Hospital Bag Must-Haves

Munchkin and I are about to turn 34 weeks in a few days, and I've realized I should already be listing down our things-to-bring to the hospital so we could prepare just in case she decides to come out earlier than my expected due date. Our house is just near Asian Hospital, and hubby could easily go home in case we've forgotten something, but I would want to avoid that as much as possible 'coz I only want him close to me and our baby on D-day. Yes, yes.  Mushy then, still mushy now. =P

So what am I going to pack exactly?  Based on what we were taught in Rome's childbirth class and from my own research, these are my hospital bag must-haves:

FOR MUNCHKIN:

• 1 pack newborn disposable diaper
• 3 pairs of mittens
• 3 pairs of pants
• 3 tie-sides
• 3 bonnets
• 3 pairs of booties
• 3 gauze diapers
• 2 baby towels
• 2 receiving blankets
• body wash
• small feeding bottles (just in case, but I intend to breastfeed right away)
• coming home outfit

FOR ME:

• 1 pack maternity pads
• 2 easy-to-slip-on dresses or pajamas
• 1 pair slippers
• 1 pair socks
• 5 undies
• headband and scrunchies (to hold my long hair back)
• nursing bra
• 1 nursing cover
• breast pump
• toiletries: face wash, cotton, feminine wash, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo & conditioner (just in case I'll be allowed to take a shower in the hospital)
• kikay kit: comb, powder, lip balm, lipstick, concealer (as if I will have the time and energy to doll myself up after delivery, hehe)
• rosary and/or Bible (to keep me company during labor)
• coming home clothes

FOR HUBBY:

• Cellphones (his and mine) and chargers
• Camera and charger (though I'm sure he will take photos using his iPhone)
• Clothes for changing
• Bath towels
• Snacks
• Pen and paper
• iPad and books to keep him occupied while waiting
• Cash and credit cards
• ID cards (his and mine)

DOCUMENTS:

• My info sheet
• Birth plan
• Philhealth form
• HMO card
• My prenatal book, ultrasound copies, and test results
• Admission papers from my OB-GYN

Whew! =$  At the moment, our bag is still empty, but I promise to pack these stuff up very soon! :)

*******************

UPDATE as of March 14: Munchkin's bag is packed! :)

#BellyBlessed,

Intensive Whitening Only From Belo

These days when it comes to skin whitening, Kojic is the top-of-mind ingredient for Pinoys.  Proof that it has already dethroned papaya is the fact that too many Kojic brands have now started sprouting like mushrooms in supermarkets, groceries, and department stores, and they occupy much bigger display spaces than papaya brands such as Likas and Silka.

Kojic may be king now, but have you noticed any points of difference among Kojic brands in the market?  I haven't found any, because they're all offering the same:  skin lightening through Kojic Acid. Only one brand stands out because it didn't stop at whitening with Kojic Acid alone.  It combined Kojic with another powerful whitening active, Tranexamic Acid.  This brand is Belo. *wink*wink*

Kojic Acid is an organic compound that effectively inhibits the production of tyrosinase and melanin giving skin a visibly lighter appearance. Tranexamic Acid, on the other hand, is a peptide proven to inhibit inflammation and melanin formation. It is ideal for stubborn dark spots that do not respond to other skin lightening ingredients. Yes, including those spots that even Kojic Acid alone cannot address.  Now you see why Belo Kojic Bar (the product's nickname) is better than the rest. :) In fact, blind clinical tests show that it's 64% better than the leading Kojic soap brand!  Imagine that?  64% is a lot! Well I guess you really have to try it to believe it. 

Because Belo Kojic took the soap industry by storm when it was launched last year, there has been an insistent public demand for Belo to come up with other product formats which are as potent.  And... surprise surprise!  This year, the wish of fans is granted with the launch of new Belo Kojic babies: Belo Intensive Whitening Body Cream and Belo Intensive Whitening Face & Neck Cream! :) 

This body cream is essentially a LOTION. :)  It's just called body cream because the product is so rich
and the texture resembles that of a cream (unlike regular lotions which are thinner and watery).
SRP: P199.75 (150mL)

Yup, this face cream is not only for the face but also for the neck. :)  Very effective in evening out skin tone
and removing ugly blemishes and spots.
SRP: P249.75 (50g)

These two new products are the perfect complement to the Belo Kojic bar which happens to be for both the face and body. :)  Like the bar, the scent will blow you away and you'd want to keep smelling yourself the whole day! (At least that's what I do! Hehe. I would always catch my hands on my nose so I could get a whiff!) =D

The new Belo Intensive Whitening line is available in leading supermarkets, department stores, groceries, and drugstores nationwide.  When looking for it, here's a tip.  Look for the shelf that's dominantly orange and white, and there's where you'll find Belo Kojic. ;) And oh, before I forget, here's the brand's new TVC and print ad featuring no less than the beautiful Sarah Geronimo! :)

Lovely! :)

Cheers,

Our Little Munchkin in 3D

For mommies and daddies to be, perhaps one of the biggest mysteries after the 'gender reveal' is how the baby looks like.  Will s/he take after daddy, mommy, or will s/he be a mix of both?  Well, for Rolly and I, those questions have already been answered.  We already saw our baby in 3D! :)

Look at that nose! :) That is undeniably Rolly's! :)  The lips, too!

Weeee!  Little Munchkin is smiling at mommy and daddy! :)

And then she's back to serious mode. Hehe. =D

I've always imagined my daughter to look like me, but basing it on these photos, I guess it's pretty obvious that she looks like her daddy.  When I was a baby, my nose was teeny-weeny, and nowhere will you find a prominent bridge.  The lips, we're guessing, are also Rolly's, because I don't have a shapely upper lip like that.  Hehe.  Because Little Munchkin's eyes are still shut, there's no way to tell if they're mine or her daddy's.  If they come out to be chinky, haaaaay naku naman, wala nang nakuha sa akin!  The eyes and the brows are my last chance!  Please please please! =D

We had Munchkin's 3D and 4D scan at In My Womb, Mall of Asia.  We actually had to go back there three times, because the sonologist couldn't take good pictures 'coz our baby would always cover her face with her hands and feet!  I wonder if she's just shy, or that contortionist-ish pose is her default position in my uterus. Hehe.  Good thing that In My Womb allows up to 4 re-scans if the baby's not being cooperative.  

Oh Little Munchkin, we love you very much! :)  We can't wait to see you in the flesh!  But for now, we'll just be content looking at these photos of yours.  We've got about 6 to 9 weeks to go! :)

#BellyBlessed,

Childbirth Class by Rome Kanapi: Day 6

It was our last session this morning! And as planned, today was no longer about pregnancy and childbirth. Today was dedicated for newborn care: breastfeeding, diapering, and swaddling, among others.

Here, Ms. Rome was demonstrating how to clean the baby after s/he pees or poops, and how to put on a diaper. :)

Then it was the daddies' turn! :)  Kyle and Jason were putting on their sons' nappies,
while my hubby worked on our little girl. :)

More than the mommies, Ms. Rome focused on teaching the dads.  Hehe.  She emphasized how important the husband's help and support will be after the wifey delivers the little one.  I appreciated those words very much, though I know how supportive Rolly will be even without anyone telling him. :)

And, after all the demos and practice, we watched a 20-minute video about breastfeeding.

Though the film made it look like breastfeeding's easy peasy, I know better.  I've never talked to any mommy who didn't say how challenging it is in the first few weeks.  Some friends even told me that they didn't cry during labor, but they did while breastfeeding.  Scaaary!  I'll be needing more preps for this.  I am really, really determined to breastfeed our Little Munchkin. As they say, breast is best! :)

And that's it! :) We ended the morning with the awarding of certificates.........

Here's ours, yaaay! :)

......... and EATING!!!  Each couple brought something to share with the group, so there was sooooo much food! :) There were different kinds of pasta, pizza, roast beef, arroz caldo, mamon, cakes, and ice cream. Obviously, I wasn't able to take a photo because I was busy eating, and that was my priority at that moment.  Hahaha. =D

Overall, we had a very wonderful 6-Sunday experience learning from Ms. Rome Kanapi.  The fee was very sulit, our weekly trip to Quezon City all the way from the south of the metro was all worth it.  I would definitely recommend expectant couples to take her classes!  She's very warm and accommodating, in fact, she told the class that even after today, we can still call or text her if we have questions.  She even encouraged us to create a Facebook group so everyone could keep in touch. :)  Nice, di ba?

So that's about it!  I hope I would be able to remember everything we learned when labor day arrives. Wish me luck! :)


#BellyBlessed,