Product Review : Attipas Baby and Toddler Shoes

We recently got a pair of Attipas shoes for Javi and I must say that I really love them as much as Javi does. My first impression on it is how cute it looks! We got the green Attipas with blue polka dots. Because it looks so playful and fun, Javi was so excited to wear them! He looked so kilig as I wore it to his feet and while he was walking around.

Ang yabang lang maglakad ng bata hehe

 

Javi is already past the stage when he is just starting to learn how to walk, but Attipas shoes is just as great because it is very lightweight. Medyo mabilis matapilok si Javi and it happens mostly when he wears his Crocs. So he mostly walked barefoot when he’s at home, but now he always wears his Attipas. 

Attipas Baby and Toddler Shoes is a fairly new product and it deserves a place in the limelight! It was developed based on the biomechanical knowledge of the children's brain development. It ensures that the toddlers have a correct pattern of walking by evenly distributing the pressure on their feet as they walk. It does this by allowing the toddlers to feel the sole of the shoes and by letter their toes move freely, just like when they are walking barefoot.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT ATTIPAS

• Lightweight - It's as if your toddler is just wearing socks. That is literally how light it is! And this is important because your toddler would not mind wearing it if it is light and comfy. A lot of kids hate wearing shoes and a lot of parent have a hard time looking for shoes that they can make their toddlers wear. So, parents, listen up! Attipas is the ONE!
• Flexible - One reason why toddlers hate wearing shoes is they feel constricted. They find it more difficult to walk with shoes on. When kids are still starting to learn how to walk, their feet need to feel the ground that they are walking on. It improves their sense of balance and makes it easier for them to walk without having to look down on their feet to check if they stepped correctly or if they placed their feet correctly on the ground. Wearing Attipas is practically like walking barefoot because of its flexibility. Attipas becomes part of your toddler's feet.
• Breathability - Attipas shoes won't make your toddler's feet stink because there are breathable holes that release heat! Yes, kids are supposed to smell sweet but when you let them wear shoes that won't allow their feet to release heat, then yup, it will stink!
• Easy to clean - You can just wipe or wash it without having to worry that the colors will fade or it will get damaged. In fact, you can even put it inside the washing machine! Awesome!
• Cute designs - I love the designs and they are very appropriate to toddlers. Lots of designs to choose from for both boys and girls. 
• Affordable - I think some designs cost below P1k! That is so affordable! So, it won't be too hard for parents to buy 2 or 3 Attipas shoes for their toddlers!

POLKA DOT DESIGNS

NEW SNEAKERS SKY DESIGN

BALLET PINK DESIGN

Attipas is available in Rustans, Mothercare, Landmark, Cudsly, and Modern Mama 
For more info, like their Facebook

Doc Mommy : How to know if your child has Pulled Elbow and how to treat it?

If one of your kids suddenly stopped using one of his arms and keeps it against his body and does not want to be touched, and he did not suffer from a fall, he might be having a PULLED ELBOW.

What exactly is it? It’s literally a pulled elbow! It is also called Nursemaid's Elbow or Radial Head Subluxation... Anyway, this happens when you pull your kids up by holding their hands or wrist, or by catching your child by the hand to stop a fall, or when you yank their arms to make them walk faster. Guilty of doing these? A lot of us are!

When a child’s arm is pulled by the wrist or hand, the ligament (Annular Ligament) that goes around one of the bones of the forearm (Radial head) slips out. The elbow won’t look distorted nor swollen but your child will refuse to move it. That is actually the most obvious sign that he has a pulled elbow.

My 3 kids experienced this especially my eldest when he was about 1 to 3 years old. He got Pulled Elbow with just a minor tug on his wrist. And it happened frequently because he is super active!

The other day, Javi was having minor tantrums and I had to hold his wrist to stop him from falling on the floor and hitting his head, then I felt it on his forearm, the feeling of something coming loose on the side of his elbow. I knew exactly what to do, from years of experience. I just twisted his wrist toward his body (pronate) while stabilizing his elbow and forearm. Then I felt his bone slip back to the ligament that holds it in place. 

Our helper’s kid in my mom’s house also had this few years back. My mom told me that he had not been moving his other arm for a few days already and I told her that he must have a Pulled Elbow. One day I visited my mom’s house and saw the kid and I was 100% sure that he had a Pulled Elbow because his arm was just tucked beside his body. I did the above procedure to him and he instantly moved his arm again as if nothing happened.

In my experience, the older the kid gets, the worse the pain is while doing the procedure. And it is more difficult to slip back. It’s like you will feel a resistance. I think it’s also because they are already aware that their arm will be touched and moved so they are more scared and hesitant and they tend to contract their muscle. They will also feel a bit surprised and a bit of pain as you do this. But once you feel the bone click or snap back, the pain will instantly disappear.

There’s no need for an X-ray to diagnose this injury. You just need to watch out for the following signs

• Your child stops using his/her arm
• Arm is held in extension and wrist is pronated (turned toward the body)

Pulled Elbow is a fairly common injury among kids below 5 years old. Beyond this age, the joints are much stronger so it is unusual for older kids.

We sometimes cannot avoid incidents that cause pulled elbow especially with super active kids. But here are the things that we should avoid and watch out for:

• Pulling your child up by the hands - Never pick up your child or baby by the hands or wrist, either from sitting down or from the lying down position. It is safer to lift them under their armpits.
• Swinging by the arm – A lot of parents and adults do this when they play with their kids. Stop!
• Yanking or jerking your child's arm - Be very gentle when holding or taking the child by the hand. 
• Pulled elbow can sometimes not be painful unless moved so if your kid is relatively active but has his arm tucked to his side and primarily uses the other arm or hand, then he might have a pulled elbow.

How to treat Pulled Elbow?

Surgery is not required for this. The easiest way to treat this is by doing the following steps:

1. Face the child. Your one hand should be on the child’s wrist, and the other hand should stabilize the child’s forearm.
2. Twist the child’s wrist toward his body (pronate). You can use your thumb to push the bone of the wrist inward.
3. You will feel a click and this should mean that the radial head already slipped back the ligament.
4. Your child should be able to move his arm fully and without pain.

In real life, the child won't be smiling while you do this.
This is just a re-enactment hehe

See where my right thumb is? That is where you push inward. I am using my left hand to stabilize the elbow.

Your child may have a Pulled Elbow more than once, but don’t worry because it won’t cause any long-term or permanent damage. But the longer it is dislocated, the harder and more painful it is to slip back. So, remember the signs so you can treat your child immediately. Educate your yayas, as well as everyone in your household so they’d know how to prevent this.

P.S. If your child fell and the arm is red and swollen and there’s extreme pain, go to the doctor  at once because there might be a fracture. Remember that with Pulled Elbow, the pain is just minimal and your kid will still be able to play.

The Invisible Enemy: Wi-Fi Health Dangers & Effects

“What you can’t see, won’t hurt you.” Apparently, this is not true especially in this modern time that we live in. There are a lot of invisible threats that pose dangers to our health. Today, almost everywhere we go, there’s wifi, 3G, 4G and even LTE. They don’t sound dangerous, right? But if you change the words to radiation, electromagnetic waves, they sound more serious and frightening. They’re all around us and even if we can’t see these invisible electromagnetic waves, they have an effect on our health.

When mobile phones were just new in the market, people usually just use them for simple phone calls and text. Now, there’s already mobile internet browsing. So, you see, times have changed. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of people who still refuse to believe that something so good (such as the convenience of having wifi or 3G) can put our health at risk. We’re in denial! The wifi and 3G generation is relatively young, so news about health problems and illness due to too much everyday exposure to radiation are not that widespread. But there are already studies that prove that they really have adverse effects.

Such example is one that I read on the news wherein a physician noticed that members of her family have been experiencing sleep disturbances, heart palpitations, migraines and general poor health. They realized that it must have been the router that was emitting electromagnetic radiation that was causing this. So they turned off the router and noticed that all of them felt better. They used hard-wired internet connection from then on and their health problems have not come back. Have you been experiencing the same thing? Me and my husband do! That’s why I make it a point to turn off our router and our mobile phones’ internet connection at night or when not in use.

This health risk is even more dangerous to pregnant women and their unborn child. When I was pregnant, I avoided microwaves and photocopy machines. I did not realize before that even if I protected myself from these, the danger was still all around me! I was always using my phone for texting, calling and browsing the internet. I even put my mobile phone on top of my tummy while on the bed! I also kept my phone beside me when I slept and our router was turned on almost 24 hours a day! Thankfully all my kids were born healthy but why would you take the risk when you are already informed?!

So, what can pregnant women do to protect their babies? The answer is Belly Armor. I have recently found out about the products from Belly Armor which is mainly for protection of babies and pregnant moms from the harmful effects of everyday radiation. I admit that I was one of the many who refused to acknowledge the danger that everyday radiation impose on our health, but after hearing Jem Perez from Belly Armor discuss it, I was convinced that it does affect us. And if it affects us adults, the risks are more pronounced for young children and during pregnancy.

“Belly Armor is a line of maternity apparel and accessories with a two-fold mission: to increase awareness of this health issue so people can make more informed decisions for themselves and their families, and to provide easy solutions to lower exposure without retreating from modern life.”

“Belly Armor products utilize RadiaShield Fabric, a highly conductive silver textile with the same shielding properties as ¼ inch thick sheet of aluminum. It shields by neutralizing incoming electromagnetic waves, canceling out the ambient radiation and reducing your exposure. “

Belly Armor products shield against everyday radiation from mobile phones, laptops, wireless towers, and other devices. How do you test if it works? Well, I covered my mobile phone with a Belly Armor belly blanket and after just a moment, the signal bar became empty.

Currently, Belly Armor has 3 products that can protect pregnant women from everyday radiation.

BELLY ARMOR BELLY BAND 

- Pregnant women can just simply wear this underneath their clothes. 

It fully covers the belly thereby protecting your precious baby while still inside the tummy.

BELLY ARMOR BELLY BLANKET 

– This can be draped over the pregnant women’s tummy. This can also double as your baby’s receiving blanket. So, for me, this is the more practical one to purchase. 

BELLY ARMOR NURSING COVER 

 I love this! As a breastfeeding mom, I know that during nursing, moms usually take this time to hold their mobile phones to answer text messages, check their emails and facebook!

So, this nursing cover is super perfect! 

It does its job in covering you while nursing plus so much more!

These products are a huge help to moms like me. They are practical and they give peace of mind that I am protecting my children as best as I can. 

Like them on Facebook

bellyarmor.ph@gmail.com

0917.8473739 

0920.9500358

Also available in:

Rustan's Department Store

Babyland 

Medela House

Nurture Nook

I have FINALLY found the perfect NURSING BRA!!!

I have been breastfeeding since 2009 and I have tried a lot of nursing bras already. Different styles and different brands.. Some were bought locally, some I bought pa in the US. I kept hoping that this is it! This is the nursing bra that I have been looking for! But I ended up not wearing them because they were so bulky, full of thick pads, uncomfortable and looked very unnatural when worn. Lahat sila ganun! I never found the nursing bra that is compatible with my boobies!

Just like our belly that grows when pregnant, gusto din maging bida ng boobs, so they also change in size dramatically from pregnancy to motherhood. Usually, you buy nursing bras that are 1 to 2 sizes larger than your normal bra size because you would not fit in your normal bra size especially sa simula or when you’re still preggers. Actually some moms, they buy or use their nursing bras once they’ve given birth already. Kasi they feel that their bra size will change pa. Well, tama naman.. Kasi once you given birth and start breastfeeding, the breasts become bigger. Pero after a while, the breasts go back to their normal size or almost normal size kahit malakas pa din ang breast milk. So, if you purchased a nursing bra that is 2 sizes larger than your normal size, then after just a month or 2, you won’t be able to use them anymore because they would be too big for you already. Or you would end up buying some more nursing bras that are smaller in size. So, eventually you will have a collection of nursing and maternity bras that you won’t be able to use. Such a waste of money, diba? Well, that’s what happened to me. I have about 7 nursing bras na nakatambak na lang sa cabinet that I wore for about a month only. Badtrip, saying sa money!

Pero, after 5 years of breastfeeding, I have finally found the perfect nursing bra! It was designed for comfort, support and fit so that you can wear it from belly to baby! You would not need to buy different sizes anymore! It is seamless and does not have any hooks and wires except for the clasp in front which you won’t feel naman.  It stretches amazingly so when your breasts are full of milk, the bra stretches to conform to the shape of your breasts. And after feeding, you won't feel like your bra cup has become empty and too big for your breasts. Even if your size goes up or down, because of the amazing stretch of the fabric, this nursing bra won’t feel too tight nor too loose on you.

So, without further adieu, I introduce to you The Truly Seamless Nursing Bra Collection from Ingrid & Isabel. Super winner! Their nursing bras are just available in sizes small, medium and large. See? It’s that simple! Whatever your body size is, you’ll just have to choose between those 3 sizes without having to worry that the cup might be too small or too big or okay sana ang cup size but the fit around the ribs is too tight!

So, if you’re a mom and just like me hirap maghanap ng nursing bra, then this is it! Look no more! 

Go to www.urbanessentials.com.ph na to shop for your nursing bra!

URBAN ESSENTIALS

https://www.facebook.com/urbanessentialsinc

09178336967

5857039

AND THE WINNERS OF THE GOODY GULP CONTEST ARE...

Thank you to everyone who joined the Goody Gulp giveaway contest! And now, I have picked the winner of 1 Limited Edition Spongebob Squarepants Speaker and 2 winners of Goody Gulp gift pack.

Congratulations to SHARI JANE JANSEN! 

You are the winner of the limited edition Spongebob Squarepants Speaker!

And congratulations also to 

MARITES JAVIER and ROWENA BELLEZA 

for winning the Good Gulp gift packs! 

You will receive an email from me to know how you can get your prizes. :)

Save the date for the Mommy Mundo Bazaar!

It's that time of the year again when the biggest and the only one-stop bazaar for mommy, baby and kids will happen! The Mommy Mundo Bazaar 2014 will be held at the Glorietta Activity Center on November 7 to 9. Make sure to come on your most comfortable clothes and shoes, especially if you're pregnant! Take time to pass by each and every booth and check out ALL the items that the vendors are selling. You don't want to miss out on any products that you might need. Some of the vendors that you need to definitely watch out for are the following:

1. Halo Philippines - Halo Sleepsack is the #1 choice of hospitals and nurseries as a safer alternative to traditional receiving blankets and loose blankets that can cause suffocation. It is a warm and cuddly blanket that babies can't kick off ensuring that your baby sleeps soundly through the night.

2. Honeysuckle Breastmilk Bags -  This is the strongest breastmilk storage bag available in the market today because both the sides and the bottom are reinforced to ensure that it is leak-proof. It is one of the cheapest, too! So, if you're going to breastfeed (which, you should) make sure to stock up on some boxes of Honeysuckle breastmilk bags!

3. Curious Chef Philippines - It is the leading collection of kids cooking set. They offer real kitchen and baking tools that are safe for your kids to use. With the Curious Chef, your kids can now actively participate in the kitchen and help you cook your favorite family recipes!

4. Urban Essentials - Of course, don't forget to pass by Urban Essentials, the exclusive distributor of Wink Postpartum Shapewear that every woman who has given birth must use! It is OB-GYN recommended and it is the number 1 postpartum shapewear in the US and the Philippines. Urban Essentials is also a distributor of Bellaband, a premium seamless maternity band that is designed to hold up unbuttoned pants and loose maternity wear. Nursing bras are also now available at Urban Essentials.

Wink Postpartum Ultra Bikini

Bellaband, holding up pants since 2001.

5. Paper Chic Studio - This is your one-stop shop for crafting supplies and eco-friendly and chic party supplies! From colorful paper straws, drinking cups, paper plates, to wrapper papers, mason jars, and so much more!

6. Mommy Treats - Mommy Treats offers yummy treats to increase your breastmilk supply. My personal favorite is the brownies! You can much on these without feeling guilty because they are nutritionally balanced and won't make you gain weight!

These are just few of my favorite vendors in the Mommy Mundo Bazaar. You also have to watch out for the program! It will be so much fun!!! How about you? What is your favorite brand in the Mommy Mundo Bazaar? Share it on the comment box below :)


For more information, visit http://mommymundo.com/

Best Food Forward is back!

The Best Food Forward (BFF) is back and it will now take place at the Rockwell Tent! I have been a concessionaire of the BFF since their very first food fair 4 years ago and I will continue to support it in the years to come! It is one of most sought after food bazaars simply because Filipinos love food. And the concessionaires that join have really great, yummy and unique food offerings. It also helps that the food fair is so festive so that you'd just want to eat and be happy all day!

Best Food Forward will be staged this weekend already, October 11 and 12 at the Rockwell Tent. I am sure that the previous attendees of this food fair won't dare miss this event. And if you have not gone to the past BFF's before, then this is your chance! Bring the entire family and look forward to a delicious weekend! See you!

A WEEKEND MARKET TO WATCH OUT FOR: THE URBAN FOOD COLLECTIVE WEEKEND MARKET!

As some of you might know, aside from Wink Shapewear, I also have a food and franchising business. I started Enzo’s Shawarma by initially joining different bazaars and food events. Actually a lot of successful restaurant owners or boutique owners started their businesses this way! That’s why I have a high regard for hard working people who make an effort to introduce their food and craft through this.  It is where you will discover new food, new menu, new crafts, new offerings from up and coming brands.

When my friend, Em Matias, told me about The Urban Food Collective, which is a weekend market and so much more, I got excited because this will again open doors of opportunity for many entrepreneurs.

The Urban Food Collective (TUFC) understands that food brings people together, that food is at the center of some of life’s best moments. Its vision is to be the premiere food community in the country. Current, informative, and educational, TUFC aims to be the food hub where people can share their passion for gastronomy.  TUFC’s online community will feature everything food – articles and recipes, exciting deals featuring the country’s best culinary fare, and “The Urban Food Collective Marketplace” which will retail unique food items and implements. To bring the online community even closer together, TUFC will champion various food lifestyle events, where foodies can meet and indulge in their passion for unique flavors and gustatory delights.

What’s love for food when you have no one to share it with? Let The Urban Food Collective be your community for food. Stay hungry for the good things in life.

The Urban Food Collective Weekend Market

The Urban Food Collective Weekend Market is a carefully curated collection of purveyors. Located in CommerCenter, Alabang’s newest lifestyle mall, it is a place where people can comfortably gather, browse, and shop. It will be a venue for patrons to find a bevy of treasures from gourmet, specialty foods to local, artisanal arts and crafts. The Weekend Market’s activities and pocket events will give them the opportunity to learn new things or simply engage with the community.

For purveyors, it will be an opportunity to showcase their goods to a truly discerning crowd, while providing them with a gateway to other business opportunities with The Urban Food Collective.  Also recognizing its responsibility to society, The Urban Food Collective will donate a portion of the proceeds from the Weekend Market to the Taguyod Bayan foundation, helping rebuild communities affected by typhoon Haiyan in Sara Iloilo.

See you at the market! Where you can find good food, good things, and goodwill.

To apply for a booth, contact:

0998.9637187

02.8421728

Email hello@theurbancollective.com

http://theurbanfoodcollective.com/events

Kid's Workshop: More Than Just A Play Place

Whenever we go to the mall, my kids would always ask to play in those play place. My husband and I leave the kids there to play for about an hour with their yayas looking over them from the outside of the play area. Aside from the fact that the kids really enjoy burning their energy by playing, it is also a chance for me and my husband to go around the mall by ourselves without the super kulit kids asking to go to the toy store every 2 minutes. So, when I received 2 free passes for my kids at the Kid’s Workshop, I showed the photos of the place on the internet to my kids and they got super excited! We decided to schedule it on September 8 because that was also Marko’s 4^th birthday.

CHECKLIST : WHAT TO PACK IN YOUR HOSPITAL BAG

It's been over a year since I last gave birth. But I just thought to share with pregnant moms my hospital bag necessities. 

FOR YOU:

1.  Philhealth Member’s Data Record and SSS forms – There are different procedures or requirements for those who are employed and self-employed. I suggest you give your hospital a call to ask what exactly you need to bring. You may ask to be transferred to the hospital’s Philhealth Department. Don’t call the actual Philhealth trunk line because they might give a different answer from your hospital’s Philhealth Department.  Some hospitals require the actual Philhealth MDR plus a copy of the contribution, some just require your MDR or your husband’s. You better inquire about this few months before your actual due date, so that you’ll have enough time to sort out your documents. If your requirements are incomplete, you’ll end up shouldering all the expenses that could have been deducted by your Philhealth. You can reimburse it, but it will take more than 3 months and you’ll need to go back to the hospital to get your reimbursement.
2.  Insurance Card – If your delivery and hospitalization will be covered by your insurance, you’ll need to surrender your insurance card to the hospital staff. Have this ready together with your documents and place inside an envelope. Give it to the husband because if you’re already in labor, you won’t have time to get these from your bag.

Lactacyd : Unique Care for Every Woman

The beautiful brand ambassador of Lactacyd, Anne Curtis

I was recently invited to go to the press launch of Lactacyd to witness the unveiling of its latest range in the Philippines. It was held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel and was attended by company officials, VIP's, bloggers, media and of course, Lactacyd's current brand ambassador, Anne Curtis.

The venue was designed magnificently, with 5 different pods, namely London, Bali, New York, Maldives, and Tokyo, representing the 5 variants of Lactacyd. We were asked to visit each pod to let us experience each city and choose our own adventure that fits our lifestyle. Carrying the brand's promise to provide safe and natural care, Lactacyd now offers more choices and distinct benefits that will match the different needs, personality, lifestyle and hygienic care needs of today's modern women.

Breastfeeding Unfriendly Hospital and so much more!

My cousin gave birth last week at one of the hospitals along E.Rod (You can take a guess na lang). Mark and I visited her the following night after she gave birth. She had undergone C-section so inevitably, I asked her why she had undergone C-section. She actually did not know she had CS until she woke up! She was not informed. The staff asked for the husband's consent instead. The things that made me raise my eyebrows were the following:

Just Chill, Shake & Gulp! Be Happily Healthy with Goody Gulp!

Goody Gulp is a deliciously healthy milk drink made from New Zealand Milk with NO PRESERVATIVES!

My kids love chocolate and milk drinks whether at home or as their baon in school. So, when I received a pack of Goody Gulp Milk drink the other day, they tasted it right away even if it's not yet chilled! They were also extra excited because of the Spongebob Squarepants and Patrick Star packaging! Even I love the taste especially the strawberry milk flavor. What's good about it aside from the delicious taste is that it's a natural source of calcium, vitamins and minerals and it has no preservatives. 

Makoy enjoying his Spongebob Goody Gulp Chocolate Milk Drink :)

The good news? Goody Gulp is giving away a limited edition Spongebob Speaker and 2 Goody Gulp Milk drink gift pack! 

Get a chance to win this limited edition Spongebob Speaker

Mechanics:

1. Like my Facebook Page Joy Lim Astilla to get updates.

2. Click the survey link and copy and paste this URL http://joylimastilla.blogspot.com/
3. Fill out the required fields in the survery form.
4. Once done, comment below the date of your completion.

5. Contest is from August 16 until October 30, 2014.

6. I will choose the following:

• 1 winner Limited Edition Spongebob Squarepants Speaker
• 2 winners of 4 Goody Gulp Milk Drink

7. Prizes will be sent by Good Gulp.

GOOD LUCK! :)

Goody Gulp Milk Drink is available in all leading supermarkets.

National Breastfeeding Awareness Month

Miranda Kerr

Top Model Gisele Bundchen 

As you all know I am a breastfeeding advocate so all my kids were breastfed. Enzo and Marko were exclusively breastfed until 6 months, and from then on,  they were mixed fed with formula milk. Since they could eat solids already, I figured it would be okay to give them formula milk while still being breastfed. But as I was able to attend several pregnancy talks (due to Urban Essentials either being a sponsor or an exhibitor in the event), I found out that babies have actually no need for any formula milk ever! That is why my youngest, Javi, is still exclusively breastfed even at age 1 and I am not planning to let him have a taste of formula milk. There are still people who argue that feeding formula milk is not harmful to the baby’s health. Formula milk has been fed to babies since before I was born! Even I was given formula milk when I was a baby and I am alive! They actually have a point. What has changed now that led some moms to believe that formula feeding is not good for babies? The answer is education and awareness. When I was a kid, most of the breastfeeding moms that I saw were the ones whom I sat beside in the jeep, moms who are in the streets, moms who had not enough money to buy formula milk. The rich parents before were the ones who fed their babies formula milk. The more expensive the better because paying more could mean providing more nutrition to their baby. These days, everything has reversed.  The breastfeeding moms are the sosyal ones, the ones who could afford to buy formula milk but prefer to breastfeed their babies in style, the celebrities, the bloggers, the famous ones, etc. The mothers who don’t have enough money, they are the ones who work to death to be able to buy formula milk for their babies. What the heck happened? More and more moms are becoming aware and educated of not the just importance of breastfeeding but also of the harmful effects formula feeding can have on their babies. They even pay to attend breastfeeding seminars and lay forums. So you see, this is the reason why the ones who are well-off are usually the ones who are breastfeeding because they are the ones who get the proper education. When I was pregnant with Enzo and Marko, I never attended such seminars because I never entertained the idea that it would be difficult for me to breastfeed. I just researched online so I’d know what to expect. Breastfeeding is the most natural thing in the world. Nakaka conscious lang sa simula because someone is continuously sucking on your breasts! But ones you get the hang of it, dere derecho na lang! I am thankful that I never had any problem with breastfeeding and that all my babies never had a problem with sucking my breasts. But I wish I knew then that I did not need to feed my babies formula milk even after 6 months. Kaya education is really important. Everyone knows that breastfeeding is best feeding. What we need to be more aware of is do babies need formula milk at some point in their lives? Does formula feeding have bad effects on my baby’s health? Is mixed feeding okay? Does formula feeding have an effect on my toddler’s appetite and eating habits? Is milk necessary for my kids’ bone formation?

Is it really a must to throw a big party for my child’s first birthday?

Javi is turning 1 tomorrow and we are not having a big party. We will definitely go out and have a simple celebration with the entire family but unlike Enzo and Marko who had huge birthday parties when they turned 1, this year we opted not to spend too much.

Enzo's 1st birthday party. Balloons pa lang more than PhP 30k na! 

Marko's 1st birthday party.

Is it really necessary to throw a big party and spend so much money on a one-day occasion? I just realized that it is not. These days, when you decide to have a kiddie party, para ka na din gumastos for a wedding. Pabonggahan! Guests and relatives will expect you to provide superb food, great entertainment and of course bonggang loot bags and/or give aways. It’s like we are planning for the party with the guests on our mind and not the celebrant. Dapat masarap ang food dahil baka maokray ng guests. Dapat magaling magenglish ang host or magician dahil nakakahiya sa guests. Dapat may photobooth dahil the guests will expect it. Dapat unique ang theme kasi iisipin ng guests na nanggaya ka lang ng theme ng iba. Dapat may giveaways dahil kung wala, yun ang magiging huling impression nila of the party “Ay walang giveaways?!”

Port Congestion due to Truck Ban

"The recent truck ban in Manila has caused tremendous port congestion in the Port of Manila. This has delayed the arrival and unloading of containers. Futhermore, the sheer volume of containers has delayed the processing and releasing from Philippines Customs."

This is such an inconvenience sa lahat ng negosyante! Nabawasan nga ang traffic sa kalsada ng Maynila, nagtraffic naman sa Port! Because of the congestion, some vessels stay in the Port of Taiwan habang wala pa silang madaungan sa Port of Manila. So yung usual na 30 days na paghihintay sa mga shipments, nagiging 45 to 60 days. Nakakabadtrip dahil tulog ang pera sa stocks na hindi makarating sa Pilipinas. Lahat ng negosyante apektado, maliit or malaki.

I hope the government does something about this mess because it is causing too much stress!

http://www.philstar.com/business-usual/2014/07/21/1348438/port-congestion-making-phl-exports-highly-uncompetitive


How bout you? Were you also affected by the port congestion?

Franchise Expo 2014

It was a tiring but fun weekend that we spent at the Franchise Expo 2014 in SMX Convention Center. It was my first time to join so we were very excited. I have joined a lot of other food events before but this one is different because our primary goal is to get franchisees for Enzo’s Shawarma. As expected, blockbuster na naman ang shawarma namin from start to finish so instead of me just focusing on talking to interested franchisees, multi tasking na naman ako habang nagbabalot ng shawarma and talking to people. We were all super tired but it was so worth it especially when I saw the long line of people patiently waiting to get their order.

Can you see me wrapping a shawarma? hehe :)

Look at the people happily watching our shawarma boy and girl preparing their orders!

The line extended till our neighboring booth!

That's my brother (in red) who came to the rescue last Saturday.

ENZO'S SHAWARMA

https://www.facebook.com/EnzosShawarma

0917-8336967

585-7039

Branches:

10th Avenue, Caloocan City 

SM Hypermarket Mall of Asia

999 Mall Food Court

Theatre Mall Greenhills Food Court

SM Hypermarket Bicutan

SM Hypermarket Valenzuela

SM Hypermarket Taytay

Robinsons Galleria