My baby’s first meal.

As babies hit the 6 month mark, their nutritional needs increase because of their rapid growth and development. Moms, on the other hand, get excited to plan out and prepare meals for their babies. Seeing our bulilits eat is a milestone that we all look forward to with joy and excitement. At this stage, you would often see first meal photos, messy, and happy ones. But as days, weeks and months pass, moms would definitely agree that the experience on feeding babies and transitioning them to solid food differs from one child to another. For some, it is easy. But for some, it is quite challenging and for others a bit frustrating. It would mean for us moms lots of patience, perseverance and love.

I have talked to 4 other moms since I myself need tips on feeding my baby as she just turned 6 months old this month. These moms highlighted the importance of 3 things: 1. Giving the right nutrients. 2. Complementary feeding. 3. Introducing different flavors and textures.

Giving the right nutrients
Giving the right nutrients is the most important thing to consider when feeding babies. Moms will do everything to ensure that they are able to provide the needed nutrients and will exhaust all means possible.

"It usually takes me a long time when I’m at the baby food section of a grocery store because I go through the ingredients’ section of each and every item before it goes inside my shopping cart." says Rachelle Carpio, mom to Riri and blogger.

Cebu-based blogger Sweet Selma and mom to Sven shares, "I do spend time planning Sven’s food and make sure he gets everything homemade.  I am proud to say that it is freshly prepared but sometimes I am not so sure if the nutrients are retained while I prepare his food."

Complementary feeding
Aside from serving vegetables, fruits and breastmilk to babies, these moms revealed that they include #CerelacPh in their babies' diet since they discovered that Cerelac is an integral nutrient source for them.

Sven mixing his Cerelac Dry Cereal

"Though I know that homemade or organic food is mostly preferred by most moms, I mixed Cerelac [dry cereal] in Sven’s daily meals because I am confident that what he gets from Cerelac is the complete nutrition he needs fortified with iron, minerals and vitamins.", Mommy Sweet explains.

"Cerelac became an integral nutrient source for Sven because I know that I am giving him the appropriate balance of protein and carbohydrates in one solid meal without worrying if the nutrients are still intact for his development." she adds.


"My daughter loved the Cerelac [dry cereal] with mixed veggies." quips Mom blogger Angel Enero and mom to Eliana.

Mom blogger Cheryl Polican, mom of three, shares that her daughter is a picky eater unlike her boys whom had no problem eating. "Meal time is always a struggle, except when she gets Cerelac [dry cereal]. It's the one thing that she likes. I'm glad that I can count on Cerelac to be appetizing and nutritious at the same time." she adds. 

Momy Rachelle comments, "Cerelac Nutripuffs has become a staple on my list as it is made with whole wheat and fruit bits and which has the good stuff -  Iron, Vitamin B1, and fiber. It’s a good supplement for my growing baby who needs nutrient-dense food in her diet."

Riri loves Nutripuffs

Mommy Jonalyn Munoz, mom to Kaitlyn, shares, "At 10 months old, I did not hesitate giving Kaitlyn the Cerelac nutripuffs because it has calcium, iron and vitamin B1 needed for her to stay strong and healthy. Snacking with Cerelac nutripuffs is fun and healthy because it is made of whole wheat and real fruit bits."

Introducing different flavors and textures
These moms find Cerelac helpful in introducing different flavors and textures to their babies.

To get her daughter used to different textures, Mommy Cheryl varies the consistency of the Cerelac [dry cereal] mixture. "We've also discovered the Cerelac Nutripuffs and she likes to munch on it too." she adds.


"I believe that mixing Cerelac with Sven’s food has helped him in adjusting to different flavours and textures. It was easy for him to play with textures from mashed fruits, finely chopped vegetables and tasting smooth or lumpy foods." says Mommy Sweet.

"It has encouraged Sven to chew and discover each flavour. Sometimes he may resist the taste but every time he progress from one recipe to another I know it broadened his appreciation for food textures and tastes.  It also encouraged him to self-feed because I let him play and explore while taking his meal by touching, tasting and smelling them which he enjoys the most." she adds.

Mommy Angel mentions that Cerelac Nutripuffs is one of her daughter's favorite snacks and that it provides her to experience new textures and new food experiences.

"When my daughter Riri hit the 8-month-old mark, all cues show that she’s ready to transition from mash and pureed food to firmer finger food. Cerelac Nutripuffs was the perfect finger food as the texture allows her to do more mouth movements – chomping and chewing." Mommy Rachelle shares.

She further adds, "Not only that, the Nutripuffs was also the right size for her to hone her pincer grasp skills. Cerelac Nutripuffs comes in two variants which are Banana & Orange and Banana & Strawberry.  The flavors aren’t too overpowering for my baby’s taste buds.

Mommy Jonalyn shares that giving Cerelac Nutripuffs helped her child's motor development like picking, pinching and munching.

She says, "The [star-shaped] puffs is just the right size for my Kaitlyn’s little fingers. So easy to pick and eat." 

"Because she already knows the real taste and texture of banana, orange and strawberry she even loved the Cerelac Nutripuffs." she adds.

"What I love about it is that it is not too sweet unlike the other baby snacks even adults can munch on it and sometimes I am guilty of it." she further comments.

So if you are looking for a safe, easy to prepare and preservatives-free food for your baby, do try #CerelacPH and see how it may help you in your baby's feeding journey. I am excited to try it too for my baby and would gladly share with you my experience. 

Day after day, I encounter different types of sales and promos from different stores and brands. So when I saw the #DiaperDealsDrive of Baby Company, I was left dumbfounded. Like a true blue millennial, charity works have been so attractive to me. It was unusual to see a promotional campaign that goes the extra mile on giving. Usually the charity drive is a separate one. Most of the time, they just offer big discounts and give freebies to customers. But this time, Baby Company took "giving" a step further by attaching a charity component in their promotional campaign. With this Baby Company makes their mission come to life which is to be the "...happy, dependable and thoughtful baby care partner.." of modern parents particularly moms.


With the #DiaperDealsDrive promotion, Mom Card holders are given an opportunity to automatically give diapers to children who need it the most by simply doing their usual diaper shopping.

I must say that Baby Company went all out in giving for this campaign. Availing of this promo is truly a win-win-win experience.
1. It gives customers a big discount in the purchase of diapers.
2. It gives customers a Php100 GC which they can use for their next diaper purchase when they buy at least P1500 worth of disposable diapers.
3. It gives PHP100 worth of diapers to the ones in need for every P1500 purchase of disposable diapers.

Aside from the diaper deals, a lot of other products are also on sale.

Safety 1st is on sale.

Fisher Price offers a good deal.

I was also able to buy some essentials for my baby and toddler.

A pack of 5 Cycles Sensitive Wipes is on sale.

J&J Milk range is also on sale.

Don't miss this chance to avail of the #DiaperDealsDrive promo, visit any Baby Company store this month of September, stock-up on diapers and pay it forward.


Baby Company regularly offers sales and promos, never miss a good shopping opportunity with big discounts by following Baby Company in its social media accounts:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/babycompanyph/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/babycompanyph/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BabyCompanyPH

*Baby Company's mission was quoted from the Baby Company website. 

Did you know that babies can run an equivalent of a marathon in a week's time? No wonder I was too tired running after my three year old baby girl upon joining the playdate organized recently by Pampers and Lazada to celebrate babies unstoppable play at Gymboree in Greenbelt 5. My toddler and the other babies tirelessly ran, jumped and played all over the place. It was noticeable that not a single baby felt restricted to move as no one had a saggy #lawlaw diaper. Many thanks to the best diaper in the world, Pampers, for its ultra absorbency and dryness.

To showcase our babies’ prowess, Southeast Asia’s biggest e-commerce portal Lazada and the world’s top selling diaper brand Pampers, are joining hands to produce the first-ever virtual #babymarathon. This one-of-a-kind feat is part of the Pampers x Lazada Super Brand Day, which will take place on August 29 (Wednesday). For one day only, Super Brand Day allows consumers to discover the best of what a brand offers, which includes exclusive gifts, limited offers and even offline experiences.


Be Part of the Record-Breaking #babymarathon
The 42-minute #babymarathon video montage, which will be aired on August 29, will feature hundreds of babies and toddlers in the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Singapore, all “running” in a relay race. In the final video, you may even find your child racing alongside Seve, son of Pampers ambassador Toni Gonzaga.

All diapering babies aged 5 months and above can join!

Simply follow the mechanics below:

1. Take a video of your baby walking, playing or running about in their Pampers diaper and post it in your public social media accounts.

2. Use the caption: My Baby (name of your baby) joined the Baby Marathon Challenge.

3. Add the hashtags: #BabyMarathon #SuperBrandDay #PampersxLazadaPH #Lazada

4. Follow Pampers Flagship Store in Lazada.

5. Encourage your friends to like your post. The one with the most likes, shares and comments will win.

OPTIONAL: You may choose to use the Pampers #BabyMarathon Frame (https://lzd.co/PampersFrame).

The grand prize winner will receive Php30,000 cash vouchers while the top 5 winners will get a 6 month supply of Pampers.


Join a marathon of Pampers Deals on Lazada
To help babies enjoy their weekly marathons free from wetness and the discomfort of lawlaw diapers, Pampers has put together a series of exclusive offers on August 29, 2018: Starting from 12 midnight, there are promotion offers up to 35% off on Pampers Baby Dry Newborn Diapers and PHP100 discount vouchers for minimum PHP3000 purchases, which are limited to a 1000 units only.

Lazada’s Group Chief Business Officer Robin Mah said: “We are proud to be partnering with Pampers, one of the world’s leading diapers brands for Super Brand Day to showcase the unstoppable energy of babies while offering moms exclusive offers and delight. It is also a chance to spotlight their babies through fun experiences.”

Akhil Meshram, Pampers Philippines Brand Manager said: “Pampers recognizes that one of mom and baby’s biggest frustration are sagging diapers, and how this can affect babies’ ability to move and learn from their surroundings. The #babymarathon is part of our My Baby Can Do That Campaign, where we hope to show how babies can do nakaka-WOW and amazing things when they have the freedom to move, especially in a less lawlaw diaper. Lazada, given its massive footprint across Southeast Asia is the ideal platform to amplify our efforts.”

For more information on Super Brand Day, visit Lazada.com.ph and its social media pages.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LazadaPhilippines
Instagram: https://instagram.com/lazadaph/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LazadaPH

For more information on Pampers, visit Pampers.ph and its social media pages.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PampersPh/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pampersph/

Days after I got married, I was faced with the inevitable - leaving my family home to live with my husband in our very own house. It was a bitter sweet experience. I was crying buckets since the moment I rode the car, reached my new house and slept. As I woke up with swollen eyes, full of excitement and fear, I faced all the responsibilities of a newbie homemaker. It really dawned on me that this time, I am an adult for real.

Here are the things my husband and I had to deal with:

1. Home styling and furnishing
This was fun to do since we had  a say on everything from sofa to bed to appliances such as  television, aircon, refrigerator and washing machine.  We enjoyed playing interior designer in all our rooms and it was fulfilling to see our dream home became a reality. This experience made us discover the creative juices hidden inside us.

2. Insurance
Since our house was a gift from my mother-in-law, we were saved from paying rent or monthly amortization. However, there are a lot of other house-related expenses that are important to have like a home insurance, property insurance and homeowners insurance in the Philippines. Finding the right insurance provider is key to getting the best security and protection for ones home. My husband and I had to scout for insurance providers and check what offers or packages better fit our needs and budget. This encounter made us to be cautious and vigilant.

3. Utility bills
This was a bit of a shock for me since I never really paid for the bills. For just my husband and I, we were surprised to see our electricity, water and cable bills. Seeing and paying the actual bills made me to be more mindful of aircon and water usage. My husband and I even check the electricity usage of appliances before we purchase it. This experience taught us to be frugal.

4. Cleaning and Repairs 
Maintaining the cleanliness of ones house may be challenging most especially to working moms like me. But keeping a schedule and a chore list (including checking of leaks) would be a big help. I found it helpful when I discussed this with my husband and delegated some tasks to him. There were even times when we had to delegate to a third person either a househelp or external supplier (laundromat or handyman) to do some tasks for us. This reality made us to be mindful.

5. Taxes
Though we didn't have monthly amortization, on a yearly basis, there is this expense called real property tax. This is something that should be anticipated on the first quarter of each year. It is an expense that responsible homeowners should know and keep track of. Failure to pay this would incur late charges and penalties. This experience made us to be honest and law-abiding.
But more than building and maintaining a clean and nice house, I was reminded that the most important part is building a home that is bright and cheerful. This requires even more maturity on our part and demands from us giving of oneself. It is challenging to do but that is what it takes to build a home.

I particularly like this description of a home that is usually used as a wall decal:
In this house...
We are real.
We make mistakes.
We say I'm sorry.
We have fun.
We do second chances.
We give hugs.
We forgive.
We do really loud.
We are patient.
We love.
We are family. 

May our homes be just like the things mentioned above. May it be more than just a structure but a place where life and love bloom. May our home be like a sampler of heaven here on earth where every family member feels accepted, loved and served.

Traveling with a baby and toddler even for just a short trip to the mall or to the park would mean bringing so much stuff and I admit that I am no light packer. Thus, I went on a search for the perfect baby bag.

For baby bags, I fell in love with the Ju-ju-be because of its function and style. However, most people think that the designs are the main reason why the Ju-ju-be bags have been a hit. But for me, the designs are just the tip of the iceberg and I can share with you 10 real reasons why it is such a great baby bag.


10 Reasons Why Ju-ju-be is a Great Baby Bag

1. It is Machine Washable. Yes! No need need for extraordinary means to clean this.

2. It has a Mommy Pocket. This pocket is spacious and has all the pockets to accommodate mom stuff. There's no need to bring a mommy bag.

3. It uses Metal Hardware. It doesn't rust. (Even if you wash it!)

4. It is made of Teflon Treated Fabric. The fabric repels stains (milk, chocolate - it can be removed with the help of baby wipes!)

5. It has Light Colored Linings. You can easily see the items inside. The designs are also very stylish!

6. It has Agion Treated Linings. Molds and mildew won't be able to "grow" in the bag. Thanks to this treatment!

7. It has Smart Pockets. It has a lot! Zippered? Non-zippered? This bag has all of it!

8. It includes Memory Foam Changing Pads. It is so soft and not the thin ones that usually comes free with regular nappy bags.

9. It has Insulated Bottle Pockets. It keeps drinks either hot or cold. No need to get a separate container!

10. It has Crumb Drains. It has little holes at the bottom of the back pockets, so moms can easily remove the crumbs out.

For short day trips, my Ju-ju-be bag of choice is the Ju-ju-be BFF. Like a real BFF, it has been very helpful and supportive to all my needs as a mom when it comes to packing stuff.