Accidents are Accidents, A True Story

The Mellow Afternoon of June 2010

Angel Reign has turned a year old last month. She reached that without any huge health trouble.  She can walk this time as well as climb back and forth in her blanket hammock.  That afternoon, we are both in her room. Her dad is lying down on the sofa watching tv waiting for his call of duty. 

The overexcited one year old, who has just learned to walk maybe a month ago, threw her pacifier on the floor.  I need to go to the dining area to sterilize it.  I left her playing in her ‘duyan’ and as I glance I saw her walking her way to the living room back and forth seems like practicing her steps.  I get the cap of the thermos and put the pacifier inside, pour water enough to cover the tip of the orthodontic pacifier.  It is on the left corner of our oblong-shaped wooden and glass dining table.  The distance of the thermos cap is maybe half of a ruler.  I felt some urge to drink a chocolate so I decided to leave it sterilizing for a while and I headed to the right far end of the table where the choco jar is. Since Angel is not wearing her beeping shoes, I did not notice she is near the table that is about two and a half feet tall. I always make it sure that all the chairs are tucked-in because she can climb it. I am about to pour the powder on my cup when I heard Angel terribly crying! I saw her beside the chair, sitting on the floor and her shirt is wet with boiled water –seeing the thermos cap and the pacifier scattered…The chair is not moved at all.  I speculated that she might just step on the chair’s foot support (wooden panel on each side so as to help it balance) that is why she was able to reach the thermos cap and accidentally drenched herself…

That water in the thermos, as I recall was just boiled twelve noon (12nn) and the incident happened 4pm, my diary says.  It is not the thermos that fell but its cap with the sterilizing pacifier, it is nearly a cupful! I was shocked!  I remember shouting “Angel!!!”  I just heard Raymer asking what is it…he then saw the baby. To my panic, I just lifted her up and was not able to remove her shirt at once to avoid more clinging – Ray told me to do so. Maybe for about twenty minutes, I heard my baby crying and screaming.  It is unbearable and hurting seeing her cannot stand the pain that she almost bend her body while standing.  Her skin below her right jaw, neck, right shoulder and armpit was red  but worse on her chest nearly hitting her nipple.  It dripped on the stomach but there, it is not that bad.  The wounds turned watery.

Best Tips for Expecting Moms

There is no shortcut for excited moms-to-be, here are few guides and hints to help you cope on the firsts months of your newborn:

The Birthing Day

Prepare a hospital bag, so husband and family members will not forget anything in panic, fill it with:

- your comfortable easy-to-slip on clothes

- underwears (panties and brassier)

- slippers or flat sandals for you

- your toothbrush

- your own spare blanket and pillow

- thermos with hot water (or plug-in airpot)

- Distilled water (Wilkins or Absolute)

- Baby wipes (do not buy generic and cheaper brands it may contain harsh chemicals)

- plastic cup, disposable spoon and fork, plate

- your baby’s blanket (pranela/lampin), booties, gloves and cap to cover her on the first minutes. Name your baby’s stuff, the nurses MIGHT interchange them accidentally with other babies in the nursery (it happened to my firstborn, we got an old blanket/pranella and the new ones was given to another baby – do not worry we did not protested, we let it be…just wanting you to be reminded of it).

* medium size towel

* soap (for the baby)  to give the birthing assistants

*adult diaper for you (the first days after giving birth – you will get a heavy flow (like menstruation).

*70%  alcohol

-In a PLASTIC ENVELOP (put inside the bag):

*Philhealth/Medicard Documents and receipts (photocopied)

*Marriage Contract of Parents (original and photocopy 2pcs)

*Credit Card/Cash/ATM

*Black ball pen

* Be sure to have a CLEARLY WRITTEN COPY of your child’s name for the hospital to register – check on the birth certificate (spelling, date, parents’ name, middle initial –for sure check the whole document)

The moment you see blood spotting on your underwear that is the time...

Buying Clothes

Size

It is not so practical to buy lots of clothes for the first six months because your baby is growing too fast but still, there is another option if you still insist on buying – buy larger sizes (BUT not too big to swallow the whole of your baby!), that is to make sure that the baby can use the clothes for more than just a month or two and you need not buy another set sooner…

Color

If you are too excited to buy clothes for the baby and you do not know the gender yet – you can not go wrong with white and or yellow – it looks fine on both sexes.

Colorful (resembling flowers) clothes might attract insects more although they look really nice to see.

It is important to buy BIB too. Include it on your buying list.

Design

It is best to choose plain than the printed ones so you can easily see or catch even the smallest insect that might pester the baby.  It is also recommended in buying linens (pillow case and bed spreads).

Another thing to consider is comfort in clothes-changing, cotton shirts and undershirt (sando) might look best and comfy design, the cloth itself is the best because it is breathable but BETTER choose the buttoned or Velcroed front clothes even for overall (clothes with socks and hood) clothes. Babies are very delicate and might easily get hurt just getting the shirt out while the buttoned once can easily be removed by simply lifting her back while protecting her head. Make sure to get the one with smallest and buttons (sometimes hidden by a piece of cloth) and always check if they are still adhering tightly every after washing – accidents on swallowing is possible. Zippers might irritate the baby’s skin.

Comfort

Babies want to feel warm like they are inside the womb – especially in the cold days. Do not forget to buy her three-fourths shirts.

Choosing Diapers

Although the use of cloth diapers is the best for baby’s skin and comfort, busy ‘mom and dads’ prefer diapers that offer the same convenience plus more.  Considerations:

- the efforts (if you can pay for a laundry, good). The time you will spend on washing can be your rest timeo bonding time with your baby.

- the consumables like water bill, electricity bill (on ironing for disinfecting), detergent soap

To sum it up, it almost costs you the same, indeed! Why not choose convenience? There are diapers that feels like cloth and as soft as cotton. Do not go for the plastic ones.

Pagtuturo ng Bokabularyo sa Baby

Sa mga magiging mommy pa lang naririto ang mga epektibong pamamaraan kung papaano natin matuturuan at madaragdagan ang bokabularyo ng ating mga anak:

1. Kahit sa tingin natin sila ay napakaliit pa at ni hindi pa nagmumulat halos ang mga mata, kausap-kausapin natin sila sa mahinang tinig. Mga paglalambing o paghele (pagkanta ng pampatulog sa kanila).

2. Habang dumaragdag ang buwang gulang nila, ituro natin ang mga bagay-bagay sa paligid at sabihin sa kanila ag tawag dito. Kagaya ng kama, cabinet, halaman – maari din nating pagsalitin ang pagtuturo sa Filipino at English para pareho nilang matutunan ito. Halimbawa kung sa araw na ito ay puro Filipino ang mga salitang ituturo natin bukas ay English naman.  Huwag tayog magsawa – lahat ng bagay kahit sa lahat ng bahay, sa mga larawan o magazine man kahit anong bagay na makikita roon at maituturo natin sa kanila, sabihin natin sa malinaw na pagbigkas.

3. Huwag na huwag nating ituro sa kanila ang pabulol na mga salita sapagkat makakasanayan nila ito kaya hindi po ba may mga napapansin tayong bulol pa kahit bahagyang may gulang na. Nakatutuwa po ang gayong pagkausap subalit may masama poi tong kumplikasyon kaya maging sa iba pa nating mga kasambahay ay ipaalala po natin na iwasan po ito. Kapag sila ay nag-aaral na magiging tampulan sila ng tukso at mapapahiya na magdudulot naman sa kanila ng pagbaba ng tiwala at pagtingin sa sarili (low self-confidence and low self-esteem). Kawing-kawing na po ang epekto niyon – maari ding mauwi sa depresyon kapag dinamdam nila ng labis.

4. Bumili ng mga educational CDs/DVDs or mag-download ng mga educational shows, nursery rhymes – ang mairerekomeda kong ibinili ko sa panganay ko ay yung ‘Brainy Baby’ – nagtuturo ito ng mga kulay, hugis, bilang atpb. Sa wikang English. Ipinapayo ko ding turuan sila ng mga bagay na nabanggit sa wika natin. Kung English na ang mga listening at watching materials, Tagalog o Filipino na lang ang ituro natin – sapat na ang mga iyon para matuto sila sa kanilang edad.  Ang gawa ko po, dahil kami lang mag-ina noon pag-alis ng bahay ng tatay ni Angel, para mailbag siya habang may tinatapos ko ang mga gawaing-bahay o pagluluto; naka-play ang mga DVDs kaya habang naka-walker o nakaupo (naka-seatbelt sa stroller) ay talagang tutok siya sa panonood.

Warning: Tiyakin lamag po na nakasara ang pinto at tanaw pa rin siya habang may gingawa ka at kailangang lingunin paminsan-minsan lalo na kung naka-walker. 

5. Magkaroon ng kopya ng Mozart Effect o Beethoven na music/instrumental o anumang classical music sapagkat ito ay napatunayan ng pag-aaral ng mga siyentipiko na may kaugnayan sa paghubog ng katalinuhan ng bata. Ginagawa ko naman iyong background music habang natutulog sila Angel at Riana simula pagka-baby nila. Kasi habang gising hindi nila iyon gaanong ma-aapreciate kapag tulog na-iistimulate ang brain nila sa pamamagitan ng ganitong tunog.

6. Para hindi maging boring sa bata ang pagtuturo halimbawa sa pagbilang, gawin ito kasama ng regular na pang-araw-araw na aktibidad gaya ng pagkain ng mallows, o minsan bilangin ang toys. Iwasan ang madami, idepende/i-akma ito sa edad kung baby pa at ni hindi pa talaga nakapagsasalita – kahit hanggang tatlo lamang muna ang paulit-ulit ituro o kapag mga anim na buwan hanggang bilang lima, bilang sampu at kapag isang taon na kahit hanggang dalawampu. Pero kung dadaanin ito sa musika, mayroon kasing mga children’s songs na naka-incorporate ang pagtuturo ng pagbilang, hindi po ba? Sikapin po nating maibili sila nito. Patutugtugin o ipapalabas naman natin ito kapag naglalaro sila ng stuff toys at hindi rin kasi sila gaanong ma-iinteresado kapag iyon lamang talaga ang haharapin nila. Ang goal natin dito mapasabay natin silang kumanta sa tugtog kapag na-memorize nila ito (sapagkat lagi nila itong naririnig). Hindi nila napapansing natuto na rin silang bumilang o mag-recite ng abakada.