Why We Love Our Baby Sling or Why We Never Bought a Stroller

by Justine Camacho-Tajonera

When we were still taking our childbirth class, my husband, Vier,  and I got introduced to something called a baby sling. I had my doubts but Vier instantly fell in love with it. We also got introduced to a concept called attachment parenting, a term coined by one of its main proponents, Dr. William Sears and his wife, Martha Sears.  We both thoroughly support the movement and we've become advocates of breastfeeding as well, the natural result of attachment parenting.

Why a Sling?

My dad was puzzled over our decision to buy a baby sling. While the version we got was a little pricier than others in the market (it was made from a breathable Guatemalan fabric and supported by two heavy duty stainless steel rings), he couldn't fathom how this sling could possibly take the place of a baby stroller.

At the time, I told my husband that we could always try out the sling first and if we felt that we needed to augment with a baby stroller, we could always add a baby stroller to our endless list of things to buy for our new baby.

Surprise, surprise. Even after six months, we still didn't see the need for a baby stroller. We were still happily using our baby sling. It turns out that we never needed the stroller after all. While I never got to use it fully because of my right-left confusion, Vier was a pro. We would take the sling wherever we went and Vier would proudly wear our son, Badger, in the sling.

Read the rest of the blog at SmartParenting.com.ph. 

Image of Guatemalan baby in sling from Flickr.com/wmacphail.

Remembering my Postpartum Baby Blues

Now that I'm pregnant with my second baby, I know one definite thing that I don't want to have to go through again and that's postpartum baby blues. It was like PMS magnified ten times and completely unstoppable. When I hear of another mom going through postpartum baby blues I really symphathize with her because I went through it myself and it's very hard to accurately describe it unless you've experienced it.

Everything was Going Fine...

After a harrowing 14 hours of labor, going through the Lamaze Method, getting induced contractions, begging for an epidural after 12 hours of labor and then finally going under the knife for an emergency Caesarian section, my childbirth experience was far from a walk in the park. However, despite all the upheaval and first-time apprehensions, I made it through to the end. I remember the magical moment when my OB Gyne introduced me to my newborn son and I whispered his name and cried. I was raring to go. After getting knocked out with the anaesthesia, I woke up looking for my son. I insisted on visiting the nursery despite everyone's attempt to keep me bedridden (and recovering). I wanted to bond with my son as soon as possible and nothing would stop me.

Those first few days in the hospital were wonderful. Even if the pain from my wound was killing me, I just couldn't help staring at my son. I promised him that I would be the best mom ever. Now, that was in the beginning. Then my postpartum blues kicked in...

The Ultimate Drama Queen for a Month and a Half

When I finally got home with my bundle of joy, reality kicked in. Since I never attended breastfeeding class, I was having all sorts of breastfeeding problems (sore, bleeding nipples and anxiety attacks over whether my son was getting enough milk). To top it all off, with my husband's paternity leave all used up,  I was alone at home, recovering from a CS wound. I didn't have a close relative beside me, making sure I was okay. I didn't have a yaya yet (one of those things I knew I should have done before giving birth but just didn't have time to do).

In short, I was a disaster waiting to happen. I started feeling my postpartum blues kick in when I felt bad over my inability to produce my mature breastfeeding milk right away (apparently, this is a side effect of a Caesarian section). And when my milk did come in, I had no idea how to properly latch and position my baby. Given this, I suffered through painful breastfeeding sessions, crying my eyes out and then hating myself for wanting to give up.

Read the rest of my blog at SmartParenting.com.ph.

Image from Flickr.com/roblee.

Beginning All Over Again: A Second Pregnancy

The problem with getting pregnant only when you hit thirty is having a five-year window to get pregnant again without complications. That was why I really wanted to get pregnant last year. However, it wasn't time. This year, I'm finally pregnant again and I'm seeing a lot of differences between my first pregnancy and my second pregnancy.

Pregnancy Changes You Forever, Physically

One of the things that forever changed for me after my first pregnancy was my eyesight. I used to see just fine. However, after I gave birth I needed glasses. My nearsightedness kicked in. I realized that it's the kind of thing that's irreversible. I'll have to live with it and do some maintenance measures but the reality is: my body is very much different from the way it was when I was single.

Given that my eyesight changed drastically after giving birth, I think of what will change after I give birth the second time around. I'm expecting a heavier toll. However, knowing what I know, I think I can better prepare myself as well. I'm trying to eat healthier and taking supplements to make up for my nutrition deficiencies. I'm guarding against possible gestational diabetes as well because diabetes runs in my family.

There's an excellent book that talks about what happens after birth and the toll it takes on your body: Life After Birth by Kate Figes with Jean Zimmerman.  The book gives you a clear picture of what happens after birth not just a fuzzy, warm account of being a mom. It's realistic without being pessimistic.


Read the rest of my blog at SmartParenting.com.ph. 

Image from Flickr.com/mahalie.