To (Breast) Feed Or Not To (Breast) Feed?

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ...10, 11, 12,...now I lost count.  Listed them down and I just finished at 21!  Wow I can't believe I know 21 women who are all due, or have given birth, between June to early 2010!  Every month I hear of another preggy woman among common friends, so what's with the baby boom this year? This number did not even include those who have already popped during the first half of the year!  And as I promised in earlier posts here, here, and here, I will feature more baby-related entries as a tribute and share with my expectant and new-mom friends my own journey to motherhood.


To (Breast) Feed Or Not To (Breast) Feed?  I don't think it should be a question anymore. Breastmilk is, no doubt, the best, and only milk babies need in their first 6 months of life. Tons of info are already out there to tell you all about it, and the many wonderful benefits for mother and child.

Breastfeeding is the feeding of an infant or young child with breast milk directly from human breasts rather than from a baby bottle or other container. (from Wikipedia)

Successfully breastfeeding my children has been my goal since I conceived. Daunting as it may, the sense of pride and joy just overshadowed the sleepless nights, post-partum pains and depression that I have been through. I am a breastfeeding advocate. I'm no expert, but with my 18 months of breastfeeding (12 months exclusive) I am able to promote and share my personal experience to those who seek my help or advise.

 

Exclusively breastfed @ 10 months...yeah, those are big teeth, but thankfully, she doesn't bite!

With my first-born, I was fortunate to have a friend who just gave birth a few days earlier, and she has generously shared her Breastfeeding Class notes with me to provide guidance and encouragement for a new mom's first attempt to breastfeed.

Full and happily in deep slumber after feeding (from the bottle, with expressed breast milk)

This is NOT Breastfeeding 101, but a basic guide made easy for me to understand, and simplified the challenging, yet very rewarding, task at hand.  Best of luck to all the moms, and lots of support from the dads!

So here are the notes (slightly edited and paraphrased to simplify the outline):

Outline from breastfeeding class conducted by Ms. Chiqui Brosas-Hahn

A.   Preparation & Feeding
1.    Massage/stroke breast before feeding.  Circular or stroking motion towards the nipple. Then lean forward and give your breast a gentle shake.

2.    Position in breastfeeding:
a.    Step on stool or elevate your arms for baby’s body to be parallel to your own body, his stomach to your stomach, tickle cheek, and as mouth opens, pull him towards your breast (always mouth to breast, not breast to mouth).  His mouth should cover most of the areola, and his chin should touch your breast.
b.    To unlatch, put pinky in between gum then latch out. Do Not pull away.

3.    Approximately 15 mins. for every breast. The first few minutes, early secretion is like their water, the next flow of milk will be the one that makes them full. The last breast he feeds on will be the first one on his next feeding.

4.    Best to give both breasts during the day.  At night, it’s ok if only one breast every feeding.

5.    It is suggested to burp baby after every breast immediately.  They burp faster that way.

6.    Wait a few minutes for the burp, with light tapping of the back. If none comes, it's okay.

7.    Stick to the feeding time, even if baby is asleep, wake him by changing his diapers or stroking him to encourage feeding.

8.    Time between feedings should not exceed 4 hours.  But as baby grows and feeds more, timing in between can extend.

9.    Don’t wait for baby to cry before breastfeeding. Once baby wakes, he will play with you, about 10 mins. of this alertness, you can feed him.

10.    Good indications if baby is getting enough milk:
a.    First few days: 1 diaper a day is ok
b.    After the third day: about 6-8 diaper changes

11.    Make sure baby has secreted his meconium poop (black), normally it’s the first poop.

B.   Breast Care & Milk Storage
1.    For Engorged breast:  warm compress/packs; or can pinch areola inwards then out, all around the breast. This is also a technique for manual expression.

2.    Drink a lot of water when feeding.  Other form of liquids are fine (broths, juices).

3.    For sore nipples: try breastmilk around nipple/areola. If nothing works, then ask                 doctor what cream can be used (Lasinoh is a good brand).

4.    To avoid cracked/sore nipples: air/sun dry, if you need to rush, you can use hair dryer. (Luckily, I didn't need to do this one!)

5.    If baby must take glucose water, use a dropper or cup.

6.    Breastmilk storage: don’t forget to write date and time on a masking tape to label your bottles. Newborns will consume about 3 oz. - can store for 3 months in freezer (with door separate from the fridge); 8 days in fridge, and about 10 hours at room temp. depending on humidity.  (I only store mine in the refrigerator for 3 days)

8.    Always check if milk temperature is enough by doing a skin test. And smell also in case it turns. When in doubt, don’t use.

9.    Best to give pure breastmilk for 6 months. During this time, they can do without water.

10.   When to bottlefeed: If possible, at least after 6 weeks of breastfeeding.

C.   Others
1.    It is suggested to room-in baby. But once baby is released, you can’t put him back to the nursery. Bring diapers and all other stuff you need to bathe and change the baby.  (I personally do not want to room-in baby, mainly due to germs carried by visitors, and also, I went thru C-Sec which required me not to move too much or sit upright. I think I went to the nursery to breastfeed on the second day)

2.    Bring salbabida (life savers / inflatables) to the hospital.  This is for the mothers’ comfort due to the sutures / or even hemorroids (for normal delivery).  But kids’ salbabida is ok, inflate halfway.

3.    Don’t give up. It is normal that for 3 days, you won't have milk.  You might think you are not expressing any, but you are - it is the colostrum that is clear/rusty in color.  The creamy while milk will come several days after, as you continue to feed, or pump.

*Thanks to my friend Mina for sharing this to me :)

This note definitely does not cover everything you need to know about nursing your child.  Here are more helpful guides as well as local sites I have used in the past, and groups like L.A.T.C.H and La Leche League offer counseling and support for your nursing woes and queries.

So to the new moms, are you ready to breastfeed?

Sharing my breastfeeding 'adventure' here: It's World Breastfeeding Week

Related posts:
Baby Checklist
Baby Boom

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My Quick 'Chocolat' Fix

Lately, I have been cake-tripping, as you may have seen on my previous post.  How lucky are we to have so many food establishments and cake shops to choose from in our neighborhood! And this latest addition is what I have been waiting for to open since the past month.  Their signage says:  Deep Dark Chocolate Cakes. Admittedly, I am a confessed chocoholic. My mom is a chocoholic, hubby is a chocoholic, and I do believe my son is too!  And what a delight it was for me when Chocolat very recently opened their doors in San Juan to cakes and choco-lovers like me. Now I can get my cocoa quick-fixes within minutes!

As a follow-up to my most recent entry, I am sharing another pleasurable cake experience to all of you.  And once again, this happened on a school day on our way to fetch my boy, as we always pass by their shop every afternoon.  This time, I left the house around 45 minutes earlier than usual, my girl and nanny in tow, as always.  I was hell-bent on having at least a of slice of their popular 'dark chocolate cake', because honestly, this is my first time to try their much-talked about creations.

Pressed for time, as soon as we entered the shop, I asked my girl to choose her cake so we can order pronto...got ourselves a table, and ordered me a slice of Death By Tablea (DBT), vanilla milkshake and Tiramisu for the little miss -- who was clammoring for 'white icing' while pointing her fingers on the display (if I had my way, I would've picked the Kahlua or Bailey's!).  I also planned to take home a mini-cake.

Excuse my shots above as I failed to bring my handy digicam, so I just snapped away with my trusty SE-K610i mobile phone cam...not too shabby shots don't you think?

Death By Tablea = Death by chocolate. Sinful. Super Dark. Very Rich. Simply Divine. This is the real deal!  I can even say, way much better than any chocolate cakes I've eaten in the past, from the thick frosting down to the cake bottom. Not even my mom's super moist version can beat this (sorry Ma!).  I am certain that the soul of this cake is the flavorful, fragrant, native tablea (powdered cacao formed in tablets, squares or balls). They also sell tablea by the roll/pack and you can make your own hot cup anytime.

 

The richness and addicting flavor reminded me of mornings past, when mom and my A-mah (paternal grandma) cook a pot of hot cocoa and spoons in some oatmeal to complete a full-bodied tsokolate drink made from tablea that came all the way from Samar.  A whiff of it's steam and aroma was just so comforting.  And from the heavenly scent of this cake alone, I will surely buy a whole cake on my next visit!

Their Tiramisu is also quite lovely, with triple layers of light creamy cheese (mascarpone, I hope) and espresso-rhum-soaked lady fingers, as stated in their site (but seems like chiffon to me).  My girl did enjoy her 'white icing' from this one.  Although I still prefer the authentic taste of this 'pick-me-up' from Piadina Italian resto in Galleria, and from the original Goodies 'n Sweets cafe in Greenhills.

Very dark, 6-inch Chocolate Hazelnut cake with nuggets on top - P320.00

After browsing through their flyer, and preening my neck to see the cakes on display (even if I could easily walk a few steps towards it), I have finally decided to bring home the Chocolate Hazelnut as it seems to be a safe choice that my hubby and son can appreciate.  Again, if it were only for me, I'd choose the spiked variety...but that can wait for next time.

Hubby loved this cake. My boy and I did too, with the same super moist, rich flavor and texture of DBT, but with the sweetness and nutty flavor of chocolate and hazelnut rolled into one. He even ate all the nuggets on top! Good thing I got to eat one of them! 

I even got a delectable surprise with a small choco-hazelnut chunk in the middle of my perfect slice. Now there is only one slice left and I saved it for hubby.

No doubt, Chocolat will have throngs of loyal foodies and choco-lovers alike dropping by their charming cafe along A. Mabini Street.  Parking is limited, and traffic is heavy during school dismissal hours, but these will not stop me from having my DBT calling.

Care to share your chocolate cake discoveries with me?

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Carla's and Caroline's Sweet Endings...and In-betweens

"I want cake, mommy, a pink cake!"; "I want that one, the purple one!"; "That's my birthday cake!"...and the shout-outs keep coming from the mouths of babes.

Even at different times of the day, at different days of the week, the boy and girl of the house will demand for their sugar rush. They know they have a limit. And since mommy can't say 'no' to desserts and sweets either, I simply oblige and promise them a reward for good behavior -- a scheduled trip to the nearest bake shop, grocery, or patisserie to fill their cravings. That will surely make their day!



Everyday, as I bring my boy to (and from) school, we pass by this fairly new strip of establishments along M. Paterno St. in San Juan. There's a clothes store, a salon, a foot spa, and Patisserie Caroline. And so, as promised, after we fetched him from school, we dropped by this quaint cake shop and cafe with a delectable display of confections.

Super Moist Chocolate Cake, New York Cheesecake, Banana Toffee Pie...which one to get? I only had money to buy one box of cake, a mini-cake to be exact, for P350.00. And my boy reigned with his choice -- pointing to 'the purple one', Ube Cake (purple yam cake). We can't wait to get home and eat!


The 6-inch cake has double yam-flavored cake-mousse layers, with snowy-white cream icing, topped with pieces of rolled white chocolate shaving. It has the sweet smell of yam with a mild hint of pandan essence, i think. Moist and subtly sweet, the cake did not disappoint. Even a small slice was quite filling. Although personally, with all the 'purple cakes' out there, I still put Red Ribbon's original Ube Cake at the top of my cake list. Since it's introduction in the 80's, this is the only ube cake I really crave for.


On our way out, my girl was quick to grab one of these flower lollipop cookie (P30) and even asked her nanny to buy it for her! I guess she made sure she gets to bring home 'something pink', since big brother won this time with the purple cake.


With a tempting cake selection, and a list of beverage and savory short order meals available for dine-in customers, I will definitely try to drop by again at Caroline's and bring home one of her best-sellers to surpise the kiddos. I found her site and you can see for yourself the many yummy-looking baked goodies she has to offer.



We also pass by another bake shop everyday, on our way home from school. That's why I can't escape the finger-pointing every time my boy sees the giant cup cakes (far right, from photo below) on the window display of The Kitchen of Carla & Elaine, along P. Guevarra St., also in San Juan.

On a more recent ride from brother's school, my girl won this time with her 'pink cake' -- that's the Strawberry Shortcake with super moist and light sponge cake layers filled with strawberry cream frosting! Really luscious, with just the right sweetness that even my sugar-conscious in-laws indulged on a slice. I think I ate half of the whole cake (we also ordered the petite 6-inch size, P380)! It was quite addicting once you get started!



This shortcake is one of two versions, the other being their bestseller, Mango Shortcake, which we first bought for my girl's second birthday last January. It was our introduction to the many mouth-watering desserts at this shop. Everybody who got to try this pink one, however, unanimously voted for the mango version.

Digging into a slice of Mango Shortcake, specially topped with pink icing birthday greeting for my girl

You will also finds loads of goodies here which include breads and cookies. And since it's just in my neighborhood, I will surely be dropping by for more sweet treats for the family at The Kitchen of Carla & Elaine.


Patisserie Caroline
Shop: 17 M. Paterno St. Pasadena, San Juan City Tel No: (632) 7226839

Carla & Elaine
Shop: 198 Promenade Bldg., Wilson St., corner P. Guevara, San Juan City Tel No.: (632) 4809457

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Mom-Finds For Girls

It's Friday, and it happens to be mid-month, which means 'pay-day weekend' for some, and time to shop, shop, shop! As part of my bargain-hunting feature under Mom-Finds, here are some items I had purchased, all for under P500 each -- but this time, for my little girl. So, I hope you welcome this new addition as a sub-category for 'Mom-Finds for P500 & Under' as I am excited to seek out really cute, stylish, educational, and possibly a few yummy stuff for the kiddos in the coming months. Who knows, you might even catch the little ones modeling some stuff for me here ;)

P199.75 : Cool, red cotton blouse from Lil Lizzie, with flower-shaped buttons and ribbon tied at the neck line

P199.75 : Crisp white shorts with adjustable garter waist band, checkered black & white detail and red button on the leg pockets

I really like this red, black and white ensemble -- hip and contemporary, not your usual pink and purple mix for girls. Get this look at SM Department Store Children's Section (any SM Supermalls in the Metro).

P199.75 : Found these Advan floral-print canvass sneakers in one of the grocery aisles! My girl instantly pointed to this pink pair and I guess it was so comfy that she wants to wear it then and there. Advan sneakers are stocked in the SM supermarket section with socks and kids garments.

End of the post and only the tot's feet made an appearance :D

P399.75 : Gold thong sandals with beads detail, from Beagle House. I could wear this if they have one in my size! Soft rubber sole, with butterfly pattern on leather in-sole and garter sling back.

Beagle House also carries footwear for boys, and smart casual apparel for toddlers and kids. Shops I've visited are located at Shangri-la Plaza Mall and SM Megamall.

Oh, and by the way, I just joined hundreds of manic shoppers today at the SM City Sta. Mesa for their 3-Day Sale (Aug. 14 - 16). So, shop now 'till you drop!
(My purchases will be a no-show here as they are above P500)

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Sauce Express: Aligue & Pesto

I must admit, I am not a kitchen maven. I try to do with whatever is in stock and whatever I can remember from the long list of recipes I've browsed through. And so, with my limited repertoire of dishes, I try to incorporate a few versatile sauces to add a twist to the usual fare I serve at home. I guess it's a creative short-cut to stretch the menu and whip up something different at least once a week, given my very limited prep and cooking time.

Making something from scratch is ideal, but I can't deny that some store-bought preparations are God-sent and provides instant zing to our meals (whether my 'housemates' like it or not). My pantry is home to the staple 'bagoong gusiado' (sauteed shrimp pate/paste), the classic Reno liver spread, Hunt's chunky tomato sauce, to name a few. Here, I'm sharing one that's made fresh, and the other, bottled.
 

PESTO

My first bottle of homemade pesto sauce

A few weeks ago, I was able to spot a small bottle of pine nuts at Santi's Delicatessen. It was a bit pricey but quite hard to find this side of town, so I grabbed one up and left with the thought of fresh pesto sauce!

I don't have an exact measurement for this but I got me a bunch of fresh sweet basil leaves (90 gms.), garlic (around 5 large cloves, chopped), parmesan cheese (approx. 1/4 cup grated), coarse salt (approx. 1/2 tsp., optional), EVOO (at least 1/2 cup), pine nuts (approx. 1 1/2 tbs., toast in a pan until light brown).


Mix everything in a blender or food processor, while pouring more EVOO to suit your taste and preferred consistency. Store in an air-tight bottle and refrigerate. Well, you can always buy a bottled one if you wish.

I always believed that pesto is an acquired taste as many have aversions to the taste of herbs. That's why I am the only one enjoying my not-so-fancy pesto dishes at home!

Enjoy it with the usual pasta, rice, or try some of what I did below.

Enjoy your fresh pesto on toasted baguette, foccacia or bruschetta bread

On roast, baked, or even fried chicken

10-minute dish of pan-fried cream dory fish fillet

Also try my:  Chicken Pesto Rice

ALIGUE / TABA NG TALANGKA
(Small Crab Fat Paste)

This native side dish is one that I crave for on occasion and I always look for the richer, premium quality (read: more dangerously unhealthy) as it is supposed to be more 'pure' than other regular variants that may contain extenders, starch, etc. With quality comes the price, and at a little over P200 for an 8-oz. bottle, Navarro's Crab Paste really brings home the artery-clogging flavor I'm looking for.

To prepare the aligue sauce, it is usually sauteed in a little oil, with lots of minced garlic and freshly squeezed calamansi (calamondin; Philippine citrus fruit). Suggested preparation is also printed on the label. I use olive oil with my sauce, and a tad of butter (cholesterol alert). Alternatively, you can use lime or lemon, and you may opt to skip the butter if you're watching your triglycerides as the crab fat alone is already 'damaging' on its own :)

The dish below got me intrigued. It's Marketman's orkra with aligue creation, and I simply cannot resist trying this, as any dish with taba ng talangka is a winner for me.

My version here is sauteed with minced garlic, chopped onion and tomato, add a tablespoon of crab paste, calamansi juice (Marketman used dayap - a local lime), salt and pepper, in oil -- no butter.

Adjust calamansi and crab paste to your taste. Cook until tender.

I always sautee okra same way as above, but with bagoong (sauteed shrimp paste), so this aligue sauce is a welcome twist to the usual.

Preparing the crab fat sauce for my pasta

A plate-full of Garlic-Aligue Spaghetti, topped with grated parmesan cheese, serve with toast bread -- yum, yum!

Thanks so much for reading and for leaving any feedback. Please visit again!

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And Another One Bites...

When there's rain, can mosquitoes be far behind?

"Mommy, what's that black... what's that black on your leg?"
(Whack!!! And it drops.)

It's still the rainy season here and these insects abound. I don't have to tell you what deadly diseases they can bring -- dengue, malaria among others. In the past few days alone, I slapped a few big ones with my bare hands and lots more have escaped me. Every hit I make, I feel success!

In my own tiny way, I'm trying to protect my loved ones from their treacherous bites, at least in our home. So pardon me for posting these photos here, I just can't help myself. I caught really big ones!

These were taken in three different hits at home, and it's only now that I got to see these suckers up close. Check out these pesky creatures as I took pleasure in their 'downfall'!


I recently found a new 'friend' in GIGA Insect Repellent Spray -- a Mom-Find for P165.00, in a 100ml bottle spray.

The spray contains natural fruit extract distillate, lemongrass oil, patchouli and lavender oils. A lot of GIGA products are made from virgin coconut oil and I have yet to try them out. This spray also claims to be DEET-free, so it is safe to use on children. Though the scent is a bit strong, it effectively wards off mosquitoes.

According to Sciencedaily.com, the active ingredient in many insect repellents, deet, has been found to be toxic to the central nervous system. Researchers say that more investigations are urgently needed to confirm or dismiss any potential neurotoxicity to humans, especially when deet-based repellents are used in combination with other neurotoxic insecticides. Read more about this here.

I always use this on my boy before he goes to school since among all of us, he seems to attract mosquitoes the most! As my mom would say, maybe he has "sweet blood".

Let's be vigilant. Sounds heavy huh, but we can't be too careful... we'll never know 'coz it may not be just a small harmless bite or a red spot after all.

Update - 2012:
We've started using By Nature's Moisturizing Insect Repellent because of it's moisturizing properties and milder scent. Read my full feature on By Nature products here.

Screen capture from the blog feature

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It's Raining and We're Feeling Japanese (again)

No signage by the main street, and no directionals pointing to the right way. We just followed the light through the plaza. There was a downpour and it was very dark. That's something different for the kids as we rarely take them out at night, more so on a rainy night! So they were excited and giddy during the ride up until the time they got out and tip-toed around the puddle and wet pavement.

Despite heavy rains and a series of semi-unfortunate events, the family decided to dine out on this rainy Saturday evening, to the delight of our boy and girl. We just cruised around the neighborhood and finally decided to check out this hidden, unexpected pocket of restaurants in a nearby supermarket.

Italian, Japanese, Filipino...there was only one clear choice.

Kyoto Jack. A fairly new ( our server said they are two years in operation) Japanese resto in Liberty Plaza, along Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong, their inviting red couches by the patio, red walls, and black and red chairs are understated and chic. It has a comfy and casual feel. There was only one other group dining there when we came in.

Everybody was ready for a sumptuous dinner. A quick browse over the menu and my hubby ordered the regulars. It only took a short while before the dishes came out and we savored them all.

Waiting patiently in her high chair. A nice bar is seen behind her.

The ever-present Miso soup, with the tofu and seaweed being fished out for our boy to enjoy his broth, bits-free

I especially enjoyed their Crazy Maki -- California style with crunchy tempura-like batter on the outside, and topped with shredded kani. A good starter, I ate too much and got full too early!

Ebi Gyoza is a nice twist to the classic meat or veggie, with whole baby shrimp stuffed in the middle -- the kids ate this with rice, sans the tangy dipping sauce

Fresh Tuna Sashimi, I almost missed my share :)

Refreshingly sweet, ripe mango shake -- bottoms up for my boy!

Tori Teppanyaki, not too crazy about this...fairly ordinary, I think it lacks the smokey flavor.

What's left of the Yakisoba, well, all the meat and veggies were left -- the noodles got slurpped up fast by the kids and grannies. This was on the sweet side and we want more noodles and less of the toppings.

Good Ebi Tiger Prawn Tempura, though the batter is not as crisp and fine to the bite. And I think they were not tiger size.

Hubby's other fave, Sukiyaki, aside from his standard Katsudon, which has no photo. Also missing here are the two donburi (rice toppings) my in-laws ordered for themselves.
He said this katsudon and beef-noodle soup were good with a balanced sweet-salty flavor, and I take his word for it.

My Japanese Fried Rice and Red Iced Tea.
The rice was savory and filling, but quite grainy -- I expected it a little sticky since it's Japanese rice.
Our server suggested the tea so I can compare with others, and he was right, theirs is really good with a mild and sweet berry-tea flavor. No powdery after-taste like some. Seconds please!

"Mommy, look...it's crawling!"
(Ant-sized bug crawling on the placemat under my boy's plate)
(Squish!!!)
"Mommy, what did you do to my friend!?!?"
(Oops!!! Sorry...say goodbye to tiny green bug friend)

Our bill totaled P2,555.00 for 5 adults and 2 kids, a reasonable amount for a Japanese restaurant, and with all our orders. We enjoyed our simple night out with a hearty and satisfying meal on this drizzling evening, and this place is worth a second (or more) visit.

You can dine al fresco in these big red couches amidst a zen hardscape design.

By the way, don't be fooled by the category of this entry. This is not, in any way, a restaurant review as I am not a critic or professional, and don't intend to.
I don't have enough flowery words to describe each dish to tickle your taste buds. I am not featuring this dining place to evaluate their food and judge the establishment. There are plenty reviews out there already :)

Thanks so much for reading and for leaving any feedback. Please visit again!

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