Guidelines on How to be Exempted from Setting Up Lactation Stations

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has issued guidelines on how companies can escape be exempted from setting up workplace lactation stations.   You can read Department Order 143-15, series of 2015 HERE.  You can also read the Guidelines below.   Thanks to Claire Mogol for tagging me.

BPOs and lactation periods

Hello World! It's been a while. I have a lot of things I want to write about but reality got in the way.  I've taken on a more challenging role at my day job and the blog suffered.  However, the desire to write about breastfeeding and help fellow breastfeeding mothers is still there and is calling out.  So here I am trying to blog again.  Anyway, if you have specific questions you want to be answered, shoot me an email - latch[dot]jenny[at]gmail[dot]com and I will do my best to answer.  Please note also that I may choose to publish the query and reply in my blog - anonymously unless the writer prefers to be identified.

Quick Guide to Breastfeeding Challenges

Sorry, sorry... life has caught up with me! I really haven't been blogging much as I've been focusing on my day job, kids, Mama.Baby.Love and replying to email/text questions of breastfeeding/babywearing/cloth diapering moms.  I'm cleaning out my draft posts (yes, I have numerous!!)  and I found this post which I initially wrote as a comment to another page.  I can't remember if this comment was published -- yes it has been that long!  So I decided to edit it a publish it in my blog.

B is for...

Busy Blessings

I know I have been silent for some time... and that's because I've recently received a blessing in my life.  I landed a new job!  It is a totally different field from where I was with before.  I'm in a new environment, new colleagues - and that explains my silence.  I still love to talk about breastfeeding and if you follow me over at Facebook, you'll know that I have a lot to say about it.  I'm slowly getting the pace and feel of my day job and hopefully, I'll be able to write more often.

Guest Post: Sourcing Breastmilk for an Adopted Baby

Remember early this year when I posted about a milk sharing story about adoptive dads who sourced breastmilk for their baby?  This time, I am sharing a story closer to home.  Today's guest post is from Jason Baker of PETA Asia Pacific.  A friend of Jason posted in one of my egroups about how he was looking for breastmilk for his adopted son.  Super small world, I patched him up with a kababayan from Davao City and Pangging became a regular milk donor.   Jason shared this story with me almost a year ago and I wasn't able to share it until now.

http://instagram.com/p/k0x3uRKXSF/?modal=true

Why did I decide to share?  Since it is breastfeeding month, I've been seeing a lot of stories about breastfeeding in various news outfits. However, I was greatly saddened when a popular site shared a story about a mom saying that breastfeeding advocates condemn formula feeding moms.  She goes on to say that counselors live in posh villages, that formula milk is good enough for her child, that it is impossible for a working mom to commute and bring all her breastfeeding paraphernalia.

Milk Mama Diaries: Experiencing the One Asia Breastfeeding Forum

Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (August). For this month, we write about the World Breastfeeding Week 2014 - Breastfeeding: A Winning Goal for Life and share how breastfeeding can help the Philippines achieve the 8 Millennium Development Goals developed by the government and the United Nations. Participants will share their thoughts, experiences, hopes and suggestions on the topic. 

Please scroll down to the end of the post to see the list of carnival entries. 

This is a much delayed post! I've been writing it for several months now but was not able to finish.  I finally found the drive to complete it in time for Milk Mama Diaries Carnival.  I feel that this post will help me explain the relationship of breastfeeding with the 8th Millennium Development Goal - Global Partnership.

Milk Mama Diaries Carnival: Breastfeeding, A Winning Goal for Life!

I can't believe that it has been almost 2 years since our last Milk Mama Diaries blog carnival!  My co-host Mec (Mec as Mom) and I have been busy and not been able to regularly host the carnival.   However, with the prodding of our breastfriend, breastfeeding diva Velvet Escario-Roxas, we decided to revive the carnival this month to help the public understand more about this year's World Breastfeeding Week 2014 theme:  Breastfeeding, A Winning Goal For Life!

This year's theme refers to the 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which were set by governments and the United Nations way back in 1990.  These goals aim to fight poverty and promote healthy and sustainable development by 2015.   WABA would like to emphasize the importance of increasing and sustaining the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding post-2015.   Likewise, by protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding, YOU can contribute to each of the MDGs in a substantial way.

Breastfeeding Month Giveaway from The Marshmallow Baby Online Shop

Lawyers are jacks of all trades! In fact, a lot of my lawyer friends are now veering away from traditional lawfirm practice.  Most are in alternative lawyering, business, photography, government, environment, surfing, blogging, etc.  I'm one example - from focusing on pleadings, opinions, my time is now on my business, family and promoting, supporting and protecting breastfeeding, particularly the implementation of the Milk Code.

I recently met another lawyer who has a successful second career.  Tina de Guzman, a development professional and lawyer, works in an NGO implementing judicial reform, human rights and anti-trafficking programs.  Together with her husband Reindl, they set up "Fluffy Pwets," the first ever hybrid fitted diapers in the country.

Money Matters for Kids is back!

Three years ago, I took N to an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila to jumpstart her financial education.  I wrote about our experience here.  N was about 3.5 years old then and admittedly, she wasn't mature enough to fully appreciate the activity.  I wanted to bring her back when she was a bit older but there wasn't any there scheduled exhibit until this year.

Activities for August Breastfeeding Month

Breastfeeding Awareness Month is happening next week!  As always, it is packed with activities to promote, support and protect breastfeeding and further the breastfeeding advocacy.  Let me start with L.A.T.C.H.'s big event this August -- Breastfeeding Uncovered 2014: Mission Possible.  LATCH has expanded to Cebu and Davao cities and we decided to bring back Dr. Jack Newman to visit 3 major cities in the Philippines.

His first visit last year was well-attended and with the release of his new book, we hope that more healthcare workers, breastfeeding supporters and breastfeeding mothers can hear him speak.   

The Second Night

I was able to sign-up for ilactation's Heart-to-Heart Online conference earlier this year.  Learning about breastfeeding is never-ending.  There are regular researches and updates and I am pretty happy that there are providers which allow advocates like myself to listen and learn online, in the comfort of my own home or while commuting.

Gentle Birth Is Possible - A Public Forum - happening today!

Planning for breastfeeding success starts with planning for your birth.  While I did not have a home birth for my children, I am happy to be part of the Homebirthing group in the Philippines which advocates for informed birth choices available for mothers.   I am alarmed by the increasing rates of caesarian births in the Philippines and even more by mothers who schedule C/S births based on lucky dates, appointments, without any medical indication.  Click here for my learnings from Erik's birth.

Thus, I was happy when Nanay Ines of Arugaan pushed for the creation of a gentle birth public forum and excited to announce that it is happening today in UP Diliman!

Breastfeeding Uncovered 2014: Mission Possible

He's back!  I'm happy to share that due to public demand, L.A.T.C.H. will be bringing Dr. Jack Newman back to the Philippines.  Read my post last year for details on who Dr. Newman is.  

A #BetterMe Make-Up Session with The Painter's Wife

Make-up is not my strongest point.  Save for 1-2 eyebrow pencils, all of my make-up items are given to me as gifts or as part of swag bags.  My mom was not fond of make-up and had the barest minimum and I guess I learned by example.

However, being a professional, I realized the need to learn how to put on make-up.  Did you know that my former boss gifted me a make-up kit (hint! hint! I should start putting make-up more often!) which until now I have never fully utilized?

Boycott Nestle. Ask me why.

At the One Asia Breastfeeding Partners Forum last year in Luang Prabang, one of the persons I met was Patti Rundall of Baby Milk Action.  Prior to OABPF, I was already a breastfeeding advocate and actively stopped buying Nestle products for my home.  After listening to the speakers about their ideas, insights and experiences, I realise that supporting the Nestle boycott doesn't mean just NOT buying Nestle products for my family but also telling others who ask why we do it.  Every one person that also supports the boycott and stops buying Nestle is a huge boost to this campaign.

If I've piqued your interest, read on after the jump.

Our Tokyo Trip Travel Must-haves!

It has been more than one month since our April trip to Tokyo.  I've been preparing a series of posts about our must-dos and must-visits.  But I also wanted to list down our essentials packing list, hopefully to help families in their own planning and packing, and to serve as a reminder to myself when I prepare for our future trips as well.

Summer with Owl Coffee Philippines

Phew! I'm in the middle of a career change and although I decided not to work full time this summer, I feel as if I am busier than ever.  I realize that ferrying the kids to their summer classes and doing activities with them take up a lot of time.  I know I haven't written a lot for the past couple of months and I hope to make up for this in the 2nd half of 2014 (crossing my fingers!)

Do you use #softhands? Consider Positive Discipline

When we became parents, Stan and I naturally gravitated towards the attachment parenting model.  I realize now that it was also because of how I was parented as a child.  During our recent family trip to Tokyo, my dad shared about how an uncle told him how to parent his family - that he as a parent must be feared by his children - rule by the rod, not by hugs and kisses.  But my dad disagreed.  He believed that we should learn to obey him because we love and respect him and not because we feared him.  So my siblings and I were never lacking for warmth and affection from our parents and for this I am truly grateful.

A Mother's Day Raffle with Elin

Mother's Day is coming up and I want to do a raffle for readers of this blog to celebrate.  I've had my Elin affiliate link up for about two months now and I am very thankful to my readers for clicking on it whenever they shop at Elin.

As I shared in my previous post, Elin has been my go to brand for chic casual pieces even when they were not yet carrying maternity clothes.  I was really pleased that they included nursing wear in their catalogue, providing classic and affordable pieces for their clients.

GCDC Philippines' Guinness attempt

Hooray! We qualified for the 2014 Great Cloth Diaper Change Guinness attempt.   This year's event was held at the Blue Leaf Events Pavilion and would not have been successful if not for our partnership with 2 mommy groups - N@W and MCNP.

Thanks to Benz of N@W, we were able to secure a wonderful venue - Blue Leaf's Jade Pavilion!  Incidentally, this Sunday, the Blue Leaf will be hosting "The Big Banquet" - a food-tasting event by the top caterers of Metro Manila.  Click here for tickets.

Photo by Nikz Dizon