Natasha Reyes and her family

It’s going to be another amazing afternoon at The Crib as Mommy Mundo presents Pregnant Pause 7 on June 7, 1 to 4 PM, at The Crib in Fun Ranch Ortigas. Packed with helpful tips, tricks, and techniques for modern moms-to-be, Pregnant Pause 7 headlines three wonderful moms: Rome Kanapi, acclaimed childbirth educator, who will share various positions, relaxation tips and breathing exercises to help moms cope with labor; Natasha Reyes of Cycles who will talk about how to care for baby’s skin; and Abbie Yabot, Latch Certified Lactation Councilor, who will teach moms how to breastfeed their babies with ease.

We were able to chat a bit with these three women, and if their candid, freewheeling conversation with us is any indication, then you’re going to be in for a wildly informative Saturday afternoon! Here we go!

What was your reaction the first time you knew you were going to be a mom?

Rome Kanapi: Surprised! I didn’t expect it. I was so busy that I didn’t expect to get pregnant right away.

Abbie Yabot: I was shocked!

Natasha: Excited, happy, and looking forward to being a mom!

How was your first pregnancy like?

Rome: No problem, very smooth. I just felt sleepy in the beginning. No vomiting. No cravings. But after a meal, my eyes would start to get heavy. At the office, I’ll put my hand on the table and sleep for awhile, maybe 10 to 15 minutes, and then I’ll be okay.

Abbie: You always remember your first time. Well, it was… I easily got tired. And I’m always full of energy so it was foreign to me that I’d get tired.

Natasha: I had a delicate pregnancy. For my first four months, I experienced whole day sickness, not just morning sickness. It was terrible, but it was all worth it!

 Rome Kanapi

How did becoming a mother change you?

Rome: I didn’t realize that the pregnancy was nothing compared to taking care of the baby! Taking care of a baby is a major task that changed me. It just shocked me that the activities that I had to plan to take care of my baby was really tremendous. It was manageable, but it was still surprising… But of course, it’s all worth it because your baby always makes you happy. When she reaches a new milestone, it just enhances the whole experience.

Abbie: It made me more careful with the decisions I make. It made me a more caring person because you’re caring for somebody else. Before, it was just me, me, me. And then it also taught me to become very responsible because I was very young. It forced me to really mature.

Natasha: I became more selfless. Our daughter, Yva, she made everything complete. She’s a blessing definitely!

How would you describe your parenting style?

Rome: I took care of her. I did a lot of activities with her. I bought a lot of books on how to create activities, simple things to do at home: melt crayons, work on scratch papers, collect whatever, etc. I’d bring her to the park. I would cook food. I breastfed. You could say that I was into attachment parenting.

Abbie: I think my parenting style is a mixture of how I was brought up and how I wanted to be brought up.

Natasha: Laidback. I think it’s a mix. I can be strict when I have to be, specially now; she’s very makulit. I think she got that from me. So I have to learn how to handle that.

What would be your advice to moms of today?

Rome: To relax and take it day by day. Don’t compare your situation with any other person. It’s different. Keep cool. Your baby can feel it when you’re anxious. Enjoy your baby. Trust your body.

Abbie: I think it’s not to get overwhelmed. There’s too much information, but not all the information you hear is correct. Because there are so many studies now about what parenting is, just take everything with a grain of salt. It doesn’t work for all kids. Or it doesn’t work for all parents. You have to find your right mix somewhere and to filter the information. At the same time, don’t be afraid to join seminars or workshops. It’s not a sign that you do not know what you’re doing. It’s a sign that you want to learn more. More than anything, you’ll never go wrong if you just keep on loving your kids.

Natasha: During my time, we didn’t have support from breastfeeding groups. It’s only now that there are a lot of advocacy groups like that. If we had that, I would have continued because I only breastfed for three months… Join groups that will encourage you because there are a lot of groups now.

 Abbie Yabot and her family

What would be the best thing that an expectant mom can do to prepare for her baby?

Rome: Just relax and enjoy your pregnancy. Sometimes those who are always reading and reading are those who encounter problems, and those who are really cool, they do so well! They have so many anxieties that it affects the pregnancy. It’s also your disposition.

Abbie: It’s to learn a lot about whatever you can learn. It’s all available now unlike in the past when you only had the Dr. Spock books and the doctors.

Natasha: The best thing that she can do is to take care of herself because it also affects the baby. Listen to your doctor. If you take care of yourself, you also take care of your baby. How do you take care of yourself? Make sure you’re in a safe environment. Don’t go to smoky places. Avoid stress. Don’t get stressed. Be happy, peaceful, and look forward to the journey.

What can we expect from your talk this Saturday?

Rome: We are going to have more movement: positions they can do at home or at the hospital to cope with labor. We’ll also have breathing exercises to cope with delivery. I’ll also be talking about how to push properly—not like how you see it in the movies! I’ll also be bringing a ball that they can try. They can sit on it or lean on it. I want to give pregnant women more options.

Abbie: What you can expect is the real thing. I think a lot of moms may not be as successful in breastfeeding because when you see all the commercials, it looks like such a heavenly experience. I’m not saying it’s the opposite, but it’s actually dealing with the real thing, what to really expect in terms of breastfeeding: how to handle opportunities or basic troubleshooting at the start, and how to change that mindset. At the end of the day, if you have the correct mindset, no matter what kind of challenges come your way, you’ll be able to get over it because you’ve already expected it, that it’s going to happen.

Natasha: This Saturday, I’m going to share about loving your baby’s skin. For Cycles Sensitive, when it comes to your baby, there should be no compromise. I’ll be giving tips as prepared for us by our pedia-derma Dr. Donna Sarrosa. She customized a module on how to take care of baby’s skin.

See you at Pregnant Pause 7, moms!