My Little Corner – Merichi’s Corner on Ebay.ph

This is the first time that I will be blogging about my so-called little sideline... I guess it’s high time and a bit noteworthy to speak about it here due to my recent achievements in this side of my life – my entrepreneurial life (naks!).

I started selling breastfeeding and baby items online in August 2009. Prior to this, I was really venturing into many other sidelines that were always based on my passion – graphic designing and lay-outing, creating unique souvenirs and even clay crafting. I could say some could have been so successful but it was always time consuming that in the end I gave up and decided not to continue. Here is a sample of my previous wedding cake topper made out of clay:


I then became pregnant to my second child and gave birth in March 2009. I was so keen into breastfeeding that I prepared myself very well in this endeavor. Breastfeeding gears are really huge investments and it was then when I realized that I will be able to save more if I buy them directly from the US. This was the modest beginning of my online shop in August last year.

I started selling using both Multiply and Ebay. Months later, I noticed that I was enjoying selling more in Ebay.ph. This is because of the feedback rating that every seller and buyer can give in every transaction. The more positive feedback you get, the more credible you are as a seller. And Ebay has more firm rules when it comes to selling so if you are a bogus seller, it is more likely that you will not succeed in ebay. Months passed by and ebay was really addicting. It always gave me a sense of fulfillment every time I receive positive feedbacks. I enjoy discussing how many sales I made in a day to my hubby, and how I intend to maintain the 100% positive feedback to become credible.

I will never forget that one day last March when one of my buyers tarnished my feedback rating with her unjust negative feedback. Yeah right, you can’t really please everybody. Fortunately, I was able to accept it after several weeks (not days… but weeks!) and told myself to be more vigilant in every sale that I made.



There was also one package that got lost by the courier – yeah right, it was a lansinoh pump costing Php8,000! Though I can say to my customer that it was not my responsibility anymore because it was not my mistake and that she didn’t pay for insurance of the item, I felt it was my obligation as a responsible seller to reimburse her money. So that’s what I did. I just told myself that this is part of the business that I am in. You win and you sometimes lose…

Not long after, all my hard works were rewarded. I was flying high again when I reached the POWERSELLER status in Ebay last April! Yey!

I was very ecstatic and I couldn’t contain my happiness! I did not expect that I will reach this level within 6 months time. After this, I put almost all my items on sale with 10 or 20% discounts to please my buyers more and to let us enjoy ebay shopping more and more! It’s like a game for me really!

And if it rains, it pours, as they said. Just last Monday, I received this email from ebay:


Whew! I was invited to be part of Ebay’s Top Users Meeting! At first I did not believe it, thought it was some sort of a gimmick. But yesterday, I received a call from a female foreigner who happens to be the same person who sent me the said email. She was actually from the marketing group of ebay. I searched on the Ebay forums and found out that this event was indeed legitimate and this was really a limited engagement. Woohoo! I feel so important! Haha.. As of now, I am excited and so proud of it.

Anyway, to sum it all up, I intend to continue with this addiction of mine.

As other have always been saying, yes indeed, online selling and buying is really addicting. And in my case, Ebay selling is really super fun! I hope to meet you one day

So, for all of you who are asking, here is our little corner where I display my stuff:



This is actually my mom’s store located at BF Resort Village in Las Pinas City. This is for my clients who are afraid of being scammed online and for those who want to pick up items personally. They can go to our store or to our house which is not very far from that store. Hopefully I will be able to put more and more stuff here in our Little Corner.

Check out my ebay store here.

Please visit from time to time as I usually put up sales and discounts from time to time.
For inquiries, please contact me at 0917-3268857 (no calls please) or email merichionline@gmail.com.

Ciao!

MIA for some months

Time really flies so fast! Forgive me for not updating this blog for the following reasons:

- January was my birthday month so I have all the right to become busy. haha
- February was when I went to never, never land with hubby(his bday and V-day gift to me). Hence, I don't have the time to post something here.
- My unico hijo's 1st birthday celebration was in March so I was concentrated on the party preps.
- And of course, I also went nuts preparing for my daughter's 5th birthday party in April at my mom's house.

And all along those months, I was also occupied on my full time Marketing & Sales Daytime Job going here and there, and my Ebay sideline...

So there! Pretty hectic schedule for a 24/7 super mom like me. So tell me where does blogging fit in? Nada.. Zero.. Zilch.. as in No Time at all... Thanks for your understanding... =)

My Latest Discovery: Techni Ice Reusable Dry Ice Pack

As I have said, I have been traveling for these past few months and my first dilemma then was how to continue breastfeeding when I am not with my baby. There are actually two options on this. First is to Pump and Dump which I have made on my first travel. You see, it really broke my heart to waste those precious breastmilk. But it was the best that I can do especially when I was lacking time then and I was not yet prepared (physically and emotionally) to be away from my baby.


Now the next and better option to continue pumping is to be prepared for it. Prior to my second travel to Cebu, I was lucky enough to score a great discovery which is Techni Ice! My friend from Singapore sent me this and it was a heaven sent for working and pumping moms like me. Google Techni Ice and you will see that it is quite popular to pumping moms in Singapore and Malaysia. I haven’t seen it here in the Philippines. So what is Techni Ice or the so-called “next generation ice and heat pack”?





Here are some highlights according to the website (www.techniice.com):

TECHNI ICE from Australia is a superior alternative to ordinary ice and common ice packs available to keep contents in your cooler box really cold, for days not hours.

Techni Ice™ stays frozen 6 times longer than regular ice and can be frozen to negative –80 Degrees Celsius, as cold as dry ice gets.

Techni Ice reusable dry ice packs / gel packs can be used hot, cold or frozen can not only keep your food and drinks icy cold for days on end in the cooler but is also very effective at reducing battery consumption when placed in 12 volt fridge/freezers due to its eutectic qualities, which minimise thermostat activity.

Techni Ice reusable dry ice packs / gel packs start as a flat sheet and absorbs water through a special perforation technology in the surface of the product.This is achieved by scrunching the sheets between your hands whilst immersed in warm water for a few minutes until the air bubbles have escaped.The hydration process will now begin and the cells will swell ready for the products to be used both cold or hot.
The water enters through the surface and activates the polymer, which then swells the sheet into 24 individually sealed cells Which enables the product to be flexible when frozen and cut to size.

For pumping moms, here are some additional information:

For working moms on the go, keep your expressed milk fresh even if you do not have a fridge available for you use.
- Use it with a regular cooler bag to be able to keep your expressed breastmilk cold for up to 12 hours*!
- Use it with your fridge to go and you have your reliable mini-refrigerator*!
Guide:
- If you use it to transport your expressed breastmilk from your office refrigerator, then even 1/2 sheet of techni-ice can be used.
- If you use your cooler bag as refrigerator substitute, then 1 to 1/2 sheet or even 2 sheets are recommended.
NOTE: With Techni-Ice, the longer you freeze your sheet in the freezer plus the colder the freezer setting, then the longer period of retention and the longer that your precious breastmilk will stay fresh.
*may vary depending on outside temperature. It is recommended that the cooler bag to be placed inside airconditioned areas to ensure retention of coldness.

Good news! You can get your techni-ice here.

In my next post, I will put a my own procedure of traveling and pumping for the working mom.

Back to Blogging

I have been missing in action in this blog for several months and I hate it. I was too occupied with my work that I haven't really found time to post here. So what were the noteworthy work and pump happenings during the recent months? I am proud to say that I have been lucky to continue with my breastfeeding despite my frequent travels to cebu and davao. My little AJ is 9 months now and I haven't thought I will get this far in breastfeeding. This was not made possible without my breastfeeding gears which i will be sharing in my next post.

For the meantime, here are my angels:

Breastfeeding While Travelling

Another dilemma for the working-pumping mom is when you have to leave your baby for a business trip. And I am unlucky to be in such a dilemma now. *sigh*

I work as marketing and sales for this aviation company so it is expected that there would be some business meetings here and there. When I came back from my maternity leave, I tried my best to defer some long travels. Back then, my mindset was only to breastfeed my baby for the first 6 months. And I was quite successful in my delaying tactics. In the past 4 months, I just had several client meetings in Clark and within Manila which is bearable for me in terms of distance. On these times, the harder part was how to excuse myself from my (foreigner) boss when I needed to pump.

But now, my mindset was changed and I have decided to extend this breastfeeding routine up to a year or more. And today is that dreaded day when I confirmed that we will have the sales meeting in Davao. It is two-days from today and I am not prepared for it on so many ways – I need to finalize my presentation, need to arrange all errands at home and for my little AJ and need to condition my clingy little Ichi. And most importantly, how about my pumping? How do I transport my expressed BM when there is a 100ml liquid restriction when going onboard? I think it would be better if it would only me who will be traveling. But I am with my boss. And the idea that the check-in/check-out will be somehow delayed (explaining about my breastmilk to the airline officers etc.) is kind of awkward for me. I think I will have to just pump and dump whatever I express. But then on the second thought, why should I waste my precious liquid gold?

Oh well this is another challenge for the working and pumping mom. Let us see how we can deal with it.

My Pumping Gears in Action

As requested, here are some pictures to best describe my pumping gears at work.

This is my 11oz. storage bottle. I use the breastflow bottles for my little AJ and it is a nice storage bottle as well. Once the bottle is full, I then use the lansinoh bottles that comes with pump as additional storage bottle.

It may not be very visible on this picture but this is the flange assembly. This is one good thing about Lansinoh - lesser part for easy set-up. I put the flange assembly inside a gallon-sized zipper bag.

These are the ice pack that I am using. They are called hot or cold pack and available at Mercury Drug. Since my travel time is usually less than an hour, this works for me. The blue ice can also be used but they are too heavy for me.

This is my Lock & Lock Cooler bag. I bought it at SM at around Php 500. It has two compartments which is the main reason why I bought it. It also has a mesh pocket in front. It is where I put my business card for identification purposes. One side story: A male officemate also owns the same cooler bag so I really had to put identification on mine. My colleagues were asking me, what if I went home and just found out that we have mistakenly switched our bags? OH mY!!!!! I do not want that to happen. So that is the purpose of my business card there.

On the bottom part of the cooler bag is where I put the folded ref tote, paper towel and then the ice pack. Next would be the flange assembly and then the storage bottle. The arrangement would be different when i am going home since I have the pumped milk already. My travel is only for 40 minutes but I see to it that one ice pack will be wrapped around or put beside the storage bottle for more effective cooling.


On the top compartment of the cooler bag is where I put the pump motor and the tubing. I also keep the nursing cover, and extras (breastmilk bag and spare batteries) underneath.

This is my pumping set-up while I am at the office. On the upper left is my Lock & Lock Cooler Bag from SM. On the Upper Right is my "ref tote." This is where I put my flange assembly (in ziplock) and my pumped milk and then I put it inside our office refrigerator. This picture was taken inside one of our classrooms. I was lucky to be employed in a training company so we have classrooms available where I can do my pumping session.

I am most happy when we do not have lots of classes which means I can reserve one classroom as my "pumping room." This also means that I can keep the classroom key and I can just leave my pump set-up inside the classroom for the whole day. I just cover my pump set-up with my nursing cover.

These are my bags when I am going for work. There are days that i am commuting to and from my workplace so I always see to it that i bring only the essentials to lessen my hand baggage. I hate it most when it's raining so hard - I have to carry my 2 bags plus an umbrella. It is really a lot of sacrifice for the working mom, but all for the sake of our little ones.

The pumped milk that I got for the whole day will be for the next day's feeding. If I am staying at home for the whole weekend, the pumped milk on Friday, will be for the next Monday's consumption. I put my pumped milk inside the feeding bottles (I use Breastflow bottles) then I put it inside a quart sized zipper bag so that it will not get the smell of other items inside the fridge.

This is my freezer stash. I dedicated one compartment for my breastmilk alone. The breastmilk bags are inside a bigger ziplock again to be sure that it will not get the smell of chicken or pork or whatever is stored in the freezer.

Hope this helps you!

Why I Love My Lansinoh

Some have been requesting for this. So here are several reasons why I love my Lansinoh Double Electric Pump:

CHEAP DOUBLE ELECTRIC PUMP
Price is number one on my list when I scouted for a breast pump. Good thing Lansinoh is there. For around 8,000php, you will have the value of a double electric pump, which is recommended if you are working. Other pumps are too costly that some working moms just settle either for a cheaper manual pump or a single electric pump which will take you almost half of your working day to collect your milk.

Lansinoh is not readily available in malls here in Manila. This is why it is not that popular here. You can ask your relatives in the US to buy one for you, or you can have it ordered online via Multiply.

EASY TO SET UP
For a working mom, this is one factor that you should consider – the time required to set up the pump. Since you will squeeze your pumping session on your working hour, then the goal should be less time for set-up and more time for actual milk pumping.

Yes, it only takes me 30 seconds or even less to set-up. Other pumps have lots of connectors and accessories that you need to arrange prior to pumping. With my Lansinoh, you just need to connect the power supply or put your batteries, and attach the tubing to the flange assembly then to the pump itself. Then you’re all set.

Oh, and if I am lucky and I have a room reserved for me the whole day, then I will just leave my pump set up and just put my nursing cover over it. Then on my next pumping session, I just have to bring my “ref tote” again, connect the flange to the tubing and continue pumping.

EASY TO CLEAN UP
Since it has fewer parts, it is very easy to clean too! Perfect for lazy moms and/or lazy yayas! LOL

PORTABLE
Again, since it has fewer parts, it is portable as well. *wink!*

WORKS WITH AA BATTERIES
This is a great plus for me since you have option to pump even if you do not have access to an electrical socket. You just need 6x AA batteries to run it. I suggest you buy those rechargeable batteries which is more practical than buying the disposable ones.

Although I would recommend using electrical power whenever possible as the suction is better compared when you’re running on batteries. Tip: Always bring spare batteries on your pump bag so you'll have a back-up when your power cord just didn't work or when there is a power interruption aka "brown-out."

NO MILK BACK-UP
It has patented design that prevents milk from going to the tubing or to the motor which means that your breastmilk will have less risk of contamination.

SPEED AND SUCTION CONTROL
It has two dials, one for suction and another one for speed. With this, you can set the level of speed and suction depending on your preference. I found the suction of this pump a bit powerful so I just put it on mid vacuum setting with full speed and then I’m okay.

VERY QUIET PUMP
A friend of mine has the Pigeon single electric pump and I told her that her pump was too noisy! I told her it might disturb her newborn who was then sleeping. My friend said for her it was perfectly okay. But not until I showed her how quiet my Lansinoh was. Imagine her regret in buying the pigeon pump. ;-)

ALL PRAISES AND NO NEGATIVE FEEDBACK? You might think I have all praises with Lansinoh. No. I have a few drawbacks too but they are manageable.

So here are some tips:

1. Take care not to over-use the speed and suction control as it has the tendency to loosen up. In my case, on my first weeks I was just so careless with the speed and suction dials that I switch them to different levels during one pumping session. Yeah, I was like a kid playing around then and now, I regret it. But my Lansinoh still works perfectly fine and I love it.

2. After some months, if you find that the suction is not that good anymore compared to when it was new, just replace the small white valve with a new one and you're back again. The Lansinoh comes with three spare sets of white valve. Isn't it great?

3. If you are one blessed cow and you pump more than 4 oz per breast in one sitting (holy cow!) then I suggest you buy a 9oz standard neck bottle to use as collection bottles. Recommended is the Evenflo brand - around Php400 for 3 bottles already. The flanges have universal thread so it fits almost any standard neck bottle.

4. If you are using Avent bottles, get an Avent breast pump converter kit and Lo! you can pump directly into your avent bottle!

Over-all, I find my Lansinoh a great buy! I treat my Lansinoh with utmost care. It's my "life-line" already. I use it 3 to 4 times daily and I can collect 4 to 8 ounces per session depending on the time of the day. Because of this, I will continue to recommend it to working moms who wants to have value for their money. And if you handle your pump with very special care then you’re off with Lansinoh for good.

So if you are working mom or if you have the money to spend, I tell you, SKIP THE MANUAL PUMP AND SKIP THE SINGLE ELCTRIC PUMP! GO GET A LANSINOH! It is the cheapest and most SULIT pump available in the market.

*As of this writing, I am buying myself a Medela Freestyle but this is not because I don’t like my Lansinoh now. You see, Medela Freestyle is more than double the price of Lansinoh so it is not really that practical. It is just that I love that Freestyle is rechargeable and it’s handsfree. It will definitely suit my busy working life. And not to forget about my primary goal- that I actually want to tie myself into breastfeeding for at least for one whole year more so that I can get the value of my money. *wink* wink*

A Nice Article About Breastfeeding in Public

From the Manila Bulletin

Double Exposure
Breastfeeding is the greatest gift you can give your baby. So why be embarrassed?

By RUTH MANIMTIM-FLORESCA
August 28, 2009, 1:57pm


It has been more than a decade since I last breastfed a baby. My youngest child is turning 11 in a couple of months but I can still remember how difficult it was to try and breastfeed a child when we were out in public places.

These days, I’m glad to see a lot of doctors and moms, who strongly advocate breastfeeding. Some have even come up with breastfeeding-friendly clothes and accessories that help moms breastfeed unobtrusively despite being surrounded by a lot of people.

Still, there are mothers who would rather “starve” their babies until they find a “good” feeding spot than be caught exposing their breasts in public.

Mary Allyn B. Tan of Davao City, a LATCH (Lactation, Attachment, Training, Counseling, Help) breastfeeding counselor, acknowledges that Filipino women are largely brought up to be modest. “There is considerable unease at the thought of possibly exposing ourselves in the presence of other people in the course of breastfeeding our baby,” she explains. “We also care a lot about how others might perceive us and worry about possibly embarrassing not just ourselves, but also our husbands and families. Added to this, I think, is that Filipinos have this innate desire not to bring discomfort to [other] people.”

Overcoming concerns

Lyn says one of the best ways a mother can address her fears and misgivings about breastfeeding in public is to analyze them and to try to separate the facts from the perceived reactions of other

people. “In my experience as a nursing mom, I’ve never received so much as an outright frown, much less a verbal admonition,” she shares. “Although most people still seem surprised and curious, they nevertheless comment on how ‘ideal’ it is that I’m nursing my child.”

When people try to continue the conversation, Lyn happily reports that she gets to answer questions about breastfeeding and address common myths and misconceptions. “So I also get to be a ‘model mom’ for breastfeeding at the same time!”

She further advises that moms should ease their apprehensions by simply adjusting their perception about breastfeeding. “Breastfeeding is one of the unique and special gifts we have as mothers. It’s wholly ours to own and, really, we should feel proud about giving our babies the perfect food,” she points out.

Finding the right accessories

One of the most exciting developments for pregnant and nursing moms in the past six to 10 years is the growing number of establishments that have become more sensitive to the special needs of mommies and their children. “Gone are the days when being pregnant meant having to go around in a tent for a certain period of your life,” describes Lyn. “These days, pregnant mommies can be as fashionable as they want to be!” One example of a store is Havin' a Baby and the brand Mommy Matters, which you can find on the Internet. There are also a lot items in Multiply.

However, she concedes that less well known is the fact that there are now accessories too for breastfeeding moms. “There’s the nursing bib, which covers the chest area and the nursing baby while breastfeeding and nursing blouses and dresses with special panels and cut-outs that allow access to the breast without mom having to expose more than she has to,” illustrates Lyn. “These allow for more discreet nursing.”

One of her favorite accessories is the nursing belly band. “It turns any regular shirt or blouse into nursing wear!” she exclaims. “It addresses one of the biggest concerns of mommies when breastfeeding; that of leaving your belly, sides, and sometimes part of your back, exposed.”

According to Lyn, most of the nursing wear being sold today are designed and produced by real moms.

“And it feels good to know you’re helping their business when you buy them,” she expresses. “Although a creative mom can also use existing items in her closet to create solutions like converting a tube top into a nursing belly band.”

“I know how daunting it can be to imagine breastfeeding in public. I’ve been there,” admits Lyn. “The anxiety I felt in doing it for the first time resembled the one I always felt when going to the dentist as a child.”

She encourages moms that the first time is always the biggest hurdle. “With the proper attitude and the right kinds of nursing mom aids, you can start to enjoy the benefits of a breastfeeding lifestyle and be rewarded with a healthy, glowing and highly portable child!”

Inspiring others

These days, with the law providing for the needs of nursing mothers, there are already malls and other big buildings that have established nursing stations. “One way we can be more proactive and encourage others to follow their lead is to patronize and support these establishments,” urges Lyn.

She adds that sometimes, all it takes to truly appreciate something is allowing a shift in our perspective. “A little change in direction and, suddenly, we see … not the discomfort and embarrassment of possible exposure, but the comfort and security felt by a nourished and beloved baby, the tenderness and sacrifice of a doting mother … the beauty and miracle of life.”

My Pumping Gears

Thanks to following paraphernalia, I am able to give the best milk for my little AJ. I am very much budget-conscious so I included here my personal recommendations and helpful tips as well.

BREAST PUMP

If you are working, I strongly suggest buying yourself a double-electric breast pump. This will save you a lot of time and you will find that it is easy to maintain working and pumping at the same time because you only need to be out for around 15 to 30 minutes. Skip on the manual pump or the single-electric pump as this will either be very tiring or will be very time consuming. In the end, you will only choose to stop pumping at all because you’re having a hard-time on it already. If you are conscious about the cost of the double-electric pump, just make a cost-analysis versus the amount of money you will spend on formula. I hope I can write a sample analysis in the future.

Additionally, you should be careful on picking on the brand of the pump since this pump will be your life-line on your working days. You need a pump that is durable and very reliable. And consider the price as well.

There are many types of breast pump out in the market. They are pretty high-priced if you buy at the malls (read: up to 32,000pesos for a pump! OMG!!) Lots of it you can buy or order online to save up some money. When I researched about pumps early 2009, I was choosing between Lansinoh and Medela. Medela was the number 1 brand when it comes to breast pumps but being a cheapskate that I am, I was too skimp on spending almost Php 20,000 for a breast pump. Then I found about Lansinoh. Lansinoh has great reviews locally and abroad so it was my final choice. Later on, I will write, and brag about my Lansinoh.

COOLER BAG

The Cooler Bag a.k.a. Insulated bag is needed to keep your pumped breastmilk cold while at work so it will not spoil immediately. Cooler bags prices range from around Php 300 up to as much Php 3,000 or even more.

There are two things to consider before getting your self a cooler bag:

1. Do you have access to a nearby refrigerator while at work?

- If you answered yes, then you just need your cooler bag while you transport your breastmilk from the workplace to your home refrigerator. Proceed to Item No. 2.

- If you answered no, then I suggest you buy those special cooler bags that can keep your breastmilk cold for up to 12 hours. One trusted brand is Fridge To Go which starts at around Php 1,500 and up.

2. How long is your travel time from work to home?

- If your travel time is more than an 90 minutes, then it is good to invest on a Fridge To Go as well. It is a good investment anyway especially if you plan to breastfeed for 6 months or more. Another plus is that even after breastfeeding you can still use the cooler bag as a lunch box.

In my case, I have an easy access to a fridge at work, and our house is not that far away. Being the cheapskate that I am, I just improvised my own cooler bag and accessories.

I just bought a Lock & Lock cooler bag from SM priced at around Php 499.95. This is perfect for my Lansinoh since it has two compartments. On the top compartment, I put my nursing cover, extra breastmilk bags, the pump itself and the tubing.

On the lower compartment, this is cooler part. Here, I put my flange assembly and my storage bottles together with my ice packs.

ICE PACK/BLUE ICE

So what is the use of the Ice Pack? This is to serve as cooling element inside you cooler bag again in order to keep your breastmilk cold. There are many options available in the market. You can buy some blue ice from the department store (around Php 200). But personally, I find these blue ice packs very heavy. So I settled for an ice pack as substitute. And they are cheaper too! Hot and cold packs are available from Php99 and up depending on the brand. I have 2 ice packs inside my bag. One is at the bottom while the other one beside the bottles with pumped milk.

STORAGE BOTTLES

I use the Breastflow Bottles from The First Years for my baby. The starter kit includes a bottle cover which makes the bottle a perfect storage bottle as well.

BREASTMILK BAGS

For my frozen breastmilk, I use Lansinoh Breastmilk Storage Bags which are available online. They are affordable and durable. I was also able to use Nanny BM Storage bags as well which is around Php 250 for 25 bags at SM. Although I still find lansinoh BM bag easier to use.

ZIPPER BAGS (Gallon Size and Quart Size)

The zipper bag comes very handy when you are breastfeeding and working. Th is where I put my flange assembly when not in use while at work. Since pumped breastmilk can be kept inside the refrigerator for a few days. Why not for the pump parts? Others are cleaning their pump parts every after use. But as for me, this is not very possible since i am working so we just do the cleaning at night time time when I am at home. Others might not agree to this but I am okay with it and my little AJ is fine with my milk.

Going back, I just put the ziploc bag inside my "ref tote" together with my pumped milk and put them inside the fridge.

As for the brand, I use Reynolds for the quart size and Glad for the gallon size. The Ziploc brand is okay, it was the first one that I used but it’s pricier than the other two – around Php 150 for the gallon wherein Glad brand is only Php 120. I find the quality of Glad better than Ziploc and Reynolds.

BREASTFEEDING COVER

This is one is not really necessary depending on your circumstances. I have the Nursing Mom Nursing Cover and it was the best. What I like most about it is that it has a sturdy neckline where I can peep on my “inside” and the side pockets where I can put my breast pads. But I really haven’t used it for direct breastfeeding in public. I used it as my cover while pumping at work. There are times when I do not have a room reserved for me, I would just look for an empty cubicle and pump there while using my cover. Even on those lazy days when I just want to pump right on my table while surfing the net – I am only able to do this when the big boss is out.

So, for my next entry I will share my pumping gears in action.

Funny Breastfeeding Shirts

Just a collection of funny breastfeeding lines seen on a shirt or bumper stickers:

• Why buy the cow when you get mama's milk for free?
• Mothersucker.
• All night milk bar.
• Weapons of mass lactation.
• Choosy toddlers choose breastmilk.
• If nursing in public offends you, please feel free to put a blanket over your head!
• Silly Daddy, boobs are for babies!
• Blissed out on breastmilk.
• My honor student was breast-fed.
• Mommy's milk is better than any udder milk!

~From: blisstree.com