Responsible Milk Sharing

Sometime ago, I shared a program of UP-PGH Milk Bank - Operation Foster Milk and a human milk sharing page on Facebook known as Human Milk for Human Babies - The Philippines.  Advocates have been divided and have mixed reactions to this informal milk sharing.

Donor moms are receptive to the idea of having donee-moms get the milk directly from them while moms who are looking for breastmilk usually find it difficult to get pasteurized milk from human milk banks and find the informal milk sharing network more accessible.

I was a donor to both milk banks and individual moms at the height of my milk-making career.  I donated to PCMC (a representative from the bank picked it up) and UP-PGH (I had to drop off the milk) and to individual moms who pick-up the milk from my place.  Honestly, I preferred to donate milk to individual moms as they do so at my own convenience e.g. they bring their own coolers and pick-up from my place.  Whereas donating to UP-PGH was so cumbersome since I had to pack up the milk in the cooler, look for parking, pay for parking and bring the milk up - with their elevators usually jampacked.  Although now,  PGH has volunteers to pick-up the milk upon schedule. Plus, the thank you that you receive from individual moms is much more satisfying.

Caleb's Closet Giveaway

For this week, our giveaway is a yellow Charlie Banana cloth diaper, hosted by Caleb's Closet Ecostore. we will be having a cloth diaper giveaway.  


Caleb's Closet Ecostore is owned by Dr. Lei, who used to be a barrio doctor in a remote Palawan island!  She was lured to the big city by her husband, who married her on a pristine white beach.  Dr. Lei is currently on hiatus from medical practice as she focuses on raising their little boy - Caleb.  Eventually, Dr. Lei dreams of doing eye surgeries but enjoys her time with her growing baby nowadays.  

Guest Posts and Giveaways

As we get closer to ER's birthday, I'm scheduling blog posts and giveaways to keep this blog alive while I hibernate and enjoy my baby.  During my April vacation, I asked for guest posts and I am again doing so this time.  I also take this opportunity to invite mompreneurs with relevant business to host giveaways on this blog.  

PSA: "The Mother's Way", a Pilgrimage of Mothers and Mothers-to-Be

from http://www.art-breastfeeding.com

The Our Lady of La Leche Movement invites you to pay tribute to Our Lady of La Leche Y Buen Parto (Our Lady of Milk and Safe Delivery), Patroness of Mothers and Mothers-to-Be.

We call especially on all:
Pregnant Moms to pray for safe delivery
New and Breastfeeding Moms as thanksgiving and to pray for strength
Those Trying to Conceive to pray for the gift of a child

Spouses/Family/Friends/Support System are welcome!

Pilgrimage tour is on December 10, 2011, Saturday, and starts at 7am with a mass at St. Francis Church in Mandaluyong (near Shangrila Edsa). We will takeoff right after the mass. We will be visiting several locations in Metro Manila that have the image of Our Lady of La Leche, including the original antique image whose age is undetermined. We will end back at St Francis at around 1pm.

To cover transportation, snacks and lunch, pilgrimage free is P900. Any proceeds will be used to donate images of Our Lady of La Leche to more churches and hospitals.

We will be having a physician and lactation counsellor on board for free consultations.

Don't miss this chance to ask for Our Lady's intercession, and to make her known
to other mothers. Slots are limited, so please send a personal message to Bianca
Atienza-Gutierrez to make reservations.

Legal Rights of Breastfeeding Mothers

For the last LATCH training, Sylvia asked me to prepare a presentation on the relevant Philippine laws on breastfeeding. I decided to create a presentation on the Legal Rights of Breastfeeding Mothers.  This was supposed to be presented during the last lecture day of the Batch 3 peer counselors training.  However, due to lack of time, it was postponed and instead was presented during the graduation.
I'm sharing this presentation on the blog in hopes that more moms become aware of their rights AND the violations being blatantly perpetuated through TV ads, store promotions and supermarket giveaways.

Motherlove Giveaway

We have 2 winners!!

Congratulations to Sunshine Rose de Guzman for winning the Mommy Pack

and to Roxanne San Buenaventura for winning the Baby Pack!

Please check your emails
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As we are getting closer to Christmas, I've been lucky to have enough sponsors for me to host giveaways every 2 weeks!  For this week, our sponsor is Hatch & Latch, one of my blog sponsors.  Hatch & Latch has a wide variety of items for the pregnant and new mom.  For this giveaway, Helen, the owner would like to feature her top product - Motherlove.  Motherlove was founded a little over 20 years ago and is dedicated to "crafting only the finest, purest products, and using certified organic ingredients designed to nurture, soothe and heal women on their all-important journey of nurturing life."  Helen has prepared 2 prizes - a Mommy Pack and a Baby Pack and we will be having 2 lucky winners!

My Budding Chef

Welcome to the November Carnival of Natural Parenting: Kids in the Kitchen
This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have shared how kids get involved in cooking and feeding. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.
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at The Culinary Workshop

learning how to measure

I'm no cook and I am definitely happy (and lucky) that we have helpers where I live.  I sent my 2 helpers to various cooking classes and they can now whip up an excellent paella, a complete japanese and korean dinner, thai meals and can follow various recipes by the book.  But what makes me happier is they allow my little budding chef, N to work with them in the kitchen.

Barriers/Myths vs. Extended Breastfeeding

Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (November). For this month, participants share their experiences on extended breastfeeding. This includes tips to moms with young babies, as well as barriers and myths which discourage extended nursing. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants.

My daughter, N, weaned at 3 years and 5 months. If you read my early days in breastfeeding, I wouldn't have thought that we would go beyond 2 years of nursing! I've previously shared about the challenges and the highs and lows I had in nursing a toddler. For this carnival, let me focus on the myths and barriers against extended breastfeeding faced by moms.