cloth versus disposable diapers

I love nature. I love Mother Earth. And for most part, I leave as little carbon footprint as possible. I ride public utility vehicles instead of driving my own car, I walk instead of riding if the place is near, I recycle almost everything (pack rat!), I conserve water and our home uses solar panels. And now that Labsie and I are going to have a child, I decided to remain being green in raising him/her. And thus we begin with the diaper issue -- cloth or disposable?

Cloth diapers is reusable for years on end, making it cheaper. Also, there's no trash to contribute to landfills and zero percent additives to harm your baby's bottom. Its major downside is washing the cloth and thus wasting precious water. Also a downside for me is handling poop and pee directly, yuck! -_- Disposable diapers on the other hand is very convenient -- use and throw. And the "throw" part is the bad part as disposables are plastic with lots of additive that will take at least 500 years to decay. Really bad for the environment! =(

So what's a trying-hard green mommy to do? I don't wanna launder diapers with yucky stinky poo (one of the millions of reasons I didn't wanna have a baby) but I don't wanna pollute the earth unnecessarily either. After much research, I stumbled upon a third alternative -- organic disposable diapers!! ^_^ These are just like the mainstream plastic disposables BUT they are made of earth-friendly stuff plus there are no unnecessary additives to harm baby's skin. Perfect!

And the best part is? I found sellers here in my town! Woohoo! The price is just the same as disposables (it's imported) but I'm willing to sacrifice money for the sake of our Earth. If this is your first time to hear of organic disposable diapers, read on below. Got descriptions of the 2 brands of eco-friendly diapers that I'm planning to buy =) For more brands, you can click the sellers links (pink) as they have more info in their sites. Good luck!

Organic and Chlorine-Free Disposable Diapers
Davao City seller: Angel's Butt
Manila sellers: Earth Friendly Organic Diapers - Handy Dandy Diapers - Pick A Diaper

Earth's Best TenderCare Disposable Diapers are made from only chlorine free absorbent materials that are NEVER treated with chlorine bleaching agents which may contribute to dioxin pollution. Their breathable sides, moisture barrier cuff and refastenable tabs ensure premium comfort fit and ease of use. Our diapers are made with renewable resources and fewer petro-chemicals to reduce your baby's environmental footprint.

• Non-chorine bleached materials
• Contains natural absorbent material such as corn and wheat
• Super Absorbency
• Comfy stretchy refastenable tabs
• Latex-free, dye-free, perfume-free
• Moisture barrier cuff
• Breathable sides
• Imported from Canada

The Moltex Oko Disposable Diaper is marketed as an eco friendly disposable diaper that is also better for your baby. There are no added chemicals as found in the mainstream brands. These chemicals, such as lotions and deodorants are used to keep odors away. Unfortunately these can cause rashes and other problems such as fungi and viruses. The Oko diapers use a green tea leaf extract to help with odors.

Twenty percent of the absorbent gel has also been replaced with a totally biodegradable absorbent gel made from maize (corn) starch. Being a natural product this also tends to prevent formation of ammonia which can also cause skin rashes. The breathable backsheet is made from 100% biodegradable materials as is the packaging. All this means a fully compostable diaper without the need to add to landfill or be burnt.

* Refastenable/velcro frontal tape
* Multiple channel leakproof
* Cloth-like backsheet for 100% airflow
* Improved absorbency
* Imported from Germany
.

Week 24 update (Nov 29 - Dec 6, 2009)

This week is a mix of good and bad moments. The good: we hit the 6-month milestone! Yesiree, we're 6 months pregnant already! ^_^ Also, we found out the sex of our baby. Wanna know if s/he's female or male? Read on below! The bad: I was sick with flu. Last Nov 29, I felt weak and had scratchy throat. This continued for 2 more days and all I did was water therapy. On the fourth day, I had colds and slight fever but no cough. I drank more water plus lots of fruit juices. Last Dec 4 (Friday), I went to my monthly OB checkup and the doctor recommended antibiotics. I didn't take it, instead I drank more fluid + juices + vitamin C and got plenty of rest. And because I rested, I missed Papa's last Shell Family Day in Eden, huhu! I also missed a musical recital that my father-in-law invited us to. Sigh! On the bright side, I'm feeling a whole lot better today (Dec 6). I hope the flu will leave me soon and I hope that our sweet baby wasn't affected by it..

How far along? 24 weeks! Woohoo!
Total weight gain/loss: I gained another 2 kilos! That brings my total weight gain to 8.5-9.5kg in 6 months! I now weigh a heavy 53.5kg -_-
Maternity clothes? Still not wearing them.. Guess I'm still in denial that I need loose maternity clothes to accommodate my huge belly. Hehe!
Stretch marks? Nothing so far! Guess my increased fluid intake (for hydration of skin and tissue) and use of Mark & Spencer's White Peach and Almond lotion helped =)
Sleep: Lacking a good night's sleep! I toss and turn every night finding a good position.. Sigh!
Best moment this week: Finding out our baby's sex last Dec 4!! But, we're keeping it a secret until Christmas Day! Hehe! =) Also a great moment was window shopping in Chimes (and eating in Banana Leaf, love their prawn cakes below!) and DavCon Christmas Bazaar. Oh, and we had family dinner in Aseya (Kamameshi!!) too. Plus, I helped my culinary student cousin cook his individual chicken dish, for which he got a grade of 92! Nice! ^_^ All in all, this has been another food-gasmic week! And the entire month has been nothing but food intake -- and it definitely showed in my weight gain of 2 kilos -_-
Movement: LOTS!! Our sweet baby is really super active. Does this mean s/he's gonna be one hyper kid?? Hope not! :p On a sidenote, earlier this evening, I had severe navel pain -- as if my navel is being pulled inside me. I dunno if baby was playing with it or what, but it was really painful that I cried -_-
Food cravings: Palabok! Empanada! Which I all had, thanks to my mom ^_^
Gender: SECRET!! Hehe!
Labor Signs: None!
Belly Button in or out? Still in but very, very shallow. Guess it will pop out soon..
What I miss: Being healthy! The 1-week flu really weakened me, but more than that, it scared me coz it might have affected our baby. S/he remained very active the entire week though -- a good sign I hope!
What I am looking forward to: CHRISTMAS!! Hubby won't have work starting Dec 22 (cross fingers!) -- it's bonding time for us! Woohoo!
Weekly Wisdom: Drink lots of fluid! If possible, more than 2 liters a day! It keeps infections away and your skin will thank you for it. Also, take your vitamins and keep your immune system 100% functioning.
Milestones: We just hit the 6-month mark!! And we knew the sex of our baby! Time to go shopping for gender color-appropriate clothes and stuff! ^_^ Another milestone, albeit not good, was that I became sick the first time during this pregnancy *sigh*
.

pregnancy-safe holiday drinks!

Christmas is around the corner and we all know that yummy alcoholic drinks make this wondrous event even more fun! ;-) Unfortunately for us pregnant ladies, alcoholic drinks are a big no-no. So I scoured the web for non-alcoholic drinks and here they are! Enjoy!

The Bumptini (SOURCE)

3 ounces pomegranate juice
2 teaspoons white sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 ounce lime-flavored club soda
1 tablespoon raw brown sugar (garnish)
*1 lemon twirl (optional garnish)

1. Rim a martini glass with raw brown sugar by rubbing the rim of the glass with a lime wedge while holding it upside down, then dipping it into a small plate of sugar. Set aside.
2. Muddle the ginger and white sugar in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add the juices and ginger and ice, then shake vigorously. Gently strain into the sugar-rimmed glass, then top with club soda or ginger beer.
3. Lay a lemon twirl across the surface of the drink.

-------------------------

Sparkling Pear Cider Cocktail (SOURCE)
Benefits: fiber, calcium and folate
Serves 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus freezer time (at least 4 hours)

2 cans pears in extra-light syrup
2 cups sparkling apple cider
8 ounces Kerns Peach Nectar (or flavor of your choice)
8 fresh or frozen berries of your choice (optional)

1. Make pear purée ice cubes one day prior to serving: drain the canned pears and process in a blender until smooth. Pour the pear purée into an ice cube tray. Place in freezer until completely frozen.
2. When ready to serve, remove eight purée cubes from the trays and place two in each of four standard-size champagne flutes. Fill each glass approximately 1/3 full with sparkling cider, top with 2 ounces of peach nectar and drop in two berries, if desired.

Nutritional Information per serving (6 oz.): 172 calories, % fat, 100% carbohydrate (43 g), % protein, 7 g fiber, 1 mg iron, 28 mg calcium, 10 mcg folate.

-------------------------

White Raspberry Daiquiri (SOURCE)
Benefits: calcium and folate
Serves 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes

1 cup frozen raspberry sorbet
2 cups white grape juice with calcium and added vitamin C
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
10 ice cubes
4 ounces sparkling apple cider
fresh or frozen whole berries
fresh mint sprig or candy cane for garnish (optional)

1. Combine all ingredients except apple cider in a blender. Blend at medium speed until smooth.
2. Pour into wineglasses, stopping at least 1/2 inch from the rim. Top each glass with 1 ounce of sparkling apple cider.
3. Float berries on top and garnish with mint sprig or candy cane, if desired.

Nutritional Information per serving (6 1/2 oz.): 158 calories, % fat, 99% carbohydrate (39 g), 1% protein (.5 g), 2 g fiber, .5 mg iron, 18 mg calcium, 7 mcg folate.
.

Week 23 update (Nov 22 - 29, 2009)

How far along? 23 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: I'm figuring I gained one kilo from all the pigging out the last two weeks. I'll know for sure how much I gained in next week's OB checkup.
Maternity clothes? I'm wearing one in the photo above! My sis-in-law gave it to me, so cute huh?? =) Other than that, I'm still wearing my mom's clothes and some of my loose stuff.
Stretch marks? Nothing yet! Or maybe hubby and I just don't know what a stretch mark looks like, LOL!
Sleep: Switched to a new sleeping position: me on the left and hubby on the right. I lie on my left side while hubby hugs me from behind to support my aching back. So far, it's working and I'm sleeping quite soundly ^_^
Best moment this week: Watching New Moon last Nov 24! It was so kilig as expected and Labsie also had fun guffawing the "romantic" scenes, LOL! Another best moment: eating WAGYU beef steak last Nov 26!! Dang, it was sooo good, fat and all!! And because of it, my blood pressure rose (I had palpitations, cold sweat and was dizzy for 20 minutes). Scary!
Movement: LOTS!! And everytime our baby kicks me, I talk to him/her. I noticed s/he's awake early morning (6am) then sleeps then awake at 10am --> sleeps --> active again at 3-4pm --> sleeps --> awake at 7-8pm or at 10-11pm, our bedtime. So far, I haven't woken up between 12-6am due to his/her active movement.

Food cravings: Nothing.. I had all I wanted to eat this week! =) Labsie made me french toast last Nov 25, ate Wagyu, had roasted chicken last Nov 27, ate plenty of eggs yesterday (courtesy of my paternal aunt) and had Sbarro pizza today! Yep, my parents arrived from Manila and we got more food! =)

Gender: I feel we're having a girl coz I'm so mellow. According to mommies, when they had boys, they had mood swings and raging anger (probably due to testosterone?). Truth to tell, I'm much more bitchier when I wasn't pregnant than the past 6 months :p

Labor Signs: None!

Belly Button in or out? Still in!

What I miss: Shopping without getting tired! Was looking for storage and baby stuff on Nov 24 (NCCC) and 26 (Victoria Plaza), and my feet + back were just killing me! Guess it couldn't handle my additional weight + extensive walking -_-

What I am looking forward to: The ultrasound next week! Hope our baby will not hide his/her privates anymore!

Weekly Wisdom: Try spooning with your hubby to support your back while sleeping, it's really good! =)

Milestones: My nipples oozed a bit of fresh milk last Nov 23! I had been suspecting I have breastmilk already but until this week, I only saw its dried remains. I have milk for our sweet baby, woohoo! =) Another "milestone" are the "bubbly kicks" I felt this week. I'm not sure if baby came up with a new movement (aside from kicking) or s/he's having seizures inside me. Coz that's how the "bubbly kicks" felt, like there's something vibrating inside me, shaking me from inside. Maybe our sweet baby is just hiccuping? Forming bubbles and all that burst against my belly? Must ask my OB about this..

.

pregnancy breakdown

This table opened my eyes to how the 9 / 10 months of pregnancy is broken down to lunar / typical months and weeks. I actually started my 6th month of pregnancy last week! I thought sixth month = 24th week, but it wasn't the case as evidenced by the pregnancy breakdown table below. Hope you learned something too! =)

Your First Trimester: 1st Month = Weeks 1,2,3,4 2nd Month = Weeks 5,6,7,8 3rd Month = Weeks 9,10,11,12,13	Your Second Trimester: 4th Month = Wks 14,15,16,17 5th Month = Wks 18,19,20,21 6th Month = Wks 22,23,24,25,26	Your Third Trimester: 7th Month = Wks 27,28,29,30 8th Month = Wks 31,32,33,34,35 9th Month = Wks 36,37,38,39,40
Week 1 till end of week 13	Begin week 14 till end week 26	Begin week 27 till Birth

.

Week 22 update (Nov 15 - 22, 2009)

Another busy week! And a rainy + cold one at that! End-result? I cooked a lot of saucy and soupy dishes to keep our lil family warm =) Yup, another food-gasmic week! I just hope my weight in my next month's OB checkup won't balloon from all the over-eating this month. Sigh! Anyway, we cooked spaghetti and pork BBQ last Nov18 (just because!), I cooked kare-kare last Friday and shabu-shabu + udong + crispy bacon last Saturday. Then we had a yummy Chinese dinner early tonight in Kowloon Dimsum (along Roxas Ave). I just love Chinese food! ^_^ Oh, I also had Panadero Expreso's specialty, cheezy overload bibingka today! Sooo good! I was in Panadero with my doctor friends for our monthly chismisan, hehe ;-)

How far along? 22 weeks!

Total weight gain/loss: around 6.5-7.5kg

Maternity clothes? nope.. still wearing Mama's dresses

Stretch marks? nothing yet! hope it stays that way! =)

Sleep: Not so good.. I'm having a hard time finding a comfy position that's also good for our baby.
Best moment this week: The food trips!! Our sweet baby will grow up a food-loving person, that I'm sure! At his/her young age, s/he has been exposed to many wonderful cuisines already =) Another cool thing: Labsie laid his head on my belly to talk to baby and s/he kicked hubby's cheek! The dad-to-be was startled, LOL
Movement: LOTS! And I'm kinda seeing the sleep/awake cycle of our baby.

Food cravings: Nothing.. I guess that's what happens when you eat great food the entire week, hehe! I want to have another bite of Panadero Expreso's cheesy bibingka though ;-)

Gender: Anything goes for me this week!

Labor Signs: None!

Belly Button in or out? Still in!

What I miss: The sun! I feel the cold weather will take a toll on my health -_-

What I am looking forward to: Knowing our baby's sex in 2 weeks! I really, really wanna know!!

Weekly Wisdom: Eat and be merry! LOL! But, don't forget to exercise also =)

Milestones: According to BabyCenter.com, our baby is almost 1 pound heavy now and is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His/her lips, eyebrows and eyelids are becoming more distinct too. Cute! Daddy and Mommy can't wait to see you sweet baby! Mwahh!

.

the aches and pains of pregnancy

I'm nearly five and a half months pregnant, and boy, the weight I gained is taking a toll on my petite body and bones! On a side note, I had a free bone scan recently and I was overjoyed that despite me not drinking milk / taking calcium supplements regularly, I have uber-healthy bones! No signs of osteoporosis or whatever -- happiness! =) Anyway, I gained a total of 6.5 kilos for the first half of my pregnancy and though my body mass index (BMI) is still normal for my height, this is the heaviest I've been my entire life! I've been chubby during my high school life and during summer times but at most, I only weighed 47-48 kilos.

The added weight plus my bulging abdomen have been killing my back, calves and feet! I can definitely feel what the pregnancy books are saying with regards to my growing belly changing my body's center of gravity. My body is a mess and my muscles and bones are taking the all the glorious pain! I badly need a full body massage to soothe my aching muscles and foot spa but I'm so lazy to get out of our house. As it is, I'm relying on hubby for mini-back massages and foot massages every day. He sooo good at it, especially with the foot! ^_^ Hope you won't get tired massaging me Labsie.. Thanks so much and I love you so!
.

Week 21 update (Nov 8 - 15, 2009)

My best preggy photo yet.. ^_^

This has been one of my busiest weeks ever since I got pregnant! I organized our closets, cleaned up our bedroom, made space for baby, went grocery shopping, sold all my pocketbooks (I lugged 45 books in the streets of Davao, gahh), and celebrated my father in law's birthday. Busy, busy!! Thank god I had the energy to do all these stuff. Hooray for second trimester energy boost! ^_^ Also this has been another food-gasmic week! Hubby cooked for me early in the week, I had my fastfood fries and pork barbecue fix last Friday, Labsie got his pistachios (super yum!!) from his aunt in the US, and we had a grand food spread for my FIL's birthday. Roasted pig is to die for!!

How far along? 21 weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: Around 6.5 - 7.5kg (14.5 - 16.5lbs)

Maternity clothes? Nope. I'm wearing more dresses now to accommodate my growing belly though..

Stretch marks? None! Yippee!

Sleep: Finding it hard to find a comfy position at night -_- I'm also napping during the afternoons to rest my back for 1-2 hours.

Best moment this week: When our sweet baby kicked me real hard last Nov12! It was his/her strongest kick yet and it surprised the hell out of me while I was resting. My belly literally jigged from the impact :p Another best moment was last Nov13 when baby and I played the poking game: s/he kicks me and I poke him/her back. So far the longest we played was 14 straight back-to-back kicks and pokes. Quite intelligent our baby is! ^_^

Movement: LOTS!! See above answer.

Food cravings: Hubby's french toast! He said he's gonna cook for me last Nov10 & I was expecting his yummy toast but instead he made a pork & chicken dish. Still yummy but I want his special french toast! *saliva dripping*

Gender: I want a boy right now! :p

Labor Signs: None!

Belly Button in or out? Still in.. And I cleaned it! Lots of 28-year old gunk inside, yuck!

What I miss: Labsie at home on weekends. His sked is Thursday to Monday, and it's been ages since we went to church on a Sunday! -_-

What I am looking forward to: Shopping for baby stuff!! We still do not know our sweet baby's sex but I wanna buy cutesy stuff already! I'll just buy it in neutral colors just to satisfy my nesting & shopping cravings :p

Weekly Wisdom: Do all the cleaning / arranging / renovating in your second trimester. That way, your growing belly won't get in the way.

Milestones: Being able to play games with our baby! This means s/he responds to stimuli and has an intact nervous system! *happy dance* In other developments, our baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if we're having a girl, her vagina has begun forming already.

.

our 20-week old baby is a cantaloupe!

Baby's digestive system is busy creating meconium (a tarry black substance made of swallowed amniotic fluid, digestive secretion and dead cells), which will fill the first diaper after birth. And, speaking of the diaper situation... baby's genitals are now fully formed! (SOURCE: The Bump)

pregnancy checklist (part 2)

Check out part 1 of the pregnancy checklist HERE!

Week 11
Start shopping for maternity clothes - I started window shopping, no purchases of official maternity clothes. I bought leggings, loose blouses and dresses though =)

Week 12
Milestone: Belly starting to show - You bet it's showing! Take a look of my 14th week belly HERE. Looks really bloated -_-
Milestone: Tell friends and family - Told my parents on Week 10 while we told hubby's family at this week. Everybody's excited!

Week 13
Start looking at maternity leave - I'm not working so..

Week 14
Research and sign up for childbirth classes - Researched and reserved a slot for January 2010 classes! If you're in Davao and looking for Lamaze classes, contact Ms. Alexandria Hao in her Multiply page.

Week 15
Schedule amniocentesis and multiple marker screening - Not done -_-

Week 16
Schedule monthly OB visit - Checkup last Oct 7, before we left for our babymoon =)

Week 17
Milestone: First baby kick - Felt baby flutters since Week 14 and I felt baby's first strong kick on Week 18. It was unreal!

Week 18
Pick up some baby books - My sis-in-law lent her baby books 2 months ago. Thanks Rye! =)
Consider using a doula and start interviewing - No doulas or midwives..

Week 19
Research public and private cord blood banking - I don't think we have this in our country, or at least in my city -_-

Week 20
Schedule standard mid-pregnancy ultrasound - Had this last Oct 4 but our sweet baby hid his/her privates from view! Thus, until now, we don't know his/her sex. Til next month then! Other than that minor hiccup, our baby is all normal ^_^
.

Week 20 update (Nov 1 - 8, 2009)

How far along? 20 weeks! Or 5 months! Woohoo!

Total weight gain/loss: I gained 1.5kg since my last OB checkup.. Which brings my total weight gain to 6.5-7.5kg in 5 months! My weight is now 51.5kg -- shocking but not all bad, hehe!

Maternity clothes? Still not wearing.. I bought 2 new blouses and 1 dress (pink!!) last Nov 4 though, both non-maternity but loose enough so I can still wear it while pregnant =)

Stretch marks? None!

Sleep: Still good but I'm trying to sleep on my left side (better circulation for baby) and I panic when I wake up lying on my back or right side -_-

Best moment this week: Seeing our sweet baby again last Nov 4! And knowing s/he's growing well =) Currently our baby is 9oz heavy, in breech position. On a sidenote, my placenta is posterior and high-lying. All good! ^_^

Movement: LOTS!! Our baby is quite an acrobat and I'm not exaggerating!

Food cravings: Pansit Molo by Ate Minya (hubby's cousin). My MIL brought several servings to our house last Nov 3 and I've been rationing it to make it last the entire week, hehe =)

Gender: 80% chance of being female! Our baby hid from view during the ultrasound and our OB can't say for sure if baby is male or female. Naughty baby! :p

Labor Signs: None, though I feel my uterus contracting at times. Mostly painless though..

Belly Button in or out? Still in..

What I miss: Sleeping in whatever position without worrying if baby is getting enough blood / nutrients. It's making me paranoid!

What I am looking forward to: Knowing 99% sure the sex of our baby! I badly wanna shop for his/her clothes and baby stuff in blue or pink! Plus Black Friday and Cyber Monday is coming up, lots of discounts!

Weekly Wisdom: SHOP!! You're entitled to it! After all, you need new clothes for your expanding body plus stuff for baby =)

Milestones: Halfway the pregnancy!! And everything is all good, thank you Lord! ^_^

.

a look back of the first 5 months

Yep, we're halfway there!! ^_^ Here are the highlights of the first 5 months:

FIRST MONTH

SECOND MONTH
THIRD TO FIFTH MONTHS (click to enlarge!)

Week 19 update (Oct 25 - Nov 1, 2009)

How far along? 19 weeks!

Total weight gain/loss: Around 5-6 kilos.. I'll know for sure in 3 days in my monthly OB checkup.

Maternity clothes? Still wearing my mom's clothes and leggings.

Stretch marks? None! Cross fingers I'll never get it =)

Sleep: is GREAT!

Best moment this week: Hubby's birthday last Oct 31! We went to his family home and had an intimate dinner with our 2 families. The food? ALL seafoods! Super yummy! =) My photo above was taken before traveling to hubby's home.

Movement: Plenty! Baby kicks me left and right, up and down my abdomen. Crazy kid!

Food cravings: Seafood and spaghetti! We cooked the latter last Oct 27 and we had the former last Oct 28 (Yellowfin Resto) and 31. BURP!!

Gender: Toss up between boy and girl.. No preference.

Labor Signs: None!

Belly Button in or out? Still in =)

What I miss: Traveling by land long-distance without worrying about how it affects baby -_- This weekend was very travel-heavy as we celebrated hubby's birthday and All Soul's Day. From our home, we went to hubby's family home (90min) on Oct31. The next day, we went back to our home and traveled to my family's ancestral homes (120min), spent the day there and went back the same day to our home. 3 cities in 36 hours, PHEW!

What I am looking forward to: Baby's ultrasound and celebrating the 20th week of our pregnancy next week ^_^

Weekly Wisdom: Don't feel bad that you're getting fat -- at least you have an excuse, you're pregnant after all! =) Gaining 25-35 pounds is just normal as long as you're eating healthy.

Milestones: My relatives seeing lil me with a pregnant belly for the first time =) Also, surviving the travel-heavy and food-gasmic weekend! Super tiring, I was full with food most of the time (which is really uncomfortable with my uterus pushing my stomach), but it was all worth it!

.

our baby / my pregnancy wishlists

Please click the pink links below.. ^_^
Our "Babies R Us" Wish List
Our Amazon Baby Registry
[ please enter "Melissa Solito" or "Norbert Elbanbuena" to access the Amazon list, thanks! ]

Sleeper Keeper Total Body Comfort Pregnancy Pillow

Smart idea, sensational results: Take the concept of a pillow, stretch it to an elongated curve, contour it to provide the right kind of support where it is needed, and make it flexible so the user can shape it as necessary. Voila! This pillow does the work of 5 and is great for back and stomach support during pregnancy.

Gabriel Feeding Pad Break-Away

The Gabriel Feeding Pad Break-Away is a 3-in-1 product for nursing, burping or bottle-feeding! The Nursing Veil has finger loopholes to hold veil in place while minimizing infant distractions in public feeding situations, and end flaps that lift for mom-to-baby eye contact. The pad flips over to burp baby on soft fabric or to allow baby to rest comfortably on lap or shoulder. The bottle-feeding feature holds a 2-9 oz. bottle of milk and frees one hand while feeding baby upright.

Week 18 update (Oct 18 - 25, 2009)

How far along? 18 weeks!

Total weight gain/loss: So far, around 5-6 kilos.. Will know for sure next week in my monthly OB checkup.

Maternity clothes? Still wearing mom's clothes, mostly her dresses and jumpers =)

Stretch marks? Nothing yet! Starting to use Mark & Spencer's White Peach and Almond lotion on my belly. My sis-in-law said to use olive oil but it's just so icky for me! And body butter, another highly recommended anti-stretch mark agent, is too expensive -_-

Sleep: is sooo good! =)

Best moment this week: FEELING OUR BABY KICK FOR THE FIRST TIME! Been feeling flutters for the past weeks and finally, last Oct 23, our sweet baby kicked me real hard! It thoroughly surprised me and made me & hubby quite delirious with excitement ^_^

Movement: See above! =) On a sidenote, Labsie felt the baby kick on Oct 24. We poked my abdomen til our baby kicked back with hubby's hand on my belly. His face when he felt the kick was priceless! ♥ ♥ ♥

Food cravings: Jollibee!! Anything fastfood with loads of trans fat and msg :p

Gender: I think I want a girl so I can give her pretty pink stuff! But I also want a boy coz that's what my parents and hubby want.. TORN!

Labor Signs: None! Though I felt my uterus contracting at times..

Belly Button in or out? Still in but is shallow!

What I miss: A "non-active" abdomen! While it was wonderful to feel our baby kick, it feels very weird to feel a kick from INSIDE me. Alien feeling!!

What I am looking forward to: Our monthly OB checkup next week! Wanna know badly our baby's sex so we can buy color-coordinated baby stuff already..

Weekly Wisdom: Share pregnancy moments with your hubby! It's bonding time for both of you and he can get to "bond" with baby too. Don't leave him out in your greatest journey as a woman!

Milestones: Feeling our baby kick! Simply awesome! =)

.

reminiscing the first trimester

Our first trimester posts are below the ultrasound photo (our first look of our sweet baby!). We're currently four and a half months pregnant and so far, me + hubby + baby are doing great ^_^ Just click the links (in pink) to read our weekly update. Enjoy!

Weeks 1 - 6: The First 6 Weeks (coming soon! still looking for the post I made, I'm so forgetful these days!)
Week 7: August 2 - 9, 2009
Week 8: August 9 - 16, 2009
Week 9: August 16 - 23, 2009
Week 10: August 23 - 30, 2009
Week 11: August 03 - Sept 6, 2009
Week 12: September 6 - 13, 2009

Science Stuff: First Trimester Recap
.

Week 17 update (Oct 11 - 18, 2009)

How far along? 17 weeks!

Total weight gain/loss: 5-6 kilos! I'm hoping I lost some water weight and bloat this past week from all the walking I did in HK and Macau.

Maternity clothes? Still wearing my mom's clothes!

Stretch marks? None so far.. Should start applying lotion or whatever my sis-in-law will recommend to prevent stretch marks.

Sleep: My sleep hours have been drastically reduced! From around 10 hours, I've been just getting 6-8 hours since we're maximizing our time sightseeing in HK and Macau. I literally had no naps for 1 week! -_-

Best moment this week: Being able to climb up to the Tian Tan Buddha upper platform, a total of 268 steps in thin air as we're in HK's second highest peak! =) Actually this whole week is the BEST so far in my entire pregnancy! Spending time with hubby and my family, eating Chinese, Macanese and Portuguese cuisine, going to tourist and cultural spots -- simply the best week ever!

Movement: Still no kick, just lots of fluttering =)

Food cravings: Irish fries!! HK takoyaki, Metropole dimsum & pastries.. Dang, I couldn't get enough of the food! Oh, the BIZU spread from my niece's baptismal reception -- oh-so good! =) On a sidenote, my photo above was taken during my niece's baptism earlier today (Oct 18) in Don Bosco Parish (Makati).

Gender: Still no preference..

Labor Signs: None.. Though I had a scare on Day 3 when my uterus contracted on and off the whole day. Took my emergency meds and all was fine after..

Belly Button in or out? In!

What I miss: The weather in HK and Macau! I never sweated the entire time I was there, despite all the brisk walking. The humidity was just amazing for my pregnant skin! ;-)

What I am looking forward to: Hubby's birthday next, next week! More food!!

Weekly Wisdom: Have a babymoon! It's sooo much fun being pampered while traveling coz you're pregnant, hehe!

Milestones: Our baby just had his/her first out of the country trip and survived! ;-) And I survived too! Plus my feet and back! LOL

.

The Name Game

Stole this meme from Mommy Words, hehe! Hope she won't mind! =) I actually already wrote a post how we chose our baby's name back during my first trimester. You can read all about it once you get to the last question below ;-)

About the Name Game: Names are important. Your kids' names were chosen for a particular reason and they mean a lot to you so this would be a great story to share! Copy the image above to use on your blog then go ahead and answer the questions and then pass this Name Game and the simple instructions on to other parents who you think might want to share their story!

1. Do you have any cultural or religious naming traditions?

- No traditions.. My parents just want our baby to have a short first name coz hubby's last name is quite long (10 letters long).

2. Did you or your partner come to the marriage with pre-selected names?

- Yes, we already selected one boy (Tristan) and one girl (Tatiana Dhyana) name. Hubby added another boy name and changed 'Dhyana' to another girl name.

3. Did you consider the sound of the first and middle and last names together? Did this make any sad eliminations?

- Yes, we considered it. No sad eliminations though =)

4. Do you have veto powers?

- YES! Hehe! I vetoed the other girl names hubby proposed and really insisted on 'Tatiana'.

5. Did the baby naming cause arguments?

- No full-blown arguments though it kinda got heated for awhile when I fought for 'Tatiana', hehe!

6. Do you think it is easier to name boys or girls?

- Uhmm, it was both hard for us.

7. Did you eliminate names because of people from your past or present who you don't like or because a certain image comes to mind.

- No. The names from where we selected the final name choice were all good =)

8. Did you / would you survey your children to get their thoughts on the name?

- If we'll have a second child, probably yes. Kids often have awesome imaginations so they might just come up with a very unique name for their sibling!

9. Did you tell people the name or possible names before the baby was born or were they in the vault??

- Our blog readers know but our immediate family doesn't, LOL!

10. Did you use baby name books?

- Nope.. I searched for the meanings of our selected names in the internet though. Have to be sure the names don't have negative connotations, hehe!

11. Drumroll Please! What did you name your kid(s) and why?
- Check our first baby naming post HERE! ;-p
.

Week 16 update (Oct 4 - 11, 2009)

Blogging live from Macau! Uhmm, NOT! LOL! I answered these questions in Macau though =)

Yep, we are on Day 1 of our second honeymoon / babymoon (Oct 10) today, and we're tired already! Hehe! We arrived in Macau around 10pm tonight, went through immigration without any hassle, checked in Metropole Hotel and went casino hopping. So far, the best lobby we've seen was that of Wynn's =) Anyway, unto my pregnancy update!

How far along? 16 weeks! Yes, 4 months already! ^_^

Total weight gain/loss: I gained another 1 kilo since my last OB checkup 18 days ago. We went for checkup 12 days early coz we wanted to make sure our sweet baby is alright before we travel and we are both A-OK to fly in a plane and spend 7 days sightseeing =) Which brings us to my total weight gain: 5-6 kilos in 4 months!!

Maternity clothes? None yet.. I'm using my mom's bigger clothes though. I'm, I think, 2 sizes bigger than my non-pregnant size.

Stretch marks? None so far!

Sleep: Sleeping quite well! Absolutely no more morning naps, an occasional afternoon nap here and there..

Best moment this week: Our OB checkup! We saw our sweet baby again! =) Also, hubby's parents treated us to a Chinese-Filipino resto for our first wedding anniversary dinner last Oct 8. YUM! I also loved the moment when my bestfriend visited my at home and brought sinful ice cream, potato chips and chocolate cookies. Dang, she spoiled me!! Hehe!

Movement: Lots of flutters down there!! No solid kick though.. And hubby is quite excited about it, always asking me if baby is moving =)

Food cravings: Chinese food! Last Oct 4 we ate in Ahfat then Oct 8, we ate in Yellowfin Resto. Then today, more Chinese (plus Macanese!) food! Our baby's gonna be a Chinese cuisine addict as his/her taste buds is forming now -- and the first taste s/he savors? Chinese food!

Gender: I have no preference this week.. I feel it's gonna be a girl though as I'm looking better and better :p Ultrasound showed thickened stuff down in baby's genital area and my OB said it could be the scrotum, or just a thickened labia. It will be seen for sure next month..

Labor Signs: None so far!
Belly Button in or out? Still in!

What I miss: Feet that are not sore! Just 1 day of sightseeing, make that 4 hours, and my feet are already killing me =( Got 6 more days of walking.. Hope I survive!

What I am looking forward to: Hongkong next week! Ocean Park (again) and Disneyland, here we come! =)

Weekly Wisdom: If you're pregnant and traveling, make sure tobring your health records, usual pain meds, emergency meds (especially those that stop uterine contractions), preggy vitamins and milk. And use flats and light clothing!

Milestones: We're 4 months pregnant already! Woohoo! Plus we celebrated our first wedding anniversary and our babymoon is our first out of the country trip. Many milestones this week! =)

.

lullabies for our sweet baby =)

Ever since I've been feeling flutters down in my pelvic area I started talking to our sweet baby. Now, are the flutters our sweet baby's movement or just gas? According to TheBump.com, at 15 weeks, baby's four limbs now have functional joints, and is squirming and wiggling like crazy down in the womb. So maybe the flutters are really baby's movements! =) Anyway, I also told hubby to talk to him/her. And though I'm no good in singing, I also started to sing lullabies to soothe our sweet baby =) Here are the lyrics of common lullabies:

Incey wincey spider

The incey wincey spider
Climbed up the spout
Down came the rain
And washed the spider out
Out came the sun
And dried up all the rain
And the incey wincey spider
Climbed up again


Rock-a-bye baby

Rock-a-bye baby, in the tree top
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock
When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall
And down will come baby, cradle and all


One, two, three

One, two, three, four, five,
Once I caught a fish alive,
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten,
Then I let it go again.
Why did you let it go?
Because it bit my finger so.
Which finger did it bite?
This little finger on my right.


Twinkle, twinkle, little star

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky!

When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.

Then the traveller in the dark,
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.

In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky.

As your bright and tiny spark,
Lights the traveller in the dark,
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
.

Week 15 update (Sept 27 - Oct 04, 2009)

Last week, I have been very busy making a travel itinerary for my parents' 5 days / 4 nights trip to Taipei (capital of Taiwan). This week, I'm drowning in Macau and Hong Kong travel ideas and what-nots. Our second honeymoon / babymoon is next week and I have yet to finalize hotel arrangements and our travel itinerary! Five more days, just five more days.. *inhale exhale*

How far along? 15 weeks!

Total weight gain/loss: Around 5 kilos..

Maternity clothes? Just my mom's clothes (a size bigger)..

Stretch marks? None yet!

Sleep: Getting enough sleep during the night! Barely napping in the morning =)

Best moment this week: Meetup with my doctor friends last October 2! And we had dinner buffet in Siggi's as well! *burp* Our sweet baby "met" some of his/her godfathers and godmothers in the said meetup =)

Movement: Lots of flutterings in my pelvic area! Gas or baby??

Food cravings: Spaghetti! Anything with rich, tomato-based sauce like afritada and caldereta!

Gender: We want BOY!!

Labor Signs: None..

Belly Button in or out? Still in and getting shallower by the minute :p

What I miss: My lithe body, non-bloated + non-pimply face, and flat abdomen! Huhu! I want my pre-pregnancy bladder too.. I've been peeing every 2-3 hours! -_-

What I am looking forward to: Our babymoon in Macau/HK! Five days to go! Woohoo!

Weekly Wisdom: Don't buy maternity clothes until the fifth or sixth month. Use your flowing dresses, your mom or sister's clothes (if they're bigger), or use extenders: use your now-short blouses + now-tight pants, don't zip and put Bella Band over it. Voila! No money spent! =)

Milestones: Baby movement flutters! Plus I finally felt comfortable showing my face and body to the public at large =) Never mind I still feel bloated and unattractive.. Where is that pregnancy glow everybody's talking about?? I want it now!.
.