MomBa: Babywearing Fun!

One of the activities I wanted to include during  the babywearing events was a local version of Sling and Dance.  However, I was creatively challenge and had no idea how to choreograph a routine.  Plus, I don't go to classes like zumba or yoga so I really had no idea how to organize a similar activity locally.  Hence, this idea got shelved.

Fast forward to several months later when I met Nadine Casino online.  Nadine and I had been corresponding in Facebook, focusing on setting up a breastfeeding support group in Cagayan de Oro City.  Along with her friend Meg Gabe, they set up Mommy Bright Side, a support group for babywearing, breastfeeding and cloth diapering families.  Together with neonatologist Dr. Jessamine Sareno, the group organized the successful "Pay it Forward CDO" a breastmilk drive campaign for the Typhoon Pablo orphans.

Back to Back Saturday! - Cloth diapering and breastfeeding events

Saturday will be a very busy day as I will be joining 2 activities to promote practices close to my heart - cloth diapering and breastfeeding. 

I had wanted to organize a local activity to support The Great Cloth Diaper Change last year.  However, one of the requirements of last year's event was that it had to be a simultaneous activity - which meant hosting the event at 11pm to coincide with the EST time zone.  Not really feasible with babies so I scrapped that out and instead organized a series of activities to celebrate Real Diaper Week - from a blog carnival, to seminars on cloth diapers and cloth diaper drive.  

Why I love Mamaway (an event and a giveaway)

Ninang with E in his Like shirt

I have been a customer of Mamaway since 2008, when they first came to the Philippines.   They have recently opened their retail store in New Manila, Quezon City and another store is in the pipeline.   One of the owners, Jonie, has become more than a business colleague and is actually the godmother of E.

nursing in my Mamaway dresses

What I like about Mamaway is that the owners truly want to help you successfully breastfeed and they do this by supporting various classes and breastfeeding events.  In fact, if you have breastfeeding concerns, Jonie will go out of her way to refer you to the right support person or group who can help you succeed.

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 : )

What a Busy Weekend!!

The LATCH class which was supposed to have been held last March 12, 2011 has been moved to this Saturday, 26 March 2011! This is a free class on a first come, first serve basis. Classes will be at the 4th Floor, Conference Room 1, The new Medical City - entrance is beside Starbucks. Topics include Breastfeeding Benefits, What to expect in the first week, Position and Latching through breakout groups, Back to Work and Busting Breastfeeding Myths. For inquiries, you can call TMC at 635-6789 local 6444. Click here to know what to expect for the LATCH class. This class is perfect for pregnant moms and dads (and yayas and grandparents!)

Meanwhile, if you are already a nursing mom with specific questions and concerns, you may want to attend the La Leche League Meeting (The Breastfeeding Club) at Mothercare Greenbelt 5, Saturday, 26 March 2011 at 11am. Class will be led by La Leche League Leader Abbie Yabot. Attendance is free but please pre-register by texting 0922-8292268 your name and partner's name, other companions if any, baby's age or edd. Topic for Saturday will be nutrition and solids. There is no fixed structure for the meetings and moms are free to ask their questions/issues on the topic. If there's time after, moms can raise other breastfeeding issues and questions. Setting is quite relaxed and this is a great opportunity to meet other breastfeeding moms and share tips, support and concerns. Read about my experience at La Leche League meetings here.

More March activities

*Update - LATCH March 12 Class is moved to March 26, 2011!

Best Friends in Breastfeeding will also be holding its monthly support group meeting this Saturday, 12 March 2011 at 1030am at the Baby Company, 2/f Podium Mall, Ortigas Center. Topic will be on breastfeeding difficulties to be led by Jane Cacacho, Xavier School, High School Principal. Click here to read a recap of my experience at a similar meeting.

Anyway, what makes this meeting different from the LATCH seminar is just that - this one is a meeting and the other is a seminar. The LATCH activity is specifically targeted towards pregnant moms and is purely a class with opportunity to ask questions. It is essentially a breastfeeding lecture and is pretty structured. Meanwhile, the support group meeting is for moms who are already breastfeeding - new moms or moms with older babies or toddlers. Some pregnant moms benefit from attending because they learn or hear about the experiences of the other moms. But if you are looking for a class with a lecture on breastfeeding basics, pumping at work, milk storage, etc. this is not the meeting for you. During the support group meeting, a topic is put out - then moms share their experiences or ask questions about that topic. If there's time, you can ask your questions which are not about the set topic. LATCH seminar lasts 3 hours while the BFB (LLLI) meeting is about 1.5 hours.

Aside from breastfeeding seminars/meetings, there is another activity over at The Medela House. Read Maricel's email below:

This March 12, we will be having another MedelaSupports event at the Medela House. A free talk by The Learning Library on How to Choose Books for Your Children to get them to love reading as well as how to read to your children will be held from 9am-12noon. It will be a back-to-back English-Filipino talk. If your child is 3 years old and older, they will also conduct a free reading assessment so you know at what level your child’s at. In addition, you get a recommended reading list which is a helpful guide when you visit bookstores. Finally, the Scholastic bookfair will also grace the event and provide immediate selections for purchase depending on your child’s reading ability! So you can go home and practice all that you’ve learned that same day :)

This event, due to popular request, will also be opened to non-MedelaMoms’ customers for an entrance fee of P100 per person. Everything is free for MedelaMoms’ Pump customers :) Please register thru Medela Moms or via 0917-5614366 with your name, your child’s name and age, and whoever else might be accompanying you to this event.

Finally, check out this parenting/breastfeeding class for a series of 3 weekends, beginning 19 March 2011. Brought to you by MotherCo and Bosom Buddy. See the flier below for more details (click poster to read).

LATCH Class this Saturday - 12 March 2011

This Saturday, 12 March 2011, L.A.T.C.H. will be conducting a breastfeeding workshop information at The Medical City from 9-12nn. This is a free class on a first come, first serve basis. Classes will be at the 4th Floor, Conference Room 1, take the entrance beside Starbucks. Topics include Breastfeeding Benefits, What to Expect in the First Week, Positioning and Latching, Back to Work and Busting Breastfeeding Myths. For inquiries, you can call TMC at 635-6789, loc. 6444.

Click HERE to know what to expect for this class.

*Update: 10 March 2011 - Class has been moved to 26 March 2011 due to scheduling conflicts at The Medical City

Classes/Events for February 2011

This post is late - considering that it's already mid-February! If you're looking for weekend breastfeeding classes/meetings, here are upcoming ones:

1. La Leche League Makati is moving to its new home!! Meetings will now be held at Mothercare Greenbelt 5 branch from 11am to 1230pm. February meeting will be on 26 February 2011. Please pre-registered by emailing Abbie Yabot or texting your name, edd or baby's age, email add and contact number to 09228292268.

2. The Breastfeeding Club will be holding a breastfeeding class at the Medela House on Saturday, 19 February 2011 from 9am to 11am. Topic will be sustaining breastfeeding with a review of Breastfeeding 101. Fee is P500 (which entitles you to 2 other classes in the series). Interested participants may register at 0917-5614366 or email Medela House.

3. Yaya trainings are also conducted at the Medela House. For February 19, 2011 (1-4pm) topic will be all about newborn care and the support that a yaya should give to a breastfeeding mom. Other topics are included in the yaya seminar modules. For details and fees, email Medela House.

4. If you're in Davao City, check out MommySense's seminar on Breastfeeding 101 for Yaya. I can't over-emphasize how important caregiver's support is in a successful breastfeeding relationship especially for working moms! Class will be on 22 February 2011 at The Pod. See poster for more details.

*LATCH has no classes for February. Next class will be on 12 March 2011 at The Medical City. See you there!

Lactation Counselor Training - March 2011

I have been getting emails and posts from moms asking where they can get certified as a breastfeeding counselor. LATCH has plans to hold a training this year but schedule and details are not yet finalized. I promise to post details once every thing is ironed out.

I received information that Dr. Pat Kho (IBCLC) is holding a lactation counselor training in Makati Medical Center this March 2011. The training costs P10,000.00 and consists of 20 sessions spread out over 4 days. Topics range from the benefits of breastfeeding, how breastfeeding works, positioning, latching, how to counsel moms, breast conditions and infant assessment. You can contact Dr. Pat Kho (09178505872) to register and obtain more details. See curriculum below:

Classes and Meetings for January 2011

Pregnant? New mom? Start the year right and join a breastfeeding class or meeting! There are several scheduled for this month!

La Leche League's Ortigas Meeting was held last Saturday, 8 January 2011 at the Podium Mall. Missed posting before that because it was Anya's 1st birthday that day and it was a hectic week! But don't fret! There will be another La Leche League meeting in Makati through Abbie's Breastfeeding Club either on January 22 or 29. Will update this post once I get the final date/venue.

This weekend, L.A.T.C.H. will be holding its first breastfeeding class for the year! It will be from 9am-12nn at the 4/F of the Center for Patient Partnership Building, The Medical City, Meralco Ave., Pasig City. I will be there to talk on "Back to Work" (what else?!) with other fellow L.A.T.C.H.ers. Other topics will be breastfeeding benefits, myths and what to expect during the first 2 weeks. A must-join is our break-out group - this is unique to LATCH classes. Counselors split up the class into smaller groups to discuss the specifics of latching and positioning. We also have Dr. Christina Bernardo (a pediatrician who is studying to be an IBCLC) to answer questions. Classes are free.

If you are QC-based you might want to attend the Breastfeeding 101 Class of The Breastfeeding Club over at The Medela House. Abbie Yabot, certified Philippine Lactation Counselor holds a series of monthly classes starting this month. The Breastfeeding 101 Class will be from 8am-10am and will cover the basics, advantages tips and early troubleshooting. To register, email MedelaMoms or text 0917-5614366. There is a fee of P500 for the 3 classes.

On January 22, 2011, Cher Anonas of Plume will be hosting her own breastfeeding class in Renaissance 1000. The class will be from 1:30pm to 5:30pm and is free. Participants are asked to bring food for the group. For details and to register, text 0917-898-2437 or email Cher.

Spread the word and join the classes!

Update: 21 January 2011

La Leche League Makati (that used to meet in Rustan's) will be holding its first meeting of the year this Saturday, 22 January 2011 (10am-1130am) at the Starbucks, Bonifacio Global City. It will be at the Starbucks with the drive through in front of MC Home Depot (see map below). At this meeting, you can meet with several breastfeeding mothers AND a Philippine certified breastfeeding counselor who can help you with your breastfeeding issues/questions. Open to pregnant and nursing moms! Do text Abbie at 09228292268 to confirm your attendance. See you there!

View Larger Map

Breastfeeding Classes for October 2010

Here are the schedule of classes for October 2010:

A. La Leche Group Support Meetings

• October 9 at the Baby and Co. Podium Branch - 11am-1230pm. This will be facilitated by Dr. Pat Kho (IBCLC).
• October 30 at the Baby and Co. Rockwell Branch - 11am-1230pm. This used to be held in Rustan's Makati. Class will be facilitated by Abbie Yabot, Certified Lactation Counselor. Pre-registration is a must via email or text (09228292268). Please send your name, partner's name, contact number, email address and age of baby. Topic will be support from husband and others.

B. The Breastfeeding Club

• October 23 at The Medela House. Class is Breastfeeding 2020 which covers topics such as at home with the baby, how to increase milk supply, pumping and storage, giving expressed breastmilk, teething, solids and nutrition. Please register with Maricel Cua (09175614366).

La Leche League Makati Meeting in Saturday

Want to join a La Leche League Meeting in Makati? There's one this Saturday (June 19, 2010) for expectant and nursing moms and daddies. It will be at 1030am-1230pm at the 3/f Playroom of Rustan's Makati. Topic for this Saturday is breastfeeding support.

Interested? Make sure you register by emailing La Leche League Leader Abbie Yabot the following details: mom's name/dad's name, baby's age/name or EDD and cellphone number. Attendance is free! Just bring yourself, your baby, husband/partner or yaya. Grandparents are also welcome!

Hope to see you there!

1st La Leche League Meeting in Makati

Finally!! A La Leche League meeting in Makati City! This is great news for Southern Manila moms like me who didn't want to waste Saturday weekend mornings in traffic going to Greenhills.  :D  Previously, there was only 1 La Leche League monthly meeting for the whole of Manila and it was held in Mary the Queen in Greenhills.  I think I attended just one or two meetings and gave up because going to Greenhills was just too far.  Happily, La Leche League Leader Abbie Yabot was able to organize a meeting in Makati City.  The 1st Makati La Leche League meeting will be held this Saturday, May 22 at 10am at the 3rd Floor of Rustan's Makati (Play Area).  Attendance is free and expectant and breastfeeding moms are welcome!  RSVP to Abbie.  See you there!

Breastfeeding Classes on January 2010

If you're looking for breastfeeding classes this weekend, here are a couple of classes you can check out on:

1. Start the year with the strength of having a breastfeeding support group, raise concerns, get information or counseling that you may need from experienced moms and/or from breastfeeding counselors. La Leche League Philippines will be having its first meeting for the year this Saturday (January 9), 9am at the Parish Hall of Mary the Queen in Greenhills, across Xavier. To confirm your attendace, text Jane (09176260585) or Cris (09178941099).

2. Free Breastfeeding Class at Shaw Blvd.

This class is conducted by Cher Anonas (of Plume Nursing Wear) and Zeny Feliciano. Topics to be discussed include: Benefits of Breastfeeding, Different Positions and Correct Latch, Getting Breastfeeding Off to a Great Start, Overcoming Common Challenges, Lactation and Relaxation Massage, etc.! Registration starts at 1:30 pm. Class starts promptly at 2:00 pm. Class is on January 16, 2010.

Admission is free but pre-registration is a must. Please text BREASTFEEDING CLASS PARTICIPANT, your full name/s and number of participants (dads, nannies, and other support people are very welcome!) to 0917 898 24 37 or email Cher. Please bring: your baby or a doll, food and drinks to share with 4-6 people.

Location: Organics Asia, Inc., Unit 401 Emerald Place, 604 Shaw Boulevard, Pasig City

• Directions to Location: Coming from Edsa Central side :
• Take Shaw Blvd going to Capitolyo-C5
• At the 2nd stoplight, you will pass by Tropical Hut - 10q store (this is at corner Pioneer St.)
• You will see Caltex and then Pan de Manila
• 604 Emerald Place Bldg is right after Pan de Manila
• There is a Ganzklar Signage at the ground floor
  Please proceed to elevator for unit 401 Organics Asia Inc. Parking is very limited - most of the time there are no available slots.

3. L.A.T.C.H. class on January 23, 2010. This will be at The Medical City and will start at 9am.