A Mommy Forum for a Mother-Baby Friendly Philippines

Mommies unite for an afternoon to support and promote breastfeeding

Even before I got pregnant with my baby, I'm really planning to breastfeed because I've heard so much benefits about breastfeeding. When I gave birth, I've had soooo much pain in laboring for 17 hours! I'm so hungry, but can't eat, I feel like all parts of my body is aching! I've had all my anesthesia injected but the pain was still there! I'm crying to my husband, saying that this is the first and last baby! And thinking to go through CS section, but I'm very happy I ended up in Spontaneous Vaginal Delivery! I really can't believe that I did it!

My baby when he was 4 days old

That's not the end of my painful story, when we got home, my breast was so painful, It was big and hard. My baby was crying because the milk doesn't come out! Then my parents says that I need my husband's help for that matter. After that, the pain was gone because my baby can easily suck it without so much effort and my milk was smoothly flowing. It was quite hard because I'm not used to it but later on, I easily breastfeed my baby, It was a success! I purely breastfeed him until 6 months old, no other food, no formula milk, and even water, just pure breast milk. Until now, I'm still breastfeeding my 3 year old baby boy to sleep. All my suffering and sacrifices paid off because having a baby is such wonderful blessing and he brings so much happiness to our family!

Breastfeeding may be considered a challenging phase of motherhood but the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of breastfeeding for mothers and babies truly make the journey worthwhile. While more and more mothers recognize that breastmilk will always be superior compared to formula milk, there is still a need to spread awareness on its benefits and to encourage people to support breastfeeding.

In response to the global campaign of protecting, promoting, and supporting breastfeeding, World Vision Development Foundation, in partnership with the Department of Health, launched Mother-Baby Friendly Philippines. This two-year project aims to:

1. Support and strengthen the implementation of Executive Order 51 (The Philippine Milk Code of 1986), Republic Act 7600 (The Rooming-In and Breastfeeding Act of 1992), and Republic Act 10028 (The Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009).
2. Increase awareness and educate health professionals and the public regarding these laws.
3. Encourage people to promote, protect, and support breastfeeding by involving them in monitoring the implementation of breastfeeding laws in the country.

Carleneth F. San Valentin, Health and Nutrition Technical Programme Manager of World Vision Development Foundation, believes that encouraging mothers to nurture their child is a way to empower a mother’s ability to breastfeed and care for their child. “We are here to educate mothers so that they are empowered to make the right choice in nurturing and caring for their child. We want them to realize that if these laws are not implemented, we are impinging on their rights and of their child’s,” she shared.

According to Dr. Anthony P. Calibo of the Department of Health, this responsibility to uphold the breastfeeding rights of mothers is not just the responsibility of concerned organizations and government sectors; it is a responsibility of the general public. “If a mother is investing herself for the betterment of the future of her child, then she is also investing in the betterment of the future of this country,” he emphasized.

To stay true to their mission and vision for this project, the team conducted Mommy Forum: Mother-Baby Friendly Philippines last October 2, 2018 at Little Owl in New Manila. #MBFPH was graced by mom celebrities like Camille Prats Yambao, Jennica Garcia Uytingco and Erika Padilla.

Erika Padilla, World Vision Breastfeeding Ambassador, shared her breastfeeding journey. “It is a huge sacrifice. It is difficult, painful, and a lot of work. But definitely worth every single drop because I see my son getting stronger and healthier every day,” she recalled. Her story encouraged more moms to share and ask for more tips from Erika as well.

Rommel Fuerte, Executive Director of World Vision Development Foundation, reminds long-time moms and new moms the reason behind this gathering: the breastfeeding normalization is still a work in progress and it’s a must to constantly promote and protect breastfeeding to empower moms and to ensure a healthy start for their children.

To know how you can support Mother-Baby Friendly Philippines, log on to https://mbfp.doh.gov.ph/ or download MBF PH via Google Play or Appler Store.

#SuperAweSMKidsDay at SM Supermalls

Play, shop, eat, and win at Kids’ Month

#SuperAweSMKidsDay at SM Supermalls. Fun-filled playtime experiences await kids and kids at heart at the #SuperAweSMKidsDay celebration this October 6. As part of SM’s Kids’ Month, parents can treat their kids to a fun weekend with everything they love to do in their favorite SM malls – play, shop, eat and win!

Kids these days are always on their smartphones and gadgets – with less time to play and interact with other kids. As SM Supermalls marks the start of Kids’ Month, moms and dads are invited to take their youngsters out to indulge in fun-filled playtime experiences at the #SuperAweSMKidsDay happening on October 6 in 65 participating malls nationwide.

“To our super kids, we dedicate this day to you with everything you love to do at SM – play, shop, eat and win! Everything’s here for you so make sure to enjoy it with your moms, dads and the whole family,” said Jonjon San Agustin, SM Supermalls senior vice president for marketing.

Here is a list of super activities at #SuperAweSMKidsDay:

1. Play #AweSM. Give the kids the chance to interact with other kids by letting them play their best-loved arcade games, try different rides, or meet their favorite characters such as Shopkins, Paw Patrol, Shimmer & Shine, and other surprise guests!

2. Shop #AweSM. Another great alternative to playing on smartphones is playing with toys! Shop for toys, clothes and Halloween costumes at the SM Kids and Toy Kingdom booths. Also never miss The SM Store’s Babies and Kids Fest, where parents can score up to 50% OFF on various kiddie essentials this whole month of October.

3. Eat #AweSM. Kids can take a break from staring at TV screens by indulging in kiddie-rific sugary treats such as cotton candies, ice creams, pizza from Greenwich, donuts from Krispy Kreme, and more!

4. Win #AweSM. Put your kids’ camera skills to good use and have them capture family fun moments at SM. Share your experiences on www.smsupermalls.com for a chance to win P5,000 worth of SM gift certificates in the nationwide #AweSMKidsMonth promo this  October 6.

It was in May of this year when SM kicked off our #AweSM 60th anniversary celebration. From Mom-and-Me moments in May, DADventures in June to Grandparents’ Day in September, SM concludes its 6-month #AweSM festivities with fun-filled happenings this Kids’ Month – #SuperAweSMKidsDay, The SM Store’s Babies and Kids’ Fest, the #AweSM Pre-Holiday Sale, United Nations Day, and Halloween among others – in SM malls all over the country.

For more information about SM’s 60 #AweSM years, visit www.smsupermalls.com.

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For exclusive news about SM Supermalls, visit www.smsupermalls.com or follow SM’s official social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; and get an insider access to all the fun happenings at SM Supermalls nationwide through SM’s Viber Public Chat. Tweet your thoughts, upload and share your photos about your memorable moments at SM, then use its official hashtag #EverythingsHereAtSM.

Elevate your baon experience with kyaraben bento

Even before they become parents, couples put a lot of time into thinking about how to raise their children. Every potential mom and dad wants to make sure that their kid will eat right, have individual interests that help them grow, and friends that will help them be better. They think of all the fun things they will do together, days they will spend in the park or indoors, putting together puzzles or playing games or doing art projects.

When the kids do come along, though, it’s hard to resist letting the technology do all the parenting for you. A tablet or phone with games will keep a child occupied for hours, that is, when the television isn’t available. The reality is, everyone is pressed for time, and it’s not always easy to find activities you can do together with your younger kids.

The same goes for the children’s diet – health sometimes has to be sacrificed for convenience. While the occasional hotdog and chicken nugget meal can be overlooked, no parent is immune to the feeling of guilt when they find out that processed food is all their child wants to eat, most likely because it’s all they’ve ever known. Nutritious yet tasty food like vegetables and fish seldom make an appearance on the dinner table because it has become a struggle for parents to coax their kids into eating them.

Luckily, there’s a simple solution to both these parenting dilemmas. With a little time and effort, you can introduce healthy food like Gold Seas Tuna Chunks by making kyaraben bento meals with your child. Once done, these packed lunches can then be sent off to school with them, as well as to work with mommy or daddy. It’s a simple activity you can enjoy together every day that also teaches your child about proper nutrition. Kyaraben bento making also encourage kids to explore different tastes and textures which will eventually lead to better eating habits.

Making this a fun and interactive activity for your kids, even preschool ones, is easy. In turn, they’ll love being able to participate in an “adult” activity and get a sense of pride and accomplishment when they get to eat what they made later in the day.

Cute kyaraben as made by Frances Sales @TopazHorizon

What is kyaraben bento?

Kyaraben is basically baon in a lunch box. It makes creative use of healthy ingredients like veggies, fish, meat, rice, and noodles to create fun and whimsical images that children just can’t resist. They usually feature popular cartoon characters or things that children easily identify with like animals, plants, scenery and portraits or faces.

While it’s easy to get intimidated by the contest-quality bento boxes out there, remember that you don’t have to come up with ultra-cute characters for your kids to appreciate it. As long as they have a hand in making it, they’ll love it.

The key is to think out-of-the-box. Plant broccoli “trees” topped with cheese and garlic in a bed of tangy Lemon and Pepper Gold Seas Canned Tuna, nestle egg “chicks” in a carrot and cucumber hash nest, or march little hotdog octopi across fresh salad waves.  

Make mornings kiddie kyaraben time
Here’s a bonus: it’s easier to get kids to wake up on time if they’re looking forward to playing with their food. And with more hands at work on the task, you can complete the bento in no time.

Set the younger ones to work on washing the rice and veggies while you cut and cook. Just make sure that they have a hand in assembling the final product. There’s nothing quite like the look of wonder in a child’s eyes when they finish a bento with you. It’s also equally satisfying to know that the bento box your child has carries excellent nutritious food.

Tuna themed bento box by Kelly Misa

Try to vary what you pack in their lunch boxes to keep it exciting. Use different vegetables and switch up your meat – pork fillets, fried chicken, and tuna patties made from Gold Seas Tuna Chunks make great lunch proteins. Gold Seas Tuna Chunks is an ideal ingredient for bento lunches because it’s rich in Omega 3 and DHA, is packed with more lean tuna meat and has lesser oil content compared to other brands which means more wholesome, chunky goodness for your kids and the entire family.

With a few simple tools, a lunch box, time, and the right ingredients like Gold Seas Tuna Chunks you get to spend mornings with your child and guarantee that they are learning to appreciate healthier options.  

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Gold Seas Tuna Chunks
Gold Seas Tuna Chunks is the pure, healthy, and chunky tuna choice for you and your family! With only premium tuna caught through sustainable fishing practices, every can of Gold Seas Tuna Chunks is filled with wholesome tuna goodness you will enjoy to the last bite. Gold Seas Tuna Chunks is available in all leading supermarkets, groceries and convenience stores and are offered in 90g (solo) and 185g (sharing) variants. To get the latest news and updates, like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram @goldseastunachunks