and our baby's name is..

pipit star!!!!

hahaha. no, we aren't crazy - and we will not be giving that as his/her real name.

some random tips.

from the beginning of pregnancy, preggos around the world have always been continually told to keep their heads cool, or not get mad too much because it's bad for the baby. but what happens when you really want to burst at someone? now, i just thought about this last night. this is just an example because i'm not even mad at this person (okay, i am maaaad about this person - but that's a different thing.)

when mad at boyfriend (or anybody else) this is the best way to let your anger out in the least aggressive way. (creative too) ;)

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mummy mummy.

i'm showing off my pregnant face now because my pimples have cleared up na. damned these hormones!!! =)

baby moves for papap.

i've been talking about our little angel moving a lot on a previous post, and true, our lil angel has been moving inside my belly for 2 weeks already. the movements were usually random and sporadic at first (prior to that, i thought he/she was moving already - turned out it was stomach gas..ahhhk). but then, two days ago, baby's movements became more predictable - lil angel became more active at night when i lay down to sleep, and less active in the morning.

i've been telling cococ (aka papap) about the changes in baby's movement. he listens, his eyes gleaming with excitement when i tell him how funny it feels everytime. i don't know about all mothers (and fathers) out there, but feeling the baby move is just the nicest thing in the world. it is a comfort too, knowing that having a moving and active baby is a healthy baby. and i really wanted, wanted, wanted to share that feeling with him all through out the pregnancy. i just didn't know how because that wasn't possible at first because our lil angel's activities were too slow to be felt by anybody else.

then today, our lil angel moved really hard for papap (weeeee!! pak-paki ang baby namo!!!).

we were sitting down on the couch this afternoon, when i felt baby kick the right side of my belly. so i told cococ, "baby, put your hand over here." i took his hand and placed it on the left side of my tummy. just right when his hand touched my tummy, our baby kicked - real hard. :)

"did you feel that?" i asked.
"yes. i thought that was your stomach," he answered me.
"no, that was lil angel, moving for papap." :)

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the wishlist part 1 (bottles and feeding items)

an upcoming baby is always met with excitement. and being only four months away from my due date, i've researching and reading about what i'll need to buy like crazy.
aside from scouring the malls for baby items, i have also been looking at online merchant sites (moirahjing.multiply.com and babyuno.multiply.com - both are based in manila.) they sell goooood quality imported bottles for cheaper prices than those in the malls.
items like strollers, cribs, baby clothes are easy to find here. but being really particular with the feeding items/baby bottles i'd like to get for my baby (should be bpa free, tummy friendly, breastfeeding friendly, etc), the ones i really like are hardly available in cagayan de oro, aside from avent bottles.
here are some other nice bottles that i found (part of my wishlist - i must say), which are available online. (or in cebu/manila - probably). hope i may be of help to other moms-to-be:

these are 90z. PLAYTEX VENTAIRE REUSABLE BOTTLES. they have airvents that keep air out (less colic and gas for baby), they're naturally shaped, they promote feeding in upright positions and they're BPA free. a little more expensive than regular brands, but you'd be pretty sure about the quality. they're not available in cdo anymore, so i really don't know how much they sell in malls. but they're available at two online merchant sites that are based in manila (they do shipping). and they're priced around Php 750/775 per pack of three 90z bottles.


oh, i forgot to tell you - they look really good. then again, wait till you see it's hybrid.

the 90z. PLAYTEX VENTAIRE NATURAL SHAPE WIDE NECK BOTTLES actually work like the regular ones, but it's wider NaturalShape R Nipples are designed for easier switching from breast to bottle feeding. it's also wider around the neck, which makes it easier to grip.

and they look way, way better and sleeker, don't you think? they come around a little more expensive at Php 950/980 per pack of three 90z. bottles.

these 4oz. AVENT BREASTMILK STORAGE CONTAINERS are great for moms who want to continue feeding their babies with breast milk, but cannot be there all the time because they have to go to work (or school - in my case). these containers are actually your normal feeding bottles without the nipples (so you can actually just buy more feeding bottles and buy extra sealing discs). they come with the silicone sealing discs and screw rings, and are compatible with avent breast pumps, so you can pump milk directly into the bottle, store it and replace the sealing discs with nipples when ready to serve. that means not having to transfer milk from different containers (thus lessening the risk of contaminating the milk). they sell for around P900 for a pack of four.

but wait! i did my calculations! i figured out that if you added P520 (for four airflex teats), you'd already have 4 bottles that convert into storage containers. for the price of Php 1420 only. hahaha.
this is a 9oz NUBY STANDARD CONTOUR NON-DRIP BOTTLE, and they come in a multitude of colors. the nipples have teething nubs (those little bumps right there) that are really great for teething babies because they massage and stimulate the gums. it has an anti - colic air system and a non-drip nipple, and its vari-flo valve allows the baby to control the liquid flow rate.

and again, like most of the bottles i really like, this one looks really great too. this sells at Php 350 each.








finally, nice bottles available locally. i saw them at SM last week and the loooook really great. the contour is sleek, and it had two nipples require both suction and compression, just like breast feeding and baby controls the flow of milk. the outer nipple is really, really, really soft while the inner nipple keeps it from collapsing. It's the bottle most like breastfeeding.

wishlist to be continued.. (mga soon to be ninongs and ninangs - abangan. hehehe. peace.)

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she moves a lot.

now don't get misinterpretations about me using SHE to refer to the baby. we still don't know the baby's gender but i don't like refering to our little angel as IT. and it sounds tacky to keep on saying HE/SHE. so i use she. because i haaaaaveee a HUGE feeling that she's gonna be a girl. =) just have. but either way, boy or girl is fine as long as SHE's healthy. i'm getting mixed up with the pronouns here.

now back to the story. she moves quite a lot now. a couple of times daily. sweet.

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they call it feathering my nest

i call it cleaning.

this is just 10% of the clutter in my bedroom. and with a new baby coming, i need to make space. although our little angel isn't arriving until september, i'd like to clear up the mess so i can plan easily.

now where do i put the crib? and the plastic drawers. and the dressing table, and the baby books. (hahaha, as if i have them already)

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pregnant in the philippines. debunking the myths.

i like talking to people about my pregnancy and as much as i appreciate tips and opinions from people who are really concerned, sometimes it just puts me right off. who doesn't get annoyed by intrusive and unsolicited advice? it wouldn't be half as bad if the tips were really helpful - but those that have no scientific basis or are just downright mythological really get on my nerves. to add to that, people who give them just seem to have an air that they know it all - and that i don't. when people tell me, "hoy, you're not supposed to do that. that's bad for your baby." i feel like telling them off, "hello. can i be that stupid to do something to harm my baby? as if i don't know anything. if you must know, i prepare for my baby. i read. i ask questions from reliable people so i don't end up giving incorrect and unsolicited shit to other pregnant women too." *yes. i can be a btch* ;)

here are some of the most out of this world advice i've ever encountered (as in bordering on tinu-ohan na sa buktot, as they say.)

1. ayaw kaligo sa hapon or gabie kay panuhoton ka unya sakit pagpanganak. (don't take a bath in the afternoon or in the evening because it will cause panuhot it will really be painful when you give birth.) first things first. those ‘knots’ or ‘panuhot’ which they say is caused by air or cold when you take a bath in the afternoon or in the evening is called Myofascial Pain Syndrome. cold air or water or taking a bath has nothing to do with it. a knot, panuhot, or trigger point, is a small mound of muscle that is lacking nerve impulses and circulation. and no, even if one does have Myofascial Pain Syndrome (which is just a fancy term for muscle pain) it does exactly not cause the pain in childbirth. there will always be pain in childbirth - the cervix dilates, the uterus contracts. how can there be no pain in that? the things is, women have varying pain thresholds and different ways of managing pain. her overall health, physical stregnth and the position of the baby, anxiety may be determine how much pain she may feel during childbirth - and trust me, it's not caused by taking a bath in the afternoon. or the evening. moreover, being pregnant in the tropics brings its own set of challenges. increased metabolism + baby + increased blood volume = more heat generation. and overheating can be dangerous to both the mummy and the baby. guess what helps in bringing down body temperature (aside from staying indoors and drinking lots of water)? taking showers - whether it be in the morning, afternoon or evening. so go figure.
2. pag purong/kalo kung mu gawas sa balay kung gabie kay panuhoton ka. (wear a cap or turban over your head when going out at night because you'll get panuhot - again.) this brings us back to the panuhot or cold air theory. i suppose they believe that the cold will enter your system through the holes in your scalp? now, i don't think i still need to take that any further.
3. constantly eating or drinking cold food/drinks (ex. ice cream/juice/coke) will make your baby bigger. food or drink temperature has nothing to do with how the baby grows. what makes the baby bigger are the extra calories you take in. i think we have this myth because most of the pregnant women who like eating ice cream or drinking soda to the point of excess have big babies. (read, ice cream = too much sugar, too much calories.) again, it's not because of the cold - it's because of the extra calories you get from what you eat. even if you all you eat are non-cold food, so long as they're sugar and calorie laden -you're gonna have a big baby.
4. the food you crave for determines the color of your baby. love eggplants? = dark baby. constant buko craving? = white baby. now who would fall for this? the color of your baby is determined by you and your partner's genes, no other explanation. even if your both dark skinned there is a chance that you have a fair skinned baby if you have family members who are fair skinned. iron supplements can also give you a darker baby.

to be continued..(because it's really hot and i have to take a bath - again. hehehe.

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making up for lost time and blogs part 2

my entrance into the baby blogging has been delayed by about five months, but so far i've been doing a great job catching up. (3 posts in one day - what can you say?).

i looked at some really nice feeding bottles at 2 online merchant sites and compared their prices with the ones i saw in the malls. the ones online are relatively cheaper (as brand prices go). the only trouble with online shopping is that although it's a lot less expensive (eg. avent 4oz 3's cost php 850 online while it costs php 1150 at robinson's), you still have to pay for the shipping - which may mean another couple of hundred pesos.

which is why, once again - i'll be doing my canvassing. the thing is, i don't want to sound too ambitious about wanting to buy expensive things for my baby but a mother's got all the right to wish for the best things for her kid, right? as much as possible, i'd like to find the best baby items, but i'd like to get them at the cheapest possible price.

i really have no problem with baby clothes, lampins or recieving blankets even if they're hand me down, or from dirt cheap stores in cogon, as long as they fit, the don't strangle my lil angel and they're made of cotton - they're fine with me. i just want to make sure about the feeding baby bottles - that they're safe, BPA free, have airvents and won't crack when sterilized. who wants a dozen bottles ( the logic is - cheaper = more) that might cause colic and have to be replaced after 6months? i'd rather have four or six easy to grip, easy to clean, safe, durable and good ones.

actually, as much as possible, if i had all the money in the world i'd really want to get nice things for my baby (hoy mga soon to be ninangs ug ninongs - pamati mo diha. hahaha.) but since finances are tight, the things i've been eyeing on right now are the feeding bottles, bottle sterilizers, breast pumps.

tell you more with what i find out from my..uh.. scouting. =) this might also help some mummies to be out there in cdo who are having a hard time with their baby shopping..

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my baby's dad.

he calls me his angel, and our baby his lil angel. he keeps his cool whenever i go wild over small little things (he has kept his cool ever since) and keeps me grounded whenever i get too crazy and start to say or do mean things (or both). he tells me when i become too much and he understands me fully. i have had mood swings waaaaay before my pregnancy. and he's fine with me being a pain in the as*.

he shares my excitement for the baby and understands my desire for avent feeding bottles or other imported ones because he also wants to make sure it's BPA free and helps reduce colic (aside from the fact that it's sosyal), strollers with carriers and car seats that go over the four digit price range, cribs that come with dressing tables/removable bassinets/mosquito nets, baby clothes and shoes that are absolutely unecessary, baby products x times more expensive than the tried and tested johnson & johnsons. really.

we may not be able buy everything that i've been eyeing on, craving for and researching about, because we really can't afford them - but the fact that he understands, doesn't complain and actually agrees that we need them for the baby because he also wants the best - makes him a really great dad to be.

he accompanies me to the baby's section of the department store just because i like to ogle at recieving blankets and white onesies and wet tissues and bathtubs and diapers. he holds my hand when we walk and reminds me to drink my milk at night. he has been there for every doctor's visit and shares his opinion about every doctor/hospital/clinic we've been to. he slices the vegetables when i cook dinner because i get achy feet from too much standing up. he leniently gives in to my cravings but then reminds me that i shouldn't eat/drink soda too much. he offers to go walking with me daily. he massages my back and my feet when they begin to ache.

he takes care of me. and i see him filled with excitement everyday as he waits for the baby. i see him try to be better for me, i see him try to be better for our lil angel. he may be nervous and he may have second thoughts - that i do not know because he never shows it. we're going through the scariest and the most uncertain thing in the world, but he remains calm and steadfast. he understands that we can't just get married even if people tell us to - because we need to finish school. when i panic, he tells me to relax and take things a step at a time.

and he is quitting smoking.

he understands that i need to have ME TIME some times (though i never return the favor and throw tantrums when he tries to go out). he kisses my forehead before he goes home and tells me to take care of our lil angel. and he wishes us both good night, as if the baby was already here. and he still finds pretty and sexy even with a thirty - three inch waist line, a bigger bum and flabbier arms (or at least he says so. hehehe.)

these are just a few great things out of a million about him. my cococ. my bear, who constantly assures me i'll still be his baby even if we'll be having a baby soon. (lol. insecure na ko.)

pregnancy often poses a lot of uncertainties, specially for the mother-to-be. we remain financially dependent on family, and career wise - we have none because we're still students; but when it comes to him being a good partner and dad, i'm not afraid because i'm more than sure. i know him and he knows himself, and he'll be great with our lil angel. we may not be starting out with much and although there aren't any definite plans, aside from finishing school, but seeing him grow and try to be better for us makes me know that he is man enough to take on his responsibilty - and on any given day he can and will take care of us. things are going to be great. =)

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making up for lost time (blogs)

we're pregnant. 5 months and 3 days.

i think that line sounds better than saying i'm pregnant, because i think Cococ is as much a part of this pregnancy as i am. see, i've been thinking of blogging about this whole pregnancy since day 1 (okay, not necessarily day one - but on the day we found out.) that was febuary 3, 2007 and we were one month and two weeks pregnant.

but as unplanned pregnancies usually go, cococ and i had to deal with the stresses that went with it. that meant early stages of denial ("no i cannot be pregnant, i'm still 19 and i haven't gaduated yet!!"), confirming the pregnancy by ourselves (3 more pregnancy tests that still gave us the double lines) and episodes of panic ("how will we tell our parents?" "what will everyone think?" "what will the baby eat?"), which meant blogging about this flew out and became the last thing on my mind. that five months have been quite difficult and stressful, - but be managed to pull through, a WHOLE LOT shaken but really okay.

after 5 months, we have:
- confirmed the pregnancy through 4 pregnancy tests in one week.
- visited the doctor and determined the baby's age through TVS (the doctor had a hard time determining the baby's EDD because my belly was smaller than the normal 16 week size - as estimated. it turned out that we were just 12 weeks pregnant.)
- seen the baby for the first time at 12 weeks. it finally confirmed that there this lil angel inside me. hearing his/her heartbeat was sooOo awesome and seeing cococ smile, almost crying, like he was a little boy who got a million presents for christmas was the best thing in the world.
- told our families (mixed emotions, mixed reactions. but they all got over and accepted it - we hope.)
- visited other doctors to find the one i'd be most comfortable with.
- had me tested for my blood type, and for gestational diabetes, hepatitis b and syphilis (all turned out negative. tg.)
- started exercising (which is more like malling.)
- started to feel baby (although lil angel's movements are still sporadic, and aren't too strong for cococ to feel them yet.)

and lastly, we have learned to relax, kick back and enjoy the pregnancy and wait until the baby arrives.

we may have had this unplanned, we may have initially dissappointed a lot of people (for that - we apologize), we may have to set our lives, dreams and opportunities back a little bit because of this but it's here now. our lil angel will be arriving in four months and despite the fears and uncertainties - we're really happy and we're hoping for the best.
we remain grateful to our parents - my mom, dad, his mom, our families for accepting the situation with understanding, love and support. we hope the baby will bring hoping them all joy.

we pray that our baby's gonna be healthy, that things are gonna be okay, and that despite the sharp twist and turns and the shortcomings, we know that going through this whole experienceour baby's going to inspire us to become better people.

so there. i finally posted our first baby blog.

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