista Central School, a public elementary school in Pangasinan, have a library full of books. The fair would certainly be a good opportunity for me to check out and buy books at low prices!

Come September 14, I will definitely be going to the MIBF!

Raising FILIPINO-Speaking Children

2011-08-23T17:15:00.007+08:00

August is not just World Breastfeeding Month. For the Filipinos, it is also Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa (National Language Month).

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When I gave birth to my first child 8 years ago, my husband and I made a decision to raise her as an English speaker.

Our mistake was in thinking that in order to raise an English-speaking child, she should not be exposed to any language other than English. (What were we thinking?) We instructed the yayas not to speak to her in Filipino or in any local dialect. All the educational materials (books, DVDs) that she was exposed to were also in English. We reasoned out that she will eventually learn Filipino when she starts mingling with the other children in school.

Not knowing any better, we repeated the same mistake with our second daughter C.

It was a wake up call when I heard my then 5-year old daughter sing "Bayang magiliw, Perlas ng....what's that word again?" And we're talking about the same girl who knew the entire lyrics of Camp Rock's "This Is Me".

What have we raised? Mga banyaga sa sarili nilang bayan. (Foreigners in their own country.)

As a result of our folly (and I can't even claim the folly of youth), we now have an 8-year old girl who has to double her efforts in preparing for her Filipino class. My 6-year old daughter hardly understands, much less speak, Filipino.

Our situation is not so peculiar. Other Filipino families are experiencing the same problem. Friends have posted in FB videos of their children singing what sounded like the Philippine National Anthem. Well, the melody sounded like it's Lupang Hinirang but the lyrics were definitely not those of our anthem! And just in case you're wondering, I also have a similar video of my daughters singing our national anthem, or what sounded like one.

Having realized our error, we introduced three important changes in our household. Hopefully, the Filipino adage, "Huli man daw at magaling, naihahabol din," will hold true for us.

1. We started talking to our children in Filipino. We assumed that our children will learn Filipino from their friends and classmates. Big mistake. Most, if not all, of my children's classmates are also English-speaking kids.

We experienced difficulty at the start especially with our second child. Whenever I talked to her in Filipino, she would just stare at me as if she didn't hear anything. I had to translate everything in English. But our efforts paid off. While C is still having a hard time talking in Filipino, she could now at least understand a little Filipino.

I and my husband have also been talking to our 11-month old baby B in Filipino and in English.

2. Make learning Filipino words fun. Our family loves to play "I spy with my little eyes something that is..." Instead of doing this in English, we started doing it in Filipino. And so I spy became "Ang aking mga mata ay may nakikitang...ano ito?" This is actually more fun than merely saying chair is upuan.

3. We began buying Filipino story books and read them to/with our children. In my previous post, I mentioned that my husband and I are trying to raise readers. Unfortunately, while we do have lots of children's books in our home, almost all of them are written in English.

So we started buying children's books that are written both in Filipino and in English. I usually let my children choose the stories that they like. And unlike the books written by foreign authors, the books by Adarna, Lampara, Hiyas and other local publishers are relatively inexpensive. Here are some of the Filipino story books my children like:

This is a 2-in-1 book. Aside from learning Filipino,
my second daughter C also learned the importance of
sleeping early.

This book introduces problem-solving
and how to count in Filipino.

I like Dr. Gatmaitan's stories. This one illustrates a father's love
for his disabled daughter. It actually made me cry.

When my first daughter chose this, we had a discussion on the
difference between fiction and non-fiction. And then she asked me,
"What's fiction in Filipino?"

(Picture taken from Adarna's website)

My daughter F just bought this book from her school's book fair yesterday. This book "reminds us that children who grow up with two parents in one home are raised and loved no differently than those who have two homes." (From Adarna's website) And should you need to discuss the sensitive topic of separation in a manner that children can understand, reading this book is a good starting point.

What about you? Is your child having problems speaking in Filipino? What have you done to help your child? Please share some tips.

BREASTFEEDING TALK BETWEEN ME AND MY FORMULA-FED DAUGHTER

2011-08-17T23:56:00.019+08:00

"Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (August). For this month, we join the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action in its "Talk to Me!" theme where participants will share personal experiences, insights or recommendations in communicating breastfeeding intentions and goals to their support system. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants."

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"Ma, did you breastfeed me when I was a baby?" my second daughter asked me one afternoon.

"I did. I breastfed you for two years."

"What about me?" my 8-year old firstborn inquired.

It took me a while to answer her. The truth is, I breastfed her for a few days only. Due to delivery-related complications, I was given medicines that the doctors said were not safe for a newborn. My first month after giving birth was spent confined at a hospital, and going back and forth the emergency room due to high fever, vomiting, and severe allergic reaction to medicines. By the time it was safe to breastfeed my daughter, my milk had dried up and she absolutely refused to latch.

So, how does one discuss breastfeeding with a child who was formula-fed? How does one emphasize the importance of breastfeeding to a daughter who, in a brood of three, happens to be the only one who was not breastfed?

I distinctly remember that while I was thinking hard and fast on how to answer her, there were three things that I wanted to be clear about.

First, I love her very much and my actions and decisions have always been guided by that unconditional love.

Second, breastmilk is still the best for babies under most circumstances and had it been medically safe for her to have my breastmilk, I would have willingly and lovingly breastfed her.

Third, while I intend to breastfeed B, her youngest brother, for as long as possible, my breastfeeding goal is not limited to that. As a mom of two girls, it is my long-term goal to raise daughters who, when the time comes, would choose to breastfeed. But I know that it would be difficult to do that if F perceives breastfeeding negatively as a result of her being the only one who was not breastfed.

With the "what I want to say" being clear in my mind, I began to answer her question both in words and in deed.

1. Honesty is still the best policy. "Yes, I breastfed you but for a few days only," I told F. I could have just answered her yes because technically, that is true. (Ah, have you noticed how lawyers often resort to technicalities? But I digress.) I've always tried to be honest with my children. I wasn't about to start lying to her by omission.

2. It's all about love. I emphasized to her that I love all three of them--her, my firstborn, her little sister and the bunso. Because I love all of my children, I want to give them the best milk. And breastmilk is still the best for babies under most circumstances.

This, I told her, is the reason why I breastfed her sister for two years and am still breastfeeding her baby brother who is now 11 months old. And my unconditional love for her is also the reason why I breastfed her for the first few days of her life.

3. I never assumed that she would not understand me. I explained to her that while I've always intended to breastfeed her, I would never knowingly put her at risk. Unfortunately, because of all the medication that I was taking after giving birth, it was not advisable for me to breastfeed her (or at least that's what my doctors told me).

"I get it. You were sick and you didn't want me to get sick also," she said.

Come to think of it, that perfectly summed it up.

4. I let her (and my other daughter) be a "part" of my breastfeeding relationship with baby B. I always make sure that she feels welcome to stay with me while I'm breastfeeding B. I also pointed out that my breastfeeding B benefits not only the baby but the entire family, including her and her sister. How? Since breastmilk is free, she knows that Mom and Dad don't have to buy formula milk. Instead, we can use the money to watch movies or buy her favorite Geronimo Stilton books.

5. I discuss breastfeeding with her and correlate it with her experiences. For example, last December, she and my second daughter had a terrible bout of cough and cold which necessitated frequent visits to the doctor. She had to drink nasty-tasting antibiotics in order to get well. And then she remembered that B did not get sick at that time. She concluded that it must be because B was drinking breastmilk!

I am happy to say that most of my breastfeeding pictures were taken by my daughter F. And when she started doing this, I knew that she understood my message--that breastmilk is still best for babies.

But more importantly, she knows that I love her, breastfed or not.

*On hindsight, how I wish I knew then that relactation is possible. This is why being informed about breastfeeding is so important and crucial to a successful breastfeeding experience.

**My daughter is not only a part of my support group. Had she felt bad knowing that she was the only one who was not breastfed, it would probably be difficult for me to continue breastfeeding B openly.

Please do read the posts of the other blog carnival participants:

Communication and First Time Breastfeeders
Creating a Pro-Breastfeeding Culture in the Family
How to get others to support you in breastfeeding
Pre-Natal Pediatric Consultations Are Necessary
On breastfeeding: Say it, claim it, get support!
My Best Breastfeeding Support System — My Husband
Communication through Breastfeeding
Escie's World: Ready, Get Set, Go! for Breastfeeding
I'm breastfeeding, and that's that.
BreasTALK : Text, Retweet, Share your Knowledge and Experiences
A Shout out to My Breastfeeding Buddies
Talk and Make It Happen
How I Taught the Family to "Breastfeed"
Effective Communication Bucket List
6 persuasion tips for breastfeeding moms and advocates
How I recruited my top breastfeeding buddies
Couple's Decision and Communication: Key to Successful Breastfeeding
A-S-Ks (On Breastfeeding Questions, Help, Support)

MOMMY NECKLACE, MY NON-ESSENTIAL NURSING MUST-HAVE!

2011-08-08T16:50:00.003+08:00

A non-essential but a must-have? Isn't that a contradiction?

If you are a nursing mom like me, you most probably have experienced hair pulling, arm pinching, and having little hands touching your nose, your lips, you name it. Not to mention the times when you have to deal with a fussy, distracted baby.

That was until I discovered the Mommy Necklace, a stylish but SAFE accessory that is both Mommy and baby-friendly.

Why non-essential? Because even without it, I CAN still breastfeed B.

But with the Mommy Necklace, this Mom gets to be more fashionista-looking without compromising the safety of her baby.

Wearing the dangling donut necklace.

With the Aurora Flat Rock.

I like it so much that I wear it even though B is not with me.

Wearing the Allure Flat Rock in the office.

Aside from being nice, the Mommy Necklace is functional. No more hair-pulling and arm-pinching while nursing. And it also helps keep B quiet and busy.

B is playing with the donut necklace while nursing.

Most importantly, it is SAFE for babies. No lead. No phthalates. And it's guaranteed from breakage.

No wonder that my Mommy Necklace has become a non-essential nursing must-have!

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Note: All of the necklaces shown here were paid for. I decided to write a post about the Mommy Necklace since I've been receiving a number of comments and questions about it.

HAND EXPRESSION SAVED THE DAY!

2011-07-26T17:01:00.007+08:00

Oh no! I left my electric breast pump at home!

Every working day, I bring to my office two containers--a Coleman soft cooler where I put my storage bottles, breast pump flanges and ice packs, and a white plastic box where I put my electric pump. While I always check if the green and white containers are in the car, I failed to do it this one time. Then, Murphy's law struck!

I have no choice but to learn how to hand express breastmilk. And I had to learn it fast.

Fortunately, I came across this video on the Marmet Hand Expression technique.

After watching the video twice, I was more or less confident to give the Marmet technique a try. I am happy to say that after expressing twice (one at 12 noon and the other at 5 pm), I was able to express 8 ounces of breastmilk. Not bad for a first timer!

Of course, this was way below my usual yield when using my ever reliable electric pump. But at the very least, I didn't have to endure the discomfort (and even pain) of engorged breasts.

Here are the things I learned while doing the Marmet technique:

When done properly, it is NOT painful at all. The only discomfort I felt was in my right arm, the one I used to express milk. I was able to lessen the ngawit by placing my right elbow on an arm rest. (I guess with more practice, I would be able to learn how to use my left hand effectively.)

Use a wide-mouth bottle to collect the milk. I could just imagine how difficult it would be to collect the squirting milk with the more common narrow-mouth bottles.

I was able to collect more by expressing alternately from right to left breast.

Have clean tissues near you to wipe off milk drops. It is extremely difficult to get a good positioning of your fingers when the skin around/under the areola is wet. Without good positioning of fingers, you will not be able to express milk effectively.

Hand expression of breastmilk is one HANDY skill to learn.

This is especially important for moms who have just given birth and who, for one reason or another, cannot directly feed their babies yet. I found this video from Stanford School of Medicine's site showing how hand expression can be used in getting the much-needed colostrum. (If only I knew about this! In the hospital where I gave birth, I had to go to the nursery to breastfeed my baby during the first 24 hours. Now this was extremely difficult for someone who has just undergone a cesarian operation.)

For moms who are suffering from sore nipples, hand expression will buy you some time to rest and at the same time, you will still be able to feed your babies with expressed breastmilk.

For stay-at-home moms who need to express milk occasionally only, why buy pump when hand expression can do the job?

For working moms who have limited budget, why waste your money on a bicycle horn pump? True, it is inexpensive. However, it is not efficient at all and is even painful to use. Some experts discourage use of the bicycle horn pumps because they may be difficult to clean and dry. (Source: US FDA)

For working moms who have efficient pumps, in cases of emergency (e.g., you left your pump, some parts are missing, etc.), hand expression will save the day!

WHY I DON'T NURSE IN BREASTFEEDING ROOMS

2011-07-20T08:23:00.026+08:00

"Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (July). For this month, we join the National Nutrition Council - Department of Health in celebrating Nutrition Month with the theme "Isulong ang Breastfeeding - Tama, Sapat at EKsklusibo!" Participants will share their experiences in promoting breastfeeding or their tips on how breastfeeding should be promoted. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants."

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I don't nurse in breastfeeding rooms. Never did. Never will.

Don't get me wrong. I laud the malls' program to put up breastfeeding rooms. In a country where malls spread like mushrooms and where malling has evolved into a national pastime, providing rooms where moms could breastfeed in relative peace is indeed commendable.

But I don't nurse in breastfeeding rooms. And my decision has nothing to do with their location, size or cleanliness. (Considering how bad I am with directions, B might already be howling in hunger by the time I find the breastfeeding room.)

It's about promotion. As an advocate of breastfeeding, I've been religiously writing blog posts about it. I talk to my friends and colleagues about it. I even wrote an article about my experience as a full-time working and breastfeeding mom in a local newspaper! But I know that nothing beats seeing a breastfeeding mom in action.

So when I'm in the mall, I don't nurse in breastfeeding rooms.

I breastfeed in cafes.

While nursing B in a cafe...

Guess who passed by less than 2 meters away from me?

I breastfeed in restaurants.

Breastfeeding while waiting for our food.

I love this red breastfeeding boncho!

Look how stylish it is!

With the SaYa carrier which doubles as a breastfeeding cover.

Come to think of it, I have nursed practically anywhere as long as there is a chair I can comfortably sit on.

Hmm, I think this was in Tree Top, Subic.

At a hotel-resort. (I just pull the boncho a bit to make sure that
B can breathe properly.)

By the beach.

Besides, breastfeeding in public places has become an opening (no pun intended) to a number of interesting conversations. One lola, seeing me breastfeed B, said that B is very lucky. Why? Because he's drinking breastmilk. She said that her apo drinks formula because her daughter-in-law is a working mom. Aha, you could probably guess where our talk led to.

I understand that there are some moms who may feel uncomfortable nursing in public, what with so many prying eyes. But there are a number of ways in which moms can breastfeed in public discreetly. Here's an informative post on nursing in public.

I do not know what really happened. But somehow, formula-feeding became the norm. Ask yourself. When you are in the mall, how often do you see babies and young children drink formula from bottles? Now, how often do you see moms breastfeeding their babies and young children?

More than ever, our generation needs to reclaim what has been lost. We need to send the message that breastfeeding is as natural as breathing. We need to educate the younger women that breastfeeding is normal and is not something to be ashamed of. We can only do that if people begin seeing moms breastfeed their young ones anywhere and everywhere.

For in the end, actions speak louder than words.

And this is why I don't nurse in breastfeeding rooms.

*Please read the breastfeeding stories of other gorgeous moms here:

Three Ways I Promote Breastfeeding by Example by Dainty Mom

A Simple Breastfeeding Campaign by The Lazy Mama

I Am A Breastfeeding Mom by The Painter's Wife
On Promoting Breastfeeding by ImPerfectly Created
Breastfeeding Promotion Tips from a Formula Feeder by The Fearless Formula Feeder
The Low-Milk-Supply Mommy Did It! by The Odyssey of Dinna
Milk Mama Diaries 3 by Benz Rana
Breastfeeding Mama by canDIshhh
I *heart* Breastfeeding by The Mum Side
Spreading the Word on Breastfeeding by Mommy Kwentos
A Breastfeeding Formula-Fed Mother by Soprano Mom
Breastfeeding: Promoting It Even If I Didn't Get Lucky The First Time Around by Glamma Momma
Taking Breastfeeding Further by Mec as a Mom

I am your breastfeeding friend by Chrissy

More on Breastfeeding Promotion plus a Guest Post by Chronicles of a Nursing Mom

Breastfeeding Promotion - A View from a UK Doctor by Dr Sarah
Thoughts of a Lactating Counselor: Breastfeeding is More of Psychology by Handy Mommy
Celebrating my Magic Milk by Denise Gonzales (@deelirious)
Breastfeeding Sisters by Isis Evasco

And a post by one really cool DAD:
Why It's Easy to Support Your Breastfeeding Wife When Your Favorite Sport is Basketball! by Jonathan Adam Roxas

YOU ARE AMAZING!

2011-07-18T23:43:00.007+08:00

"Ate, you are amazing!"

This was Ina's reaction upon learning that her Ate Fran has been accelerated in her ballet class. A year after starting ballet together, Ina is now in yellow class while her Ate is in lavender, or two levels higher than yellow.

Not only that. Her Ate Fran is one of those chosen to take the Australian ballet examinations in April, an opportunity that is given to a select few.

I was really worried about how Ina would take the news. Would she be depressed? Would she be envious? With a mere two-year gap between her and Fran, it's not uncommon for Ina to compare herself, her abilities, her accomplishments with that of her Ate's. That Fran has this not so nice habit of telling Ina that she's better in Math, in writing, in drawing, oh the list goes on, does not help (we're working on this). I, as the mom/referee, usually end up telling Ina that Ate is better at some things because she's two years older.

"Wait until you turn 8," I told her.

To which Fran has this ready reply, "But when you're 8, I'll be 10!" Hay.

But it turned out that I need not worry. Ina, my lovely little girl, has shown maturity beyond her years. She was not only happy for her Ate, she was actually proud of her! She reasoned out that she would probably be in lavender class when she turns 8. But for now, she's happy that she's been promoted to the yellow class.

Besides, she may not be a good ballet dancer. At least not yet. But she is one terrific storyteller.

Thank you Ina for teaching me a valuable lesson. Thank you for reminding me that there is such a thing as finding joy in somebody else's happiness.

You are truly amazing.

Kung fu snake-style?

THE PROMISE

2011-07-18T12:04:00.010+08:00

My first daughter started dancing ballet last year at the age of 7. I guess that's a little late. But at age 4, she was more interested in swimming.

F may have started late but she's dancing as if she's trying to make up for lost time. I've never seen her this passionate, this intense, this serious. Ballet simply brings out the best in her.

And so a year after starting ballet, she had her first recital.

F as a sprite.

That's her on the right side.

Doesn't she look good?

The Hawaiian number was such a big hit! F is 3rd from left.
My 2nd daughter is in front of her.

F is on the left.

F and I are in the front row.

With her superb ballet teachers and schoolmates.

Last Saturday, her teacher happily informed me that F will be accelerated from pink to lavender* class and that she is one of the few students who will take the Australian Conservatoire of Ballet (ACB) examinations slated in April next year. She emphasized that not all students are given this opportunity. She also suggested that F take extra ballet lessons.

Now, F is already taking street dancing classes on top of her regular ballet classes. I don't want to pressure her so I left the decision to her. Her decision? Yes, yes, yes.

As I looked at the older girls who probably have been doing ballet since they were 5, I saw the promise of what she, with hard work and dedication, could become.

For now, I would hold on to that promise.

*I never did ballet. But as far as I know, the beginning classes' uniforms in her school are pink, yellow, red, then lavender.
*My second daughter is in yellow class starting this month. Here is my post on her reaction when she learned that her Ate would already be in lavender class.

THE LISTERINE THEORY: IS YOUR CHILD PAMPERED?

2011-07-12T22:10:00.012+08:00

"Is your child pampered in a way?"

I was asked this question by a colleague when I posted in FB that my firstborn is studying in a progressive elementary school.

Do I feel like my child is pampered? Definitely. And in many ways.

If it means that my child finds so much happiness in school that she looks forward to going to class everyday, then yes, my child is pampered.

If it means that my child is always eager to learn something new, then yes, my child is pampered.

If it means that my child is excited to do her homework (which doesn't feel like work) on her own even on a Friday night, then yes, my child is pampered.

If it means that my child asks, nay, begs to be given challenging problems in Math and Science, then yes, my child is pampered.

"Why are our schools not places of joy?" This was the question posed by John Godlad twenty five years ago. Alfie Kohn calls it the Listerine Theory of Education. "If it tasted vile, it obviously had to work well." Never mind about child stress. Never mind that young children barely have time to play.

Somewhere along the way, our educators equated more assignments, more advanced topics, more subjects with better quality of education. In the process, learning became a chore, a bitter pill to swallow.

I know how it's like to dread going to school. I know how it feels like to spend hours studying something not because I really like it but because I have to. I've been through that--when I was in law school.

My daughters can wait until law school to feel that. But for now, I want them to find joy in learning.

Source: Alfie Kohn, Feel-Bad Education

*If you want to read the free and abbreviated version of Alfie Kohn's Feel-Bad Education, please check this. But if you want to read more, then you may want to check the book itself.

EXPERIENCING "EXPERIENTIAL" LEARNING

2011-07-11T17:15:00.045+08:00

Experiential learning.

I've encountered this term a number of times in the past 5 years. I've heard of it from school administrators, teachers and even parents. I've read about it in books, online fora and blogs. And with two daughters who are enrolled in progressive schools, I've actually experienced it.

So what is experiential or active learning?

"Active learning takes place with experiences. As students have various experiences, they pick up knowledge. Students will learn more about zoo animals by going to a zoo than by reading about a zoo in a book. Students will learn more about fall leaves by collecting them than by listening to a teacher talk about what they look like. Experiential learning includes all senses, such as sight, smell, sound and touch, to create an overall learning experience." (Source: Active Learning for Children)

Experiential education is often contrasted with didactic education, in which the teacher's role is to "give" information/knowledge to student and to prescribe study/learning exercises which have "information/knowledge transmission" as the main goal. (Source: What is Experiential Learning?)

And so in the spirit of experiential learning, my daughters and I have been to Sta. Elena Fun Farm to see farm animals in action. After seeing what a carabao looks like, my then 4-year old daughter exclaimed, "Oh, a carabao is different from a cow!"

The carabao at work. :)

The carabao at rest.

Do you know what a chrysalis is? I don't. At least not before my daughters pointed out that it's a pupa, the third stage in a butterfly's life cycle. Years after visiting the Marikina Butterfly Farm, they can still remember it because they actually saw a chrysalis.

What about the different rooms in a house? It might be a little boring for a 3 or 4-year old to read about it. But learning becomes more exciting when there's a house visit!

The usual "What do you want to be when you grow up?" is a source of an animated discussion especially if a doctor or a dentist (or even a lawyer!) is invited to talk about what he or she does.

Who are the community helpers? Have you met them? My daughters did when they visited a fire station and met real firemen.

And how do you explain fractions to a 4 or 5-year old child? You invite them to a pizza house! After seeing how the pizza is cooked and sliced, the teacher can now start explaining the concept of fractions, and hopefully, before the pizza is all gone!

Is your child having problems mastering left and right, forward and backward? My daughter happily told me that she enjoyed a game in class where they were grouped in twos. To pass through an imaginary maze and reach the finish line, her teammate has to follow her instructions. "One step to the right. Two steps to the left. Two steps forward..."

Oh, and this one is a favorite. How will your child remember the different parts of a fish? By "inviting" Mr. Tilapia in class! How do you explain the difference between a living and non-living thing? Let the kids observe mongo sprouts grow side by side the "it's-not-alive" stone.

Of course, there are times when the subject matter could not, for practical reasons, be the subject of experiments, field observations, field trips, games, role playing. This is where imagination comes in. And so when my daughter was asked to bring a picture of an animal that lives in cold places, she also showed this picture to her classmates:

and ended her show and tell with this question--"Doesn't Barkie look like an arctic fox?"

*If you want to know more about experiential learning, you may check this, this and this. But if you're really, really interested in it, you may want to check out John Dewey's book on Experience and Education.

RIZAL'S EXECUTION IN ACTION!

2011-07-09T22:00:00.010+08:00

(Photo of Jose Rizal's execution taken by one
Manuel Arias Rodriguez
Courtesy of Norman Sison)

A Facebook friend who is a history buff shared this picture with the note that Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippines' national hero, was actually shot by Filipino troops. Behind these Filipino soldiers were Spanish army troops who were there to insure that the Filipinos would do the job.

As 2011 marks our national hero's 150th year, I mentioned this tidbit of history to my 8-year old daughter.

"But I know that already!" she exclaimed. "Cesar Montano was in our school and there was a re-enactment of Dr. Jose Rizal's execution," she continued. I could only nod as she went on saying, "Some of the older kids played as members of the Filipino troops while the others played as Spanish soldiers."

Actor Cesar Montano as J. Rizal

(F with her classmates and "Dr. Jose Rizal")*

She probably would not have remembered this historical detail if she simply read it from a book. But to witness a re-enactment of Rizal's execution, I guess that's difficult to forget!

Now, this is one of the things I like about F's non-traditional, progressive school. And it's not the showbiz part. Lessons are presented and discussed in interesting, innovative and creative ways. Lessons and homeworks are engaging and never overwhelming. As such, F is always eager to learn. In fact, she loves going to school so much that she is extremely disappointed whenever classes are suspended.

I just hope that the next time F's school invites Cesar Montano to re-enact Rizal's execution, the parents are invited as well. After all, who wouldn't want to see "Rizal" in action? :)

*To protect the privacy of the other children, I did something to blur their faces. As I'm not a techie, that's the best I can do.)

THIS BABYWEARING MOM IS NOT ALONE!

2011-07-06T12:19:00.009+08:00

(Photo courtesy of Benz Co-Rana of MimmaBenz.com)

I attended the Babywearing Meet 2 at Starbucks BGC last Saturday. And for the first time since I started babywearing, I didn't feel so different. So alone.

By now, I'm used to being stared at whenever I go out with Basti in a SaYa, my ultra favorite infant carrier. I've received various comments ranging from "Di ba siya naiipit?" to "Para kang Muslim sa Quiapo!" (As if there's something wrong with that! Oh, but these moms are great! They found a good way to take care of their children while working.)

It was good to see a lot of moms (and even dads) who practice babywearing. Everywhere I looked, there were moms and moms-to-be wearing pouches, ring slings, and SaYa. I even saw a dad with a "gear" that looked like a mountain climber's backpack babywearing his oh so cute baby. Cool!

I also got to see my MBA friend Grace, a SaYa convert, with her adorable baby G.

(Photo courtesy of Grace)

I guess the Starbucks staff felt like there was a babywearing invasion!

And if you think that babywearing is only for moms and dads, think again. My own tatay loves to babywear his first and only grandson Basti! He even knows how to use the ring sling.

Cool babywearing lolo using a pouch.

Babywearing is for Ates, too! I stumbled upon this picture taken by my hubby in Batad, Ifugao.

For sure, with more and more babywearing moms, dads, lolos, lolas, ates, and kuyas, this babywearing Mom is alone no more!

P.S. For attending the Babywearing Meet 2, I got these uber cute pins for free!

(Cute pins courtesy of Benz Co-Rana)

A WORKING MOM'S BREASTFEEDING STORY (PART 2)

2011-07-04T13:30:00.079+08:00

Breastfeeding at the beach!

I'm a breastfeeding mom who has not bought a can of formula since the birth of my now 9-month old baby.

I also happen to be a full-time working mom. I usually leave the house at 6 am to bring my older daughters to school and I normally arrive back home at 8 pm, what with the traffic and all.

In my previous post, I discussed the preparations I made before going back to work. These pre-work preparations helped me ensure that I would still be able to breastfeed Basti even if I'm not with him for around 14 hours each working day.

5) Pumping at Work. Except for emergency meetings, I usually know what my work schedule would be for the day. I know beforehand if I have an out-of-town hearing or an out-of-the-office meeting on a particular day.

Here are the things that I normally do on an ordinary working day:

I pump every 3-4 hours, schedule permitting. I pump upon arriving at the office, during lunchtime (I have a 2-hour lunch break), and before going back home. Note: Under the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009, a female worker who is breastfeeding her baby or young child is entitled to lactation breaks. You may want to check my post on lactation periods here.
I'm fortunate to have my own room and a small conference table which I converted into my "pumping station". (This is why lactation station in the workplace is so important!)
While pumping, I don't think about work! During my first month of pumping at work, I did breathing exercises and imagined that I was holding my baby. But once I got the hang of it, I just breathe deeply while reading the newspapers. (Well, you really need to take a deep breath when reading the papers!)
I don't sterilize the flanges of my breast pump after every use. I just put them inside a lock n lock box and store them inside the freezer. (Five years ago and not knowing any better, I used to sterilize my flanges after every use. I swear, nakakapagod siya!)

(I once pumped at the basement ladies' room of Shangrila EDSA. Why? Because I was too lazy to pump before leaving work thinking that I would be home within an hour or two. And then the unexpected happened. No, it's not the heavy traffic because that's to be expected.)

6) Storage Tips

I use BPA-free plastic bottles and cups in storing breastmilk. BPA-free and pre-sterilized disposable plastic bags are used only as a back-up. There are a number of breastmilk bags that are locally available. The cheapest but effective brand that I found is Spectra at PhP200 per 30 bags.

Milk that could be consumed by Basti within 6 days from expression are stored in the refrigerator (the guidelines say 8 days). I don't put them in the freezer because I read somewhere that "the antimicrobial properties of human milk are better preserved with refrigeration."

For more information on milk storage guidelines, you may want to check this and this.

Oh, and since I'm a little OC when it comes to expressing and storing breastmilk, I'm using a separate small refrigerator for my stash.

Those that can be consumed within 6 days are not placed in the freezer.

The 4 bottles containing 5-6 ounces of milk on the upper tray are for Basti's consumption within the day. These are on top of his 3 meals of semi-solid food now that he's 9 months old. I do direct breastfeeding once I'm home.

These are my reserves. This freezer has its own door.

7) That Extra Pump.

While the milk that I expressed in the office is more than sufficient to meet Basti's needs for the next day, I made a commitment to do an extra pump at night. Not only are they my reserves. These are the milk that I could share with moms who need breastmilk for their babies. In a country where there are only a handful (one hand lang yata) of breastmilk banks, moms do not have much choice but to ask for help from one another. (This is another reason why the IRR of the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009 should be prioritized. In the said law, health institutions are encouraged to set up "milk banks for storage of breastmilk donated by mothers and which have undergone pasteurization.")

I'm not saying that breastfeeding while working is easy. It is not. It requires commitment and hard work on your part.

But it certainly is possible!

THE IRR OF RA 10028: NOW IT'S SIGNED, NOW IT'S NOT!

2011-07-01T17:03:00.003+08:00

Fifteen months. It has been 15 months since Republic Act No. 10028, otherwise known as the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009 (EBPA), was signed into law by GMA.

Under Section 18 of the said law, the Department of Health (DOH), in coordination with the other departments and government agencies, is mandated to issue the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) within 120 days from the effectivity of the EBPA.

Obviously, that period has long transpired.

So where is the signed IRR?

Sometime in March 2011, breastfeeding advocates got hold of a copy of the IRR signed by the DOH Secretary. This signed IRR created an uproar in the brestfeeding community. Why? It appears that its Sec. 10 imposed an additional condition, one that is difficult to meet that it effectively puts to naught the provision on the establishment of lactation stations. Sec. 10 of the supposedly signed IRR is quoted below:

"Section 10. Minimum Requirements in the Establishment of Lactation Stations. - It is hereby mandated that all health and non-health facilities, establishments or institutions, which have at least 100 women of reproductive age working in the establishment or institution, including public places, shall establish lactation stations. x x x"

For a more a detailed write-up on this, you may check the post of fellow lawyer J. of Chronicles of a Nursing Mom here.

So when I was writing my previous post regarding lactation periods, I decided to check the website of the DOH for a copy of the supposedly signed IRR. Lo and behold! As per the DOH website, the IRR of RA 10028 is for public hearing! I checked it again this afternoon and this is what I saw:

See the date and time on the lower right hand side!

Close-up view

I was able to download a copy of the draft by clicking "Draft IRR of RA 10028". Interestingly, the highly controversial Section 10 is worded as follows:

"Section 10. Minimum Requirements in the Establishment of Workplace Lactation Stations. - It is hereby mandated that all health and non-health facilities, establishments or institutions shall establish lactation stations. x x x"

The questionable and highly contentious requirement of at least 100 women of reproductive age is no longer found in the said draft!

It's possible that the DOH website is simply not updated. I sent a message to DOH Breastfeeding TSEK asking if the IRR of RA 10028 has already been signed. The answer--Not yet.

Not contented with this, I called the DOH hotline and was able to talk with someone who confirmed that the DOH Secretary had indeed previously signed the IRR. Unfortunately, it was the wrong draft/version. Which is why the previously signed IRR has not been published!

So there you have it--the case of the now it's signed, now it's not IRR!

GIVE ME A (PUMPING) BREAK!

2011-06-30T23:22:00.004+08:00

Lactation Periods. Have you ever heard of it?

On 16 March 2010, GMA signed into law Republic Act No. 10028, otherwise known as the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009 (EBPA). The EBPA introduced a number of significant changes to Republic Act No. 7600, more popularly known as the Rooming-In and Breastfeeding Act of 1992.

One of these changes is the right of nursing employees to lactation periods. I am quoting the pertinent provision of the EBPA for easier reference:

"Sec. 12. Lactation Periods. - Nursing employees shall be granted break intervals in addition to the regular time-off for meals to breastfeed or express milk. These intervals, which shall include the time it takes an employee to get to and from the workplace lactation station, shall be counted as compensable hours worked. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) may adjust the same: Provided, That such intervals shall not be less than a total of forty (40) minutes for every eight (8)-hour working period."

In short, lactation periods are breaks given to a nursing employee in order for her to breastfeed or express milk.

What does the EBPA say about Lactation Periods?

All establishments are required to grant nursing employees lactation periods. Unlike the establishment of a lactation station where an employer, upon application, may be exempted from complying under certain circumst ances, there is no similar provision on lactation breaks. (Sec. 4, EBPA)
Nursing employees are entitled to lactation periods. Under the law, a nursing employee is any female worker, regardless of employment status, who is breastfeeding her infant and/or young child. (Sec. 3(r), EBPA) Employment status is immaterial.
Just to be clear, the definition states “any female worker”. It does not say married. Thus, civil status is immaterial.
The 4th child limit does not apply here. So yes, you are entitled to lactation periods even if the baby/young child you're breastfeeding is your 5th child. (Under the SSS Law, maternity benefits shall be paid only for the first 4 delivers or miscarriages.)
The inclusion of “young child” in the definition of nursing employee expands the coverage to moms who are breastfeeding older children up to 36 months of age. [Sec. 3(r) in relation to Sec. 3(z), EBPA] This is actually better than the US Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act which grants reasonable break time for mothers who are pumping for babies under one year of age only.
The break is in addition to the regular time-off for meals and is counted as compensable hours worked. (Sec. 7, EBPA; Sec. 12 of RA 7600, as amended by the EBPA) That means that there should not be any deduction from your salary for taking lactation breaks.
The break is given to nursing employees for them “to breastfeed or express milk”. Again, this is better than the US PPACA which covers only milk expression and not direct breastfeeding.
The time it takes an employee to get to and from the workplace lactation station is included in the break. This is why it’s important that the lactation station is strategically located in your workplace. You don’t want to waste 30 minutes of your 40-minute break just walking to and from the lactation station.
The break shall not be less than a total of forty (40) minutes for every eight (8)-hour working period. It could be more! (So contrary to the pic above, you do have to return to work and it's not whenever you want!)
For failure to comply, the following are the penalties:

· First Offense – Fine of not less than PhP50 Thousand but not more than PhP200 Thousand

· Second Offense – Fine of not less than PhP200 Thousand but not more than PhP1 Million

· Third Offense – Fine of not less than PhP500 Thousand but not more than PhP1 Million AND the cancellation or revocation of the business permits or licenses to operate. (Sec. 21, EBPA)

Ok, so why did I not mention anything about the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act?

Because this one deserves another story. It’s the story of the now-it’s-signed-now-it’s-not IRR.

Source: Reasonable Break Time for Nursing Mothers by Kori Martin

IT'S NOT ABOUT PRODUCT DIFFERENTIATION

2011-06-29T14:13:00.007+08:00

I've been writing furiously these past few days. Furiously. I like the sound of that.

And I realize that it's because writing "mommy posts" de-stresses me. It's like a breath of fresh air from the usual contracts and pleadings. Not to mention the corporate disclosures. My 2-hour lunch break and the other 2-hour travel on my way home had been put to good use. And so I came up with 5 posts in a week's time. Unbelievable.

But as I was going over my posts last night, I noticed that there was nothing "legal" about them. My blog's title is "Legally Mom". Well, there's a lot of mommy stuff alright. But there's nothing that would justify the legal part.

I remember my marketing professor in the Ateneo Graduate School of Business telling the class that it's all about product differentiation. Applying it here, what would make by blog, the product, different from all the other mommy blogs out there? Nothing.

And so I thought that I should start posting legal-related articles that are of interest to moms (and dads). As a solo parent, are you entitled to additional work leaves under the law? Am I entitled to additional breaks from work as a breastfeeding mom? Mothers are entitled to maternity leaves; what about the Dads? The possible topics are endless.

I would not give advice on specific cases, at least not in this blog. But I do hope that writing informative legal articles at least once a month will be of help to parents who want to know more about the laws, rules and regulations that may affect them or their children. Knowledge empowers.

In the end, it's not about product differentiation. It's about who I am.

I am a mom.

I am also a lawyer.

A WORKING MOM'S BREASTFEEDING STORY (PART 1)

2011-06-28T17:01:00.012+08:00

B at 9 months

I'm a breastfeeding mom who has not bought a can of formula since the birth of my now 9-month old baby.

I also happen to be a full-time working mom. I usually leave the house at 6 am to bring my older daughters to school and I normally arrive back home at 8 pm, what with the traffic and all.

There are a number of sites that offer useful tips on breastfeeding and expressing milk. Three that I found really helpful are kellymom, breastfeeding.com and workandpump.com. I'm not going to repeat what has been exhaustively discussed in these sites. Instead, I'll share the things that I did (and am still doing) to make exclusive breastfeeding while working full-time possible.

1) I bought a hospital-grade dual, electric breastpump that is really effective in expressing milk. I know that I'll be away from my baby most of the time. Thus, a manual or a single breastpump will not do. You may read my previous post on Unimom Forte dual, electric breastpump here.

Of course, there's the option of hand expressing, which works well for some women. I tried it several times but this one is not for me.

2) I started pumping and building my stash when my baby was 4 weeks old. The first 4 weeks were spent on establishing my breastfeeding relationship with my baby. By the time he was 4 weeks old, we had already perfected his latch and had nailed down our "routine" (although it's not exactly a routine because I breastfed him on demand).

So I moved on to pumping.

Just like most things in life, practice makes perfect. To make expressing milk more time-efficient and effective (meaning more milk), I did the "pump and feed" routine. While my baby was feeding from one breast, the pump was attached to the other breast. With the "pump and feed", which I usually did early in the morning, I was able to familiarize myself with my pump and got to build my stash of breastmilk. By the time I got back to work, I wasn't worried at all that my baby back home didn't have enough milk.

3) I started introducing the bottle to my baby when he was around 1 1/2 months. My office is about a 2-hour drive from my home. Can you imagine what will happen if my baby refuse to drink breastmilk from the bottle? Even if I were to take the supposedly faster MRT, it would still take me almost an hour to reach my place. That's assuming that none of the MRT trains breaks down.

By the time my baby was 1 1/2 months, the yaya started giving him a bottle of milk a day. Basti would refuse to take the bottle if it was me feeding him. I used Avent nipples for newborn until he was 6 months old and so far, I haven't had any problem with nipple confusion. But just in case you'd have problems with the bottle, here's a useful article on cupfeeding written by Mi'Ann of Babymama.

4) A week before going back to work, I was ready with my pumping kit and storage bottles. My pumping kit consists of:

Unimom Forte dual electric breastpump
1 White plastic box where I put my pump
1 Coleman soft-sided cooler
1 plastic container where I put my 2 assembled breastshields
4 storage bottles
7 anti-bacterial icepacks

With all these stuff, my laptop, my bag and my lunchbox, I haven't been wearing any of my 3-inch heels for my own safety! But seriously, since my husband's office is very near mine, he's the one in charge of carrying my pumping kit.

For storing the expressed milk, I have 13 Avent bottles, 10 Avent cups and 10 Unimom storage bottles. I use the disposable breastmilk bags only as a back-up (if you've read my previous posts, I try to stay away from disposables).

(You may read Part 2 here.)

*I paid for all the products mentioned here. I do not know any of the sellers personally.

RAISING A READER

2011-06-27T17:23:00.007+08:00

"Read! Read! Read!" Dr. Seuss, the author of numerous children's books, gave this simple advice to the children of Troy, Michigan way back in 1971.

I've always been an avid (and indiscriminate) reader. One of my earliest and fondest childhood memories is waiting for my Nanay to arrive home from the market knowing that she bought Pilipino Funny Komiks for me.

When I was about 8, I remember spending my summer vacation in my aunt's house here in Manila. And what a wonderful vacation it was! I had all the time in the world to read some of the finest children's literary classics like Heidi, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Black Beauty, Robinson Crusoe and a lot, lot more.

It's no wonder that I ended up taking law, a course that requires a lot of reading. Of course, law books are a lot thicker (and less interesting!) than my usual fare of Funny Komiks.

I spent good times reading Funny Komiks!

As parents, my husband and I are doing our best to instill in our children the love for reading. Here are some of the things that we've been doing to encourage our children to read.

1. We read, read, read where the children can see us. Remember what the child experts are saying? Children will follow what you, the parent, do and not what you say. We try to set aside some time doing nothing but read. There were times when my 6-year old daughter would come inside our room while I was nursing my baby saying that she would just do some silent reading.

2. We make the technology work for us. One of my high school friends laments that children nowadays seldom read. With all the high-tech gadgets vying for the children's attention, reading books is not on the top of their to do list. But we made the technology work FOR us. I've discovered that there are a number of free applications that can be downloaded on the iPhone/iPad that make reading interesting and fun. One of them is Story Time, a free application that contains several children's fairy tales that are beautifully illustrated. And it even has "Read it Myself" or "Read to Me" options.

I also noticed that some textbooks have an accompanying CD. My 8-year old daughter's textbook in Sibika has a CD. It contains some videos that emphasize certain topics discussed in the book.

And I remember reading these wonderful books providing knowledge on 4 key areas--life, nature, science and our world--when I was 8.

Picture taken from the internet site

I compared the old set which came out in the early 80's with the new set that my husband bought last year. While there was no noticeable difference on the given information, the new set took advantage of technology and made reading fun and interactive. I cannot describe it in words but here's a video of how "Walter" works.

Oh, and this is Walter.

3. When in the mall, go to the bookstore. Ok, I guess my kids don't have much choice because their mom will definitely go to the bookstore. Going to the bookstore has become a "tradition" on our part. I let them choose the books that they want, within a reasonable budget, of course. I believe that one can never have enough books. And I'm happy to say that their excitement in going to the bookstore is as much as if we are going to the toy store.

It's good that some major bookstores now have reading areas. Oh, how I miss the Books for Less in Mindanao Avenue, which had reading areas for old and young alike.

4. We encourage them to borrow books from the school library. This does not only foster reading. Borrowing books from the library is a good way for the children to learn the concept of responsibility. They learn that they have to take good care of the books and that they have to return them on a specific date. Or else, as my daughter puts, "I'll be fined!"

5. We ask our daughters to read to their baby brother. The girls get to read, the baby enjoys being read to, and it is a great opportunity to strengthen love among the siblings.

Happy reading!

(Looks like we have another reader in the family.
B at 11 months.)

GOODBYE TO DISPOSABLE BABY WIPES

2011-06-24T12:46:00.005+08:00

I have another confession to make. I haven't been using disposable baby wipes for 7 months now.

The cost of disposable baby wipes is unbelievable. And if you're a working mom who has a trigger-happy yaya, one who thinks that the answer to every dirt is the baby wipes, then your budget is in even bigger trouble.

And I'm not even talking about the environmental impact of all those disposed wipes!

So instead of wasting money on disposable baby wipes (this is literally "sunk cost"), I decided giving cloth wipes a try. Since I'm already using cloth diapers for my baby, washing another dozen or so of small cloth wipes is not a problem.

Cloth Wipes

I initially bought a dozen cloth wipes made of flannel solid and measuring 8" x 8" from a local online store. Unfortunately, a dozen cloth wipes are not sufficient for everyday use. To further save on cost, I had a cousin buy pranela from Divisoria and had them cut and sewn by a mananahi in our village. For a minimal amount, I now have about 4 dozens of washable, reusable cloth wipes. (And the good thing about this is when these cloth wipes become worn out, they can be used as basahan.)

Wipe Solution

Making a wipe solution is very easy and inexpensive! For the common wipe solution recipes, I found this site really helpful.

I did my own mix and match. Here's the wipe solution that I'm using on Basti:

3 ml of Human Heart Nature Chamomile Baby Wash

3 ml of all-natural, no mineral oil Giga Baby Oil

3 drops of Giga Tea Tree Oil - this has antibacterial properties

2 drops of lavender oil

2 drops of lemon oil - I really find this refreshing!

After putting all of these in a 500 ml spray bottle, I slowly pour filtered water and shake the bottle gently. I now have my own chemical-free wipe solution! I make sure not to put too much oil in order to avoid affecting the cloth diapers' absorbency. So far, I haven't had any problem using this solution on my baby.

Whenever I need a baby wipe, I just spray the solution on the cloth diaper.

Now I'm ready to face my baby's bottom. :)

BEING GREEN: 7 MONTHS (AND GOING) OF EXCLUSIVE CLOTH DIAPERING

2011-06-23T16:00:00.015+08:00

My journey to cloth diapering began when Basti was barely 2 months old. I decided to use cloth diapers because they are, compared to disposables, safer for my baby, cheaper (in the long run) for me and better for mother earth.

But I was so confused with the different options. Other moms took the time to post their reviews of the different kinds of cloth diapers and those helped me a lot. I remember going over a number of parents' sites, blogs and what-have-you to check the reviews.

And now, it is payback time. Here is MY review of one size pocket diapers that Basti has been using for the past 7 months. Hopefully, this will help the moms out there who are considering using cloth diapers.

Pocket diapers consist of 2 parts -- the cover and the absorbent insert. The cover, in turn, consists of the waterproof outer layer and the inner layer (the one that touches your baby's skin) which is usually made of either fleece or suede. The inner layer wicks moisture away from baby's skin, which differentiates this type of cloth diaper from the usual lampin. These two layers are sewn together leaving a small opening, or a pocket, where one inserts the absorbent stuffing. While I have around two dozen pre-folds and 6 diaper covers, most of Basti's cloth diapers are pocket diapers.

I chose one size pocket diapers because I did not want to keep on buying diapers as Basti grows. By adjusting the buttons on the front (as in the case of Bumgenius, Happy Heinys, Next 9 and Wahmies) or the elastics on the side (FuzziBunz and Rocky Mountain), these one size pocket diapers can fit babies from 8 pounds to 35 pounds.

BumGenius

Available in snaps and velcro
Soft suede inner fabric
Adjustable by snapping on/off the outer front buttons
Local price: PhP1,100

With 2 liners

How does it look inside?

Pros

Very effective - baby stays dry, no leaks
Good for overnight use (with 2 liners)
Good fit
Velcro type is easy to put on, definitely daddy-friendly

Cons

Limited colors to choose from
No printed designs
The "adjustment buttons" tend to unsnap when I put the diaper on a wriggling Basti
A little bulky

FUZZIBUNZ

Available only in snaps
Inner fabric is made of soft fleece
Adjustable elastic on the side leg casings
Local price: PhP1,100

Fuzzibunz is adjusted by pulling/releasing the elastics on the sides.


With 2 liners and an extra elastic

Pros

Effective - baby stays dry, no leaks
Good for overnight use (with 2 liners)
No adjustment buttons that tend to unsnap when you're putting it on a wriggling baby
14 available colors to choose from; limited printed designs
Dark colored outer cover does not run
Sleek; good fit

Cons

May take some practice to master the snaps (Putting it on is a little difficult when you're in a hurry or when the baby is fussy or at nighttime when you are barely awake. But snaps mean that the diaper cannot be easily removed by your baby/toddler's little hands!)
May take you several adjustments of the elastic leg casings before you get a perfect fit. Too tight means red marks for your poor baby's legs!


Basti at 2 months

Wearing the same FB at 7 months

Happy Heinys

Available in snaps and velcro
Inner fabric is made of soft fleece
Adjustable by snapping on/off the outer front buttons
Local price: PhP950 (plain) to PhP1,100 (special prints like the Glow in the Dark and Ooga Booga)
With 2 liners

Ok, I am not very happy with the fit of the old Happy Heinys one size diaper. :(

Not so good fit

But the poor fit has been addressed by the new and improved HH, the ones that came out in 2011. This is the one that is the subject of my review.

2011 HH (Ooga Booga design, velcro)

Pros

Effective - baby stays dry, no leaks
Good for overnight use (with 2 liners)
Good fit
Velcro type is easy to put on, definitely daddy-friendly
Lots of colors and cute, cute printed designs to choose from

Cons

The "adjustment buttons" tend to unsnap when I put the diaper on a wriggling Basti
Velcro type is easy to remove even by your baby. Imagine what he can do when he's already a toddler!

Basti at 9 months wearing the new HH

NEXT 9

Made in the Philippines
Available in snaps
Inner fabric is made of soft fleece
Adjustable by snapping on/off the outer front buttons
Price: PhP350 per piece; 3 diapers for PhP1,000
With 1 liner only

Blue retro design

Soft fleece inner layer

Pros

The most affordable one size pocket diaper in the market
Sleek, good fit
The inner layer made of fleece is really, really soft
Good enough-- baby stays semi-dry, no leaks, definitely better than the ordinary lampin
Good for daytime use
Several colors and two printed designs (pink and blue) to choose from

Cons

Soft fleece is noticeably mas manipis and less absorbent than the fleece used by the other imported brands. (But please note that this is not an apples to apples comparison because I'm comparing a PhP350 diaper with a PhP1,000++ one.)

ROCKY MOUNTAIN

Available in snaps
Soft suede inner fabric
Internal adjustment system--just pull and snap the garter around the thigh holes
Local price: PhP1,100
With 1 liner only

Simple - 1 row of snaps/buttons

2-toned diaper (brown / yellow

Pros

Effective - baby stays dry, no leaks
Good for overnight use (with 2 liners)
No adjustment buttons that tend to unsnap when you're putting it on a wriggling baby
Sleek; good fit
Not as easy to put on as the velcro but less complicated than the two-row snaps of FuzziBunz and Happy Heinys.
Your baby/toddler cannot easily remove the diaper unlike the velcro type.

Cons

Dark colored outer covers may run in the first few washes
Limited colors and designs

WAHMIES

Available in hooks and snaps
Soft suede inner fabric
Adjustable by snapping on/off the outer front buttons
Local price: PhP1,100


The insert is like a face towel.

Pros

Of all the one size pocket diapers Basti has tried, this one has the best fit
Very effective -- baby stays dry, no leaks
Good for overnight use (with 2 liners)

Basti at 2 months

Cons

The hooks--which make Wahmies the best fitting diaper--make putting on/removing the diaper really difficult. This one requires lots and lots of practice. (Up to now, my husband stays away from this diaper.)
The insert (a ~~facial wash~~ :) face towel look-alike to me) makes stuffing time more tedious. You have to fold it and make sure that it does not bunch when you insert it. My solution--I don't use it! I took it out of the baby's cabinet. Why? Because all inserts/stuffings of one size pocket diapers SHOULD NEVER touch your baby's skin. A good insert is super absorbent. Now imagine what will happen if that piece of cloth, which absorbs away moisture, touches your baby's skin!

Overall, I'm quite happy with my one size pocket diapers. And I cannot explain how I feel whenever I pass by rows and rows of disposable diapers in the grocery knowing that I need not buy one.

Happy CLOTH diaper-hunting!

NOTE: I paid for all the products mentioned in this post. I do not know any of the sellers personally. It's cheaper to buy the imported cloth diapers abroad. For example, my Bumgenius diapers that were bought in the US cost only around US$18 each or less than PhP800. :)

*The two really nice-looking photos are courtesy of The Stork Studio.

NO TO DENGUE THE DEET-FREE WAY

2011-06-21T16:42:00.010+08:00

I take dengue seriously.

Two years ago, we had to cut our Boracay trip short because both of my daughters were suffering from high grade fever. After getting a flight back to Manila on a 19-seater plane (an experience that I would not want to repeat), we went straight to the ER. My firstborn had to stay at the hospital for 10 days, 5 of which were spent in the ICU. The younger one, thank God, had a milder strain and was sent home after 3 days.

So yes, I take dengue seriously.

For this rainy season, I've discovered the following all-natural citronella-based, DEET-free insect repellent products that really work! My children are using them when going outdoors and even inside the house.

Human Nature Citronella Bug Spray

Ingredients: virgin coconut oil, organic citronella oil, organic lemongrass, essential oil together with rosemary and lavender essential oils

Pros:

effective (I tried using it in a place where there were lots of mosquitoes and it really worked!)
cheap (PhP84.75 for a 50 ml bottle)
leaves the skin really soft and glowing
a small amount goes a long, long way
100% of the profit from this product will fund the development of sustainable livelihood of poor Filipino farmers!

Cons:

it is oil-based so it is a little messy to apply
my 8 and 6 year old daughters find it hard to press the pump
strong citronella smell (but you get used to it!)

Human Nature Bug Shield Lotion

Ingredients: citronella oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil, lemongrass oil, lavender oil (and alcohol that is plant-derived)

Pros:

effective
cheap (PhP79.75 for a 50 ml bottle)
leaves the skin really soft
milder and fresher scent compared to the Bug Spray
easy to apply, non-sticky
100% of the profit from this product will fund the development of sustainable livelihood of poor Filipino farmers!

Cons:

unlike the oil-based Bug Spray, the 50-ml bottle of Bug Shield lotion does not go a long, long way (or it may be because I'm using it too often, what with its clean, fresh scent!)

Since the oil-based Bug Spray is cheaper to use in the long run, my children use it more often than the Bug Shield. The latter is used as a back-up. I make sure that my children always bring a bottle of Bug Shield with them for purposes of re-application whenever needed.

Indigo Baby Shoo Fly Don't Bother Me Lotion

For my baby, I use this Indigo Baby Shoo Fly Don't Bother Me lotion.

Ingredients: Aloe Vera Gel, Witch Hazel, Triple Distilled Water, Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils (Rose, Lavender, Geranium, Citronella & Eucalyptus)

Pros:

effective
smells wonderful
non-sticky
leaves baby's skin soft
I just love it! :)

Cons:

a little expensive at PhP180 for a 60 ml bottle (but it's worth it!)

This rainy season, we will keep the mosquitoes away the natural way!

Note: I paid for all the products that I mentioned here. I do not know any of the sellers personally.