Having a baby is an exciting and life-changing event, but it can also be overwhelming as there are so many things to think about and prepare for. One thing that can help you stay organized and on track is to create a checklist of everything you need to do before the baby arrives. This can include everything from setting up the nursery to packing a hospital bag and preparing for the financial aspects of having a baby. By following this checklist, you can ensure that you are as prepared as possible for your new arrival and avoid the stress of last-minute scrambling.

Here is a comprehensive checklist to help you stay organized and prepared for your new baby:

1.Set up the nursery: This includes everything from setting up the crib and changing table to putting up curtains and decorations. Make sure you have all the necessary furniture and baby gear, such as a stroller, car seat, and diaper pail.

2.Stock up on essentials: You will need a lot of diapers, wipes, and other baby essentials, so start stocking up now. You may also want to consider purchasing some larger items, such as a breast pump or high chair, in advance.

3.Prepare for the financial aspects of having a baby: This includes budgeting for additional expenses and considering any potential changes to your income. You may also want to start a college savings plan or update your will.

4.Pack a hospital bag: Make sure you have everything you need for your stay at the hospital, including clothes, toiletries, and any medications you may be taking. Don't forget to pack a going-home outfit for the baby and a car seat for the ride home.

5.Plan for postpartum care: Make sure you have a plan in place for how you will manage the first few weeks after the baby is born. This may include arranging for help with childcare, meals, and household tasks.

6.Take care of yourself: Remember to prioritize your own health and well-being during this time. Make sure you are getting enough rest, eating a healthy diet, and staying hydrated.

By following this checklist, you can ensure that you are as prepared as possible for the arrival of your new baby. Don't be afraid to ask for help or delegate tasks to others if you need to. The most important thing is to take care of yourself and your new family.

Lactation cookies are a popular snack choice for nursing mothers, as they are believed to help increase milk production. While they can be a helpful tool for breastfeeding mothers, it is important to be aware of potential side effects and take precautions to ensure the safety and health of both mother and baby. 

Here are the top 10 tips for dealing with lactation cookie side effects:

1.Consult with a healthcare professional before starting to eat lactation cookies. It is always a good idea to speak with a doctor or lactation consultant before making any changes to your diet, especially if you are breastfeeding.

2.Choose a reputable brand of lactation cookies. Make sure to select a brand that uses high-quality ingredients and has a good reputation.

3.Follow the recommended serving size. Don’t eat more lactation cookies than recommended, as doing so could lead to an excess intake of certain nutrients, such as calories and sugar.

4.Be aware of potential allergens. Some lactation cookies may contain allergens such as nuts, wheat, or soy, which could cause an allergic reaction in some people.

5.Monitor your baby for any adverse reactions. If you notice that your baby is experiencing digestive issues, fussiness, or any other unusual symptoms after you start eating lactation cookies, stop consuming them and consult with your healthcare provider.

6.Consider alternative galactagogues. Lactation cookies are just one option for increasing milk production. There are many other natural galactagogues, such as fenugreek, blessed thistle, and fennel, that may be just as effective and have fewer potential side effects.

7.Don’t rely on lactation cookies as the sole source of nutrition. While lactation cookies can be a tasty and convenient snack, they should not be relied upon as the main source of nutrients during breastfeeding. A varied, balanced diet is important for both mother and baby.

8.Drink plenty of fluids. Lactation cookies can be drying, so it is important to drink plenty of fluids to help keep yourself hydrated.

9.Don’t eat lactation cookies if you are not breastfeeding. Lactation cookies are intended for nursing mothers and may not be suitable for non-breastfeeding individuals.

10.Don’t replace a healthy diet with lactation cookies. While lactation cookies may have some potential benefits, they should not be used as a substitute for a well-balanced diet. It is important to eat a variety of healthy foods to ensure proper nutrition for both mother and baby.

In conclusion, lactation cookies can be a helpful snack for nursing mothers, but it is important to be aware of potential side effects and take precautions to ensure the safety and health of both mother and baby. By following these tips, you can enjoy lactation cookies as a tasty and convenient snack while breastfeeding.

The internet has been very beneficial, particularly during the pandemic. Our kids have been able to adapt to an alternative way of receiving education through Online or Virtual Learning. The number of internet users have increased over the years, but more since the pandemic started. 

Be cyber-informed

To help tackle this problem, children in the Philippines must be educated on the risks and be aware of the actions to take when faced with danger online.


Educate your kids, siblings, or fellow parents. There are plenty of resources available to educate on the safe use of the internet. Twinkl has published a free online safety guidebook designed especially for parents and teachers in the Philippines to help keep children safe online.

Free education for children

There are online courses such as Stairway Foundation Inc.’s free cyber safety courses for kids. It’s important that kids are educated and trained on how to safely use the internet, this way they can make safe decisions when they are online.


Top tip: Younger children learn better through visual aids like posters or interactive activities and games. You can use Twinkl’s internet and phone safety multiple-choice quiz game to stimulate thinking actions to take during certain situations and check their knowledge.

What can you do to minimize the digital threats at home?

Explore child-friendly search engines

Kiddle.co search engine specifically designed for kids powered by Google. It offers safe web browsing for children as results are vetted by editors to filter out inappropriate content for kids.
Enable parental control on your children’s devices

The use of parental controls reduces the risk of your kids viewing inappropriate content online. You should also monitor your child's internet activity and use age-appropriate settings on devices in order to avoid digital threats. Here’s a guide on setting parental control on different devices.

Set time limits — screen time

It’s no doubt that the screen time for children has increased since the pandemic. It’s important that children develop healthy screen time.

Too much screen time can have a negative impact on children’s sleeping patterns, concentration, mental health and physical activity. That’s why it's important children are aware of the importance of taking regular breaks and using screen time optimally and effectively.

5 Important Internet Safety Tips to Teach Your Children

1. Do not post or share your personal details to strangers online.

Personal details include the child's school name, home address, bank account details, location, and full name.

2. Think before you accept and connect.

Only accept a friend request from people you actually know. You can never be sure whether the person you are talking online is really who they say they are.

3. You should never meet anyone you met online in person.

If someone asks to meet you, tell your parents, guardian or friends right away. Some people may not be who they say they are.

4. Never respond to horrible or rude posts or emails.

Think about your behavior as well. Be nice, do not be a bully. Unfriend or block anyone you find inappropriate, horrible, or bothersome.

5. Think carefully before posting and sharing a picture or video yourself.

You may be blackmailed in the future by anyone who has your personal photo or video.

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My hair started changing color when I was 15. By my 20s, I had a lot of white hair already. Here's how I accepted my premature graying.

Potty training is a major milestone but often considered as one of the most challenging parts of early parenting.

I have read countless online comments from moms—both first-time parents and veteran ones—about the long and difficult process of potty training.

There's also the years-long challenge of overcoming bedwetting.

However, every kid is different. Some take a lot of time to potty train, while others seem to be a natural at it.

If you're in the trenches of potty training, here are some tips for stress-free potty training:

1. Wait and let your child's readiness lead

A child's ability to be potty trained is highly dependent on his/her readiness, both on the cognitive and physical level.

Parenting experts say that while it's considered developmentally "appropriate" to expect 18- to 24-month-olds to be potty trained, some children are not ready yet until they are 3 or 4 years old.

And if you have a boy, it's more expected that they get ready later than girls do.

So if it seems that your toddler isn't interested in potty training yet, the best course of action is to wait and let your child's readiness lead.

2. Know the signs of potty training readiness

More often than not, you may be misled by online articles and books claiming that if you use their same exact methods, you can potty-train your child in just a few days.

However, that's not always the case. If you introduce potty training prematurely, the chances of success are slim.

Knowing the signs of potty training readiness can give you a good idea whether it's the right time for your toddler to be potty trained.

Some of these are the following:

• Able to maintain being "dry" for at least 2 hours or during nap times.
• Can walk and/or run steadily.
• Can pull his/her pants down and/or up.
• Can sit down patiently in one place for 5 minutes.
• Is curious about your bathroom habits.
• Can become uncomfortable when his/her diapers are dirty.
• Can follow simple instructions.
• Can verbalize when he/she needs to go.

3. Encourage, encourage, encourage

Encouragement goes a long way when you're training your toddler—be it for potty training or many other developmental milestones.

Praise is just not enough, such as "Good job!"

Be specific in what you find delightful. For example, "Wow, you were able to pee in the potty just in time!"

And whenever there are accidents—and there will be many—stay calm and unruffled, and really mean it.

It's best not to redirect the child. You need to acknowledge his/her accident yet still encourage the toddler.

For example, "Oopsy! You peed in your underwear, and now you're upset that you're dirty. But you did a good job in letting me know that you're peeing! Let's try to pee in the potty next time!"

Or sometimes, a simple "Oh, darling. That's okay. Thank you for trying!" worked really well for us.

4. Read them books, sing them songs

I'm a huge fan of using picture books and songs to teach my toddler.

It's also a fun way to teach children and effective tools in helping them recall the lesson better.

Here are some of the books and songs/videos I used to help K during our potty training:

"Potty Time!" by Caroline Jayne Church

I love how simple and fun this book is, with its short and cute sentences that rhyme, and the "Flush me!" button.

There's also a book reading video of Potty Time! here:

Potty Training Song - Cocomelon

What parent has never heard of Cocomelon? Our toddler loves this particular video

However, when we potty trained, I made up a special potty training song for my toddler that's simple enough so that she can also sing along with me while she peed/pooped.

5. Be gentle; let go of perfection

Lastly, be gentle and kind, both to your toddler and to yourself. Let go of the vision of perfection.

Remember, if your toddler hasn't been potty-trained yet, it's highly likely that he/she isn't ready.

No one keeps a record of your parenting wins, and there surely is no competition on who the best parent is in the world.

I know it's easier said than done. But here's one thing that helped me whenever I try to teach my daughter something:

In a previous post, I shared to you how our toddler was quickly potty-trained. If you'd like to know how we did it, head on to this post: How Our Toddler Was Potty-Trained at 2.6 Years Old

Allocating Screen Time