Agony of an OFW Mom

How does it feel to be away from your family? How painful it is for a wife to leave her husband? How miserable it is for a mother to leave her kids? And why does she have to go?

It’s terribly painful for a mother to leave her kids. I don’t know how it feels to be away from my child, but I have seen the desperation and misery from the eyes of those mothers I’ve been with when I was abroad. They wanted to be with their children but they just had no choice.

How does it feel missing the birthday celebration of your child? All you can give is your remittance so he/she could have a grand birthday party. How depressing it is for a mother to learn that your child is sick? You cannot kiss, hug, or even caress your child longing for your comfort. A mother will always be a mother as they say it. How many Christmases, New Year celebrations, and school recognitions have you missed spending with your family? How many balikbayan boxes have you sent to substitute for your absence?

The pain of being away from your family especially from your child is horrible wishing you could do something about it. But all you could do is just stare at their pictures, always wishing, hoping, and praying that they are doing fine.

We're ready to go...

I'm already on my 37^th week which means that my baby is already in his full-term, yipee! I am oh so excited but also nervous at the same time. I don’t know how it feels to be in labor. Since I am a first time mom, I am new to this kind of experience, everything is my first.

I have already prepared my baby’s things. My baby hasn’t arrived yet but he already received early gifts. We’re so blessed to have family and friends who are always there to give support and love.

Onesies, receving blanket, bibs, washcloths, mattress, etc.

Philips Avent baby bottles, breast pump, food container, etc.

Baby's health care kit, teether, toys, etc.

Huggies diapers - small, medium, and large sizes

Shoes given by baby's cousin and ninang

Baby's books, educational materials, and toys

Disney jacket, Mossimo shirt, and Ralph Lauren sweater

My Big Baby

I went for a pre-natal check-up today and also had a Biometry/Biophysical Ultrasound at PGH. I was surprised to know that I was just 36 weeks pregnant but my baby’s fetal length is already of 38^th week. He already weighs 6.6 – 7.2 pounds. Oh my gosh! In this case, my doctor advised me to limit my food intake - only one cup of rice three times a day, and to eat only fruits in between meals. Since it’s Christmas season, I have no choice but to abstain from eating sweets, no leche flan, buko salad, cassava cake, etc.

We are going to try to deliver normally but if I cannot prevent my baby’s growth inside my tummy, my doctor told me that I might undergo a caesarian section. What can I do if he’s really big? His father is big, so I guess it’s in his genes. Well, for now, all that matter to me is to deliver my baby safely in whatever way it may be.

MY CHRISTMAS WISH THIS YEAR: A NOKIA C7

12 days before Christmas, I have just one wish and my Christmas will truly be a very MERRY Christmas! If Santa’s real, I want to tell him that I have been good all-year ‘round, so please grant my wish – a NOKIA C7!

Why do I want Nokia C7? I have always wanted to have a touch-screen phone. When I learned about the features of Nokia C7 in http://www.nokia.com.ph/, I know I wouldn’t want anything else. Why? In a person, we define ‘beauty’ as something seen inside and out; same with this phone, it’s beautifully crafted inside and out, the design,  the features, the usefulness, it is definitely an all-in-one phone.

Fears of an Endometriotic Woman

According to Wikipedia.org “Endometriosis (from endo, "inside", and metra, "womb") is a gynecological medical condition in women in which endometrial-like cells appear and flourish in areas outside the uterine cavity, most commonly on the ovaries.”



Endometrial tissue (shown in green) can attach to many of the pelvic organs.

                               http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca/

 I was never aware of the disease until I was diagnosed of having it three years ago (2007). I was so fearful, frustrated, and depressed when I learned about it. My world fell apart.  

Didn’t know I was already having problem with my ovaries until I felt the symptoms: bloated stomach, constipation, nausea, and pain on my right pelvis.

I traced my family background and learned that two of my aunts (my dad’s sisters) also had endometriosis. So my case was hereditary. My aunt had her ovaries and uterus removed when she was 26 years old, luckily, she had one son before the diagnosis. My other aunt had her right ovary removed already, and had two daughters, but just recently, the left ovary and the uterus were also removed.

Mom's Checklist

I’m already on my 32^nd week, so we’re waiting for only more or less 5 weeks for our baby’s arrival. We have already bought some baby stuffs but we still need to buy some more such as receiving blanket, bibs, rubber bath mat, etc. Those marked items are the things we already have for our baby, so I guess, only few more things we need and we're good to go. Actually, in the below list, not all of it should be bought, only those that are really necessary. Abdominal binders are discouraged by pediatricians nowadays because it can interrupt the baby's proper breathing. I have learned from one of the seminars I attended that for newborn babies, baby powder is not allowed because it can cause asthma. Unlike in the US, having a car seat for the baby is not mandatory here in the Philippines.

This checklist from www.babycompany.com.ph is very helpful for first-time parents like us.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Can't wait to watch Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1! It will be shown in cinemas on November 19, 2010.

Actually, I'm not an avid fan of Harry Potter novel. I haven't even read a single book of J.K. Rowling. Would you believe that I started watching Harry Potter just a few months before the showing of its sixth installment in 2009? The good thing is that I was able to watch the series continuously, without a need for me to wait every year. However, after watching the six series of Harry Potter, I have learned to appreciate the movie and the story and understood why there were so many Harry Potter fanatics. So now here I am waiting for the two-part ending, LOL!

Harry Potter Plot: (taken from Wikipedia.org)

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

LJS Annual Bodega Sale

Expo Mom Bazaar 2010

from http://mommypages.com.ph/

I was not able to go to their last Expo Mom few months ago, so I don't want to miss this one. See you there moms!

Changes in my Life

When I got pregnant, a lot of things have changed. There were things that I used to do when I wasn’t pregnant that I had to stop doing now. There were things I had to sacrifice because I want everything to be okay for my baby.

1. Goodbye to my favorite chips!

 I have to cut back on eating salty foods, so goodbye Pringles, Cheetos, Lays, and PikNik.  But I am oh so craving for salty foods, whew! An old friend of mine from Uzbekistan told me that if I crave for salty foods when I am pregnant that means that my baby is a boy. I superstitious beliefs are “only in the Philippines” but I guess people from different parts of the world have their own myths.

2. Sweet becomes sour, sour becomes bitter…

My taste buds have changed. I used to finish chocolate bars weighing 400grams in just one-sitting, but now, I don’t know, I just don’t want to eat chocolates anymore. Most of all, I don’t like the color of chocolates that’s why I don’t eat it. Chocolate-lover turned chocolate-hater? There are foods that I used to eat when I wasn’t pregnant that I could no longer eat, not for any other reasons but it’s just that I simply don’t like it…LOL, weird!

 3. Nose of a wolf.

Ewww! My sense of smell seems to be very sensitive nowadays. I hate the smell of cooking oil. Even from afar, I can smell whatever I can smell, and I hate it. I so like the smell of peanuts being sold on the streets. I feel like a dog sniffing around finding where this or that smell is coming from.

 4. Hello pimples!

I remember having one pimple on my forehead once in a blue moon only when I was still a teenager (between 15-17 years old); but now that I am already 28 years old, oh my gosh, I really panicked the moment I saw not just one but more than three pimples on my forehead. I feel so helpless that I could not treat it because as per babycenter.com, differin gel (adapalene) is not allowed for pregnant woman. Well, it’s okay, I hope that after nine months it will all be gone!

5. It’s getting hot in here.

I want to take a bath three times a day because it’s so hot in here! Aside from the fact that in Dubai our house is air-conditioned all over and here in the Philippines it’s not, it just feels so hot, really hot. My body temperature has changed. During the first trimester, I was enjoying the feeling that my underarms weren’t sweating, but immediately at the beginning of the second trimester, gosh, do I have a faucet in my armpits? I don’t know what happened.

Get a Chance to Win CLINIQUE Travel Set

I’ve been using Clinique products for three years now. Thanks to my friend who’s a beauty advisor from Clinique for letting me try out their products, since then, I have never used any other facial products.

 I am using Clinique’s Three-Steps which includes Facial Wash, Clarifying Lotion # 3, and Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel. I used to have a very oily skin but when I started using Clinique, my colleagues have noticed the change in me and have never stopped complimenting me for having such a beautiful smooth skin. It’s kinda pricey but when you use it, you’ll never regret every cent you spent because it’s all worth it!

Travel set given by a friend

Even with make-ups, I only use Clinique products because it’s just light and gentle on skin.

I am a certified Clinique addict that whenever I travel, I never fail to have my picture taken in Duty Free Clinique Shop.

You can get a chance to win Clinique Travel Set (Take The Day Off Travel Size, Blushwear Cream Stick Mini in Rosy Blush, and Travel Dish) from Dash Estefani and you too can have a smooth skin like mine. The contest runs from November 2-23, 2010. So what are you waiting for, check out dashhash.wordpress.com.

MY BABY AND ME Seminar

My husband and I attended the Seminar “My Baby and Me” last Saturday, November 6, 2010 at Shangri-La. It was very informative. I have learned a lot especially in Breastfeeding topic spoken by Dr. Anthony Calibo (Pediatrician).

What’s more exciting was that the sponsors were very generous. Unfortunately, I did not win the raffle. But I got freebies from Avent: food container, 4oz feeding bottle, 1 sachet of nipple cream, and 1 sachet of shower bath gel. Ooops, and because I was so attentive to the speaker, I won a Breastfeeding manual since I was able to answer his question, nice!

My (not so good) IN MY WOMB Experience :-(

I had a 3D4D ultrasound at In My Womb in their Makati Branch last October 30, 2010 (Saturday).I availed their Ruby Package for Php 4,000.00.

my smiling baby

suplado si baby

I set an appointment with Dra. Sheila Illescas early September to make sure that I will be their first patient because I have read in the forums that even though you have scheduled for an appointment in advance, when you come there, it will still be on a ‘first come first serve’ basis.

We arrived there at 2:00pm and advised the staff to just contact us once the doctor has contacted them because according to her, Dra. Sheila usually texts them on what time she will arrive. So, we first strolled around the mall until we received a text message at around 3:30pm saying that the doctor cannot come because her patient was hypertensive and she cannot leave her so just re-schedule her appointment on Tuesday, that’s all. We came all the way from Imus, Cavite just to learn that the procedure cannot be done, so we rushed to the clinic to ask if they have any other doctors. To our surprise, there was another doctor sitting in the clinic who can do the procedure. I was a little upset because we were not informed by the staff who texted us. But I just let it pass.

Boy or Girl?

Everybody’s excited to know the gender of our baby, how much more are we? Everyone’s been telling us that our baby’s a girl because I am pretty while pregnant. I thank them for the compliment, but deep within me I can feel that they were all wrong. Maybe that’s what they call ‘mother’s instinct.’

I had a 3D4D ultrasound at In My Womb in Makati last October 30, and the first thing we saw on the screen was the genitals of our baby…IT’S A BOY! When we got home, my husband and I have been discussing who between the two of us really wanted a baby boy; I told him that it was him since he is the guy and wants his baby to carry his name but he’s been telling me that it was me because when we got married, we’ve already started buying some baby stuffs and I was the one doing all the picking of things, and to my shock, those that we have bought were all for a baby boy. Well I guess that’s what we call ‘faith’.

As a mother, now I understand more, it doesn’t really matter if it’s going to be a boy or a girl, what matters is that my baby will come out safely, healthy, and normal, nothing more to ask. I still thank God for this little angel inside me!

Gadgets…gadgets…gadgets…

I will be selling my blackberry phones for an IPAD, whew! Yeah, I thought I cannot give up my Blackberry Curve 8900 and Blackberry Storm 9500, but when I saw the IPAD, without hesitation I know I can let go. Another reason is, I am back here in the Philippines where I’m sure that my gadgets won’t be safe and neither I. Whenever I bring with me my phone and then ride a public vehicle, I feel so ‘praning’ thinking that the person behind me or beside me might be a hold-upper or snatcher. Yeah, I know it’s not right to think bad about your neighbor, but let’s face it, that’s reality, and I’m here in my own country. I am no longer living in Dubai where no one cares even if you wave your expensive phone up high, or leave it just beside you while busy doing other things.

Goodbye to my pre-loved Blackberry phones.

Blackberry Curve 8900 and Blackberry Storm 9500

Blackberry Curve 8900 with complete accessories



Blackberry Storm 9500 with complete accessories

Inside a Mother's Heart...

I started to feel my baby’s movement inside my womb at 16 weeks; it just felt like a worm inside tickling me. But now, on my 25^th week, gosh, my baby kicks hard that sometimes it feels as if he’s playing volleyball inside that every time he throws the ball, it hits my tummy. It doesn’t hurt yet, but for the past three days, been having sleepless nights because he is now awake at around 2:00 am that I need to get up and eat to pacify him.

Every morning, I listen to classical music of Mozart because they said it can stimulate my baby’s brain as early as now. Then, I read Bible stories to my baby, and since he can already hear my voice, he keeps on moving until I finish reading. I keep track of my body weight and waistline size to see how my baby is growing, and feels so happy whenever there’s an increase in pounds and inches. But of course, I have to watch what I eat; it should be a healthy gain for me, so I just keep on eating fruits, yoghurt, rice, and cutback on sweets.

As a soon-to-be-mom, worries and fears hit me sometimes. Will my baby come out healthy and normal? Can I deliver him normally or do I need to undergo caesarian section? I can’t help not to think of those until the final moment but at the same time I just put my trust on God who has control everything. During this time that I know I can’t do anything, I believe that only God can do something.

Faith vs Superstition

My husband and I really wanted to have a baby. So, while we were still in Dubai, we had already bought baby stuffs (Philips Avent baby bottles, Graco stroller, baby clothes and shoes, and some other baby accessories) in preparation for having a baby. There were some people telling us not to buy stuffs ahead of time because it might pre-empt the event.  We respect the “pamahiin” that we Filipinos have but then, we held on to our faith that God will surely bless us with a precious child someday.

My husband bought me a book entitled “The Pregnancy Journal” by Christine Harris (A day-to-day guide to a healthy and happy pregnancy). Take note, I was not even pregnant yet at that time. He really searched over all the bookstores there, and once found, he had it reserved and bought it immediately. Another book he bought is entitled “Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy”, which is nowhere to be found here in the Philippines but is really very informative.

By faith we fought, we dreamed…and it all paid off. Thank God!

Simply Maternal

My husband and I attended the two series Simply Maternal Seminar conducted by Asian Hospital and Medical Center last August 21 and 28, 2010. Well, I have learned a lot about pre-natal care and newborn baby care. Good thing there are hospitals such as AHMC that are conducting seminars that are beneficial to pregnant women and first time moms like me.

The admission was free and they were also giving away freebies: Enfamama Milk, Avent container and breast pads, Pigeon wipes and breast pad, and J&J wipes, cologne, and oil. They also gave free snacks.

Me? Pregnant?

When I have learned that I was pregnant, I was overjoyed. Couldn’t express in words how I felt. This is it! We’ve patiently waited and prayed for it; finally, God blessed us in His perfect time. Having a very complicated medical history made this pregnancy really a miracle for me and my husband. I undergone surgery three years ago (September 2007) due to Endometriosis, then on December 2008, when I came back home for a check-up, I was said to have Polycystic ovaries. I had to take non-stop hormonal pills for six consecutive months as medication, so I thought it would take a long while before I conceive considering I have a retroverted uterus. Six months after I stopped taking the medicine, I finally got pregnant…thanks be to God!

Had a pregnancy test on May 13, 2010

Life outside Pinas

I admire OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers). Yes it’s true, they are the ‘heroes of today.’ They are heroes to their own families that they have to fight the sadness, aloneness, and homesickness of being away from them. They have overcome ignorance and fears of being a stranger in a foreign land. I was once an OFW and I enjoyed it - learning new things, adjusting in a new place, meeting new people. I was earning a lot, approximately five times of my salary when I was working here in the Philippines. I was able to buy branded clothes, watches, bags – shop till you drop! I was able to buy my family anything they requested. But in spite of living a comfortable, secure, safe, and let’s say, a bit luxurious life, it was not at all worth it. Each day of my life, I worried about my parents who were getting older day by day. I used to think of the days, months, and years that I was not able to spend with them and it made me feel regretful for the wasted time. Material things were just not enough to fill in the emptiness inside you being away from the people you love. Then I realized that sometimes, ‘A SIMPLE LIFE MEANS A HAPPIER LIFE’ Four years spent outside of my native land is enough, I want to go home. And here I am…happy and satisfied…no regrets!

Burj Al Arab in Dubai

The Wedding

According to Wikipedia, ‘Wedding’ “is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage.” There are some who prefer to have a solemn ceremony witnessed by families and few friends only. There are others who want to have a grand wedding celebration with almost the whole town residents invited. Others prefer civil wedding over a church wedding not because of lack of money but for practicality reasons. There are some who think that they will only receive God’s blessing if they are wedded in the church. We have different opinions about wedding, it doesn’t really matter how it is celebrated, what would matter in the end is the reason why it was done – because there are two people who love each other and want to spend the rest of their lives together – MARRIAGE.

The Countdown Begins...

100 days to go and it’s…CHRISTMAS! Oh, how I miss celebrating Christmas here in the Philippines. I can really smell it as far as now. Can now see lanterns being sold in the streets, Christmas lights in some of the houses, and castanas (chestnuts) back in the market again!

It’s still early to think of gifts to give but already started to think of some gift ideas. I’m just so excited because now I’m back here in my home country wherein we celebrate Christmas at the longest time compared with other countries. But along with that excitement comes fear…because as reported in the news, Christmas-related crimes such as bag-snatching, picking-pocket, hold-upping, and other modus operandis will proliferate once again. Well I guess that’s part of life, we just have to be more careful and more cautious about our surroundings and never forget to pray for our safety.