Baby Planet

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We've made a traveler out of Layla. She's been to Town Center thrice, Quezon City about a dozen times, and Aba's house every week. Bringing her to a high school reunion in Town Center was no problem last Friday. She's a very good girl who fusses only when she's hungry or extremely sleepy. She could only take a little over an hour of the adult chatter, though, so we met up with Ninang Bianca in the supermarket and went home early.

The first time I brought her to Town Center, I went alone to escape the expectations and the pressure of neo-motherhood. I decided to go on a dry run! Hehe. So that I could discover on my own what it's like traveling with a baby and what the bare essentials are -- diapers, changing pad, wipes, water, etc. I forgot a few things and took note of them on my handy dandy notebook (Blue's Clues!) so I had a great time, and I think Layla enjoyed her first trip to the mall. I'm so glad I went alone with her. Far better than having someone with you who'll comment on things like I should've brought this, I should've done that...not that it will definitely happen, but prevention is always best. Hehe.

I keep thinking, God gave us a lonely planet baby, a backpacking baby, a quiet observer that will tag along with her parents wherever we go. I don't need bottles because she's breastfed (Just a bottle of water when it gets too hot) and I love it when I'm carrying her and she gets excited about toys or colorful swimsuits.

Although I have a problem with the stroller that we bought for her. It's a wonderful 3-in-1 Syncon USA stroller that has an infant carseat that can be taken out when Layla's old enough for the stroller itself. I've used it many times, but the cushions are so thick, Layla's always sweaty and hot. I end up carrying her around the mall half the time...if that's the case, I might as well just bring my baby sling instead. So anyway, I made a few calls and researched on the net and decided to purchase the Maclaren USA Volo. It's got a mesh seat for Pinoy heat, but you can also put a cushion and some other cool extras if you purchase the accesory set separately. It has great reviews but isn't available here, and Amazon can't ship it. So I've to have it sent to my cousin's house in SFO so that my auntie can bring it here in May. Yeah, I've to wait a month but it's ok because it's for babies 6 months and up and Layla will be 6 months old by the time it gets here.

It's also the most affordable one selling at 99$, with the accessory kit selling for an additional $50. It's a little pricey for most, but I think it'll be worth it. We need it, especially since we'll be going out of town this summer, and for the rest of the year for sure. I'm very busy and I might as well take Layla around with me. A lightweight umbrella stroller like the Volo is just what I need, so I'm very excited.

Meanwhile, I can't wait to go out of town with Layla and the rest of the family. She's going to be one well-traveled baby.

Earrings (and circumcision): Why waiting means love.

Before I begin with today's post, fyi! Layla didn't get the J&J ad. Aw. The ad came out last Sunday and I haven't posted about the shoot because I don't have her pictures yet, so I'll post about it as soon as that's settled. Anyway, it was worth a try. And for a few hours, I discovered what it was like to be a bitter mother. Haha! Carry on!

After a long day last Tuesday, I took Layla to Doktora Paulino for...I don't remember what, but we decided to place earrings on her little ears. Hehe, talk about segue!

Doktora got excited and brought out a bag of teeny tiny earrings for me to choose from. I had seen other baby girls with purple, pink, yellow or orange crystals; but I knew what I was looking for. A clear crystal, the simplest and most dynamic of them all.

Layla was crying way before Doktora even pierced her ears. Marking the earlobes with a pentel pen was actually teh toughest part. I sang to her as our temporary yaya Sonia bound her hands and feet (Oh, she hates that. She never enjoyed being swaddled as a newborn.) and she screamed and screamed and looked at me with that why-mommy-why look on her face. She cried for a whole 2 minutes and I immediately offered my breast and she was herself again, laughing in the house as if nothing happened. She was in a comfortable and safe place that provided much fun and relaxation.

Apparently it's better to wait until your baby girl is 3 months old before you have her ears pierced because her ears will be fully developed by then and the doctor will have an easier time marking and piercing them in the right places. I remember asking the nurses in St. Luke's why they recommended that I have Layla's ears pierced right away. They said because newborns couldn't move much yet, which makes sense, but Doktora's reason is better. Syempre I want her earrings to be on the right place.

Many friends and family told me that I should've had her ears pierced right away, but I had my reasons to wait and I'm so glad I did. I heard horror stories -- earrings getting stuck in in the playpen, tangled in strings, yanked off, etc. -- plus I had an earring hole infection when I was very young and having the doctor push pus out that tiny hole was no joke!

The main reason, however, was that she had just gone through the whole birth canal ordeal and to pierce her ears would've caused unnecessary pain, which is why some of the mothers I've spoken to don't agree with having their baby boys circumcized immediately after birth either. It's just too much pain too soon, and having them circumcized as infants can cause problems for breastfeeding because the baby's in so much pain, he can't learn how to latch on and nurse properly. There have also been reports that some doctors take out too much skin, so it's very painful when the boy grows up. It pays to wait, I tell you. Babies will feel the pain, but at least it's not sunud-sunod, you know what I mean? Your child will not experience pain in 2, 3 or 4 consecutive days.

So celebrate your child's birth, introduce him or her to the world, and then take it one day at a time. One vaccination shot here, earrings months after, and lots and lots of loving in between.