Birth Preparation Class

My mom suggested that I take a Birth Preparation Class to better prepare myself. Apparently Rome Kanapi, Chiqui Brosas, and Betty and Manny San Luis hold the most popular classes. Their classes cost P4,000-5,000. Not cheap at all, the reason why I almost decided not to go. But I figured that I will never have the will or patience to go through all the books I need to read to feel confident about giving birth, so I figured it was just another investment for Baby's benefit. I will be too far along for Rome's classes that I might not complete the whole thing, while Chiqui's classes are held in Makati, which is too far from our house. We reserved a slot in Betty and Manny's Birth Basics Workshop in Quezon City. I was hesitant at first because unlike Rome and Chiqui's classes, there are very few reviews online regarding the workshop. But I think we were really meant to attend this class. 

It was a great experience, probably the best P4,000 I spent for Baby. We learned so much from the class, even if it was just for one whole day, unlike the other classes which are spread out over 4-6 Saturdays/Sundays. Betty and Manny talked from experience, and that gave the class a homey feel. We learned the basics on how to prepare my body, mind, and spirit for giving birth, and on Husband's role in the preparation. Husband and I particularly learned a lot about the stages of labor, and how to decide when to go to the hospital after contractions start. 

More than the basics, the workshop brings out the protective side in husbands. My husband is a typical athletic guy. He would rather be under the sun, running or biking, rather than attending a workshop from 8am-6pm on a Saturday. He even joked in front of the class that his motivation for being there was being forced by me to attend. Haha. 

Honestly, I was afraid I was going to have to force him to participate in the activities. Surprisingly, he did everything with as much enthusiasm as the other husbands. We danced, made drawings, did exercises, wrote love letters, as if we've done all of it many times before. I was so touched, and still am, by how supportive he was.  I give the credit to Betty & Manny open and sincere manner of facilitating the workshop. Husband is even more protective of me and Baby now, and applying most of the tips Manny gave. Specifically, he talks to Baby more often to make sure Baby becomes familiar with his voice. 

Most of all, the best thing I gained from the workshop is the confidence to give birth. My body was built for this and as long as I give it my best try, I trust that everything will be fine with God's grace. 

I highly recommend for all moms to attend the class, or any other birth preparation class for that matter. Even if some things that were discussed end up not to be applicable, like if I end up giving birth via C section, just for changing my and Husband's outlook about pregnancy and Baby, it was well worth every peso.

Wall Decals for the Nursery

I want Baby's room to have touches of color to stimulate his senses. The cheapest way I could think of was to put up decals. I bought 3 sets from Youji and Me, costing P150-250 each. My favorite is the growth chart. It's a cute way of keeping track of Baby's height through the years. 

Cuddlebug Bassinet

Youji and Me is having its last warehouse sale for 2014, from October 10 to 12 at 9F Deco Centrum, Annapolis. They offer great discounts. Cuddlebag convertible cribs and Silver Cross and Capella strollers are being sold at 40-50% off. I didn't get to buy those anymore because we already bought a Mothercare crib and Graco stroller for Baby.

The Cuddlebug bassinet made it worth the trip to San Juan. Since our extra room, which will be the nursery, is downstairs, I plan to co-sleep with Baby at least for the first few months. I have always wanted to buy a bassinet but didn't have the budget for it. The SRP for the Cuddlebug bassinet is P3,000 but I got it for P1,000 at the warehouse sale. You may see the product here. The units have minor defects, but such are fully disclosed. I just needed to make a few stiches to the unit I chose. Now we can have a place for Baby beside our bed when he gets here, which I read is safer than co-sleeping. 

Sweating the Small Stuff

Shopping for a baby for the first time is very exciting but also daunting. I never thought those tiny things would cost so much! If I could walk around for more than 30 minutes without my pregnant hips hurting, I would have bought everything in Divisoria. I couldn't, so I settled for looking for the best deals in malls. 

Layette

I don't expect Baby to go out of the house much during his first months, so I bought the basic white cotton shirts and pants for him. Friends and family will probably give cute clothes as gifts anyway.

I bought most of Baby's clothes from BeBe by Soen. They are a bit cheaper than those by other brands carried by malls. Baby Armstrong is another brand that sells for reasonable prices. I am not sure if SM carries the brand but I bought some pieces in Robinsons. 

Tub

Some moms don't even use special tubs for bathing their babies. Some say the sink or any basin will do the job. I bought one because I didn't want to risk having to buy in a hurry after I give birth in case I need one. 

I bought the cheapest one with a drain at the bottom, made by Jolly, for P500 from Landmark Trinoma and Mimiflo Baby Bath Bed Net for P195  from lazada.com.ph

P695 for a tub and net may still be a bit much, but still cheaper than the ones from Mothercare and Safety 1st. 

Waterproof Mattress Protector

We plan to co-sleep with Baby, at least for the first weeks, after which he will be in his crib in his room. To protect our mattress, I wanted to buy a waterproof mattress protector.  The material is softer and cooler for the baby, compared to the plastic changing pads or protectors. Since buying one to cover our king size bed is not in my budget, I settled for a smaller piece, just big enough for the baby's part of the bed. I bought a 20 x 36 pillow protector from SM, for P350. I removed the stitches along the three sides to open it up, so I now have a 40 x 36 mattress protector that Baby can lie on on our bed. 

For his crib, I bought a waterproof multi purpose pad from SM for P400. It is SM's own brand, Bloom. The four sides can be secured to the crib mattress. 

Buying a matress protector for his crib and our bed is still in my wishlist though. 

Baby Wash

Human Heart Nature has always worked for me. 10 yrs ago, I developed an irritation from using feminine wash. I tried all the known brands but nothing worked. I saw this brand and bought its feminine wash from Rustan's. I was so relieved that it solved my problem immediately after the first use. The down side is that their products cost 15-30% more than similar products by popular brands. But I really believe in the brand, so I bought a small bottle of its Baby Wash for Baby to try when he gets here. 

Graco Mirage Stroller

Strollers that come with a carseat/carrier (travel system) cost twice as much as those that don't. Such carseat can only be used for 9 months at most, so we decided to buy a basic stroller, and a carseat, which Baby can use for as long as 4 years, separately. The stroller had to be suitable for a newborn.

I was choosing between Chicco Liteway and Graco Mirage, both selling for around P8,000. I really like the Chicco Liteway. It is light and very compact when folded. This would be very handy for me, especially when I'm not with Husband. I see a lot of parents use one in malls. On the other hand, although Graco strollers are very bulky even when folded, a lot of parents swear by how sturdy it is. The Graco Mirage also looks very comfortable, perfect for a newborn. 

Chicco Liteway

Graco Mirage

Husband decided, and I agreed, to buy the Graco Mirage. One issue he had with the Chicco was that the padding seemed to be inadequate to make a newborn comfortable. Also, his kuya bought a Graco stroller for his daughter and it lasted till she grew up and didn't want to be in a stroller anymore. This reputation seems to be consistent in all the reviews online. I am very happy with our purchase. My SM Mom card came in handy again because I got to use my P500 off coupon. Stocks of this model run out quickly because it is the cheapest Graco stroller with a 5-point safety harness. It was sold out in SM Megamall, Makati and Markina, so we ended up getting ours in SM Masinag. 

I also think buying the Chicco Liteway would have been just as good of a choice. At the P8,000 price range, I think the Graco is the perfect stroller for newborns and small babies, while the Chicco's airy design is suitable for bigger babies who no longer need as much padding as the Graco has. Of course there are other great brands, like Aprica and McLaren, but they cost way beyond our budget. 

Feeding Bottles

Although I intend to breastfeed for as long as I can, I will eventually go back to work and will need feeding bottles for my expressed milk. Filipino moms seem to love Avent bottles. I decided to buy the Natural instead of the Classic bottles, because they supposedly mimic a mother's breast, making the transition from breasfeeding to bottle feeding easier for the baby. The price difference is not substantial anyway. Lazada offers the best deal right now. I bought Avent Natural Feeding 9oz Twin Pack for P650. The same twin pack sells for P1,000 in malls. Lazada runs out of stock pretty quickly though. Right now, they only offer the 4oz version, for P571. 

Because of good feedback from a friend, I got the Pigeon Wide Neck Bottles Starter Kit, which retails for P2,200. I used my SM Mom card coupon to save P200. 

I also bought one Natural Touch Nuby bottle at 40% off from Youji and Me Trinoma. I am hesitant to stack up on Nuby bottles because the brand is not readily available in our area, or in SM malls, and I will eventually need new nipples. 

When I bought my Chicco Electric Steam Sterilizer worth P2,000 from SM, one 4oz Natural Fit bottle worth P500 came with it for free.

I still need to wait for Baby's arrival to find out which brand he likes best. However, the nipples by Avent, Pigeon, and Nuby feel really soft, much like the actual breast.  The one by Chicco is made of harder plastic. All bottles seem to be by good brands and of good quality, with nice reviews online. I have 9 bottles so far, and I hope this will be more than enough for the first few months.

Halo SleepSack Wearable Blankets

Since it is not advisable to put any pillows, bumpers, loose blankets or anything that may increase the risk of SIDS inside the crib during the first year, I decided to buy wearable blankets. I put aside some money for crib beddings, which can be really expensive, as much as P3,000 to P5,000, and are apparently even dangerous for the baby. I instead spent our money on two Halo wearable blankets. I used my 20% discount voucher from Cudsly, so I ended up paying P1,200 for each, free shipping, one day delivery.  Not a bad deal. I got the cotton material, it will be easier to adjust Baby's clothes underneath depending on how cold the room is rather than buy fleece which may end up too warm on certain nights. I want to avoid using loose blankets entirely. 

I bought one SleepSack Swaddle. I got the newborn size because reviews say that the small size is really too big for a newborn, and I wanted Baby to have something to use right away. 

I also bought one Small Halo SleepSack Wearable Blanket as a spare while the other one is in the washer. Label says it can be used from newborn to 6 months but Asian babies are generally smaller, so I expect Baby to use it longer. 

Spectra Manual Breast Pump

I wanted to buy a cheap manual breast pump before Baby is born, and invest on electric one later. I wasn't comfortable spending so much on something I couldn't test just yet, well, because I won't have breastmilk till I give birth.  A lot of moms swear by the very affordable brands, like Mimiflo and Bebeta. I came upon Spectra on http://babymama.ph and at P900, I thought it was worth considering, so I went to its office in Katipunan. Compared to Bebeta which retails for P700, the suction of Spectra is a lot stronger. 

The reviews for Spectra electric pumps are also good, so I figured it was a decent brand. If there will be no problems with my breastfeeding and end up needing an electric pump, I will purchase one from Baby Mama as well. The prices are way cheaper than the other known brands like Avent and Medela. I was also very impressed when the saleslady discouraged me from buying one of their products on display and suggested a method  that would save me money. Great service!

Alva 4.0 Cloth Diapers

After doing some research, I decided to invest in Alva 4.0 cloth diapers. Disposable ones are way cheaper but I think I will save more eventually by buying good reusable cloth diapers, at P250 each. My tight budget was only enough for  10 cloth diapers, which I foresee will only suffice if I use cloth diapers in the morning and disposable ones at night. That way I will still  have enough left for the next day while the dirty ones are in the washer. The online shop https://www.facebook.com/thefawnshoppe offered the best deal. The transaction with the owner was fast and smooth. I upgraded my inserts to bamboo/microfiber; I read good reviews from other moms and figured it was cheaper to upgrade than to buy them separately later on. The inserts take way longer to line dry than the cloth diapers, so its a good thing I also bought extra inserts.

I love that the Alvas are adjustable to a size that will fit a newborn. These are smallest and largest settings

I plan to stack up on some more when Baby gets here. 

Mothercare Combination Carseat

Another big purchase we had to make for Baby was for a carseat. There is no law requiring car owners to install carseats when transporting babies in the Philippines, but Husband and I agreed that it is a must-have, for Baby's safety and our peace of mind. I also foresee that there will be instances when I will need to run some errands or take Baby to the doctor by myself, in which case a carseat will be necessary. 

Carseats are very expensive. Those that are compatible with strollers cost around P3,500 to P6,000 and can be used only until the baby turns 9 months. We wanted one that the is suitable from newborn to 4-5 yrs, to get value for our money. Apparently, we were looking for a combination car seat. I saw one in Landmark but when I was told that it costs more than P20,000, I walked away from it immediately. Haha. SM Department Store also offers one for P5,000, but Husband didn't like the fabric.

We went to Mothercare Trinoma and the brands they carry also cost around P20,000. The salesman was nice and helpful enough to inform us that they used to offer Mothercare Madrid Combination Carseat, which met our requirement, but was currently sold out. Good thing that they had 1 unit available at their SM Masinag branch. 

(Image from www.mothercare.com)

The reviews are good in general, but the common complaint is that the recline position is still too upright for a newborn. Hopefully this won't be a problem for us, but in case we will need to wait for Baby to turn 2 months before we can use it, I still think P6,750 is a reasonable price for a carseat that will be used for 4-5 years. The materials are very soft and washable, and the quality is really good. I have high hopes that Baby will be super comfortable in it. 

Mothercare Wooden Crib

I am expecting my first child in December. I was working when I found out I was pregnant but my job was so stressful that I decided to resign around 3 months into the pregnancy. Thank God for my supportive husband!

My resignation also meant that we had a tight budget, so i spent a lot of time researching before making any purchases to prepare for our baby boy's arrival. This is where all the blogs by Filipino moms and countless threads about anything and everything about babies really helped. As my way of thanking all the moms who happily share their knowledge with ignorant expectant pinay moms like me, I decided to write about my limited experience on baby shopping, hoping to help even just one mom in making wise decisions, starting with my search for the perfect wooden crib. 

I wanted to buy a wooden crib because I read that it can give a newborn better back support than a playpen or pack and play. I've always had a bad back so just in case Baby inherits that part of my gene, a wooden crib would be better for him. 

Husband & I wanted the crib to:

1. Be in natural wood finish because painted, especially white, cribs are prone to scratches and dirt. Another issue is making sure that the paint and varnish used are non-toxic and safe for babies.

2. Have all its parts fixed. Based on safety standards in other countries, cribs with drop sides have been banned due to cases of infant injuries caused by sudden dropping of the crib railing.

3. Be convertible to toddler bed. (Ok, this was my requirement, husband really didn't care.)

We went to furniture shops in Caloocan to look for a cheap crib but all the shops offered the same design, not convertible and one side drops by simply pushing the lock with one foot. So even if the prices were really cheap, full size crib (28 x 52) selling for less than P4,000, we just had to pass. 

We decided to buy the Hertford Cot Bed from Mothercare Trinoma, for P8,500. Except for the fact that the price is higher than what we planned to spend for a crib, it met all our requirements. The mattress size is (28 x 55), 3 inches longer than the standard full size bed in the Philippines (28 x 52),  so looking for fitted sheets in other stores is nearly impossible. So I decided to buy 2 fitted sheets for P1,200 from Mothercare, then eventually use flat sheets when the baby grows bigger or when we convert the crib to a toddler bed. Flat sheets for single beds will do just fine.

(Images from www.mothercare.com)

I also bought a custom mattress from Uratex, blue and 3-inch thick, for P670. 

I am very satisfied with our purchase. This is the cheapest convertible crib I saw in the market. More importantly, the quality is great! It took around 20 minutes for Husband to assemble it, and it is as stable as can be. Here it is in Baby's room, but I think it looks better up close.