Back to Work - BreastFeeding Diary Week 1

   I never thought I would love to breastfeed my kids, kasi nga when I got pregnant with Ate kyla I was only 16 young and concious of my body, in short takot akong magkaroon ng sagging boobs! Haha! Ayoko nga! Tapos marami pang ngsasabi na pag magpapadede ka malolosyang ka so mas lalo akong nabahala.

This picture taken in July 2006 few weeks after I gave birth to kyla.

  Hanggang ngayon naaalala ko pa kung paano ako umiyak nung sinabi ni papa na ayaw pumayag ng pedia na mgbottle feed si Ate kyla kasi baka daw hindi magustuhan ng baby stomach niya ang formula milk baka daw mag Diarrhea so I had no option but to breasfeed her, at mas lalo akong umiyak nung sinabi ni papa na 6 months daw akong magpapadede.

  In my mind "HELL NO!" yan ang sinasabi ko haha, pero pag nanay ka na pala hindi na yung pang sariling mong ikakabuti yung iisipin mo lagi nang top priority yung baby mo, mantakin mu yun lagpas na ng 4 years old si Kyla nagdedede pa sya sakin. It was a very good experience though and I love it so so much! Breastfeeding her means bonding time for us!

(Kita naman sa katawan ni kyla ang effect ng breastfeeding! Super healthy sya)

  When I gave birth with Niela I did'nt have any hesitations at all but to breastfeed her even if I was already working by then yun nga lang my supply was not that much kaya me formula milk din si niela and I breastfed her for 2 years and 3 months.

When I gave birth to Kael medyo madalang na mgdede si niela sya na tumigil mag-isa but there are times that she would ask for it pa din she'd say "Nini, dede kiss lang" then she'd kiss my boobs pero minsan nagdedede din haha.

  Now I am Exclusively Breatfeeding Kael even if I am working. Last Monday night I came back to work, I was sad and mangiyak ngiyak coz given the chance I do not want to work na I'd rather be a stay at home mom. Mas gusto kong mag-alaga nalang ke kyla, niela at kael pero dahil kailangan kong magwork work work for them tiis ganda muna ako for now, haha.

I am happy and blessed with more milk supply this time parang ke kyla lang ang dami dami kong milk and I am hoping na magpatuloy pang dumami ang milk ko. It was a big help as well that I bought an electric pump mas marami akong naiuuwing breastmilk for kael everyday.

On my 1st day I went home with 15oz of breastmilk.

2nd day I went home with 15oz of breastmilk again

but on my
3rd day I went home with only 13oz medyo onti kasi hindi ako gaanong nakapaglactate dahil nakatulog ako nung lunch time ko haha, d ko din napicturan.

On my 4th day I went home early so I did'nt get the chance to pump milk at work, pag-uwi ko sa bahay nakapag pump naman ako and I got 9oz, after that unli latch na kami ni kael through out the day pag medyo matagal sleep niya ngpapump din ako naka 4oz din ako so total of 13 oz ulit.

 On my 5th day I got 16 oz! Ang pinakamarami sa lahat!

It's a blessing na marami akong milk mas less din sa gastos at super healthy si kael. Nakakatuwa din at binigyan ako ni God ng katuwang sa buhay na matiyaga, supportive at marunong mag-alaga sa mga bata. I know it's a big challenge for didi lalo at pang gabi ang work ko tapos exclusively breastfeed pa si kael, he would need to wake up from time to time to get a bottle of milk from the fridge, have it thawed, make sure it's warm before he feeds kael. Kudos to you Didi for doing everything for us. I salute you! I love you so so much!

Are you a breastfeeding/working mom as well? How do you handle it?

Please share your thoughts!

Lots of love!
Nini!

#TeamANDRES

The Bootleg Beatles are back in Manila!

The Bootleg Beatles are back in Manila!

Since their inception in 1980 the band has performed hundreds of gigs across the globe, earning themselves an amazing reputation along the way. George Martin himself described the Bootleg Beatles experience as “A terrific show”, whilst the Mail On Sunday hailed their “Mind- boggling accuracy”.

Neil Harrison (former John Lennon); Andre Barreau (George Harrison) and David Catlin-Birch (Paul McCartney) met in 1979 when they were all cast in the hit West-End production, Beatlemania. When the show finished its run the band, knowing the repertoire inside out, decided to continue performing it and thus The Bootleg Beatles were born in 1980, along with the entire tribute genre.

What started as 4 musicians with black polo necks and a wig has evolved into The Bootleg Beatles’ lauded show which combines note-perfect renditions of Beatles repertoire, spectacular costume changes and a visually stunning video backdrop. The Bootleg Beatles faithfully re-create 6 phases of the Beatles meteoric rise from a basement (The cavern in Liverpool) to a rooftop (The famous Apple concert in 1969) via Shea Stadium, Sgt Pepper and the Magical mystery tour.

Bootlegs Albert Pepper 16

After 31 years portraying John in the Bootleg Beatles, Neil Harrison announced his intetion to retire from performing in January 2011. Following an intensive audition process, and much media speculation, in July 2011 the Bootleg Beatles announced Adam Hastings would don the wigs and glasses in the band. His debut performances with the Bootleg Beatles have been met with rave reviews from fans and critics alike and last July 2014 Andre Barreau retired and after many auditions Stephen Hill was chosen to take on the role of George Harrison together with Steve White (Paul McCartney) & Ringo Starr (Gordon Elsmore)

 Bootlegs Late Bootlegs Pepper Fisheye Bootlegs Waistcoats

Formed from the original cast of London’s West End hits show ‘Beatlemania’ , TheBootlegBeatles have become ‘an institution’ in their own right with their note-perfect recreation of hits from every era of the world’s most famous songbook.

Every tiny detail is meticulously covered from costumes to authentic period instruments; from the ‘Liverpudlian’ banter to their ‘inflectionperfect’ vocalmimicry. But it’s not only their sound that is soa uthentic; they bear anu ncanny resemblance to the Fab Four. As one reviewer recently said…“It’s not John Paul George and Ringo…but you simply won’t believe it.”

There’s never been a better time to immerse yourself in the magic of the Bootleg Beatles – don’t miss a show that was described as “Off-the-scale fabulous” by BBC Radio’s Chris Evans, and “Flawless!” by Mojo Magazine.  You’ll love them – Yeah Yeah Yeah!

The world’s first and finest tribute band, The Bootleg Beatles, continue to thrill audiences performing their acclaimed homage to the Fab Four. The tribute band are touring the Philippines throughout July and will be stopping off in Manila on July 12, 2016 – (venue to be announced), next stop Davao on July 15, 2016 at SMX Convention Center, & and last stop will be in Cebu on July 16, 2016 at Waterfront Hotel. Tickets will be available soon.

Ticket Prices for Bootleg Beatles(NPAT)

Php 7,500.00 SVIP

Php 6,500.00 VIP

Php 5,000.00 Gold

Php 4,000.00 Silver

Php 2,500.00 Deluxe

Php 1,000.00 General Admission

Abby Asistio meets Mark Zuckerberg

Last January 31, 2016, Fellow Filipino Abby Asistio flew to San Francisco and had the wonderful opportunity of being chosen as one of the eighteen invited by Facebook on their 12th Anniversary Friends Day celebration with California-based Alopecia awareness advocate, Rachel Regal.

  Alopecia is an autoimmune condition which results in partial or total head and body hair loss.  Abby Asistio have had it since she was four while Rachel just developed it sometime in 2012, the same year she discovered that her 10-year-old daughter, Eliana, had it, too.  Six inspiring stories were picked by Facebook among its 1.64 billion users and Abby’s friends were all amazed when theye’ve found out that Abby’s Alopecia story was one of them.  Imagine that!

Abby and Rachel met each other through the double A hand sign campaign that Aby started in 2012, and They've been "connected" since then.

Last year, Facebook Stories featured how these two were able to build a friendship, as well as campaign for disease awareness through Facebook!  And last February 1st, Abby and Rachel had the chance to tour FB headquarters in Menlo Park, San Francisco, meet and chat with the people behind Facebook (Founder & CEO Mark Zuckerberg, COO Sheryl Sandberg, CPO Chris Cox, and a whole lot of awesome people), get crazy cool gadgets and have one of the best experiences of their lives.
Abby recounted that it was such a surreal feeling to be in the same room as the creator of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg. Mark Z was wearing his trademark look (jeans, sneakers, shirt and a big smile on his face), and had such a friendly, approachable aura and demeanor about him.  Not at all intimidating!  He shared stories about how the company started, its mission-vision, the ups and downs that come along, and their future plans.  Those invited also had the chance to ask him questions. When Mark Z was asked about achieving success and life’s “impossibilities”.  He said, “There’s a difference between impossible and things taking a really long time. Even if you’re not going to be able to do something in a short time period, if you care about something, you want to see the world to move into that direction…  So the best thing to do is just get started and not be discouraged.  It’s tough because this stuff is hard, or else people would’ve already done it.”

 Abby Asistio got the chance to ask a question to one of the world’s 50 most powerful, successful women in business, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg.  Aside from Alopecia awareness, Abby is also an active Real Beauty advocate with girls and women struggling with various insecurities, being so consumed by the world’s unrealistic and sometimes superficial standards of beauty.  So Abby asked Sheryl about her perception of it.  Sheryl said that beauty is just like success and that no one could really define it for you.  We are all unique.  We have different stories, dreams and desires. We should explore our own inner and outer beauty, believe and embrace that we are beautiful, and never allow anyone to tell us otherwise.

Mark capped off his talk by sharing their company philosophy with everyone present. Though already having over 1 billion subscribers, there are still 7 billion people all over the world without access to all the meaningful connections and information that Facebook brings.  One thing that the company stands by is that “things are always 1% completed”.  It keeps them grounded, reminding them that there is always so much work, growth and progress to be done, and so many people to reach out to and help.

 Everything about the Facebook trip was overwhelming and inspiring according to Abby.  More than anything, it reminded her about “responsibility”.  We are all given our own platforms, in this case “accounts and connections”, to make a dent in this world.  It is up to us to become complacent and take these vehicles for granted, or maximize the opportunities and use them to make a positive impact in this generation.

Abby is grateful that Facebook has become a medium for her to communicate disease awareness and touch people beyond the confines of her tiny room and her country.  Abby is also glad that she and Rachel are two out of millions of people choosing to recognize the importance of social media in contributing to making this world a better place, and actually doing something about it.
Truly, God plans the best adventures and creates the most beautiful surprises.  Abby knows that she wouldn't have been handpicked for this if it weren't for Him, as well as the countless individuals who have cared and showed support for my advocacy.  Abby would like to leave a positive thought to everyone that we should really take the time to search for and identify our “purpose” – that one unique, very specific calling that is the result of our talents, dreams, desires, passions and experiences.  Once you find it, be faithful to it no matter how long or difficult the journey towards its fulfillment may be.  You’ll never know where it could lead to, how far it could go and how large it could grow.

Abby is also thankful that her campaign continues to spread and reach new heights and she is particularly grateful to Facebook for giving her this opportunity and to Novuhair, Nature's Answer to Hair Loss (www.novuhair.com), for always being so supportive of her advocacy and endeavors.

Abby is proud and honored to have represented the Philippines and the Alopecia community in this once-in-a-lifetime, international event.

#TeamANDRES

My 3rd Baby's Birthing Story!

Yay! After 39 weeks and 5 days of waiting I finally gave birth to my 3rd baby,  Viorkchael Nice. Like his 2 big sisters he weighed 6 lbs and 6 oz. He was a noisy baby! Lol! Upon delivery he was crying out loud! Haha! The nurses said he is a future "Singer" because he was very loud! Aba mana pala ke nini ang baby! Singer din!

Oh well.. I've been hearing stories of how hard it was to give birth to a baby boy from one person to another and even from my mama! Mas masakit daw manganak at mas mahirap kapag lalaki but unlike what I was expecting it to be my delivery was fast and easy! It was very far from what I was thinking it would be....

Last March 07, 2016 at around 3 am I was already feeling pain in my lower abdomen it was like Dysmenorrhea and it was like I am going to have my monthly period so I did'nt think I was already on labor by then. The pain continued and the intervals came closer but it was tolerable so I just let it go I even allowed didi to go to work coz I didnt think I was about to give birth na.

At exactly 06:30 am ginising k na c ate kyla because she will go to school na but I felt na me lumabas na fluid sakin so I checked it and it was blood n pala! I got excited and a bit scared! Ginising ko si mama to tell her na me bloody show na ako, she told me to take a bath quickly para naman presentable pa din ako pagdting sa hosptal haha! I had breakfast pa while papa went to didi to tell him to rush home coz we need to go to the hospital na.

Roughly 7am we were on our way to the hospital! I was with mama while didi brought ate to school 1st because it's her 3rd trimestral exam. When the Ob made an Internal examination 8cm na daw ako! Wow! Even the ob was amazed kasi parang d naman daw ako nasasaktan! Oh well! Sabi ko ke ob "I enjoy ko nalang po ang labor" because the more painful it gets ibig sabihin makikita ko na si baby!

07:35 am I took a selfie pa! Haha!

07:45 am I was sent to Labor Room/Delivery room of Mandaluyong City Medical Center. All the nurses and obs were amazed on how I handle my labor pains poise na poise pa din daw ako kahit 8cm na ko parang hindi pa naman daw 8cm.

Oh Yes! It was painful! A bit painful but everytime contraction comes hingang malamim at mataimtim na dasal ang tinatapat ko para mas maging smooth ang labor. Roughly 8am I asked the ob to do an IE on me and ow 9cm na sya! I-table na daw ako sabi ni ob jargon but I they meant ata na papaanakin na ako.

I am very thankful na lahat ng nurses at ob gynes na nagpaanak sakin ay mababait. I could'nt ask for more!  It was a Big Help!

To Dra. Marita Deang,  Rn Marianne,  Rn Kim especially to the Ob who took this picture and sa lahat ng ob at rn na nakaduty that time (unfortunately, I didnt get a chance to have a photo op with them and d ko din nakuha name nung isa ob 😙) Thank you very much for making my delivery safe, fast and easy! You are 1 Awesome team!!! God Bless you All!

No dextrose, No Pain relievers and no stitches! Thank you Papa Jesus for making delivery safe and easy!

Thank You for giving us this little boy, he may be little but he gives us so much joy!

Thank you for reading my post!  God Speed Everyone!! 

#TeamANDRES

Gary Valenciano for NOVUHAIR

Nothing describes Gary Valenciano quite like his moniker “Mr. Pure Energy,” He is the very image of youthful vibrance, whether onstage or not. That’s why it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he values the way he looks the same way that he values the core of who he is: a prayerful, faithful husband, dependable father, and an outstanding entertainer.

​Part of what makes Gary stay young looking is his head of hair. What many people don’t know is that, like all other men his age, Gary once worried about hair thinning and hair loss. That’s why, at the first signs of the problem, Gary sought to find ways to prevent it from becoming worse.
                         
​“I first noticed the hair loss in the shower, after I toweled my hair dry. Then one day, my team of hairstylists noticed that my hair was thinning, too. That’s when they told me to look for the product that Fanny Serrano was using, a product called NOVUHAIR,” remarked Gary on his journey to regaining control over his hair loss.
​
​NOVUHAIR is a topical scalp lotion that is a unique combination of 14 different natural ingredients and essential oils for a healthier hair and scalp. One of the factors of hair loss, according to studies, is stress, something that Gary experiences on almost a daily basis. Other factors include hereditary disorders, a persistent illness, major surgery, hormonal problems, childbirth & delivery, medications, infections, pollutants, and even excessive exposure to sunlight. And contrary to popular belief, hair loss is as much a problem for women as it is for men. In many cases, hair loss may be prevented or alleviated through early detection. In the case of Gary, his decision to try NOVUHAIR to prevent his symptoms from worsening made a big difference, and within a few months, he saw remarkable results.

Gary shares his experience with NOVUHAIR as he tells the story of their family hair history. "Hair loss runs in our family, too, even if it sometimes skips a generation. My brother and grandfather both lost their hair, but my dad still has a full head of hair at 87. I just wanted to make sure I take control of my symptoms. Now, I use NOVUHAIR everyday, and I’ve noticed that I don’t shed as much hair as I did before, especially after toweling my hair dry. And my hairstylists noticed it, too. I love using NOVUHAIR because it has this minty, cool effect that makes me feel like my hair is always clean and fresh.”

​“In less than a month and half, I already saw results even if I was told to wait three to four months before I can see a difference. The effects on me were much faster. There were fewer strands on my white towel, which basically was within the normal boundaries of hair loss for an average person. Before using NOVUHAIR, I used to shed more.” This is due to the fact that NOVUHAIR penetrates deep to help rejuvenate, nourish, & maintain moisture in the scalp and hair. By improving the blood circulation in the scalp, NOVUHAIR helps stimulate hair growth and aid in preventing further, excessive hair fall, while also improving the overall appearance of the hair.

​“I never endorse a product that I did not experience first. I have to make sure it is really effective. With Novuhair, I can say that it has really contributed to my peace of mind and overall well-being. And, heads up, as Novuhair is now part of my daily routine, which includes prayer, diet, and medication. God has truly lived up to his promise in my life, and as he says in Psalm 92:14 ‘I will keep you fruitful even in old age. Fresh and green.’ I am very happy now that Novuhair is a part of that.”

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NOVUHAIR, Nature’s Answer to Hair Loss is available in all Mercury Drug outlets, Watsons, Rose Pharmacy, South Star Drug & Manson Drug, Metro Gaisano Pharmacy, The Landmark (Makati & TriNoma), J Centre Mall (Cebu), KCC Malls (Gen. Santos City & Koronadal City), NCCC Malls (Palawan & Davao), Gaisano Malls (Davao & Gen. Santos City) and online at www.regaloservice.com and www.lazada.com.ph. For inquiries, call 413-6570 or 0922-8830575.

Make Christmas merrier with the Jollitown Build and Craft Blocks!

My kids are 100% fond of Jollibee and each and everytime we go out to eat we would always go to Jollibee! Haha!

Aside from good food Jollibee offers different kinds of toys that kids would really enjoy!

This Christmas season, kids will have two exciting reasons to be extra merry as Jollibee Kids Meal launches its latest toy offering, the Jollitown Build and Craft Blocks and its newest breakfast offering that kids will surely enjoy—the 2-piece ChocoNut Pancakes with regular pineapple juice, all in the first-ever Jolly Joy Box interactive packaging.

Jollitown Build and Craft Blocks feature Super Shapers, Jolly Stamper, and Fun Tracer—three sets of colorful blocks and pieces that kids can play with to build different structures using their creativity and imagination.

For the Super Shapers, little artists can press a button on the side of the pen tower to reveal the pen tip. They can use this to trace stencil images onto paper. They can also slide their picture in the photo frame slot while the other container can be used as a desk calendar. The two boxes can also be used as an organizer.

With the Jolly Stamper, kid designers can decorate their own Jollitown memo pad using the stamper with two stamp design plates. Pressing a button on top of the tower will also activate a light to reveal Hetty’s image.

Using the Fun Tracer, kids can easily trace Jollibee’s face onto paper by turning on a switch to project an image of everyone’s best friend. They can also display photos at the back slots and use the two main boxes as organizer.

For a bigger and more exciting play time experience, kids can collect and connect all three (3) toy sets to assemble their very own Jollitown house while enjoying the interactive games on the Jolly Joy Box that they have come to love and enjoy.

Collect all three (3) Jollitown Build and Craft Blocks in the first-ever Jolly Joy Box with your favorite Jollibee Kids Meal treats: Jolly Spaghetti (P90), Yumburger (P91), 1-piece Chickenjoy (P117), and the new 2-piece ChocoNut Pancakes (P95) for breakfast. All meals come with a regular pineapple juice. Let kids enjoy a more fun, creative and interactive learning experience this Christmas season with the Jollitown Build and Craft Blocks, available from December 1 to January 31.

So what are you waiting for? Mark your calendars na to make sure that on December 1 you can to taste the new 2 pc Choconut pancakes and for your kids to enjoy the Jollitown Build and Craft Blocks.

Mommy Dane :) 

#TeamANDRES

My 1st blogger event! Smartparenting Magazine's Baby Shower 2015.

I love being a blogger because it allows me to express myself through writing. I loved it even more when I attended my first blogger event last Sept 20 2015.


Smart Parenting held their 4th baby shower event and I was one of the lucky bloggers who were invited to attend the event. It was held @ Discovery Suites Hotel in Ortigas. It started 11 am and ended roughly 4.30 pm. It was a very fun event for a 1st timer like me. There were so many freebies and games!

There were several speakers that tackled different topics to help expecting moms be more ready for their babies.

uh oh - elevator selfie anyway - solo flight naman ako LOL

Since it was my first time to attend a blogger event first time ko din ma meet ang iba pang mommy bloggers. It was nice meeting you mommies. I hope to see you all soon!

mommy nhessie, mommy tina, mommy lally and mommy jane
My give aways/freebies from the event. I am one happy momma and so I am very very excited for my next event.

I love freebies! Don't you?

A token from Discovery suites :)



RN - Teaching Moms on how to properly bath a baby.

My over all experience was amazing! I had so much fun, I hope to meet more mommy bloggers next time. Thank you smartparenting.com.ph for this wonderful event and to the sponsors too! :)

                                                                            #OOTD

              Mommy Dane