What's up this March?

The Medela House is busy on March 3, 2012 with Breastfeeding 303 in the morning Yaya 101 in the afternoon.  See below for the Medela Moms' detailed posts on the 2 activities:

Join a breastfeeding class that tackles the ins and outs of breastfeeding a toddler, weaning, attachment parenting, first foods, special cases (cupfeeding and relactation) and playgroups, among many other interesting topics for couples planning on long-term breastfeeding. Speaker is PGH-certified lactation counselor Abbie Yabot. Register now! Venue will be the Medela House, 9am, on March 3, 2012. Email medelamoms@gmail.com to register or text your name to 0917-5614366. Kindly indicate if you will be accompanied for the snacks : )

Cupfeeding E

As I prepare to go back to work, foremost in my mind is how E will be getting my breastmilk.  I had nipple confusion issues with N.  However, with N, I went back to work when she was already 7 months so I didn't have any issues with giving her the bottle then.  With E, I will be going back to work when he is 2 months old.  We have a great breastfeeding relationship and I don't want to jeopardize it by introducing a bottle.

Happy 2nd month Baby E!

New product: Snuza

One of my online store clients, Sheryl, recently started a company - Momhattan Corporation to bring in Snuza.  Here is her story:

While I was struggling with my baby paranoia and sleepless nights, I stumbled upon Snuza, an innovative baby monitor which detects movement and breathing.  I was so impressed with the product that I decided I wanted to bring it here in the Philippines and eventually was awarded exclusive distributorship.  This has seriously saved my sanity! :)

The Gift of Breastmilk

With E's jaundice scare, I decided to start expressing milk.  N had been required to take formula and I was not able to express enough milk to match the formula requirement.  So I wanted to be prepared and in case E was going to be put under phototherapy and be required to take formula, I wanted to make sure that I had enough stored milk to match the formula requirement.
I started expressing milk, once a day, on new year's day.  Luckily, at his 2-week check-up, the pediatrician said that E's color was much better and no phototherapy was required.  Thus, I was able to stock up on milk and by the end of January, I had about 100 ounces stored.

Babywearing 4? It will be a FAB Event!

This is a long delayed post.  During the last week of September, we were able to organize the 3rd Babywearing Meet at Gymboree.  For details of the event, you can read The Painter's Wife and Mimma Benz write-ups.

nursing E in a next9 sling

With baby E now here, I am more excited about babywearing.  I am currently using Jen's Next9 ring sling with baby E as we nurse and go about during these early days.  I must say that babywearing saved my sanity during the early days!!  I was able to eat, blog, entertain Achi N, etc. etc.
Aside from my ring sling, I went crazy with purchasing various carriers and now have a babyhawk meitai, olives and applesauce soft structured carrier (SSC), peanut shell pouch and hotslings AP (for S!).  Add this to my existing Saya and Moby wraps.

On Breastfeeding Number Two - Redux

Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (February).  For this month, we focus on back to basics.  Participants will share advices - either the best breastfeeding advice they received and/or the best breastfeeding advice they can give to new moms.  Please scroll down to the end of the post to see the list of carnival entries. 

The best breastfeeding advice I received during the early days of nursing N was that it will get better and to take breastfeeding a day at a time.  And this advice was also most helpful during my experience with nursing baby E.

Early in my pregnancy, I wrote about my worries about breastfeeding baby E (nicknamed Flower at that time).  S and I were joking about how I had to live up to my blog (being a breastfeeding mom with Baby E) - otherwise I would have to rename it!
Baby E came on 21 December 2011 at 39 weeks and 2 days.  Labor and delivery was uneventful and although my wishes for a delayed cord clamping were not met, we were eventually put skin to skin and he latched within the first 30 minutes.  I kept him roomed-in during my entire hospital stay and nursed him round the clock.

Giveaway: Marshmallow Mama's Milkin' Cookies!

Congratulations to Cyrene Ng and Michelle D Boras for winning the giveaway!

Early this year, fellow lawyer Joyce contacted me and asked me if I wanted to sample her milk-making goodies.  Joyce previously posted as guest on this blog while I was on extended vacation in April.  Joyce shared how she decided to move from being a full time lawyer to a full time mama.
Joyce has now ventured into a new business - baking - and has been making Mango Malunggay Milking Cookies since October 2011.  She has asked her breastfeeding friends to sample her products and was met with success!  Her friends reported that their milk output increased after 2 days of eating 3-4 cookies per day.  The main star of her cookies is the local malunggay, instead of the usual fenugreek and brewer's yeast.

Guest Post: Busting Those Breastfeeding Myths and Beliefs - Part 3

This is Part 3 of a series.  To complete the series, read Part 1 and Part 2.
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Dr. Calibo, noted pediatrician and supervising health program officer of the Department of Health-National Center for Disease Prevention and Control’s Family Health Office, explains the medical evidence (or lack thereof) behind more folk beliefs or pamahiin on breastfeeding/motherhood:

Pamahiin No. 1: Pregnant women should avoid slippery foods (e.g. okra) because these would cause the uterus to slip.
Dr. Calibo: “No basis for this. Vegetables are vital sources of fiber and other nutrients. The uterus is safe inside the abdominal cavity.”


Pamahiin No. 2: A mother should not breastfeed her child if she has been working hard or has been exposed to the sun because her milk would then be too "hot," turn salty and sour, and possibly cause illness to the child.

Dr. Calibo: “A mother can breastfeed her child even after coming from work. The breastmilk has a stable temperature inside the mother’s breasts. The mother can make herself comfortable right after arriving from work and can breastfeed her child without anything to worry about.”Pamahiin No. 3: Lactating mothers must avoid sour foods because these would curdle the milk and harm the infant.
Dr. Calibo: “Not true. Sour foods will not cause the breastmilk to curdle. Citrus fruits and some tamarind-based or sour-flavored broths provide the needed nutrients to a lactating mother. This type of food will not affect the quality of breastmilk.”Pamahiin No. 4: Mothers should not breastfeed when sad, upset or angry because such emotions affect the quality of the milk.
Dr. Calibo: “Painful stimuli may affect breastmilk production. Hence, postoperative pain should adequately be addressed after the mother has given birth. Restrictive episiotomy is now being recommended as part of the “mother-friendly practices” of the Mother-Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (MBFHI), and also as part of the essential intrapartum care component of the Unang Yakap program.

I think the emotional problems of the mother would only affect the overall ease of breastfeeding. These emotions do not affect the quality of the breastmilk.”

Pamahiin No. 5:  Colostrum is harmful to the child because it is “dirty” or “impure.”
Dr. Calibo: “This is false information and should no longer be propagated. Colostrum is rich in antibodies needed by the newborn in the first week of life. This is mistaken to be “spoiled” because it is golden yellow in color and not white as what the color of milk is associated with.”

Pamahiin No. 6:  Unfulfilled pregnancy cravings for particular foods would result in illness to both mother and child.
Dr. Calibo: “I think the local term here is lihi. This does not influence the appearance of the child nor should it have ill effects if unfulfilled.”

            In conclusion, Dr. Calibo says that physicians and other health professionals in general are trained to be socio-culturally sensitive to these myths or pamahiin. He stresses that it is the responsibility of the health professional to provide the right information regarding these beliefs.

“Once the parents and other relatives see the overall picture and the reasons why such practices should not be continued anymore, they immediately appreciate the beauty of factual information that is needed to better address the health of both the mother and her newborn,” Dr. Calibo explains.

Join the February Milk Mama Diaries Carnival

For the 1st carnival of 2012, our topic will be "Back to Basics".  Participants are asked to share one of two things:

1. The best breastfeeding advice they received OR/AND

2. The best breastfeeding advice you can give to new moms.