Selecting a Child Safety Seat

We decided that our baby will be riding in a child safety seat while travelling starting from the time that she will be brought home from the hospital. There is no law in the Philippines requiring babies/toddlers to be secured in a car seat but research has proven that it is truly the safer way.

There are traditionally 4 common types of car seats.
1. Infant Car seats. Rear facing and fits new born babies, 6 months to 1 year old depending on the weight and height of the baby. Weight limit: 4 to 22-35 lbs.

2. Convertible Car Seats. Both rear facing and forward facing options. Once the toddler is big enough, the seat can be installed forward facing. Weight limit: rear facing 5 to 30-45 lbs and forward facing 20-80 lbs.

3. Combination Car Seats. Forward facing only and can be used also as high back booster seats. Weight limit: 20-90 lbs in harness mode and 30-120 lbs when used as high back booster.

4. Booster Car Seats. Forward facing only and doesn’t have a harness of it’s own. It is normally used to help position the vehicle seat belt correctly on the lap and shoulder of the toddler.

Rear facing seats are still the safest and safety advocates are suggesting that children be rear facing for as long as possible. This is because during a crash the force is distributed towards the whole seatback of the car seat instead of just the harness. It also protects the delicate neck and spine of a child that is still developing. Here's an informative video here.

Since there are convertible car seats that can accommodate a newborn as well, we decided to skip the infant car seat and get a convertible car seat. Almost all of the car seats in the local market has a weight limit of 40 lbs and most have short shells. Our baby might outgrow the seat by height instead of weight, not to mention that the good brands are priced in the five digit range.

We again went to the online shopping route and we got an Evenflo Triumph 65 LX convertible car seat for USD118.99 from Albeebaby. It can accommodate 5-40 lbs rear facing and 20-65 lbs forward facing. It has a non-rethread harness height adjustment and a knob adjuster for harness tightness. It is one of the more compact installing convertible car seat that would install well in our compact car based on research from the car-seat.org website.

Mission accomlished for Denden.
Now, we just have to wait for the shipping.

Choosing the Baby Stroller

I only requested for one thing for the baby stroller, I wanted it to be reversible, meaning I could have the option of the baby facing me when I'm pushing, unlike what we typically see. That's my only specification. I let hubby do the research. I was hesitant into buying a stroller outside of the country but I just let him decide. After weeks and weeks of going to various baby shops, asking for a demo on the strollers, and after nights and nights of searching the web, joining forums and reading reviews, he finally found the right one.

Thus, below is his first official contribution to my blog.

We never knew that choosing a stroller could be so daunting and confusing. There is never a one perfect stroller that fits all your wants and needs. Here is a shortlist of our requirements combined:
1. It should be reversible, baby should have the option to face parent or the world.
2. It should be usable from birth.
3. It should be sturdy, even if you hang a diaper bag on the handle bars, it won't topple backwards.
4. It should have a reputable brand, for the tried and tested quality.
5. It should have an easy and compact fold, to fit in the car's trunk considering there are other items on the trunk.
6. Over and above all of these, it should be reasonably priced.

We scouted local stores for strollers that would meet our needs but found that there are only a few models that would suit our requirements. These are the Inglesina Zippy Free at Mothercare, the Bugaboo Bee at Hobbes and Landes, the Quinny Buzz and Quinny Zapp Extra at Baby Company. But these strollers are too pricey and so we then decided to explore further and found out that there are lots of choices for reversible strollers in the US and they are actually cheaper.

What worries us is that the stroller can't be inspected before being shipped to the Philippines. But our Ninang Rose who resides in LA was generous enough to let us have the items shipped to her house so the items can be checked before shipping.

We are initially eyeing on the Pliko Switch at Amazon or the Uppababy Vista in Maya color since it was on sale at PishPoshBaby. But, it's a good thing that we held off purchasing because a better deal just happen to came along! It was the Britax B Ready Free Ride promo. The B Ready is more versatile compared to the Pliko Switch, at the same price. And, it has the same functionality with the Uppababy Vista but the B Ready is cheaper.



Simply put, buy a Britax B Ready stroller and get a free infant car seat or second seat or bassinet. We opted for a free bassinet since we plan on getting a convertible car seat that could be used from newborn to toddler and we don't need the second seat (at this time).

The Britax B Ready is a single stroller. The seat can be reversed and the stroller can be converted to a double stroller with the addition of a second seat. The B-Ready's balance is extremely good that several reviews mentions that a second child can climb in the second seat without the stroller toppling over.

All in all there are 14 possible configurations. The basket is spacious and it has a high seating position for the baby. Safety harness is easy to adjust. It can be pushed with one hand since the handle is one piece; plus the handle height is adjustable so that a tall or short person can push comfortably. It has all-wheel suspension and the Britax's brake system is one touch. It is a full size stroller so the fold isn't too compact compared to the umbrella stroller. When folded, it is wider but it is shorter. And the wheels can be detached if there is really a need for space.

We got ours from Wayfair. They have the stroller on sale on top of the free ride promo. So for USD379.99 (roughly Php16.6K), we got the stroller that best suits most of our requirements, with a free bassinet.

Good job Denden!

Happy Birthday to my Bestest Bestfriend in the Whole World

Not everybody finds their soulmate.
But I am one of the lucky ones to have been given the privilege.
I found you.
Tried and tested.
Gravity defied.
Time challenged.
Space ignored.
Distance defeated.

The only thing that have always kept us and will always keep us in this sisterhood of friendship: L-O-V-E.

I look forward to the day when Annika becomes baby's bestest best friend. While Alfons becomes baby's boyfriend. As you said, like Monica-Rachel-Ross in Friends.

October 22: Sixth Maternity Checkup @W22

A quick update on the other two check-ups:
August 23: Fouth Maternity Checkup @WW14. Tita Cel just checked on baby and we got clearance to ride the airplane to visit Sister in Singapore. Yey!

September 24: Fifth Maternity Checkup @WW18. Somehow hoped that this is ultrasound day but it was postponed for next month. But it is always nice to hear baby's heart beating. Additional prenatal vitamins were prescribed: extra calcium and extra iron because my RBC count is a little low.

I was both excited and nervous for the congenital anomaly scan. More than finally finding out baby's gender, I needed to hear that she's healthy and perfectly fine. We had it done at In My Womb at Taguig.


And because of the complete attendance during the scan: Papogs, Shashing, Mamacherub, Bamba and the talkative little boy with the "Asan? Di ko kita si baby p!", and the friendly and reassuring words of the OB-Sonologist, my fears were brushed aside and immediately replaced with pure joy.

Ten fingers, ten toes, nose, lips and eye lens seen and normal. Other organs were seen as well. Baby is 517 grams with heartbeat at 152 beats per minute. The doctor describes to us what she sees and tells us that everything is as it should be.

As for baby's gender, at first, due to baby's position and movement, the doctor wasn't too sure, but near the end of the scan, SHE finally revealed herself. Papogs didn't want to believe and asked the doctor if she was already sure. Hahaha!

We had a glimpse of our angel in 4D but she's shy and she kept on covering her face with her two hands. After almost an hour, the scan was finished and everything I heard were music to my ears.

Today we brought the results to Tita Cel and she was happy with the results as well.

I couldn't thank Him enough for this little life that He entrusted to us. And for my little babygirl, I can't wait to see you, and touch you, and love you more.

Seeing Baby Move

22 Weeks Pregnant

I'm on my 22nd week and that is more than half way though the pregnancy.
The past weeks, I have been feeling some movement on my tummy but I wasn't sure yet if that's the baby or something else. Described on my pregnancy bible, fetal movement can be any of the following: flutters, butterfly wings flapping, gas bubbles, growling stomach, twitches, light tapping, like a little fish swimming. I've had all those and I've been calling hubby, putting his hand on my tummy but he hasn't really felt it yet.

Last night, all set up in bed, I felt a strong movement on my tummy. What I did, I called hubby, rolled up my shirt and told him to look at the part of my tummy where I felt the movement. We stared a few seconds, recognizing my normal breathing movement and there it was! A sharp bulge on a small part of my tummy! It was like a very sharp kick from a little foot, or a very strong push from a small hand. We were both in shock, in awe, and my heart jumped with joy. Pure happYness.

Then I remembered, today marks ten years since we last saw Mommy Rose. And somehow, it made me even happier with the thought that it was her making baby move last night. To make me feel them both.

Yoquito Turns 1

Yoquito turned one. I had to let baby sister adopt him for a few months now, because my pregnancy. It was hard maintaning him the most, of all the dogs in the house. I'm sure baby sister takes care of him, more than how we could, given the current situation.
Last weekend, we celebrated his birthday by giving him a treat and a new a toy. We played with him for a while and he seemed very happy. Eventhough he's happy with baby sister in his temporary home, he missed us and we miss him a lot as well.

Old Friends

I wrote a post about her before she left. And after four and a half years, she's back to visit us. Yes, that's four and half years. Now, their family is doubled. I mean, they aren't only two, but they are already four.

How time flew. I was very happy to see her and how much has changed over the years. Most of all, she got what she has always wished for, and more. They've been blessed with two cute baby boys and we were lucky to see them.

Indeed, it's nice to see good "old" friends.
Thanks for taking the time to see us, Suzy!