I asked my mom blogger friend Jenny Ong to guest-post about her O.C. ways. Jenny is a co-organizer of the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival, a compilation of blog posts focused on a specific theme on breastfeeding. For July, the group joins the National Nutrition Council – Department of Health in celebrating Nutrition Month with the theme “Isulong ang Breastfeeding – Tama, Sapat at Eksklusibo!” She blogs at Chronicles of a Nursing Mom.
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The OC-Mom Journals By: Jenny Ong
As a new and first-time breastfeeding mom, I constantly worried about how much milk my daughter was getting. I didn’t attend any breastfeeding seminars or classes – save for about a 30-minute lecture included in a Newborn Care class which I took shortly before giving birth. All I knew was we had to constantly put N at the breast and just watch out for her pees and poops which should be at least 6 pees per day by the time that she was 6 days old.
With my brain in a mommy scramble mode, I decided that the only way I could “measure” her intake was through this Feed Me, Change Me Chart which I made, printed and forced my husband S to fill up every time he changed or fed our daughter. Here’s an example of a filled-up chart which S filled up (or face my wrath!) even at the wee hours of the morning. We were mixed feeding during this time because N was jaundiced and we ignorantly believed the pediatrician that she needed to be given formula. So you can see the marks that S made to identify whether she had formula, expressed breastmilk or was directly fed. Can you believe that we did this for more than 2 months?!
My journal/chart keeping didn’t end with that. When N turned 6 months, my next project was a journal to chronicle her daily diet. I used the Goldilocks freebie planners that came with Yummy Magazine. This time, it was Yaya’s turn to handle the daily journaling. I had gone back to work when N was 7 months and I was lucky that Yaya was as OC as I was in listing down all of N’s food plus favorite meals. We did this for 1 year and the journal has been scanned and passed on to other new moms who were thinking of menus to feed their 6-month old babies.
Now, I have Dr. Mom Journal made by like-minded OC Moms and by N’s OC Pedia – Dr. Cricket Palanca-Chen. Dr. Mom is a health journal for children from 0 to 16 years old! It is quite hefty (both weight and price as it costs P1,500-P1,800). Dr. Mom was launched when N was already 1 and a half years old. But the OC-ness in me couldn’t resist getting one and I haven’t regretted it! It is filled with several pages of information that I would like to compile and keep track off such as xx Month visits, sick child visit, doctor sheets (where doctors can write their prescriptions), specialist sheets, dentist sheets, various exam sheets (hearing test, blood test, etc.), immunizations chart, illness monitoring sheets (my favorite), plus a lot more! Ever since w got this journal, we have religiously kept track of all of N’s illnesses, medicine intake, tests, etc. It keeps all our records organized and I can easily review details of her last illness. Caveat – this is only a great product if you like record keeping!
Since we’re now getting ready for Flower, Baby No. 2 coming in December, will we be keeping the same journals/records? I will probably skip the Feed Me/Change Me chart but will still keep a food log and the Dr. Mom Journal!
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I personally had my own logs of breastfeeding, pee, poo, sleep. I also had my own version of the Dr. Mom Journal because I didn’t know there was 1 you could buy! For my 2nd baby, I will definitely buy this.
The Dr. Mom Journal and other mom and baby necessities may be bought from Jenny’s shopping site Mama.Baby.Love. And on that note, I’m off to do some online pre-birth shopping.
Thank you Jenny!
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Oh wow!
After Jamie (baby #2), I tried… desperately to keep a journal or a chart or tabs on her routine. But no. I failed after three weeks and just went with instinct. Haha.
I guess your OC-ness does somewhat go out the window with #2. Or well at least if you don’t have any yaya to help you!
Somehow I’m okay, hahaha (hindi “she’s okay” eh no…).
You first! Heehee
Korek!
I had a Feed Me/Change Me list naman. When Y was born, I wrote everything down. After 3 months I gave up! Haha.. Now I just ask the yaya to write down her feedings in time and how much she drank. First I attempted to write down her food diary.. since I was working and always tired. FAIL din. I have the Dr. Moms Journal and I love it! First time, I let the Pedia wrote on it. After that, ayoko na kasi panget sulat nya. Gusto ko sulat ko lang… haha..
She’s a doctor eh! =) Hahaha.
haha kaya nga.. she used red ballpen pa when she wrote there kaya ayaw ko na talaga. Hahaha!
I tried doing the pee-poo chart, but then got lazy. Hahahaha. I suppose having a fat baby who was “maliksi” naman gave me the assurance he was properly getting what he needed from me and from the food I was giving him (At 6 months, Vito was above average for his weight range).
I have a Dr Mom-like baby book for Vito, but it was only for a 1-year record-keeping stretch. Now, we use the corny one his pedia gave us, hahaha. Still, despite its pedestrian feel and look (read: mukhang spiral notebook), I still want the pedia to write everything down during every visit.
Yes, as long as he’s healthy. I did the journal more diligently for breastfeeding – on which breast I was supposed to do next. =)
I love Dr. Mom Journal. All my kids have one and my third will have his when he comes out next month. Makes everything so easy and well organized.
Why, why did I only find out about this now? I have a pedia visit spiral notebook where I write all my questions and notes about the visits – yes, I take notes. Ewww, nerd.
I have the Dr. Mom Journal also but I don’t do the pee-poo and feeding charts. I diligently fill up the doctor’s visits and vaccination charts though! I don’t really use it much – which is actually good. It made me realize B is such a healthy boy!
There’s a part there I’m not looking forward to filling up, where they’re entering teens na. You have to record when your child shows signs of sexual maturity. I can just hear B saying, “Moooooooom!!!?????”
I have to see that section! Hahaha
thanks for the feature Kris! I can’t believe i did the feed me change me chart – well actually that I made stan do it for 2 months – buti hindi ako hiniwalayan!! we didn’t have a yaya then and it was Stan who really filled that out! haha! the food chart was really helpful especially when we ran out of ideas what to feed her and i am sure i will use that food chart for Flower! i’d say that the Dr. Mom is really a great investment! organizes all records and i am sure this will be more helpful in the future when you need to look back at your child’s health history.
Winner si Stan! =) I will really buy this Dr. Mom Journal. Thanks for guest posting Jen =)
I had a small spiral notebook and kept track of my baby’s feeds and changes for the first few months. Then I discovered the wonderful iOS apps for tracking all that plus medical visits and shots. Wished I had discovered the Total Baby app sooner!
Hi Issa! Welcome to my blog =) You are the Issa I know right? =)
Of course there’s an iPhone app! I will download that as well. Thanks for your tip.
And she claims NOT to be OC! Hahaha! Jenny, you are my idol. One day, all my hanging out with you will pay off…I will be organized like you, through osmosis. Hahahahaha!
I used to do this for P, but eventually chucked the notebook out the window, and went with the flow.
Jenny claims not to be O.C.?? Which Jenny are you referring to?
Wow! I’m on my way to my first and I totally have no idea what to do… this post is very helpful!
You can do it! =) Just holler for help.
MyMommyology is your friend right?