Etsy Finds

Look what I found on Etsy! Etsy is the most vibrant marketplace, where you can find, buy or sell anything antique, handmade and unique. And since I am still quite in the Matryoshka fever, here are some cute stuff I found. Hmmm, I wonder if they ship to the Philippines?

Invitations by Little Spark Creations

Cupcake Toppers by Little Spark Creations

Matryoshkas white purse by Octopurse

Cheers!
Mommy Leaf

A Matryoshka Themed Baptismal

Matryoshka Themed Baptism

I have always loved parties, especially kid's parties! I like looking for a nice and unique theme down to the last minor detail I can think of. Yes, I am a frustrated party planner...

Imagine how happy I was when I got to discover a new site called POLYVORE. It is actually the best place to discover or start fashion trends. Browse and shop looks created by a global community of independent trendsetters and stylists. However, using it can also give you instant MOOD BOARDS just like the image above. 

As Wikipedia puts it, a mood board is a type of poster design that may consist of images, text, and samples of objects in a composition of the choice of the mood board creator. Designers and others use mood boards to develop their design concepts and to communicate to other members of the design team. I like to have a mood board just to give me an idea of what I want made, from invitations to balloons, cake and giveaways. 
Well, here's what I was thinking for the baptism of DD... A Matryoshka Themed Baptismal.
Why? I have this thing for these Russian dolls. Though, I haven't been to Russia (which is by the way, my dream destination). I find these dolls adorable, young and cute. Perfect theme for a Baptismal :)




Cheers!
Mommy Leaf

What is Meconium Aspiration Syndrome?

After giving birth twice, my delivery date has always been the 40th week. It was also estimated to be that way with my third pregnancy with DD as that has always been the so called "pattern"- 40 weeks. You see, I was breastfeeding my second child when I got pregnant with my third (talk about breastfeeding being a birth control- so NOT 100% true for me!) Little did I know that the longer she stayed in the womb, the greater the complications were...

Yes, my husband and I rushed to the hospital and when my curious hubby asked the attending nurse, "How many cm?" The girl answered with a grin : " It's fully dilated". Yes, too late again! My first, born in my hubby's car, my second, born in the hospital (but I was already 7 cm) and now for the third, I was fully dilated. Hmmmpphhh goodbye to painless child birth- Just when I was dreaming of having an epidural... :(

Anyway, to make the whole story short, I gave birth that morning via normal delivery and the doctor told us the baby's cord coiled and had a condition called Meconium Aspiration Syndrome. Say what?!

Photo courtesy of kidshealth.org

In rare circumstances like ours, the cord was short and around the baby's neck tightly, the blood flowing through the cord to the baby was restricted during the pushing and the baby showed signs of distress. This may be through prolonged, consistent drops in the baby's heart rate or meconium in the amniotic fluid. Yes, this was what happened to my precious DD. I had to accept that she had to be left in the hospital for a week for her to be given antibiotics.

According to Wikipedia, Meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS, alternatively "Neonatal aspiration of meconium") is a medical condition affecting newborn infants. It occurs when meconium is present in their lungs during or before delivery. Meconium is the first stool of an infant, composed of materials ingested during the time the infant spends in the uterus. Meconium is normally stored in the infant's intestines until after birth, but sometimes (often in response to fetal distress) it is expelled into the amniotic fluid prior to birth, or during labor. If the baby then inhales the contaminated fluid, respiratory problems may occur.

The most obvious sign that meconium has been passed during or before labor is the greenish or yellowish appearance of the amniotic fluid. The infant's skin, umbilical cord, or nailbeds may be stained green if the meconium was passed a considerable amount of time before birth. These symptoms alone do not necessarily indicate that the baby has inhaled in the fluid by gasping in utero or after birth. After birth, rapid or labored breathing, cyanosis, slow heartbeat, a barrel-shaped chest or low Apgar score are all signs of the syndrome. Inhalation can be confirmed by one or more tests such as using a stethoscope to listen for abnormal lung sounds (diffuse crackles and rhonchi), performing blood gas tests to confirm a severe loss of lung function, and using chest X-rays to look for patchy or streaked areas on the lungs. Infants who have inhaled meconium may develop respiratory distress syndrome often requiring ventilatory support. Complications of MAS include pneumothorax and persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn.

As instructed by our Obgyne, I went for an ultrasound that weekend, everything was checked and was ok.  I guess MAS is just difficult to prevent as we do not have full control on what happens in the womb and how fast our contractions are. The risk of MAS definitely increases after the 40th week of pregnancy. 

 

After a week of visiting my baby in the hospital just to exclusively breastfeed her , I carried DD home - very happy and excited for her siblings to see...

Why use Baby Leaf One Size Cloth Diapers?

This is a continued post about our newest product...

So, WHY USE BABY LEAF ONE SIZE CLOTH DIAPERS ?

Cloth Diapers Are Healthier For Your Baby...
Disposable diapers contain sodium polyacrylate. If you have ever seen the gel-like, super absorbent crystals in a disposable, then you have seen this first hand. Sodium polyacrylate is the same substance that was removed from tampons because of its link to toxic shock syndrome. No studies have been done on the long-term effects of this chemical being in contact with a baby's reproductive organs 24 hours a day for upwards of two years.
Baby Leaf One Size Cloth diapers, on the other hand, are free of the many chemicals contained in disposable diapers.

Cloth Diapers Are Better For The Environment...
Disposable diapers require thousands of tons of plastic and hundreds of thousands of trees to manufacture. After a few hours of usage, these used diapers are trucked away, primarily to landfills. When you consider the huge volume of garbage created, the toxic air and water pollution, and the potential health risks to children, it is very difficult to comprehend how washing and reusing cloth diapers could ever be considered an inconvenience. They are a rewarding investment all around - a financial investment, an investment in our children’s health and an investment in our planet.

Cloth diapers are more economical...
The initial investment for Baby Leaf One Size Cloth diapers is more economical because the All-in-one size feature allows you to adjust the diapers’ size as your baby grows. This translates into more savings, since you don’t need to keep buying new sizes as your baby grows. Even after factoring in the water, detergent and energy used in laundering cloth diapers, it still comes out as the more economical choice.

Cloth diapers are convenient.
Baby Leaf One Size Cloth diapers are just as easy to put on as disposables. There is no need to fumble with pins, as snaps have replaced them. There is also no need for rubber or plastic pants like those you see in department stores, which are hot and do not breathe. Our covers are breathable and waterproof.

Cloth diapers are fun!
Baby Leaf One size cloth diapers come in fabulous colors and prints. Shopping for cloth diapers is like shopping for clothes. You pick out the cutest ones and cannot wait to put them on your baby! As your child gets older, he or she can also join in the fun and assert independence by choosing which print or color to wear.

Potty-training is easier.
Nowadays, it’s not uncommon to see 4 or even 5-year-olds still in diapers. This is because wearing disposable diapers makes toilet-training more difficult. When a disposable diapered-child urinates, the diaper still feels dry, and the child is unable to make the connection that peeing will result in getting wet and feeling uncomfortable. This also translates into more expenses, since parents have to buy disposable diapers for a longer period of time.
Cloth-diapered children, on the other hand, learn quickly that it is better to pee in the toilet than in their pants.

And did I say you can choose from 13 yummy flavors?
Here are the plain ones...                                                                                          

Strawberry Red

                                              

Royal Purple

                          

                                            

                                         

Outrageous Orange

                                         

Screaming Green

Cotton White

Pacific Blue

Tickle me Pink

Oh and did I say we have it in prints too?

Starry Starry Night

Denim Blue Jeans

Little Peter Rabbit

Outer Space

 

Blue Mania

Wheeeewww! Now, Happy hunting or better yet grab all colors!
Resellers are very welcome. Please email shopbabyleaf@yahoo.com for more information.

Baby Leaf One Size Cloth Diapers

I have read a lot of blogs in the U.S of why cloth diapers are better for babies, economical and better for the environment, it was just when I had my second daughter Tasha, that I finally decided to try them out! I bought 3 different brands of imported cloth diapers and learned how cloth diapering actually works. Prices of these imported cloth diapers were quite expensive (more like P950-1500 each). So after months of testing which material would be perfect on our baby's delicate bottom, how many snaps needed and what design is perfect,  I finally decided why not make our own cloth diapers?

I am proud and want to share to all moms Baby Leaf's first baby product line, the (NEW) BABY LEAF ONE SIZE CLOTH DIAPER!

BABY LEAF ONE SIZE CLOTH DIAPER is the first and last diaper you’ll ever need as it grows with your baby! Designed to make cloth diapering easy and convenient for mommies and daddies. We believe that cloth diapering should be inexpensive and as easy as using disposables. 

FEATURES :
- Generous sizing
- Snap buttons adjust the sizing to fit small, medium and large babies
- Trim, snug and comfortable stretch provide a custom fit
- Waterproof, outer layer prevents leaking
- Inner layer made of custom micro fleece keeps baby dry
- Wide slot opening makes it easy to stuff and remove insert

** Each diaper is bundled with 1 super absorbent 3 layer microfiber insert

Cheers!

Mommy Leaf

Our New Bundle of Joy!

Yes, it has been a while since my last blog entry.  Last August 8, at 7:18 a.m,  I finally gave birth to our third princess DD, weighing 8.8 lbs. A new baby is such a blessing! I really love the smell of babies, the sight of their cute grin and the feel of their little body squirming against mine...

So here is a glimpse of our newest addition in the family, DD...

Cheers!

Mommy Leaf

The Baby Light and Clip

To new parents, are you worried about cutting your newborn's fingernails with those traditional bulky nail cutters? It is already hard to get hold of those tiny little fingers, more so cutting our baby's fingernails. It is inevitable for us that we have to cut those nails as they might scratch their whole face and look like they were playing with the family cat. get that picture?

Well, here is our answer to that call :

The Baby Light and Clip.

Thanks to a new mother faced with this problem. She has designed Baby Light & Clip, unique baby nail clippers that have an in-built light which aids vision and helps prevent accidents. 

The Baby Light & Clip illuminates the area beneath the nail showing exactly which part needs to be trimmed and any sharp nail edges. The safety guards help to keep baby’s fingertip away from the cutting blades and the nails fall into a little compartment which means you won’t have to search for them in baby's bedding. Isn't that just wise?

For safety reasons, it is recommended that you cut your baby‘s fingernails when they’re asleep as they’re less likely to move. The Baby Light & Clip is also  ideal in a dark or dimly-lit nursery.

It comes with a storage case,  powered by a AA battery and the handle is designed for comfort and control. Retails at P595, it’s not a lot to pay for painless, safe and stress-free nail trimming.

The Baby and Light clip will be available at BABY LEAF by August 2011.

Cheers!

Mommy Leaf