Sigurista Parent Essentials You Need To Add To Cart ASAP.

Being a new parent is such an exciting time. Whether it’s your first baby, or your second or third, every newborn makes any parent feel like they are entering a new chapter in their lives. But with the excitement of this chapter comes worries and fears about making sure you are giving your baby everything he or she needs. Sigurista Parents like you can’t help but want only the best for your baby!

To help you get started, here are some of the items you need to invest in and stock up on as soon as possible. It will help make your baby’s first few months some of the best months of his or her life!

Drink up

One of the first decisions every parent has to make is how they will feed their baby. There is extensive research on the benefits of breastfeeding, so if you are going this route, it’s best you stock up on breast pumps, nursing pads, and nipple cream. If you’re going the bottle-feeding path, stock up on quality bottles and bottle brushes. There are also a bunch of sterilizers that you can look into to make the cleaning process easier for you!

Photo credit: Pexels.

Bath time is fun time

For first time parents, giving their tiny babies a bath can be daunting. To ease your fears, make sure you get shampoo and soap that are gentle on baby’s skin, as well as soft towels to dry them off with. Invest in a bath seat or infant tub to lessen chances of accidents in the bathroom.

Photo credit: Getty Images.

Sweet dreams all night

Sleep training is becoming more popular among this generation of new parents. Not only will your baby have better sleep quality, so will you! Check out crib sheets and mattresses first, then extend your research to swaddles and hush machines. Soon you and your baby will wake up energized every morning!

Photo credit: Natalie on Pexels.

Rash protection like no other

A baby’s diaper is one of the most important items in a parent’s must-have list. A Sigurista Parent knows that a good diaper will help keep baby more comfortable and prevent unwanted rashes. That’s why it’s important for Sigurista Parents like you to invest in the best.

Pampers Baby Dry for Newborn has a 2-in-1 Rash Shield that helps prevent diaper rash that comes long periods of kulob and babad. Pampers Baby Dry for Newborn the best diaper choice if you’re looking for superior protection from rashes for your newborn’s skin.

As a new mom, Sigurista Parent Camille Co shares how her adorable little girl is growing up so quickly and how choosing Pampers Baby Dry for Newborn has helped her savor every moment with her baby. “Sienna bug is growing up too fast! 😭 She’s already learning how to sit! Soon, she’ll be crawling. Someone press pause please. Before we know it, we won’t be playing like this anymore and I’ll probably be chasing her all over the house. Imagine having to chase her countless times for diaper changes too? 😂 Good thing with @pampersph Baby Dry For Newborn’s 2-in-1 Rash Shield, we can do less diaper changes and not worry about rashes brought about by kulob and wetness.”

Photo credit: Camille Co-Koro.

Mommy Fidelis on the other hand puts her baby’s comfort as top priority and Pampers Baby Dry for Newborn helps her provide this. She shares, “Playtime and bedtime is very important to growing babies like Francine. And ayokong naabala yun just because I need to change her diaper frequently. Kaya naman simula umpisa pa lang, Pampers Baby Dry na ang gamit nya that protects her all day from kulob and wetness. And most importantly, it has a #SiguristaShield kaya iwas rashes! Comfy night and day!”

Photo credit: Fabsistersnmom

You got this Sigurista Parent!

At the end of the day, you are the best person to judge what’s best for your baby. Don’t panic too much. Trust your parental instincts. Let your love and care for your baby guide your way. Start with the essentials and trust only the best reviewed products with proven benefits.

When you’ve invested in only quality products like Pampers Baby Dry for Newborn, you can rest assured that your baby is well taken care of. Camille reiterates, “#ChoosePampers and trust in its #SiguristaShield for more bonding moments and less stress.”

Add this Sigurista Parent essential to your cart today. Pampers Baby Dry for Newborn is available in the P&G Official online shops on Lazada and Shopee.

The Ajinomoto Virtual Experience: Be More.

Going on field trips or educational tours is one of the most exciting ways to learn. Before the pandemic, food factory tours were widely used as an avenue for interactive learning for students aspiring to be part of the industry. To replicate this activity, Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation (APC) brings its factory tour online with the launch of The Ajinomoto Virtual Experience: Be More, this time not only targeting students but homemakers as well. Aside from a detailed tour around Ajinomoto’s factory, the virtual space is also packed with kitchen tips and games that everybody will enjoy.

“Meeting eager participants on factory tours is one of the things we miss during these times. More than sharing what we do, the tour has been an avenue for us to educate about food safety and proper nutrition, as well as to share our advocacy on environmental sustainability,” says Roann Co, APC’s General Manager of Marketing and Public Relations. “Now that we’re bringing it online, we are excited that we can reach not only those from NCR but students and homemakers nationwide empowering them to be more knowledgeable and responsible members of the community.”

Be More - a virtual learning experience for students and homemakers alike.

A trip down the grocery lane

The Supermarket is the first virtual station of the online tour. This is where visitors can learn more about Ajinomoto’s products and learn about the company’s brief history.

From farm to kitchen

After the informational and nostalgic trip, the next stop is the Factory which shows how APC’s products are made. Since this is an online tour with no physical logistical restrictions, participants can also view the farm where raw materials are harvested. From there, visitors are bound to a detailed tour of the factory where aspiring food innovators can learn about topnotch methods and technologies that keep food safe and of quality.

Sneak peek of the Be More virtual learning experience.

Finishing the Factory tour leads guests to a choice between the Office or the Cooking Plaza. For students, a 360° tour of the Ajinomoto Office will allow them to learn the 5S organization method—Sort, Shine, Set, Standardize, and Sustain—which is widely implemented within the company. On the other hand, the Cooking Plaza features an interactive kitchen where homemakers can learn about the 5Ms of a great meal—Malinis, Masustansya, Masarap, Matipid, at Madaling Gawin—and apply them by virtually cooking dishes, playing games, and answering quizzes.

Towards a more sustainable future

The Ajinomoto Virtual Experience: Be More ends with a message for the future. The last station, Community, features Ajinomoto’s environment education campaign that aims to aid consumers to slowly incorporate sustainable practices into their daily lives.

“At Ajinomoto, our commitment towards a more sustainable future is embedded in our Ajinomoto Group Creating Shared Value (ASV) which represents our unchanging mission of helping resolve society’s issues such as global sustainability, food resources, and healthy living. Through the best practices we shared at The Ajinomoto Virtual Experience: Be More, we hope to inspire Filipinos to lead a healthier and eco-friendlier lifestyle,” says Co.

To try the fun and educational tour, visit ajinomotobemore.com.

An In-Car Safety Guide for New Parents.

Using a car seat or child safety seat is one of the best ways to protect your kids when traveling in the car, and they are a legal requirement in all states. Car accidents are amongst the leading causes of serious injury and death for young children, so keeping your child safe when you’re driving depends on choosing the right seat and using it correctly. If you’re a new parent, keeping your baby safe in the car is going to be a top priority. Here are some tips to keep in mind.

Kim Ji Seok in When the Camellia Blooms, 2019.

#1. Choosing the right car seat
You should always choose a car seat that meets or exceeds Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213; you can find this information on the car seat box or label. It’s a good idea to purchase the seat well before your child’s first ride so that you can learn how to install it and use the harness correctly. If you are struggling, ask for help – some sales assistants may be trained to do this, or you can find plenty of reputable online tutorials. You can also visit a child car seat inspection station, which are set up across the country by the federal government, where they can provide advice or double-check that the seat has been installed correctly. Check out AskTheLawyer to find out more about specific car seat rules and regulations in your state.

Jang Nara in Fated to Love You, 2014.

#2. Using a second-hand car seat
Using a second-hand car seat can seem like a good way to save some money on the mounting expenses that come with welcoming a new child into the world, but it can also carry a massive risk. Only use a second-hand car seat that you can be sure has not been involved in an accident – if it has it may be damaged in ways that are not visible to the naked eye. You should also fully inspect the seat or have a professional look over it for you; don’t use a car seat that has any parts missing or if it is lacking a model number and manufacture date. Car seats will also have recommended ‘expiration dates’, so it’s worth checking for this too.

Lee twins in The Return of Superman, 2013.

#3. What type of car seat?
For new parents, there are generally two different types of car seat to choose from. The popular choice is an infant car seat, which fit newborns and smaller infants up to around 35 pounds. You will need to replace your car seat when your infant outgrows it. These car seats are designed to be rear-facing as a small child is likely to be much more protected in this position in the event of a crash, as the back of the seat will cradle the child’s head, neck, and torso. Small children can usually stay rear-facing until around age 3-4. Some infant seats are also designed to double as carriers or rockers, so provide added convenience. Alternatively, you may wish to use a convertible seat, which can be used as an infant seat and converts to be placed in different positions as your child grows.

 No matter which car seat you choose to use for your child, ensuring that it is safe and in line with state and federal regulations is crucial.

Uratex Promotes the Value of Sharing Moments Together.

Filipinos enjoy cherishing the times we share with family, friends, and loved ones especially during the holiday season. For the majority, the best memories are created inside the bedroom where family members bond or catch up with each other before they call it a day.

Giving salute to the importance of family traditions, Uratex, who is celebrating 50 years this 2018, unveiled a Christmas-themed video to celebrate family memories made inside the bedroom, their common area of solitude, and the bed, a central and key witness to that celebration.


The video starts by showing a young man longing for the love and company of their mother, supposedly an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW). He has not seen her as she has not come home for the past three years working overseas. Not a day passes that the young man misses his mother, where he shared many fun and memorable moments with her while at his bedroom during his childhood. And now that Christmas is near, the longing is felt more than ever.

Meanwhile, the young man’s elder brother also does his best to overcome his yearning for their mother’s presence by focusing all his strength on his job. He silently cares for his brother’s needs and sees to it that his younger brother continues to strive to be the best individual that he can be. But like his younger brother, he misses his mother as well.

Alas, their wish was granted on Christmas Day when, as they try to celebrate Christmas just like in the previous years without their mother, they were pleasantly surprised with her arrival. The joy in the younger brother’s eyes was evident with their mother’s presence in a special time such as Christmas, finally, as one family.

For the elder brother, the arrival of their mother was the perfect time to tell her that he is now ready to take on the responsibility of caring for the family’s needs. With their mother’s long-awaited homecoming, it will be the perfect opportunity to create new memories again together—as one family.

Uratex Philippines, the undisputed leader in the foam manufacturing industry believes that family love and comfort are always at the forefront in the tradition of selfless care and service to the Filipinos. Uratex believes that family love, caring and looking out for the welfare and greater comfort of each other is vital. Each Uratex bed provides ultimate comfort to promote a healthful and relaxed sleep night after night. This helps invigorate the body so it will remain fit and fully charged to make each family member ready to face life’s daily challenges.

For Uratex founders Robert and Natividad Y. Cheng, the products that they’ve developed over the past five decades have been uncompromising when it comes to celebrating the beauty of love and life. Each mattress that rolls out of the company’s manufacturing facilities is the result of the Chengs’ vision to share comfort with every Filipino. With constant innovation, Uratex products remain synonymous to rest and relaxation, love and comfort.

After their mother’s arrival, what special Yuletide celebration awaits the two sons?
Watch this special video courtesy of Uratex Philippines produced by Mode Devi Media Group in collaboration with Project Geekid Productions & Wonderlast Film.

For more of Uratex, visit www.uratex.com.ph or follow them on Facebook, www.facebook.com/UratexPhilippines.

Five Expert Tips for Hiking with a Baby.

Hiking with babies seems much easier now than when I had my babies. Today, the baby carriers seem sturdier. The parents seem sturdier. So do the babies! Some of my fondest memories are of my babies in their carriers, their big eyes gazing around contentedly while the scenery rolled by.

I think it makes sense to get babies out on the trail while they're portable, light weight, and still figuring out what a "normal" family routine consists of. If they're indoctrinated into trail time before becoming verbal or mobile, they simply accept that hiking is what the family does together.

Hiking with babies and toddlers is more art than science— what works for one family may not work for another, but here are a few tips and tricks that we’ve picked up as our family has grown.

Hiking with the little ones? Why not?! :)

Invest in a Good Quality Baby Carrier
You’re not going to want to just hold your baby in your arms while you trek up the side of a hill or mountain, or try to push a baby across rocky terrain in a stroller. Instead, you’ll want to use a baby backpack carriers for hiking that can be strapped to your body.

Once the baby has good head support (typically after six months old), then a hiking backpack that props the baby up high so they can look around is golden for keeping baby happy on hikes.

Check the Weather Forecast Before Making a Plan
A trail can seem pretty easy until a little weather blows in. Take note of this as you head out. Ideally you want to make sure you always have stable footing when carrying baby, especially if it’s a new trail for you and you are carrying baby on your front. As you head out, think about how long the hike is going to take. Plan a turn-around time. Remember if you head out for 60 minutes, you’ll still have to hike back.

Dress the Baby Appropriately
It’s easy to spot a child when they’re dressed in bright colors and it’s easy for a child to spot a grown-up if we’re wearing bright colors too! Toddlers can learn the ‘Hug A Tree’ method if they are lost. The steps are to stop, sit down next to a tree and blow a whistle. We practice this with our toddler when we hike and he always hikes with a whistle around his neck. We like to hike with our toddler between two adults or directly in front of us so we can see him.

Bring a Partner and a few Vital Baby Supplies
Hiking with a partner is smart even without a baby in tow, but becomes even more important when a little one is depending on you. If something were to happen while on the trail, the other person can run for help while you stay with the baby.

Also, your hiking partner can carry either the baby or the backpack with the baby supplies during the hike. You don’t want to bring the entire contents of your diaper bag, but a few vitals are important to have: a couple diapers, wipes, pacifier if your baby uses one, bassinets for your baby, plus an outdoor blanket and a change of clothes in case of a diaper blowout if the climate isn’t right for your baby.

Try a Quick Hike with Your Baby Close to Home
If you’re still feeling daunted by the thought of going out into the wilderness with your baby away from all your creature comforts and all that baby stuff you feel you need, or aren’t sure how your baby will handle a hike, just try a quick hike close to home. Even if it’s just a walk around the neighborhood, you can try out the carrier, see how your baby does on the walk, and start to get comfortable with the idea of hiking with a baby. You may even find you love it and that it’s time to get out there and explore with your little one!

We’ve learned not to set speed and distance goals when hiking with babies and toddlers, sometimes we spend more time playing with a log on the side of the trail than we actually do hiking— other times we never lose sight of the trailhead. But, with a little bit of planning and a little bit of patience, hiking with babies and toddlers can be a great way to see the outdoors.

After Infertility: An Unexpected Path to Parenthood

Sometimes life presents us with uniquely difficult challenges. To be told that you aren’t able to get pregnant and have children with your own eggs seems insurmountable – and absolutely crushing. It can lead to a dark path of hopelessness, depression, and even anger. However, many couples and single women who have trouble getting pregnant are finding faith in others. IVF using donor eggs is one possible solution for your predicament.

Waiting for the sound of little footsteps...

Struggling with Infertility

Due to the nature of the female reproductive system, women over 35 have a greater chance of encountering difficulties with conception and carrying a pregnancy to term. There are many reasons for female infertility, but they can be categorized into two broad groups: problems with the environment (uterus, fallopian tubes, and hormonal balance) and problems with ovulation/egg quality. 

As women get older, the quality of their eggs deteriorates - along with their chances of getting pregnant and carrying a pregnancy to term. Women who decide on having a child in their mid-to-late 30s often discover that their eggs are no longer viable. These conditions are easily tested.

The emotional roller-coaster that follows the news can be quite emotionally taxing. Many women seek professional counseling to cope with the resulting anger, depression, or feelings of hopelessness. These emotions are perfectly healthy reactions to such a distressing situation. When the shock subsides, however, many couples choose to pursue fertility treatments to fulfill their dream of having a child.

Donor Eggs as a Path to Parenthood

Oftentimes, women go through several fertility treatments before they explore the possibility of undergoing IVF using donor eggs. In the past, donor eggs were considered something of a ‘taboo,’ as the future child wouldn’t bear the mother’s genetic legacy. This viewpoint, however, has diminished over time as more couples use donor eggs to beat infertility.

Finding a Suitable Donor

After you choose an IVF cycle using donor eggs, finding a suitable donor is perhaps the most time-consuming step. This process usually takes hopeful parents-to-be a few weeks to several months, depending on their preferences. Common considerations include: the donor’s physical characteristics, background, education, as well as ethnicity.

Legal Concerns

After you choose a donor, it is important to have all legalities regarding the donor’s involvement in the child’s life on paper. If you are using a donor egg bank, the bank takes care of these concerns for you.

Choosing Between Fresh or Frozen Donor Egg Cycles

Depending on the cycle method - fresh or frozen - the donor pool and procedures differ.

A fresh donor egg cycle requires a donor who is local to your area and available at a time of your choosing. Furthermore, all costs pertaining to the donor’s travel/medication costs are paid for by the recipient, which makes this method rather costly.

On the other hand, if you decide on using a frozen donor egg cycle, you have the chance to choose a donor from a national donor registry. This donor pool is significantly larger, and provides the opportunity to choose a donor based on more criteria relevant to you. Because the eggs in this cycle are already harvested, all medication costs regarding the donor are already covered in the price.

The Implantation Process

If you decide on a fresh donor egg cycle, you and your donor will undergo a hormonal treatment to synchronize your periods. The donor’s ovaries are stimulated to produce many eggs. From these, only the highest-quality eggs are fertilized with your partner’s (or a donor’s) sperm and then implanted into your uterus.

If you decide on a frozen donor egg cycle, your donor’s eggs are retrieved from storage and delivered to your fertility clinic. These eggs are then thawed and fertilized with your partner’s/donor’s sperm. Three to five days later, the strongest embryos are implanted into your uterus.

The Waiting

After implantation is successful, a rest period of about 2 weeks follows. This period is vital for you to recover your strength from the journey so far, and to emotionally prepare yourself for the outcome.

Giddiness, anxiety, or even mood-swings are completely normal. Professional counseling or an emotional support group can help you immensely with dealing with these errant emotions.

The Big Moment

After the waiting is over, you’ll go back to your fertility clinic for your pregnancy test. It is of vital importance to be emotionally prepared for the result. The blood test checks your hCG levels to determine if you are pregnant.

Almost there!

Final Notes

The decision to use donor eggs, of course, lies in your hands. However, many women use this latest advancement in fertility treatment to fulfill their dream of hearing their children’s angelic voices in their homes, and enjoy strong, stable, and happy families.

The Top 5 Benefits of Co-sleeping with your Kids.

Kids and sleep go hand in hand, which is a good thing because sleep is very important. However, parents need just as much sleep but the question has always been, should you or should you not sleep with your kids. There are people who would never allow it because they tend to think that the kids will become clingy and dependent but there are those who prefer to sleep with their kids every night.

What most people believe is that co-sleeping affects the child psychologically but study show that it does not affect cognitive or behavioral development in kids negatively. As a matter of fact, co-sleeping has numerous benefits and affects the children positively in the long run.

Co-sleeping, why not? 

Ease of breastfeeding
Co sleeping with the kids while they are young allows you to breastfeed without having to leave the bed. The child does not even have to sleep in the same bed as you because you can use one of the best rocking bassinets as a co sleeper. Mothers who sleep next to their babies are more attuned to their babies as they are attuned to their mothers as well. The mother will react to the baby stirring and feed them before they start crying.

Kids get enough care giving and everyone gets enough sleep
When co sleeping, the mother does not allow the child to cry since being close allows them to feed the baby sooner. When the baby does not cry then nobody has to get up and everyone in the home gets enough rest through the night.

Co sleeping babies get a lot more attention and protective care than those who sleep separately. As a matter of fact, parents who co sleeps exhibit protective behaviors like cuddling, stroking more adjusting the blanket at least five times more.

Higher self esteem
Study has shown that boys who co-slept with the mothers between their births to five years have higher self-esteem and experience less anxiety and guilt. For girls, co sleeping is associated with comfort about physical contact and affection when they grow up. Co sleeping promotes intimacy, confidence and self-esteem.

Positive behavior
A study shows that children who never co slept with their parents are harder to control, throw more tantrums and are less happy in general. These children also experience more fear than those who co-sleep with their parents all night.

Safety advantage
Co sleeping had safety benefits in the sense that kids do not fall in deep sleep that can cause life threatening apneas of breathing pauses. When kids sleep with their parents, smelling their mothers close or hearing them snore helps them, to sleep lighter.

Conclusion
Study has shown that co sleeping exhibits a feeling of satisfaction in life. Kids who sleep with their parents also know that they have nothing to be afraid of in the bedroom and once they grow old enough to sleep on their own, they are more positive and feel more secure about sleep time.

Child Welfare and Parenting Plans.

Not all the parents who lose touch with their children have chosen to do so — sometimes, it is the system in place creates unnecessary conflict.

We support the Government’s commitment to family values and the call for parents to recognize their responsibilities. It is a very depressing fact that 30 per cent of all children in the UK (almost 3 million) have lost touch with one of their parents. This affects not just the parents and children, but also the grandparents and other family members with whom the children are denied contact. It is of little surprise that those children tend to go on to perform less well at school and are more likely to become victims of crime, drink and drug habits.

Photo credit; Not Just Cute.

However, it is a mistake to assume that all these parents have chosen to lose touch with their children. Many are driven away by a system that creates unnecessary conflict during separation. (Reference: boutiko.co.uk)

We believe that the answer is to adopt arrangements which are less adversarial and improve the child’s welfare by presuming that, unless otherwise shown, children are best brought up with the love and guidance of both their parents. We urge the Government to include provision for mandatory Parenting Plans in the Family Justice Bill. Written clearly and without needless bureaucracy, these plans require parents to agree on how to manage their children’s lives, covering everything from holidays to homework; thereby building confidence and reducing the risk of major disputes later. With almost as many parents now separated as are together it is imperative that we get this right for children and families.

This post was contributed by the Wedding Folio Website.

Children Learn to Smile from their Parents.

Thank you Mommy Bubbles, for capturing my son's smile. :)

A Wordless Wednesday post.