Bubbly Blabber

Giulia is now 8 months old. Her hobby now includes singing and crawling backwards.   Anyway, if you can remember my post on my issue about breastfeeding . When Giulia is still 3 1/2 months old, I was struggling because my milk supply was already low.   If you ask me now if I am still breastfeeding, my answer is still yes. My milk supply? Still low. Actually sometimes, I can barely get 1 oz from both breasts already when I pump. So yes, I am definitely struggling.   But I believe breastfeeding is a decision.Though we are already mixed feeding, I am still breastfeeding Giulia. Of course, there are times that I want to stop already. But when I think of Giulia and her expression when I am about to breastfeed... her super eager and excited face... it gives me a boost to continue with what I am doing. Giulia seems to be relaxed, calm and content whenever I breastfeed her. So as much as possible, I do not want to take that feeling away from her.   Pumpi...

In my previous post, I said that Breast is Best… however, I am getting frustrated now that it seems I am low in supply. I have been working for almost a month now and I pump in our office thrice a day then direct feed at night. Sometimes I only get 2 ounce per pumping session. Then at night, Giulia sometimes sleep for 5-6 hours so I get to direct feed only for a couple of times. I also had my period on my 3 rd week at work and I guess that also contributed to my low supply. I have tried so many things to increase my milk supply. I take malunggay capsule, fenugreek capsule, eat malunggay cookies, drink lots of water, drank “boiled” buko juice and still my supply is low. I already have a back-up formula – S26 Gold HA as suggested by our Pedia. But of course, as much as possible, I want to still breastfeed Giulia. I will continue to pump until God knows when… I am still hopeful that I will be able to provide enough nourishment for our princess. J

Photo Source I was fortunate enough to have friend who is a certified lactation consultant. I was also able to attend a childbirth and a breastfeeding class. Therefore, I would like to share important information on breastfeeding: Storage: Milk in Freezer (separate door) – 2-3 months Milk in Refrigerator – 3-5 days Frozen milk when thawed or at room temp – 2-4 hours Other notes: Do not shake breastmilk – just swirl. Do not microwave frozen breastmilk – it can create hotspots in the milk; just dip in warm water or use a bottle warmer When travelling, you can store breastmilk in a cooler with ice packs, then you can just put it in the refrigerator or freezer when you get home. Here are just some information, note that I am not an expert on breastfeeding, I would just like to share information for first time moms out there. If you need help on breastfeeding, just message me… I will try to help you or refer you to a certified lactation consultant. Happy breastfeeding! J

As I have mentioned in my previous entry, Breast is Best...  ear infections diarrhea  respiratory infections meningitis Other factors help to protect a breastfed baby from infection by contributing to the infant's immune system by increasing the barriers to infection and decreasing the growth of organisms like bacteria and viruses. Breastfeeding is particularly beneficial for premature babies and also may protect children against: allergies asthma diabetes obesity sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) As a group, breastfed babies have fewer infections and hospitalizations than formula-fed infants. Nutrition and ease of digestion. Often called the "perfect food" for a human baby's digestive system, breast milk's components — lactose, protein (whey and casein), and fat — are easily digested by a newborn's immature system. As a group, breastfed infants have less difficulty with digestion than do formula-fed infants. Breast milk tends to be more...

It has been my motto in life to always do my best in everything whether it is career related or in my personal life. So of course, now that I am a mother, I want nothing but the best for our precious little princess. Honestly, I grew up thinking that formula milk is the way to go especially because I was bombarded with different milk ads on tv. Some claim that babies will be intelligent when they drink a certain milk brand, others claim that they will be more healthier etc. I have nothing against formula milk, it is just that I overlook the note of the milk companies in their ads – breastmilk is still best for babies. But when I got pregnant, of course I made a lot of researches on motherhood, pregnancy and child care. I read books, downloaded baby applications on my phone, joined internet communities, attended childbirth class and of course, interviewed mommy friends. From there I learned that truly, breastmilk is the best source of nutrition for our baby. I am very fortunate...

Here's part 32 of my project 365... Happy browsing! Day 311 – November 8, 2011 Even though Daisy did not report to office yet, she had some goodies to share, straight from Singapore. Thanks Dhey! J Day 312 – November 9, 2011 The Wellness Committee organized a fun run at Nuvali, Sta. Rosa. Since I am preggy, I joined the activity but of course I did not run. I walked for 30 minutes, accompanied by my hubby. J It was truly a fun run/walk! Congratulations to the Wellness Committee for a successful activity! Day 313 – November 10, 2011 I am so blessed to have the sweetest colleagues! One of them is Alice Quesenberry, the global test operations manager, who despite of her busy schedule, finds time to check on me and my baby once in a while. Thank you for everyone who continues to pray for me and my baby! J Day 314 – November 11, 2011 It’s Friday lunch out day! J We had lunch at Kanin Get It, Nuvali. Thanks to Ma’am Norma and Cille for the free dessert! J Day 315...

I am now 7 1/2 months pregnant, a very much obvious pregnant woman. At least now, at the first glance, people already recognizes that I am actually pregnant and not a person who just came from a buffet. I just read my post on being fat and pregnant . A post that I wrote when I was only on my 3 rd month. This post got 660 page views to-date from different parts of the world. This is really a surprise to me since I never even posted this in my facebook account. People just searched fat pregnant people, obese and pregnant etc. so I guess there are a lot of people around the globe going through the same experience as I am. My pregnancy and my experience is not unique. I am not alone. Anyway at that time, my main concern is what people think about me and how they react to my changing body. I was too sensitive back then because I was still adjusting to all changes that are happening in my body. Now that I am on my last trimester, yes I may still have some episodes wherein I get consci...