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Staying Abreast: The Breastfeeding Filipina

cross_stitch.jpgIf you visit my kitchen, the first thing you will see on my granite counter top is this green-lined frame with a cross-stitch design labeled “A Mother’s Heart is a Child’s Schoolroom”. I finished quite a collection of cross-stitch projects during those nurturing breastfeeding sessions with my babies. It stands there as a reminder to my children that I gave nothing but the best, that their first food was—breast milk. That memento rightfully belongs in my kitchen.

If I were a lactating mom in today’s hi-tech age, maybe I wouldn’t be cross-stitching. Perhaps I will be blogging on my macbook or designing breastfeeding advocacy websites. Breastfeeding was such a beautiful experience for me. During those breastfeeding times. I often caressed every single strand of my babies’ hair, each toe and finger. It’s a wonderful bonding moment that often took my breath away. I ignored my pediatrician when I refused the milk formula for Lauren. [tag]Breastfeeding[/tag] advocacy was not in place twenty years ago so our doctors often prescribed an infant formula before being discharged from the hospital. I held on to my belief that I could breastfeed. After all, breastfeeding is 90 % mental, emotional work and 10% physical. I focused on giving nothing but the best—breast milk.

I don’t blame you if you say that you had no milk during the first day. Perhaps, you were not aware that supply during the first few days after childbirth arrive in small quantities. It’s true, demand for breast milk is not that high yet for a newborn child. Our babies’ stomach is just as tiny as the tip of our thumb. The problem is the mom loses confidence and turns to the bottle. Naturally, any mom wouldn’t want their babies to starve. I don’t blame you. We didn’t know any better. Lack of awareness, family pressure, social taboos and popular misconceptions all contribute to why women are apprehensive to breastfeed.

Today, I heard the various breastfeeding advocacy groups in the The Barbizon Mommy Milkshake Marathon held at the Fort, Global City upon the invitation of GeiserMaclang. I had this warm fuzzy feeling as I witnessed the number of Breastfeeding advocacy groups that were present in today’s event. What a devoted group they are!

breastfeeding

““If you’re bottle-feeding with the excuse that you’re too busy and under the pretext that milk formulas have enough nutrients to produce the next Einstein anyway, think again.”

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Christina Aguilera’s Message On Domestic Violence

christina aguileraOh what an adventure watching the Christina Aguilera concert at the Global City last night. My heart refused to calm down after the one and a half hour concert. I had to lie down in bed and relax a bit before sleeping. Those loud thumping amps are bad for my heart. Anyway, thanks to Jenny of Globe Broadband, she spared me some VIP tickets . M was supposed to watch it with a friend but backed out at the last minute . I didn’t want to waste two (2) 7,000 plus pesos ($152.00) worth of tickets so I called my sister , Belen who agreed to watch it with me. Jayvee found it funny. I wonder why! Can’t a 50 year old woman enjoy a concert?

Abe and JennySo anyway, Abe and Brian , his younger brother along with Jenny and her fiancee also watched with us . The production numbers were impressive and fantastic. I can’t believe she’s pregnant as she pranced and cavorted on stage. Oh well, I ‘ve never been watching concerts of foreign artists so I can’t really compare. For a lack of a better description, let me point you to her interview about the concert:

As my fans know, I’m so into my visuals and making sure that the image that goes along with my music you know, definitely tells the story and kind of let’s my audience’s imagination run wild. It takes them out of their elements, whatever their day may consisted of, this is definitely a moment to just relax and enjoy a real show with all elements involved such as using your imagination. My dancers went into training to bring it, my album—it is a double album—and on disc two I’ve flirted and used different elements of the circus—an old vintage circus in my work and the dancers went into training. I’m so proud of them—learned how to stilt walk, swing over—what is it called now, kind of acrobatics swing, fire throw—there’s so many different circus elements that are involved in this show and it’s just super fun and the audience’s face whenever they see all of it, is just really, really fun. So, it’s a fun show. It’s really great. It’s one that you don’t want to miss.

I agree it was a fun fun show.

But what touched me about the concert was Christina’s Aguilera’s message about domestic violence. The pop star speaks out and penned a song “Oh Mother” about witnessing the abuse her mother suffered at the hands of her father.

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Silver Lining’ 82: Women Helping Women Heal

phil-typhoon.jpgEvery now and then I look for causes that are close to my heart. Sometimes I discover them through newspapers or magazines But I really don’t know the reliability of the persons behind the noble cause. I admire my friend, Cathy Babao-Guballa for spearheading A Silver Lining For Bicol’s Mothers along with other women and mothers. I might know everyone in the group but I definitely know Cathy as an honest and sincere person who pursues a project till the end.

So please take time to read the mission behind A Silver Lining For Bicol’s Mothers and know you are in good hands with the organizers.

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Kris Aquino and Hope Centeno are not Victims

kris.jpgThe other woman, Hope Centeno wept and claimed she might be pregnant with James Yap’s kid . ““I also deserve the same sympathy as Kris” from the public. The 7 month pregnant [tag]Kris Aquino[/tag] just checked out of the hospital and minced no words. ““How dare you say sorry to me?” Kris scolded Hope. She then went on to blame Hope for her ““false labor” and subsequent hospitalization last Thursday.”

My jaw dropped as Kris lamented that “an innocent baby ” is at stake. “How dare you say sorry to me now after you endangered a defenseless child?” and added “You just want to ruin us,” “You attempted to steal my husband. You forgot I am seven months pregnant.”

and the other woman, [tag]Hope Centeno[/tag] “I don’t know if I can find another job. I am ruined. My only sin is that I loved James. I wish I was not judged,” she said, dabbing a piece of tissue paper at her eyes and nose.

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Miracle Baby

feet.jpg
The world’s most premature baby is quite a fighter.

Her minuscule feet poking pathetically through a doctor’s fingers, few believed that she could possibly live. Born only 21 weeks and six days after conception, [tag]Amillia Taylor[/tag] weighed just under 10oz and was only 91/2 inches long.

Medical staff, however, were given a clue to her fighting spirit when the tiny scrap tried to cry and breathe on her own .

And now, four months later and weighing 4lb, she has been allowed home – the world’s most [tag]premature baby[/tag] to have survived.

Source: Born at less than 22 weeks – and baby Amillia survived

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Pinoy Moms Network

Pinoy Moms Network
On a lazy sunday night (February 4, 2007), I surfed to Connie’s blog and saw her mommy links. I thought about the wonderful moms on my own blogroll and wondered if these mom blogs garnered adequate exposure to the blogosphere. I knew I could just link them in my blogroll but I thought linkages did not cut it enough. Last Monday, Connie talked to me via Google Talk about the possibility on ““pinoy mommy blogs to go high profile”.

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a mom blogger who advocates constructive engagement in issues on family & society.
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