Pregnancy Archives - Happy Pinay Mommy

How to Keep Night Sweats at Bay during Pregnancy

happypinaymommy — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 03:51:39 +0000

How to prevent night sweats during pregnancy

In a tropical country like ours, night sweats during pregnancy can literally be inevitable. Night sweats are your body’s way of responding to the drop in the estrogen levels in your body and add the tropical climate that we have then being sweaty for the next nine months can unfortunately be your pregnancy norm. For many, it may be too severe while others only get to experience it barely. From medication to home remedies, to buying a hi-tech bed cooling system, you can treat night sweats in a variety of ways.

You might be able to get some control over it but night sweats may not be completely curable. A constant reminder to self that this shall come to an end too will get you through this sweaty period.

Here are 5 ways that will help you overcome night sweats during pregnancy:

1. Bed Cooling Systems

Come to think of it, we’ve come a long way. From placing ice slabs under your sheets to cooling technologies like Bedjet and ChiliPad, technology has definitely helped us to sleep better by controlling night sweats. If you’re done with home remedies and diet changes and still don’t see a visible change, try investing in a bed cooling system like the Chilipad or Bedjet.

While the former uses water tubules that run through the mattress pad, the latter relies on a Wi-Fi controlled device that ventilates the bed through a small hose. The devices battle night sweats by keeping your mattress cool throughout the night which gets hot with the heat released from the body.

Sometimes, it’s your pillow that’s causing you night sweats and sleepless nights. So you really need to dig down deeper and find out the actual problem with your bedding.

2. Wear Cotton Clothing

Among all the other life changes you’ll be making, your wardrobe will be one of them. You need to buy as many cotton outfits as possible. Avoid silk and wool at any cost. That’s because cotton is more breathable than any other synthetic material and will assist you in a hot flash episode.

Another pro tip is to wear layers of clothes instead of wearing a thicker material. This way you can take off the additional layers when experiencing an episode and wear them back on when your body temperature is back to normal.

Stick to cotton when it comes to bed sheets as well. You do not want to increase the chances of a night sweat episode by sleeping in a bed sheet with a higher thread count.

3. Take a Cold Shower

Taking a shower cools the body.

Did you know that majority of night flash episodes are a result of personal hygiene problems? If you have exercised or have sweated in general, its essential to take a shower before sleeping. Showering relaxes your body by releasing endorphins in your body.

It brings down body temperature which keeps night sweats under control. If you’re unable to shower, running cool water over your wrists or splashing some on your neck will also bring down your body temperature.

4. Check Your Medication

Since pregnancy calls for a variety of medication that needs to be taken for multiple medical conditions like nausea and vomiting, night sweats may occur as a result of some medication that you’ve been taking. Over the counter medication can cause an increase in body temperature as a side effect.

Therefore, it’s important that you consult your physician and discuss your condition with them. Chances are that there might be other alternatives available for that particular medication without the added side effect of night sweats.

5. Stay Hydrated

Stay hydrated to keep the body from sweating profusely at night time.

Staying hydrated is key to preventing night sweats. Water flushes out the excessive toxins in your body and helps you stay consistently cool. By keeping your body temperature regulated, drinking sufficient water keeps night sweats at bay.

How much water is enough can be best told by your gynecologist. Although about 1.6 liters of water is the ideal consumption in women. Drinking natural fruit juices is also a healthy alternative in case you keep forgetting that you’ve to drink water frequently.

So there you have it, I hope I have somehow helped you manage night sweats that can make sleeping even more uncomfortable during these magical nine months. For more pregnancy-related articles, you may want to check out pregnancy section in the website here.

A Happy Homemaker is a Happy Pinay Mommy!

Left over make over: Sinigang na Lechon Kawali

The post How to Keep Night Sweats at Bay during Pregnancy appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Studios for maternity photo shoot in the Philippines

happypinaymommy — Mon, 19 Oct 2015 14:02:30 +0000

Scouting for studios for maternity photo shoot in the Philippines? (Photo Credits)

Are you scouting for a photography studio that could capture one of your life’s best journeys ever A.K.A pregnancy?

Then this post is for you. I have compiled a list of some of the local photography studios that offer pregnancy or maternity photo shoots.

Here is a list of Studios for maternity photo shoot in the Philippines:

1. Baby Love Studio – They have taken a lot of great maternity photos, which you may check out here. They are based in Multinational Village in Paranaque.

2. The Stork Studios – As I have mentioned in my post about newborn photo studios, Stork I think is one of the best when it comes to photography. Cliché as it may seem, but it is like they capture happy moments of your life and those of the persons you love. Check their sample photos and contact them here.

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3. The Picture Company – It may look like an all-baby photo studio, but they also do maternity photo shoots. They have a couple of branches in the Metro like in BGC, and Rockwell, and then in Greenbelt 5 in Makati (next to Gymboree). Check out their website here.

4. Pic-a-boo Photo Studio – Is another mall-based Photography studio, that offers maternity photo shoots. Their studio is located at the SM City The Block over at North EDSA. This is their FB Page.

5. Great Image Photography – If you are looking for a budget-friendly Maternity Photo Shoot that looks fine then you may head on to its many branches located in most SM Malls ALL OVER the country. check out their gallery here.

6. The Yellow Sun Studio – This Quezon City-Based Photo Studio also offers maternity photo shoots. Check out their sample photos here.

So there you have it, I hope you I was able to help you scout for a photography studio for your maternity or pregnant photo shoot. Make sure to inquire first before heading to the studio as almost all of them need to have advanced booking/appointments prior to the shoot itself. I will be updating this post as soon as I discover more. Do let me know how it goes by dropping by my Facebook page. Hope you could hit the like button while you are at it, so you can receive regular updates from Happypinaymommy.com direct on your newsfeed.

Thank you so much!

A HAPPY HOMEMAKER IS A HAPPY PINAY MOMMY!

If for some reason you want to have a DIY shoot, then watch this video for tips on DIY Maternity Shoot:

Happypinaymommy.com’s WAHM of the WEEK#6: Mommy Michelle Ann Oblea

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Where to get a Pre-Natal Massage in the Philippines

happypinaymommy — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 07:41:56 +0000

Want to get a pre-natal massage in the Philippines? (Photo Credits)

Pregnancy is one of life’s greatest miracles. And while it brings out the best in us, it undeniably brings about body aches and pains too!
So what is a pregnant momma to do?

Spell it with me: R-E-L-A-X, and what better way to relax than have a pre-natal massage. Pre-natal massage is different from your usual massage as it takes into consideration your sensitive condition and the well-being of your baby while trying to relax you and help remove or at least lessen your body aches and pains.

So where can you get a pre-natal massage in the Philippines?

Here is a list of some places to get a pre-natal massage in the Philippines:

1. The Spa – They have the Mother-to-be package. This does not come only with a massage, but also includes a facial and a Foot Spa. You have the choice whether to indulge in a 1 hr and 45 min. pampering, or if you will indulge for two hours and thirty minutes. You will also have the choice whether you want to have it in a suite or a villa. They have branches scattered all over Metro Manila. And if relaxation and pampering is what you need then this is your go to spot. From what I remember they have one in Acropolis and Greenbelt 1. Check out the rates here.

2. Neo Day Spa – If you live near Bonifacio Global City, or if you frequent the area then this spa is worth checking out for their prenatal massage services. They actually have another branch at Boracay and Greenhills. And though I have yet to try their massage packages, I am impressed about their offerings such as pre-natal massage, post natal massage, and even lactation massage. Check out the existing rates and package inclusions here.

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3. Bluewater Day Spa – They also have branches across metro manila, and they offer pre-natal massage services in all of their spas. Check out their FB Page here.

4. Mom Massage Services – If you do not wish to subject yourself from the equally stressful epic traffic situation in the metro, then this is the massage service that you may want to call on. They have home service, and they do not only offer pre-natal massages, they also have lactation massage services. They also offer labor massage, post-natal massage, and stress-relieving massage. Check out their FB Page here for their latest rates and massage packages.

So there you have it preggy ladies, and new mommies, hope you could choose from any of the four spa services, the pre-natal massage your body has been craving for. Let me know about your experience! Please drop by my Facebook page, and tell us how the massage went. Hope you can hit the like button too while you are at it, to receive happypinaymommy.com updates straight from your newsfeed.

Thank you, and have a safe delivery ladies!

Leaving with you a video on the benefits of pre-natal massage.

https://happypinaymommy.com/2015/10/16/happypinaymommy-coms-wahm-of-the-week6-mommy-michelle-ann-oblea/

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Four Household Products for Your Mommy Hospital Bag

happypinaymommy — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 06:18:34 +0000

Packing the hospital bag is one task every pregnant mom needs to do. For veteran moms, and moms who have more than one child, there may be realizations on what they should have, and should have not brought with them to the hospital when they gave birth.

Allow me to share with you four random household stuff that you may want to pack in your hospital bag, along with the necessary mom and baby items that you should bring.

Yes, you need household products in your mommy hospital bag

Here is my list of the four household products you may want to include in your mommy hospital bag:

1. Paper Towels – Yes the hospital will provide you with toilet paper, but you will need this all-purpose wipe that you could use in the restroom, o clean random things in your hospital room, if your companion would need to wash a utensil, or plain tissue wipe after eating
2. Ketchup Bottle without ketchup – Just in case there is no bidet in the hospital bathroom, this will be very helpful in washing your privates especially after a c-sec.

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3. Extension Cord – You will never know if your bedside outlet could allow you to use your mobile phone or ipad while charging. Better have this. It is lightweight and small anyway.
4. Lysol Spray or your all-natural disinfectant spray – Paging Cleanliness Freaks. Yes I know the hospital room is disinfected before we check in, and it gets disinfected, along with the bathrooms up to twice a day, but bringing a can just gives me the “security” I need.

You may or may not agree with me on this list, but hope you could get to share with me your list of what you should have brought after you’ve delivered 

If you are about to pack right now, you may also want to check on the Pinay Resources Entries where i posted the ultimate hospital checklists, or you may just want to click on these links >>> mommy hospital bag, baby hospital bag, and the documents you should be bringing with you in the hospital.

Healthy and happy pregnancies fellow mommies!

Till next post!

https://happypinaymommy.com/2015/04/20/alternative-places-to-shop-for-your-newborn/

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How Pregnant Moms Can Feel Cool This Summer

happypinaymommy — Sun, 26 Apr 2015 15:36:23 +0000

Beat the Summer Heat while Pregnant: How to Feel Cool this Summer Even When Pregnant

Feel Cool This Summer Even when Pregnant. Follow these 8 Tips. (Photo Credits: Maternity3 Res. cc: Some Rights Reserved)

When Kuya Kim mentioned the other day that manila will be 36 Degrees Celcius but will feel like 38+, I suddenly thanked heavens I wasn’t pregnant at this time. And why not, summer is hotter two to three times over for pregnant women! According to a reputable pregnancy website I checked out, Pregnant moms FEEL HOTTER because of all the hormonal changes in their body, the additional blood volume, the increase in metabolic rate (thanks to the extra poundage from the baby and its fetal entourage), plus their body generating heat for the fetus.

So what’s a pregnant happy pinay mommy to do? Here are eight ways to feel cool this summer even when pregnant:

Hydrate. Drink a lot of water, and if you are not in the “ Team I-can’t-drink-cold-water-while-pregnant-team,” then good for you because ice cold water does not only quench your thirst, it will cool you down faster.
Wear Airy and Comfortable Clothes – A good way for a pregnant woman to feel cool this summer is to wear dresses, shirts, or tanks that are made of cotton. I know leggings and jeggings are ery confy for pregnant women, byt a breezy dress may make you feel fresher in this heat!
Avoid going outdoors from 9 in the moning till 4 in the afternoon – This heat exhausts ordinary people, what more pregnant women? Avoid the glaring heat o the sun, but if you have no choice, don dark glasses and an umbrella.
Spoil yourself with aircon –If you’ve got the extra dunget, now is not the time to be super conscious about the electricity bill. Pamper yourself with airconditioninng, stay in your house or your room. If you do not have one yet. Then consider buyng since you will most likely need one when the baby arrives. A cheaper alternative would be air coolers.
Make some Ice Pops – While most do not recommend cold food and drinks for pregnant women, those who are OK with having ice cold treats an make themselves, low-sugar versions of ice pops using fresh fruit juice (think mango or guyabano ice candy). When the heat becomes unbearable grab one from the freezer.
Be mindful of what you eat – Avoid hot soups, and spicy food during day time when you are more likely to feel toasty. If you mustl eat these instead at night time when it is cooler.
Shower More — Nothing wrong with showering another two times to feel cool. As long as you will be safe from slipping or catching a cold (Towel off that sweat first before heading to the shower), then you should be good to go. Skip the heater too!
Take a Dip — If your pregnancy is uncomplicated or not so sensitive then swim as an exercise? Do not know how to swim? Then just take a dip either in the beach or the pool. Just make sure to shower immediately after especially after swimming on a pool to lessen the chances of getting infections.

Do you have any other ways to feel cool this summer? Please reply by commenting below.

The post How Pregnant Moms Can Feel Cool This Summer appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Alternative Places to Shop for Your Newborn

happypinaymommy — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 16:10:44 +0000


Pregnancy Journal

Shop for Your Newborn on a Budget: Look Beyond Malls

Look beyond malls and get to save! Alternative Places to SHop for your Newborn. (Photo Credits: Raymond Brown, cc: Some Rights Reserved)

Once you have decided on the stuff to buy for your newborn you more or less are overwhelmed already because of the many items you would have to buy and how much money you have to allot on these.
So the next question is how do you stretch that budget to accommodate everything on your list?
I say look beyond the malls and shop elsewhere!
Here’s a list of alternative places to shop for your newborn:
1. Online – This is the newest shopping mecca that is just at the palm of your hands! If you have online banking or credit card, or even G-Cash or Smart Money, then you would no longer have to leave the confines of your own home. Lazada will even deliver diapers at your doorstep. In fact if you like online shopping but you are not too keen on the idea of advancing payment before getting your order shipped or processed then Lazada is your best bet. hey even have Cribs, Playpens, Car Seats, Strollers, and other baby furnishings on sale. They are usually cheaper than malls and department stores simply because they only have a warehouse, and online presence to maintain. No rents and too high operational expenses that will just be passed on to consumers. And the best part is, you do not get caught in EDSA traffic anymore when shopping! What i do is I do window shopping in malls, but make my final purchase at Lazada. Go to their baby section here. FB and OLX Shops offer what traditional brick-and-mortar stores do not carry, like imported goods that range from diaper creams, swaddlers, cloth diapers, lotions etc.

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2. Consignment Stores – There is nothing wrong with buying second hand especially if you know how to completely disinfect these. Newborn stuff you may buy on consignment shops include strollers, and even non-teething toys. If you will be purchasing a crib from here, make sure that you carefully inspect it.

3. Shop Second Hand – You can do so online, and garage sales! One of the reasons why cloth diapers are so cost-efficient is because you can buy it second-hand or if youbuy new ones, you can resell it after you no longer need it.

4. Thrift Stores and Bazaars –Nowhere else but DIVI! Divisoria Mall and 168 could be your best bet, and if your pregnancy is not-so-sensitive, make the trek before you become toohuge to walk the narrow aisles. The Lucky Chinatown Mall is a good sprigboard for divisoria shopping because you can leave your car there, and then start shopping at 168.

5. Good Old Malls – I know I mentioned alternative to usual shopping areas, but who can resist clearance sales, and heavily discounted promos? Watch out for these, especially for big ticket purchases like car seats and cribs which you may want to buy brand new. If you have a loyalty card, then watch out for special sales. SM for instance have special discounts for ladies every Nth Wednesday of the month, where for a given two or three hours, an additional ten percent discount will be given to the shopper.

The key in getting more bang for your buck is to be on the look out for sales, discounts, and good buys. You can even muster the courage to ask relatives and friends who had babies, if they want to sell their used baby stuff to you. You will never know, they might even give it to you for free 

here’s a video you may wanna watch re: shopping for our baby:

https://happypinaymommy.com/2015/06/21/where-can-you-buy-cloth-diapers-in-manila/

*This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Happypinaymommy.com

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Documents Needed to Process Philippine Maternity Benefits

happypinaymommy — Wed, 15 Apr 2015 16:12:03 +0000

PREGGY DIARIES

The Documents Soon-to-be Working Moms Have to Prepare to Process Philippine Maternity Benefits

Documents needed to Process Maternity Benefits. (Photo Credits: Kasaa, CC: Some Rights Reserved)

Once you have confirmed that you are pregnant, the next thing you should be doing as a soon-to-be working mother is to prepare the documents that you will be needing to process your maternity benefits.

As soon as you got your first ultrasound (usually the dating ultrasound is the first one which happens before twelve weeks) you can already file your maternity notice in the office.

I suggest though that before filing with HR, you may want to inform first your immediate superior about your pregnancy, and lay down whatever plans you may have after giving birth. Usually they need assurance that you are coming back, and what your plans are about who will be taking your place and doing your job while you are away.

After letting your boss know, email the HR office to inform them about your pregnancy and to inquire what you should do to apply for your maternity benefits. You may also want to look at your company handbook or employee online guide as to what maternity benefits are available to you.

Here are the documents to file for Philippine Maternity Benefits:

1.SSS Maternity Notification Form (Mat-1) – Your HR has this form, which they can most likely email to you so you do not have to go back and forth to their office. If they do not have it, you may download it here. Attach the original ultrasound result with printed ultrasound photo, plus a photocopy of your SSS ID or if you do not have it, a photocopy of your two Valid IDs.How much will you be getting? Your HR colleague may help you compute, or if she won’t you may find out here.

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3. Company Forms to process your maternity benefit – This varies from company to company. Some offer paid maternity leaves, some do not but offer a token amount that will be given to you upon returning to work or before going on Maternity Leave. Best to find out beforehand.

4. Health Insurance Forms (Letters of Authorization) – Inquire as well if your HMO Provider will cover your maternity expenses. Best to get more than one letter of authorization for check ups and lab work in case this will be needed. Inquire as well how to go about your delivery and what will be covered and what won’t be covered.

On our next post, we will tackle what documents you should request from the HR, and what documents you should prepare and bring to the hospital with you on D-Day. Please drop by my Facebook page when you are free, and hope you can hit the like button too while you are at it, to receive happypinaymommy.com updates straight from your newsfeed..

Thank you, and have a safe delivery ladies!

Leaving with you a video on 4D Ultrasound:

https://happypinaymommy.com/2015/04/07/seven-ways-to-save-on-grocery-shopping/

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