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!

Rants on my Pregnancy

Entering my 8month of pregnancy, it finally sinked into me that I am really really pregnant and about to give birth soon! My belly's growth has been slow (and small) but consistent. Baby M is still incredibly active, especially when I'm talking to his Dad, and as I lay down to sleep at night. The movements are so big that sometimes I will gasp in surprise. The way I describe it, I felt like I have an octopus inside me. I can feel baby M's strong legs kicking up on my ribs and small tickles and flutters of his hands around my pubic bone.

Unlike the past few months, now I have many physical symptoms of pregnancy. Shortness of breath, acid reflux, calf cramping, hormonal flux and fluctuations in energy levels. Emotional ups and downs are frequent, I just let those tears come and the emotions surge, I am trying my best not to hold on them since it will affect my baby boy.

As I approach my full-term, I've been experiencing Braxton Hicks (uterine contractions) a lot more frequent. It's just practice labour. I read that sometimes, when the head is already down and there is pressure in the cervix, it may become stimulated enough to start contractions. I still don't want that now right?? Too early!

Room Renovation

Mang Rene started the bathroom already. Replaced old mocha tiles to sara pink mariwasa tiles we bought at the Pacific Home Depot. I think it will take around 3-4 days of work. The bathroom needs to be overhauled. We still have to purchase some tiles and wood for a shelf tomorrow

The room's (bathroom and bedroom area) ceilings are all done. Wall paint will start on Tuesday. At the same time, I already got my crib! It needs some repainting job though.

I can't wait to move to my new room. Hopefully I can post the finished product once everything is done. My room is much bigger now, with a private bathroom just for me, and a king sized bed to accommodate baby M when he's a little bit older. As of the moment, our house' is a mess, so visitors are not yet allowed.