30!

Last year, I was imagining how I would be celebrating my big 30. Now, that day passed and I couldn't imagine how swift time is.

We do not really know how many years were given to us to live in this world so I couldn't say that I am already at the middle of my life. I used to think that 30 is old but now that I am in it, it really isn't. 30 just means I have experienced things more.



We've had a number of cakes to eat this past week. :D


Who you want to be...


How do you really go out of your comfort zone? It is really scary, come to think of it. It is just like that moment when you transfer to another school or university, when you were asked to join a club for the first time and didn't know what to expect, when you first entered in a relationship, the first time you cut classes, the first time you sneaked out to a party, the first time you tried commuting, your first ride in a taxi... You tried all those for a reason. At one point, you didn't care whether people told you not to do it because it's dangerous. What you know is that you have this yearning to do it to enjoy, to learn, to experience.

Be a child at heart.

That means not being afraid to try out new things, explore new industries, and discover who else you could become other than what you told yourself you would be.

Some people realized they wanted to become a lawyer someday and that's where all their decisions were based. But that same lawyer never thought he/she would become a father, or a mother, a businessman, a social worker... We can all become more than what we thought we could be. All we need is to keep on believing, take action, and pursue that dream.

Tomorrow is Easter Sunday. It is the time of rebirth.

Who else do you want to be?




Mommy Purchase: Nursing Cover

Not given the chance to breastfed Megan fully, I am determined to nurse Abraham and breastfeed him for as long as I can. (That's the beauty of a work from home mommy!)

As I was imagining how I will be able to do so, I thought of what I am going to do when we're out in public. Although commercials and health organizations have been promoting breastfeeding, it still gets awkward when you see a part of someone's boobs out in the open. Some people just couldn't help but stare. And how could a mother breastfeed comfortably when she knows that people are looking at her?

I didn't think twice. I immediately looked for a nursing cover for preparations. Since I couldn't leave the house yet for shopping, I resulted to online purchasing again.



"Pediatricians strongly recommend exclusive breast feeding for the first six months of life up to two years.

It is packed with disease fighting substances that protects your baby.

We believe that Breast Milk is the best gift that you can give your little one.

We salute mothers who have made the decision to invest in the liquid gold.

Nursing Cover is made of breathable cloth---not too thick, not too thin. It is enough to shield your bosom from public exposure but light enough to be draped over your baby during feeding."
And yes, there isn't a need to sell it to me because it's already sold even before I searched online. :)
The only question now is... how affordable can I get it?

There are a lot of nursing covers for sale. I, of course, purchased the one that's budget friendly. I got a green colored one from Lelliebubb. It only costs 250 Php.

Now I have already secured breastfeeding anytime, anywhere...

Mommy Purchase: The Abdominal Binder


I received another package. Featuring: the abdominal binder. bow!

This is another of my "firsts" though Abraham is my second baby. Compared to my post pregnancy body with Megan, where my tummy went from "watermelon" big to flat, my tummy still looked like I was 3-4 months pregnant after I arrived home from the hospital. My OB always tells me that there will be a huge difference since this is my second time for pregnancy. Thus, I decided to browse the net in search of an affordable abdominal binder.

Belly binders or abdominal binders, I can say are must have post pregnancy. It has a gentle compression on the abs which may help the uterus return to its normal size. Doctors say that you have to wear it 4 weeks-8 weeks post pregnancy for better results. However, be reminded that this is not a miracle wrap which will guarantee a smaller waist. The progress of course will vary depending on how much you've gained during your pregnancy.

For me though, it helps a lot to support my back, which has been aching because of breast feeding. I noticed an improvement when I started wearing the abdominal binder.

There are many options that you can choose from. You can checkout Belly Bandit (cost: $49.95), Tauts, Cinchers, they all work for a common goal. I got mine from Lucky Doll. It is a waist cincher belly binder (price: 280 Php)




And of course, the fastest way to lose that extra post pregnancy weight is by eating healthy and doing exercises. :)

Mommy Purchases: My new best friends

After the wonders that my body has gone through in giving birth to Abraham, it's about time i get new friends that will perfectly suit my situation now.

I purchased Bio Oil online after I have researched and have seen its before and after pictures for stretchmarks. Mine isn't the tiger stripes kind but I would rather improve their appearance while they are still new.

Bio Oil is formulated to help improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks and uneven skin tone. Its main ingridient is PureCellin Oil, which is also effective for ageing and dehydrated skin.


I got the 125ml for 1100 Php.




the product needs to be applied 3x a day for three months.

I started using it today. I'll give everyone an update while I monitor its effectiveness.

My 2nd new friend is very handy and is just what I need now. Nursing Abraham is my everyday routine. However, my nipples are getting sore. I don't want to stop nursing him and rely on formulas. It was laziness on my part when I had Megan. I thought I was not producing enough milk only to realize later on that latching stimulates the glands to produce milk. So this time, I am very careful not to commit the same errors.

Yan ordered me Motherlove nipple cream. It is a softening salve for use on sore, cracked nursing nipples. What is good about it is that it is safe for baby's ingestion and is certified organic.


www.motherlove.com





this post pregnancy makes me feel like I'm going through motherhood for the first time. But this time, it's for improving for the best.

♥ blogging from my fone ♥

My Delivery Day Experience

I am blogging from my fone so i can still multitask in taking care of my two babies, and still update the social media.

Finally, I gave birth to the cutest and handsome baby boy for me. ♥

Feb 28 pm

My doctor gave me a prescription to take Castor oil so i can induce my labor. I was on my 39th week. I took the same oil when i was pregnant with Megan. It's supposed to make you go to the restroom and discharge your bowels. But it was different for me. Same with what happened to my pregnancy with Megan, i took it after dinner. At the middle of the night, i was awaken by a sudden gush of water. My waterbag broke.

March 1 - 1am

We got to St. lukes and i was immediately taken to one of the rooms while waiting for my contractions to become strong. I heard a woman from the other room shouting in pain. I said to myself "can it really be that painful? Wa poise naman..." She was asking if she can already get an epidural but the nurses were waiting for her doctor's order. I overheard she was at 5cm.

My nurse came and told me to let her know if it's already painful so I can be given the epidural. I said i will. I wanted to know how painful it can get so i waited. there were pains but i challenged myself to bore them. 3am. I can still smile...

At 4am, my OB arrived. He did an internal exam and i was at 7cm. Now it started to be really painful... but i didn't lose my poise calling all the saints. I just closed my eyes and took a lot of short breaths. It was all i can do at that time.

430 am

I was taken to the operating room to get my epidural. It was the most painful part for me because I was crying when they injected the needle in my spinal cord. Both the strong contraction and the coldness in my spine made me cry with sobs.

After being taken back to the delivery room, everything felt so easy. i wasn't feeling any pain anymore. I couldn't feel my legs. I farted a few times... shameful, but i had no control of my lower body.

530 am

I was checked again. Surprisingly, I was at 10cm. they took me to the operating room. "this is it!" When my legs were spread, the nurses and my doctor looked like characters from HOUSE and i was their subject. it was a rare experience for them to see that my baby's head was coming out on its own... not much effort needed. i was told that we would need to wait for a contraction then i would need to push. i only pushed twice. a few seconds more Abraham was out. Really... that was it? (^_^) I was relieved to see my baby boy for the first time. this delivery felt so much better than being sedated, like what happened when i had Megan.

I would like to consider myself lucky because my body was in top shape for giving birth... but it is not about luck at all. i am thankful i prepared my body for this big wonder it did by taking supplements. i was walking on my second day and it feels as if i didn't give birth at all.







But of course, no matter how good i feel on the outside, my body still needs to heal inside. thus, i am still taking all the time i need to rest so i can function perfectly without harming my body.

My adorable Abraham made March one of the most unforgettable months of the year!

The full Moon and some serious contractions


This is my second time to have a baby which is why some people, even my doctor, expect that I already know when I am in labor. Wrong! Being in labor is something I still do not have any idea at all. My water bag broke when I was about to give birth to Megan and that is the only thing that told me it was THE TIME.

Last night, I felt an isolated, but painful contraction I have ever felt in the history of this pregnancy. It was scary because I couldn't move my body because of the pain in my lower abdomen. I was already in bed at that time with Megan. I was praying that it would go away because I haven't packed my hospital bag yet and Abryan was on his way to his office- not a very good time to rush to the hospital. While tears flowed on my cheeks, Megan was trying to help me get into a sitting position. When she saw my tears, she said "I'll get a towel." She got her own face towel and used it to wipe my tears away. Then she said "It's okay Mommy, it's okay." My little nurse is aged 3! The pain lasted more than 5 minutes but I was glad it went away. I couldn't imagine myself screaming for help in case it was already D- Day.

Emotions get really high these days. I thought maybe it was because of the full moon. However, my emotions were brought about by the events that are happening, Other than the "moving-out" event, the nanny has really been getting into my nerves these days. Plainly put, she is hardworking, but she is a chronic liar. When she was asked who just fried eggs, she said it was my sister when none of us would get mad if she admitted it was her. When Megan cried a few days ago and we asked her why, she said Megan just didn't want to eat. But when we asked Megan, she said she hit her head. And to add to these, she just said she is pregnant when last month, she asked me if she could by sanitary napkins from the store. I even gave her a pack of napkins that I had stored before I got pregnant and told her she can just have them. Now she's pregnant all of a sudden just when we are about to move out and I am about to give birth. 

Lying is a big concern for anyone I suppose. It doesn't bother me if she decides to leave because she doesn't want to work anymore but to lie about being pregnant and make us look stupid to even believe her irritates me. And of all people, I shouldn't be lied about pregnancy... that IS my FORTE! If my gut feel tells me you are not, I'll prove it till the pregnancy test results prove otherwise. 

Looking at a different angle, I will have to learn a new role- that is being a full time housewife. It's exciting to take control of everything... Megan, my new baby, cooking (which I am still about to learn), setting the new business and everything else! For the first time, I will be in-charge of our home- none but me. So tell me now why I am not threatened to lose a nanny? I would probably just need 2 weeks to recover from my delivery and then I can start "owning" myself again. 

This full moon has given me different emotions. But among all of them, my feeling of excitement and determination to start anew and make it work are the strongest. There is no backing out- no backing down... Aja!!!

So what emotions did you feel last night? :)