Buy Now! Crocs Cleo!

I highly recommend these flats from Crocs (Cleo) especially if you are pregnant. They're the most comfortable sandals I've ever worn!

Havianas didn't work for me. I tried using them for a while and I ended up having sores and my feet hurts at the end of the day after a long walk.

My feet is very comfortable with Crocs Cleo. They're just amazing and do wonders on your feet. The foot bed is ultra soft, and the heels are elevated to allow proper circulation of blood on your feet. One thing I also like about Crocs, is that they're slip-resistant (and non-marking soles), so for a pregnant woman like me, this is really a number one requirement when looking for a decent footwear. But wait there's more... it's anti-microbial and odor-resistant.

Get a Cleo, you won't regret it.

• sleek fashionable shoe design
• weighs approximately 170 grams
• non-slip and non-marking soles
• odor free foot beds
• water and sand wash through
• comes with bright and subtle colors
• bouyant footwear (it floats!)
• washable with hot water
  

Of Routinary Checkup at 35 Weeks

Last Saturday I went back to my OB for another prenatal checkup. I now weight a WHOOPPING 138lbs (probably coz of fluids??)! Wow!! My OB says it's pretty normal, since the baby is gaining enough fats in preparation for delivery and for his own protection.

And my weekly checkup has begun. I have been looking forward for this event to happen. Each day, I have a little bit of excitement as to when my little one will show a sign that he wanted to see his Momma already.

So for this checkup, here's some notes:

• Baby M is lying head first, a very good sign that I'll be having a normal delivery
• The pin-and-needle that I have been feeling this past few days is now gone, and replaced by "knife-life" pain on my cervix. At times I find it hard to walk, because it's just too painful. My OB says, this is due to the fact that Baby M is starting to descend down there and my cervix has started to stretch (open) in preparation for delivery. Though she confirmed that Baby M is still floating. So she adviced me already to start my walking session.
  
• Next checkup, I will have my internal examination, so she can predict my exact due date.
  

34 Weeks - Big Bad Belly Shots

This is me, at 34 weeks. I'm currently on my 35th week of pregnancy. Two more weeks to go, and my baby is full-term (all cooked up and ready to be born) yahooo!

From the beginning of this pregnancy, I found myself always looking at the growth of my baby each week. The hands, fingers, brain development, bone growth etc. Now nearing the end, as the baby's development is less intense, I find myself looking at other landmarks along the pregnancy. Some things that crossed my mind is the survival rate born between 25 to 35 weeks.

I am excited for week 36 to roll around because that would mean I would be able to have my baby then. Am I ready to give birth?? Maybe, maybe not. Considering that I still got lots of things to prepare. But you know what? 9 months is a good amount of time to prepare. To contemplate, to grow, and to learn about babies - to explore parental options as well as personal education and career options. Of course, you can never fully plan for anything - you need to go and adapt to whatever comes your way, but its good to figure out something ahead of time, to visualize what it is that you really want and therefore strive for it.

For the months that I have been pregnant, I have grown to be fascinated with so many things about baby-stuff and motherhood. Did I ever thing that I would be like this 5 years ago?? Babies and all?? No way!

Of Baby Buying: Gears

Diaper Bags and Slings

Got the slings from my Aunt in US, though there are slings and pouches that are already sold in Rustan's and department stores. I intend not to use a stroller/prams because they're bulky and slinging is better. I've got two diaper bags, I prepared a smaller and a bigger one.

Of Baby Buying: Nursery

Crib Sets: Fitted Sheets, Bumper, Pillows

I bought three sets of crib sets. Sometimes, meron naka set na or you can buy each individually. I suggest that you buy it individually, kasi hindi naman lahat magagamit, gaya ng quilted sheets na included sa isang set, you don't need that since mainit dito sa Pinas. All you need are fitted sheets for the mattress, pillows (and pillow cases) and bumpers.

Of Baby Buying: Layettes

I'm currently resting, and I'd like to share some of baby M's stuff. I've completed his layettes already. Come next week, and every thing will be all set. Since I'm having a boy, I played around with Blue, Yellow, Green and White colors.

Mittens, Socks and Caps

Socks for Cold Nights

Receiving Blankets and Velcro Bibs

Hooded Towels

Washcloth and Bath Towels

Kimono Long Sleeve Layettes

Undergarment and Short Sleeve Layettes

Sleepwears: Pyjamas and Sandos

Basic Layettes for Everyday Use

Why Breastfeeding is Best for Babies

There is no question, that under normal circumstances, breastfeeding is best for our babies. It provides the perfect food, and the perfect food delivery system.

Here are the known benefits of human milk:

1. It's Custom Made - Tailored to the needs of human infant, the breast milk contains at least 100 ingredients that are not found in cow's milk and that cannot be precisely duplicated in individual formulas. The nutrients are matched to an infant's needs and its ability to handle them.
   
2. It Goes Down Easily - The proportion of mother's milk is lower making it more digestible.
   
3. It's Safe - You can be sure that the milk served up directly from your breast isn't improperly prepared, contaminated or spoiled.
4. It's Tummy Soother - Nursed babies are almost never constipated, because of the easier digestibility of breast milk. They also have rarely diarrhea, since breast milk seems both to destroy some diarrhea-causing organisms and to encourage the growth of beneficial flora in the digestive tract.
5. It's Fat Flattener - Nursed with breast milk appears to relate to lower rates of obesity later in life. It may also be linked to lower cholesterol readings in adulthood.
6. It's Brain Booster - It increases a child's IQ at least through age fifteen. This may not only be relat to the brain-building fatty acids (DHA) it contains, but to the closeness and mother-baby interaction that is built into breastfeeding (which fosters intellectual development).
7. It Keeps Allergies on Hold - Virtually, no baby is allergic to breast milk.
8. It's an Infection Preventer - It lower respiratory infection, urinary tract infection, ear infections and septicemia in the first year of life. And it improves the immune response to immunizations for most diseases.

Here are the benefits of breastfeeding for Mom's as well:

1. Convenience. No advance planning, pacing, no equipment needed. It is always available.
2. Economy. No bottles, no nipples or formula to buy.
3. Speedy Recovery. It helps the shrinking of uterus back to its prepregnant size and decreases the flow of lochia (postpartum discharge).
4. Speedy Return to Prepregnancy Shape (My favorite!). It can help burn off fats accumulated during pregnancy.
5. Period Postponement. It suppresses ovulation and menstruation at least to some degree.
6. Bone Building. Improve mineralization in your bones after weaning and reduces risk of hip fracture after menopause.
7. Cancer Risk Reduction. It can reduce risk cancer down the road. Women who nurses have a lower risk of developing uterine cancer and premenopausal breast cancer.

And of course, breastfeeding brings you and your baby together, skin to skin, eye to eye. The emotional gratification, the intimacy, the sharing of love and please can not only be very fulfilling and make for a stronger mother-child relationship but it may also enhance your baby's brain development.

Source: What to Expect

33 Weeks - Big Bad Belly Shots

I turned 28 a few days ago. No extravagant celebration this year, I just had dinner with my parents. I spend my birth day talking to my husband through skype. B and I talked for ours, and then rested while reading a good book to my baby. There were friends who sent their greetings, I thank you all for remembering and for your thoughtfulness. Then every became quiet. I would usually make a lot of noise when I turned a year older, but this year I'm melancholic.

Now as of my pregnancy, here's my big belly shot at 33 weeks. Every week, my belly is getting bigger and heavier! Last week, I always felt tired, exhausted and can't sleep. Unlike now, I felt my energy level was back to normal, I felt great, though I can't still sleep at night.

On the lighter side, I am much happier this week because I am finally getting things done. I've already moved to my new room, have the crib and nursery table all painted, my private bathroom newly renovated. Baby M's clothes and nursery sets were washed already. I have this to do list and bo buy list and I really really want to get it all done before baby arrives. Accomplishing all these will allow me to have more time after birth and will allow me to focus on my new family.

I am getting excited and looking forward to giving birth to our little one. Time flies really, to think that I am always at home. My walking exercises haven't started yet, but I keep on doing those pregnancy exercises at home to keep me healthy on the right track.

Prayer for an Expectant Mother

I'd like like to share this Novena, to be said on 9 straight days, same time everyday.

GREAT ST. GERARD, beloved servant of Jesus Christ, perfect imitator of our meek and humble Savior, and devoted child of the Mother of God, enkindle within my heart one spark of that heavenly fire of charity which glowed in yours and made you a seraph of love.

O glorious St. Gerard, because like your Divine Master, you bore without murmur or complaint the calumnies of wicked men when falsely accused of crime, you have been raised up by God as the patron and protector of expectant mothers. Preserve me in the dangers of motherhood and shield the child I now bear, that it may be brought to safely to the light of day and receive the sacrament of baptism.

Say Hail Mary 3 times.

Analyzing My Weight Gain

Two days shy of my 33weeks, I am now a whooping 132lbs!! To think that I am not that FAT at all. I still have 4-7 weeks before I can give birth, and that means, there's a probability that I can reach 136-139lbs (1 pound a week)!! Though I've read in some pregnancy sites that around 8months to 9months of pregnancy, pregnant women could probably stop gaining weight at all. So where did all these weight come from?

According to the pregnancy weight gain calculator, I should gain weight between 28 - 40 lbs, since I started underweight (98lbs), 12lbs short to my ideal weight. My OB made me understand that it is important to accept that I will be putting on weight during pregnancy to build up the life support system for my little baby.

WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION

My Body

• 2.8 lbs is the weight of the uterus.
• 1.2 lbs is the weight of breast tissue.
• 3.6 lbs is because of increased blood volume.
• 9.7 lbs is attributed to maternal stores of fat, protein and other nutrients.
• 5.0 lbs is attributed to increased fluid volume.

Subtotal= 22.3lbs

My Baby

• 7.5 lbs is about how much the baby will weigh by the end of pregnancy.
• 1.9 lbs is how much the placenta weighs.
• 2.3 lbs for the amniotic fluid.

Subtotal = 11.7lbs

TOTAL = 34 lbs


Since I got back in the province, my mother has prohibited me to do exercise!! Even squats and some weight training (I was doing this during my second trimester). The lack of exercise I guess is the cause of gaining too much weight and water retention. Imagine drinking at least two liters of water a day, how much weight that can add to my body?

Anyway, I will be starting my walking session soon. So I hope that I'll be loosing all these water retentions. I swear that I will get back to my pre-pregnancy weight. I will starve myself again hahaha... and go back to my aerobic exercises, dumbells and jogging.

32 Weeks - Big Bad Belly Shots

Here I am at 32 weeks.

Yes, I'm all belly and I can't even recognize my face.

I've gained some weight as of my previous post. Thanks to a lot of meet and greet and reunions of old friends, that they've been feeding me tremendously. "Kailangan kumain ni buntis" So what can I do?? I just have to grab the opportunity since I've been loosing appetite lately.

Now I have to really really watch my weight. I can't afford to have a ginormous baby and a ginormous body as well. I have already cut back my carbs, and will not be sipping iced tea, or softdrinks ever. I have also warned my mother of not bringing chocolate cake and pastries at home. I have to get back to my old diet but the priority is the baby, so I have to eat efficiently and healthy.

As of my last routinary checkup, all is well. The baby is head first (thank God!) and I do have constant weight gain and blood pressure. Though I've been feeling a lot of BHicks, my doctor says it's just fine, since the baby's head is putting enough pressure on my pelvic area, so it's normal to feel all those contractions.

Another thing, I've been feeling so tired a lot now. My tummy is getting heavier and heavier. I can feel all those lower back pains from time to time. I can't wait for this preggy thing to be over so I can totally get back into shape and feel normal again. It seems like I've been pregnant forever.

Speaking of the baby, his totally fine, still super active! Those rib tickling aren't that fun anymore, his kicks and dances are so strong that at times it hurts me and at times shooks my belly. It's kind of embarassing when you're in the public and all of a sudden your belly shakes! Hahaha.

Oh well, 5 more weeks and then baby M is fully-term. I can't wait!