Avent presents Mom talks:

Mothers, universally, want to provide their babies with the best of care. In this day and age, however, where everything is accessible and fast, there is still no other way to care for a newborn than the time old traditional method: With a lot of love and time for nurturing.
Philips Avent, the leader in parenting and baby products, together with Mothercare, recently presented Mom Talks: A Journey Through Infant Care, at the Mother Care Active Fun, Bonifacio High Street. First time and not-so-first time moms were treated to an afternoon of fun and important mom-to-be information. The event featured Dr. Yogi Reyes and Dr. Florianne Valdes and was made possible through BC Magazine Philippines and New Beginnings, and Sexy Chef sponsored the mommy-friendly meal.
Breastfeeding 101
Dr. Yogi Reyes, pediatrician and president for mainstream Healthcare Inc., gave a talk on why breastfeeding is still best for babies. “Every woman has the capacity to produce milk. That is the magic of life – the mom’s body changes according to the needs of the baby,” says Dr. Yogi. Breastfeeding is healthy for both mother and baby. It gives you an additional of 500 calories a day – that’s an hour of jogging, walking, or swimming. Breastfeeding also releases the hormone oxytocin, according to Dr. Yogi, which causes the uterus to contract and less chances of bleeding after birth. Breastfeeding also lessens the chances of breast cancer.
For baby, “breastfeeding is the gold standard. Any brand of milk formula – no matter how expensive, will never be equal to breast milk,” says Dr. Yogi. Breast milk has high colostrum and Vitamin E content and children who are purely breastfed grow bigger because of the protein and are less prone to diseases and illnesses. Best of all, Dr. Yogi points out that it’s more economical. “It’s free. There’s no cost – you don’t buy breast milk. And it’s environmentally friendly!”
Honey, the Baby is Home
After the announcements, pre natal yoga classes, and watching baby movies, parents sometimes forget the essentials for baby’s arrival day.
Dr. Florianne Valdes, a pediatrician with Medical City Hospital, gave moms and dads, especially the first time parents, a checklist of the things to prepare for D (due) date. “During the time you are visiting your obstetrician, you have to prepare the home for the arrival of baby,” says Dr. Valdes. The crib is the most important thing, she says, and the car seat. “It’s very Filipino for the baby to sleep between mom and dad – don’t,” warns Dr. Valdes. “Affixation can happen,” she says, as she recounted a patient’s baby who was suffocated with the sleeve of the dad while the parents were soundly asleep. Sausage pillows and stuffed animals are also a no-no.
Preparing the other siblings at home needs to be done. “Kuya and ate need to understand that baby is not a toy,” says Dr. Valdes. “Get the older sibling involved. Make them feel loved and that they are not being replaced.”
The list included cleaning out air condition filters, financial preparation of hospital bills, diapers, baby name or names (in case of twins), mom and dad’s overnight bags, marriage certificate, baby clothes and blankets, and no smoking – for anyone in the household. Lastly, Dr. Valdes recommended mother-baby friendly hospitals.
Parenthood is not all rosy and sunshiny – the journey is tough and does not end once the baby reaches teen years. It’s a lifetime commitment with no lifetime guarantees. But the rewards are truly worth the hardships.
“Nothing is more empowering than knowing you are giving your best to your child,” says Dr. Yogi. And giving your best means that you are organized and equipped. “We want parents who are prepared,” affirms Dr. Valdes.
The Philips AVENT product range includes breastfeeding, toddler feeding, baby monitors and health care products. AVENT helps parents give their children the respectful, loving care that they need for optimal development. Join them on Facebook at Philips AVENT Philippines to learn more about Philips AVENT products and to join future mom and baby events.   Log on to http://www.avent.com to know more about Avent products.  Philips AVENT products are available in leading department stores and hyper markets nationwide.