Motherhood they say it’s a natural thing…but, I’m grateful for these 10 simple items that made it more uncomplicated. I did experience Trial and Error in choosing what brands will work for us, I also consider asking help and recommendations from other moms. But the list below are my personal choice, and I’m not endorsing or soliciting anything. Of course, the lists can go on…I’m up for the adventure of discovering more.
1. What to Expect Book Collections – When Expecting, The First Years and The Toddler Years
These book collections are like my coffee table books. By reading them, it seems that I’m a walking “expert” and an instant medical practitioner. Even now that Chase is past the toddler years, I refer on the Ready Reference Portions of the What to Expect the Toddler Years by Eisenberg, Murkoff, and Hathaway.
These book collections are like my coffee table books. By reading them, it seems that I’m a walking “expert” and an instant medical practitioner. Even now that Chase is past the toddler years, I refer on the Ready Reference Portions of the What to Expect the Toddler Years by Eisenberg, Murkoff, and Hathaway.
2. Philips Avent Bottles & Sterilizer
The sterilizer is very efficient and very durable. It’s very easy to use and to maintain. We had the Express Electric Sterilizer. The Avent Bottles were perfect companion for bottle feeding by its clinical claim on reducing colic. As my son grows, we were able to easily shift the bottle nipples to soft spouts.
This is a must have! Even now we still use it. When Chase was 3 month old he got a bad episode of Seborrheic Dermatitis or Cradle Cap. ( Please see Dealing with Cradle Cap for more details.)Good thing I discovered Aveeno Baby it in duty free, we started applying this to his face and using it as his lotion, scars cleared up. We even used this in lieu of diaper rash ointment, true enough it really did prevent or stopped rashes.
Up until now, we have this an all around cream. Our nanny sort of consider it a wonder cream, whatever rash/redness or skin irritation, we just put it, and it cleared up. When Chase is running a bad case of Runny Nose, which caused him to have irritation/dryness around his nose area, we just applied Aveeno. We alternately use the unscented and the lavender scent. The Lavender Scent we usually used it when I give Chase his daily dose of massage. Yes! Just like me, he got into a habit of loving massage. 😀
I buy my Aveeno in Puregold Duty Free, over the years, its price increased by a dollar. It sells more expensively in supermarkets or in Greenhills. In the US, we got a supply of this for around $5 each relatively the same price in Clark. But we have to buy in the US since they usually run out of stock every now and then in Puregold.
4. Curity Gauze Cloth Diaper
We rarely use them as nappies, since we got lucky to have gifts of Pampers Diapers from the US, then eventually tried out local diaper brands such as Pampers Baby Dry, Huggies and Pro-Kids. The Cloth Diapers, which I still restock my supplies of them, as make shift receiving blanket, burping clothes, and now for wiping out perspiration from my very active boy.
5. Johnson’s Baby Shampoo
We like the scent of the Pink Variant for Detangling, which now comes in Blue. For me Johnson’s is my obvious choice. 😀 Note though, that when I buy it abroad, from Singapore and Vietnam, I recommend that you have to pack it tightly. Make sure that it was in a separated plastic cause, of the times I brought it over a plane trip, the content actually spilled. My sister experienced the same. It sold cheaper in Singapore and in a pump size, just take note of the careful and tight packing it required just to be sure.
6. Baby Wipes
My preferred brand in order of preference are Kirkland (US), Huggies (Imported) and Pro-Kids (Local). I prefer it to be made of cotton like material, if the scent is not tested or tried as one that you will like, I recommend going for unscented. The Huggies comes in various scents and effects, I personally like the one with Shea Butter in Yellow Packaging. The Pro-Kids is a wise alternative since its scent is refreshing and the material offers hypo-allergenic claim and a fact.
7. Saline Solutions as Decongestants
Unfortunately for us, Chase got regular allergy attacks and frequent runny nose episodes. Even now, he is in 6 month period medication of anti-asthma/anti-allergy. To ease up on the use of over the counter decongestants, we alternately use Salinase, or other more expensive alternate Brands such as Physiomer and Sterimar. In our last US trip, we discovered an supermarket brand called Baby Saline, it works the same way as the Sterimar, but cost half the price. Chase seemed to prefer this also since it is not as salty as Salinase. Saline Solutions work as natural moisturizer, non-addictive and help ease away stuffy nose. Caution though, it could still be uncomfortable to apply since I also experience resistance from my son on his not so good days.
8. Chicco Duo Play Gym
I feel blessed that we were able to provide or even to splurge on toys for Chase. I buy him mostly educational toys, while his dad buys him boy toys –RC’s, GI Joe’s, Xbox, Transformers etc. More importantly, he got great selections of toys as gifts from his grandparents, godparents, aunties, and uncles. Lucky for all of us! 🙂 But if I have to choose the all time best toy, considering the educational and other developmental contributions, I would go for this toy. We got it as a gift from one of his godparent during his christening. True to its product feature and description, it really keep up with a busy baby. It made it keep still to enjoy the sounds, lights and the thrill of encouraging kicking, touching and reaching out.
9. Barney
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| Barney Rules! 😀 |
Yes, of all the baby videos/cartoons now available. Barney is really a classic! At first, I didn’t get the fascination for this Purple Dinosaur, his dad didn’t even want to talk about it. So in his first few months, I let Chase watched Baby Einstein, although I couldn’t really tell if he was that interested. But when Chase turned 1, he started enjoying Nickelodeon, like then original cast High-Five, but I noticed that the topics were too advanced for Chase…so I made my first try of Barney Episodes. He enjoyed watching it till he was 3, even every now and then. Barney really covers the basics. Both in educational foundations but also offer basics emotions and social interactions. Most Valuable lesson to date from Barney is “Clean up, Clean up!”. The song is what we sing, and what Chase sings when I’m making him fix his room and pack up his toys. 😀
10. Last but not certainly the Least, Chase’s Ate (Nanny)
Being in the Philippines, allowed most moms and homes to enjoy employing help. 😀 To date, we had 4 nannies. We like to call them our Angels. The first one, I had even before Chase was born. I was sorry to lose her but she had to go on Chase’s first month, since her reason for seeking employment was due to her marital problems, and she left 2 kids back home. She was sort of rebelling. But despite that, she was efficient and committed at helping us out. So when she worked it out with her family, she went home. Basically, I was on my own during the first 4 months of Chase, up until I had to go back to work. But even we had help, I was with Chase 24/7…except for his first week when he had to stay behind in the hospital as precautionary infection treatment because I broke into a fever during labor, I forgot the specifics of it…*Brief Background: My water bag leaked at 8pm, we went to the hospital 10pm, went into 10 hours plus labor, wherein my bag of water broke during that those time, had fever around 7am, then only to be advised around 9am, that I had to undergo C-Section.
Let me just mention how hiring help went out. First we paid for their basic medical exam, stool, urinalysis, blood and Chest X-Ray. Then I state the guidelines.Well, others can call me Obsessive Compulsive or even a paranoid, but we can never be sure.
Going back on my 2nd and third angels, the second we had her for only 3 months, we had to let her go, because she cannot take being reprimanded. Worse, I arrived from work, even worst, I’m with my office mates, only to find her talking to the security guard right outside our condo unit, leaving Chase by himself. He was 5 months old then. The 3rd Angel, we were also sorry to see her go, she stayed with us for a year until Chase was almost a year and a half. Her parents actually decided to send her to college. Surely, we cannot stand in the way of her dream.
Our Angel, our beloved Ate Jane, we have her since. Almost 3 years and hopefully counting…:-D When I was still pursuing employment, she was a full time help for Chase, we got another Angel solely in charge of house work. But since, I’m 24/7 physically available and Chase started going to school. She started most of the house work. Maybe I would like to talk more about having help even when a mom decided to stay at home, on another topic. Because, I noticed that it posts an issue to others.
One thing I’m sure, motherhood is a 24/7 vocation. If circumstances or by choice, a mom cannot be there physically, it doesn’t diminish her value as a mom. The emotional aspect is always there.
A Lifestyle Blog of Chic & Sassy Mom 
Hi there! I'm a new follower, and incidentally in search of an \”angel\” as you put it 🙂 I'd like to know sana where do you get your househelp? Are they from agencies or you personally know them? Thanks! 🙂
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Hi! We got her for referrals. I think it's better to know, as much as possible, her side of the family. So we ask friends (even friends of friends) for recommendations. 😉
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im thankful to have the 5,6,8 on your list,i'm not lucky enough to find a household help who can i entrust my kids..
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I can relate to your post about having \”Angel\”,because I used to be a working Mom. It took us some time to find for a trusted one and luckily have it.Have been C.S. too on the same situation that my bag of water broke up earlier that expected.
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I may not be a mom but I can relate to what you said in this post especially about nannies. My only nephew had 2 nannies when he was born until he was 3 months old. But because he was seeking more the \”smell\” of her nannies more than my sister-in-law, she decided to stop working which my brother was very happy about so he can look after my nephew personally. Until now, she is the one who sends and picks him up at school everyday. Being a mom is one heck of a job! 🙂
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im a wahm and i bfeed. i dont pump and i dont have househelpers but im thankful my babe is happy and my husband is very responsible and supportive on me bfeeding JC. :)I also read and do my research when I was pregnant to get me ready on the big push day :PWetwipes are my savior when we are out, no water to tap and babe's smelling poop. 😛
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As a mom, i'm thankful that i can give my kids what they need, even if i can't give them everything they want. 🙂
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