Lullabies and Lippies

Make-Up Junkie Turned Mommy

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Won't sugarcoat it: being a first-time mom is overwhelming. Apart from being completely responsible for this tiny (yet overly-demanding) being, you are faced with a whole new set of daily tasks that you must perform with little to no sleep.

I always tell my friends however (since I am the first to have a baby) that I feel moms today have it so much easier than our moms before! Take for example the tedious task of sterilizing feeding bottles and pump parts. Traditionally, to sterilize after washing the parts, one would put them in boiling water or in a steam sterilizer. After this, the parts need to be transferred somewhere in order to dry off. Sometimes, it can take a while before the parts dry off (you can't exactly wipe the parts dry because that would defeat the purpose of sterilizing in the first place) My Julianna rarely naps during the day, and when she does, it's only for about 30 minutes tops. That's why it's challenging for me to sneak in a cleaning-sterilizing session during the day.

So glad we got an EcoMom UV Sterilizer! 

Before giving birth, I did my homework and researched on the latest and best baby products in the market today. From all the forums I joined, EcoMom was an obvious favorite, so this was an easy choice for us. I'm going to say it - best baby purchase ever!

Here are some reasons why we love our EcoMom:  (We have the ECO 70KA Dual model in red)

1. Dryer and sterilizer in one!
After washing, simply place the items inside and press the Auto cycle button to dry and sterilize in one go. Auto cycle button is rightmost one in picture below. Love this function because I can just leave them inside and come back for them when they're done (there's a tiny screen which indicates time left) So convenient for a baby who rarely naps or doesn't want to be left alone!


2. Super quick 
I can get an entire load done and ready to use again in less than an hour - waaaay faster than if you were to use a steam sterilizer. I didn't have a nanny for the first three months, too, so I really appreciated that I could get everything done quickly, so that I had time for other things like taking a shower LOL Look how much I was able to get done in one go!




3. No burn risk
This does not use any hot water or steam, so it's safe to use, even for klutzes like me!

4. Mess-free
Again, since no hot water or steam is used, no need to clean up any spills on your counter tops. No need to keep on wiping down your sterilizer, too, to prevent molds.

5. Multi-use
The EcoMom uses UV light, making it possible to easily sterilize baby's toys, even battery-operated ones! That's something you can't really do that with steam sterilizers.


The entire family can use it too! Sterilize utensils, cellphones, remote controls - I even use it to sterilize my make-up brushes!

6. Low energy consumption
The EcoMom only uses 80 watts per run. A classmate from our birthing class mentioned that using their steam sterilizer has caused a drastic increase in their electricity bill. According to her, a single run using her steam sterilizer consumes about 500 watts. She has since switched to EcoMom and has never looked back.

Mighty Baby PH is the exclusive distributor of EcoMom here in the Philippines. EcoMom products are available at the Mighty Baby showroom in San Juan, The Parenting Emporium, SM Baby Company, and Mothercare branches.

N
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Day 24.

I wish I could tell you that the past 24 days since I'd given birth have been nothing but pure bliss. I wish I could tell you that it's been nothing but rainbows and butterflies. I wish I could tell you it's been easy.

But that would be the biggest lie in the world.

Here are some of the greatest challenges for me so far as a mother:

1. The lack of sleep is not a joke
If I could say one thing to all moms-to-be out there, it would be to enjoy sleeping in while you can! I haven't been able to sleep for more than four hours straight (as in, uninterrupted) since I had given birth. My family and friends all know how much of a lola I am i.e. I am usually in bed by 9PM!

A newborn needs to feed approximately every two hours. If it's not feeding time, it's diaper changing time. If it's neither, then she wants to be held. It can get really exhausting to be "on-call," especially during the wee hours of the morning. Oh, and deciphering her cry every time is not exactly easy, either. They say, you eventually figure out if it's a hungry cry, or a diaper change cry, or an I-want-to-cuddle cry. At this point though, Jerome and I are still feeling our way through, and boy, can it get frustrating when nothing you do seems to stop the crying. We're also currently living with Jerome's parents whose room is just next to ours, so when Julianna cries at night, we're always under pressure to make her stop immediately because we don't want to wake them.

Feeding and burping an infant seems easy enough during the daytime, but it's a different story at night, especially if you've been sleep-deprived for weeks on end. I would say it takes about 40 or so minutes to feed, burp, and put her back to sleep - and that's considering we're bottle-feeding her (we're doing mixed feeding as of the moment - formula and breastmilk, both via bottle) Direct and exclusive breastfeeding and can take 30mins up to an hour solely just to feed her.

Put simply, by the time you're done feeding and burping her and you yourself have settled into bed, about to doze off, give it about 15-20 mins tops, and she'll be hungry again or needing another nappy change.

2. Another thing: Breastfeeding is physically, emotionally, mentally draining
Breast milk does not come immediately to all mothers. Some are blessed with an abundant supply immediately after delivery, some have to wait up to a week for even just a few drops. Right now, we are feeding Julianna with about 50% breast milk and 50% formula milk. Even before giving birth, I had already come to terms with myself that I would be okay with mixed feeding, just in case my milk supply is not enough. Of course, the ultimate goal is to exclusively breastfeed, but I had to have a Plan B, just in case. Letting my baby starve was not an option!

Nowadays, there is so much social pressure for a mother to exclusively breastfeed her child. She is judged and made to feel inadequate when she does not breastfeed for one reason or another. The pressure comes not only from doctors, nurses, but from other mothers, as well. I thought I would be totally at peace with mixed feeding, but I was not. Somehow, I felt guilty, like I was depriving my child of something due to her. Believe me, I really want to feed her with only my milk (I think all mothers do), but my supply is not yet enough.

How I wish increasing one's milk supply were just a matter of having tinola every meal, and taking malunggay capsules. That's sadly not the case. It's a combination of regular and efficient feeding or expression, taking galactagogues (aka food that helps boost milk supply), being relaxed (no stress), and getting enough sleep and rest - the latter two being impossible with a newborn and with no stay-in yaya!

The saddest part in all this social pressure is that most of the judgement comes from other mothers, as well. You'd think they'd be the ones to be more understanding, since they went through the same thing. Again, sadly, not the case.

3. Mommy-Guilt is real
Do I even know what I'm doing? As a first-time mom, I often wonder if what I'm doing is correct. Sometimes, I wish I could get in Julianna's head for a day, just to see what she's thinking or if she's happy with me.

Last week, Julianna threw up after I fed her. Was recommended by her pediatrician to decrease her milk intake by 0.5oz because she could have been overfed. Newborns are still in the process of learning when they are hungry, and when they are full. Sometimes, even after being fed, they cry and mistakenly think they are still hungry (it takes a while for them to realize they're actually full already) Sometimes though, they're really still hungry because their appetite has grown. It's really hard to tell the difference. On one hand, I don't want to overfeed her, but on the other hand, I also don't want her to be hungry. I felt so badly and cried so much that evening. I felt so guilty for causing her to throw up. Even though I know it could have happened to anyone feeding her (and that I did not mean her any harm,) I still felt responsible. Mommy Guilt is real.

Not gonna lie -- I would have laughed and rolled my eyes at something like this before. But I know this is something all mothers (especially new mothers) can somehow relate to.

This entry goes out to all new mothers struggling through the first few weeks after giving birth.

All new mothers who have given up sleep for their newborns.

All new mothers who, in the 2-3 hours of downtime while their babies are asleep, choose to pump milk, wash and sterilize feeding bottles, or finish some chores instead of nap, since that's the only free time they have.

All new mothers who have given up shopping, or buying things for themselves, just so that they would be able to purchase things needed by their baby.

All new mothers who persevere and get up every 2-3 hours, even in the middle of the night, in order to pump milk, just to keep their supply going.

All new mothers who suffer from cracked or bleeding nipples because of regular feeding or expression.

All new mothers who find it painful to even wear a bra now because the regular pumping have made her nipples permanently sore.

All new mothers who have been judged by their nurses, pediatricians, other mothers, and even their husbands for not being able to give enough milk to their newborn, or for choosing bottle-feeding instead of direct.

All new mothers who, despite everything they have been through in the past nine months or so, are discouraged take a shower, leave the house, or enjoy her favorite cold drink for an entire month because of post-partum healing traditions.

All new mothers who desperately want to go out for some fresh air, just to relax, but are unable to because she's reluctant to leave her baby with the yaya.

All new mothers who dare not complain, or say anything because they're so afraid of being judged.

To all new mothers, I'm saying it out loud for you.

You are not alone. We'll get through this.

The best days are yet to come!
N

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I gave birth to my beautiful Julianna on Tuesday, March 28, 2017 at 1:51pm via Cesarean section. It's been 20 days since. 

One's experiences as a first-time mom is truly life-changing. My decision to include these accounts in my blog is so that one day, I can look back and remember exactly how it felt like.

Since this is my first entry officially as a mom, I thought it appropriate to write about my birthing experience, from labor to delivery.

0800H March 24 (38 weeks 6 days)
Jerome had accompanied me to my OB for a check-up. I had been taking evening primrose oil (EPO) for about a week already at my OB's recommendation. This was to help soften my cervix and aid in dilation. We didn't know what to expect at this point since we had heard mixed reviews from our friends about the effectivity of EPO. The week previous I was still at 0cm. Upon examination, I was already at 1cm - success! My OB also noted that my cervix has softened a great deal already. I was told to walk around more and to continue taking the EPO. Was asked to return on Monday for another check-up, and she told me that I would be admitted already if I had progressed to 3cm by then.

From the childbirth classes we attended, one of the recommendations to help open up the cervix and induce labor was to bounce on an exercise ball. Was luckily able to borrow one from an aunt and bounced around throughout the weekend.

0800H March 27 (39 weeks 1 day)
OB did an IE and I was at 3cm already, as she had predicted. While performing the IE, she pointed out that I was already experiencing strong contractions. She asked me if it was painful. I was completely unaware that I was already experiencing contractions because it didn't hurt - at all! It just felt like my tummy was tightening, but no pain at all, so I thought that maybe baby was just stretching or moving around inside my tummy. Women who had given birth already would describe contractions to be unbearably painful. I was already getting these contractions regularly throughout the weekend, but was completely oblivious!

As per our agreement, I would be admitted already that day. I bargained with my OB to let me go home first and take one last shower since I would not be allowed to for an entire month! (Read: ge lai aka Chinese post-partum healing; more on this next time!) She ordered a non-stress test (NST), just to be sure. If everything was okay, then I would be allowed to go home first, take a shower, then come back right away after lunch to be admitted.

0940H
NST results noted strong, regular contractions lasting 60 seconds every 2-4mins. Everything was a-okay with baby. Normally, they will tell you to delay going to the hospital and endure labor at home for as long as you can. This is because labor can last several hours and you will be completely alone in the labor room anyway with no companion. In my case however, I was asked to come in right away after my bath because my contractions were already very regular, and yet I was completely unaware of them. Doctors decided it was better for them to be able to monitor these contractions closely.

1320H
Left home and headed for the hospital (I gave birth in Cardinal Santos, btw) with Jerome.

1400H
I was brought to the delivery room where they prepped, changed, and whisked me away to the labor room.

1430H
Was settled in the labor room. The labor rooms in Cardinal Santos are quite nice, since they are actual rooms with cement walls and doors and not just curtains separating one bed from another. In the labor room, they strap you on to a fetal monitor and hook you up with an IV drip. I spent a total of 8 hours that day in the labor room from 2:30PM to 10:30PM. I was completely, utterly bored. I was the only one in the labor rooms that day, with no other mothers-to-be in labor. It was only me, a nurse by my side, the fetal monitor, and the television. They had been giving me oxytocin to help me get even stronger, more regular contractions and to further dilate. By 10:30PM however (after 8 hours), I had only progressed to 4cm. OB then decided for us to take a break, rest for the night and just continue in the morning.

2240H
I was beyond happy to be able to go back to my room for the night. Since I entered the labor room in the afternoon, I had only been able to see and talk to my husband for about 10mins (companions are only allowed to enter the labor room for a maximum of 15mins per day) so I was so glad to finally be able to talk to him!

I'm lucky because even after being administered oxytocin, I had still not experienced any labor pain at all. I told my husband, at that point, pain to me was sitting in that labor room alone for 8 hours hooked up to a monitor and an IV drip doing absolutely nothing with absolutely nobody to talk to. Seriously, I watched every one of the teleseryes, game shows, and news reports that came on! And I'm not a TV person, so that's saying something!

Apparently, my husband had only been able to settle down in the room at around 8:30pm because he had been so busy with all the paperwork required for admitting. After catching up with one another, we decided to turn in and rest up already for the big day ahead.

0530H March 28 (39 weeks 2 days)
Nurses came and brought me to the labor room (aka room of utter boredom and pain) again. Was being administered oxytocin again.

0830H
My OB arrived and did an IE - 5cm dilated, cephalic, station 2. At that point, she ruptured my bag, too, and said that my baby would be born that same day. She ordered the resident and the nurses to continue giving me oxytocin so that by the time she returned after lunch, I would be ready to push.

My labor experience had been completely painless until then.

Immediately, after my bag ruptured, I felt labor pain for the very first time, but it was still very mild. Nurses asked me to rate it on a pain scale from 1 to 10, 10 being the most painful. It was only then a 1 with the stiffness from my hands being a lot more painful. At this point, it was more of labor discomfort, rather than pain.

After that though, the pain progressed very quickly.

1030H
Pain rating is now at 3/10. Still bearable. I don't get dysmenorrhea often, and when I do, it's really not bad at all compared to what my friends would experience. The worst dysmenorrhea I had ever experienced was still a lot worse than this.

1100H
Pain rating now at 5/10. Now, it was getting painful, but still bearable. I would have to do deep breathing exercises  to help me get through the contractions.

1130H
Pain rating now at 7/10. Now, it was getting REALLY painful! Contractions lasted 90 seconds and would come every 2-3mins, so it was get really tiring! The deep breathing exercises helped, but it was getting really painful already. I would describe it as really, really bad dysmenorrhea. (Like I said, I don't get dysmenorrhea often, so I don't know how bad it can get, but I would imagine this to be close!)

1200H
Up until then, I had not asked for an epidural yet, pero sirit na - I couldn't take it anymore! I asked the resident if I could have an epidural already. After contacting my OB, she told me to wait a little while longer - just for my OB to arrive and give me an IE first, then they would give me the epidural. Okay, okay, I agreed.

1230H
My OB's clinic hours ends at 1200H, so I was expecting her to arrive already by 1230H. Still, no sign! I was getting impatient already, but I didn't want to be known as a whiney patient (LOL) so I kept quiet.

1315H
Thank goodness my OB arrived already! I was getting delirious! I asked if I could pee first before she did the IE, to which she agreed. She asked the nurses to come bring me a bed pan so that I could relieve myself.

1325H
Nurses came with the bed pan and I relieved myself. While peeing, the fetal monitor went off which signaled my baby's heartbeat dropping at an alarming rate. My OB had to physically stimulate baby's head in order for the heart rate to pick up again. The physical stimulation was one of the most uncomfortable things I've ever experienced - that, coupled with fear for my baby's life was something I would never wish for any mother to experience.

1330H
Luckily, my baby's heart rate picked up, but it was still a lot lower than what is desireable. My OB then decided that we had to deliver my baby via emergency CS. Cervix had not dilated as we had hoped, labor had already taken too long, and baby is already in distress. We had no choice. From that point on, everything happened so fast. One second, it was my OB ordering nurses to prep the operating room for emergency CS. The next second, I was already being wheeled in. I was in such a state of shock that I didn't even get to ask if they were able to tell my husband already. I was terrified.

1335H
Was on the operating table already. I heard them let my husband in. Thank goodness because I was terrified, and on the verge of crying already. I had been trying so hard not to cry, and to keep it together, but the moment I saw my husband, I completely lost it and broke down. I had hoped to give birth via NSD, not via CS, but we had no choice. At that point though, I couldn't care less as to how they delivered my baby, I just wanted them to deliver her safely ASAP.

1340H
Probably the most nerve-wrecking part for me was administration of the general anesthesia. The whole reason why I had hoped for an NSD is because I wanted to avoid being given general anesthesia. Imagine being asked to curl up into a ball to expose your spine when you have a big, pregnant belly in the way. It's really difficult! They were getting frustrated that I was not curling up enough for them. And because they were getting frustrated, I was also getting frustrated. Imagine all of that happening while still being in a state of shock from the whole emergency CS scenario.

The anesthesiologist poked me four times before she finally got it. FOUR TIMES. In one attempt, I even felt an electric sensation down my left leg. I was really so nervous! It's not like I had an alternate choice for an anesthesiologist at that point. All that time, I was just hoping to God that she would get it already and that she wouldn't hit a wrong nerve and paralyze me forever. Thank God she got it right. After four attempts. Ugh.

1345H
Lost sensation waist-down immediately after being given the anesthesia, but was still fully conscious. Curtain was brought up immediately and my husband stayed beside me the entire time.

1350H
OB announced that my baby was about to come out already. She asked Jerome to get his camera ready.

1351H
My Julianna came into this world with a loud cry. I was so relieved that she was safe. They cut the umbilical cord, and brought her to me for our first family photo. That was the last thing I remember.

1935H
I awoke in the recovery room feeling very groggy. I was woken up by the telephone ringing. It was Jerome calling the nurse to ask how I was and when I would be wheeled back to our room. I fell back asleep.

2005H
I awoke again. This time, more conscious already. I heard the nurses on the phone again with my husband. He was following up again when I would be brought back to my room. Apparently, it had been past four hours already since I was brought to the recovery room.

2040H
I was finally wheeled back to our room. Was so relieved to see my husband. He told me Julianna would be brought to our room shortly.

2100H
Our Julianna was brought to our room.

... And that is just the beginning. After delivery, we spent three more nights in the hospital. Those first three nights are a whole different story for a different day. I wish I could spend the entire day just writing about those first three nights, and the nights that followed, but duty calls! If you think I've had way too much to say already about my birthing experience, just wait for my posts on coming home with baby, ge lai (aka Chinese post-partum healing), and post-partum blues!

'Til then, I promise to keep it together!

N
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Most people choose to talk about the horrendous symptoms that come with being pregnant – not me, not today! I'm choosing to be more positive and talk about its perks. 

Here are some benefits which I've enjoyed thus far (though most of these only come into play well into your second or third trimester, whenever you start to look really pregnant, and not just like you enjoyed the buffet too much):

1. Most people offer to carry things for you
My parents have always trained me to be independent, and to be responsible for all my things, so I'm quite used to lugging around stuff by myself – be it at home, in the workplace, at the grocery, and at the mall. Ever since my bump started to really show though (which was starting the third trimester), I swear, people would go ballistic each time I tried to carry things that I normally do anyway! Like, at the mall, after purchasing some items we need for the baby, the sales associates would even offer to accompany me to bring the shopping bags to my car. Not being abusive, but I do enjoy the extra care!

2. PWD Parking
The only thing worse than Metro Manila traffic is finding parking, particularly in malls. My husband & I have not availed of this perk that much simply because there always seems to be regular parking wherever we go, anyway. This has come in handy though whenever I have to drive alone going somewhere and have no one to help me carry my purchases (because you can never assume #1 on this list) Parking at the PWD slots ensures that I am able to park quickly and easily, that I don't have to walk very far, and that I don't lug around my purchases for very long.

3. Priority lane in certain establishments like banks
Don't you just hate it when you've been in queue at the bank for quite some time already, and you see a teller sitting behind a counter doing completely nothing except to wait for certain preferred clients or senior citizens? (I'm looking at you, red and gold Philippine bank!) I'm not one to sneer at senior citizens for the perks they enjoy, because hey, they've earned it! But it just feels so satisfying to walk in the bank, then have it be your turn immediately. Am literally in and out of the bank in just a few minutes!

4. People let you use the comfort room first
It's true, people! Pregnant women do have to go use the comfort room more often. Not sure about the scientific explanation behind this – my guess is that baby is taking up so much space in the tummy, so much that she presses against my bladder (I could be totally making this up) Anyway, I find myself using the comfort room a lot more often that I used to, so it's definitely a nice gesture when people let you go first. Sorry na lang sa mga hindi buntis, nguni't ihing-ihi din.

5. Eat a lot without getting judged
The best part - you can eat to your heart's desire without getting judged. My general appetite has not increased significantly ever since getting pregnant, but one thing I can never say no to is sweets! I love sweets! (How can anyone not?) Thank goodness I don't have gestational diabetes, too, because now, I can always order dessert without being judged!

I'm down to the last few weeks of being able to enjoy these perks. I hope this has provided you with a different, happier perspective of what comes with being pregnant.

Which of these perks do you enjoy/are you looking forward to enjoying the most? Would love to hear about them in the comments below!
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(Typed this entry a few weeks back and completely forgot to publish it. WHY. Oh well, better late than never!)


Since I am the first among my friends to get pregnant, I frequently get asked a lot of questions on how it feels like, at least on the physical level. Here are some FAQ's which I thought of sharing here, too :)

What does being pregnant feel like?
Right off the bat, I should say that every pregnancy is different. When we found out we were expecting, I worried immediately about morning sickness, nausea, food cravings and aversions, bloating, fatigue, and all the other pregnancy symptoms we hear about from our moms and titas. I was told to brace, especially during the first trimester since this is supposedly when symptoms are at its worst. 

At 30 weeks pregnant today, I'm happy to report that except for a little low blood pressure, I experienced none of the usual pregnancy symptoms we often hear from people. I had no morning sickness, no food cravings, no fatigue. Nada. I have a full-time job and am at the office Mondays thru Saturdays. My husband would often ask me if I have any cravings, and each time, I would say no. The funny thing is that he was the one having late-night cravings, particularly for dimsum. He would literally leave the house, even at past 10 in the evening to take-out some dimsum for himself! It was the funniest thing!

So, you didn't get any pregnancy symptoms, at all?
I was lucky to be spared from the above major pregnancy symptoms during my first trimester. I will say though, I have started to get the following symptoms maybe about two or so weeks ago:

  • body (particularly, my belly) feels extra heavy - My tummy only started to really get big after the 26th week mark. I felt my tummy's growth after the 26th week mark was exponential in that it kept growing really quickly. (During my 25th week, I could still wear my regular pants and clothes. Come 26th week, they felt a little snug already, and by the 27th week, wearing my regular clothes felt like child abuse already. LOL. But seriously.)
  • feeling extra bloated/full/out of breath after meals - My appetite has not grown significantly ever since becoming pregnant. In fact, my OB-GYNE slightly scolded me when I went for my check up during my 27th week because my tummy was so much smaller than it should have been. (Recommended weight gain during pregnancy is about 25-30lbs.) At 27 weeks (well-over the halfway mark), I had only gained about 12lbs. She has since advised me to eat more, particularly increase my protein intake. Since making the conscious effort to eat more, I noticed that I would feel so bloated and out of breath, particularly after meals. It felt like the food and my baby would be sitting on top of my lungs, making it hard for me to breathe. My husband suggested that instead of increasing my meal portions altogether, that I take smaller, more frequent meals instead. Seems like it was a good call because when I returned to my doctor the following week, she measured my tummy, gave me a nod of approval and said that my baby was already catching up in size. Good job, Dad! :)
  • leg cramps - I've experienced leg cramps in the morning probably only three times so far. Lucky for me, my husband used to be a student athlete, so he knew what stretches to do each time. A tip I picked up from our childbirth classes is to resist pointing your toes in the morning while stretching right after you wake up. Apparently, this is what triggers the cramps. Glad I took a mental note of this because just a few mornings after that class, I woke up and felt the urge to rotate my foot while stretching. I could already feel my leg about to cramp up, when I remembered this tip and stopped moving my foot. Cramps successfully averted!

When do you start to feel your baby move?
I began to feel fetal movements at around the 16th to 20th week. My husband only started to feel these movements at around the 24th week. The first few times you feel your baby move will feel almost like a stirring sensation, almost as if there were a goldfish swimming inside your tummy. Whenever my friends ask me, I would tell them that it almost feels like kinakabag ako (or am feeling gassy) By the time your husband (or whoever is touching your belly) starts to feel these movements, it will feel like gentle nudging or fluttering inside. I'm currently on my 30th week, so my baby has been moving so much more lately - in the morning, throughout the day, before bedtime, and even in the middle of the night. I can also feel her limbs getting stronger since her movements are now starting to feel like kicks and punches to my ribs. I sometimes get startled from these kicks throughout the day!

As a final note, I would like to stress again that every pregnancy is different. My experiences may be completely different from yours. In the same way, your experience with your first baby may be completely different from that of your succeeding babies'. At the end of the day, the most important thing is to trust your doctor, and listen to your body as well.

Is your experience the same as mine or completely different? I'd love to hear about it! Also, if you've got any more questions, leave them in the comments section below!




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With date make-up, you can go either of two ways: fresh and au naturel or striking and sultry. Whichever you choose, I've got you covered! Follow these simple steps for an easy, make-up look that's perfect for some 1-on-1 time with your special someone, a get-together with your best girlfriends, or even just some alone time to recharge and relax

Fresh and Au Naturel
Key elements: Even, glowy skin, natural brows, fluttery lashes, rosy flush
  1. Blend a light-to-medium coverage foundation or BB cream on to your face; set with powder as needed.
  2. Shape your brows and fill them in naturally with your brow product of choice (Tip: Go with a brow pencil for a more natural look. Your brow pencil should 1-2 shades lighter than your hair color)
  3. Curl your lashes and apply a coat or two of your favorite mascara (Tip: A waterproof formula holds up a curl better while ensuring a smudge-proof, worry-free wear)
  4. Swipe on a peachy-pink lipstick on your lips and double this up as a cream blush. Use your fingers to blend out the product on your cheeks for a natural, dewy finish.
  5. Apply a subtle highlight on to your cheekbones. (Tip: Skip this step if you have naturally oily skin)
L-R: Ofra Peach Lipstick, Burt's Bees BB Cream, NYX Brow Pencil (all available on ZALORA PH)

Striking and Sultry
Key elements: Perfected skin, chiseled face, structured brows, defined eyes, bold lip

  1. Blend a medium-to-full coverage foundation on to your face and apply concealer in areas where extra coverage is desired. Set with powder as needed.
  2. Contour your face: below the cheekbones, around the temples and jawline, and down the bridge of your nose.
  3. Shape your brows and fill them in with your brow product of choice. Since we will be going bold on the lip, fill your brows in a little heavier than you normally would.
  4. Line your eyes, curl your lashes, and apply two coats of a volumizing mascara. (Tip: Tightlining your waterline instead of lining your eyes is a great alternative for those who prefer a more subtle effect)
  5. Apply your favorite bold lip color. Red is a classic, and is guaranteed to go with any outfit you choose! (Tip: To mattify your lipstick and make it smudge-proof, blot your lips on to a tissue and dab some loose powder on to them.)
L-R: L'Oreal Color Riche Lipstick, Max Factor Face Finity Foundation, banila co. mascara (all available on ZALORA PH)
Which makeup look are you going for this V-day? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below!

Disclaimer: This is a re-post. My original post is published on Zalora PH Community. All images used in this entry are from the original. (View post here)
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About Me



Hi! I'm Nicole, 20-something, and based in Manila. Allow me to share with you what goes on in my make-up-loving mind. I hope you'll also join me in my new adventures as a wife, and as a first-time mom. ❤

For collaborations, please e-mail me at nicoleyusee@gmail.com

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      • A Review on EcoMom UV Sterilizer

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