SPiN's 2nd Anniversary Celebration

As a first time mom who has limited experience with caring for babies before getting pregnant, books, magazines, and internet articles have been my friends as I journey on into motherhood. Thankfully, J is a hands-on dad. He is actually a natural when it comes to babies so whenever I am at a loss he takes over. I’m also grateful for the inputs and advice of my own mother, sister, and even my mother-in-law. But another important source of information for me which also doubles for as an outlet of raves and rants are support groups for mothers.

Last October 10, I along with J and our little Queen B attended the second anniversary celebration of South PiNanays, also known as SPiN. It is an online community of mothers in the South Luzon area which includes Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, Laguna, Batangas, Cavite, and other nearby places.  South PiNanays is a support group for breastfeeding, babywearing, cloth diapering and pro-attachment parenting mothers but mothers who don’t practice the said advocacies are also welcome in the group. Aside from celebrating its 2^nd anniversary, South PiNanays is also commemorating International Babywearing Week. The whole day event was held at Ballroom A and B, The Bellevue Manila, Muntinlupa City.

For this year’s festivity, the SPiN administrators and organizers prepared a fun and informative program of activities for all the attendees.

We arrived just in time for the Welcoming Remarks by Mommy Niña Atienza, a founding member of SPiN. It was nice to know how SPiN started and how it grows amazingly these past two years. From less than 50 mommies at the beginning, South PiNanays boasts of now more than 1800 members who support one another.

J persuaded me to join the Babywearing Zumba activity. Zumba is a dance fitness program that incorporates different dances and aerobics in its choreography. With babywearing zumba, mothers will dance while wearing their babies. It sure is a fun way to keep fit and strong with all the additional benefits of wearing one’s baby. I enjoyed the 30-minute activity despite having two left feet. I am really more of a yoga, walking or maybe even running, and weight lifting person when it comes to exercise. I hope someday I’ll be able to attend a babywearing yoga class (Hey, SPiN admins maybe next year let’s have one!).

Babywearing zumba using my SaYa SSK in Heather Gray. Photo courtesy of the event's official photographer.  

I was hoping my little Queen B will fall asleep with my movements but I guess she is so distracted with all the other dancing mommies with their babies.  Photo courtesy of the event's official photographer. 

After the babywearing zumba, we listened to Mommy Teresa Gumap-as Dumadog, author of Breastfeeding: A Journey Worth Taking and How to be a Hands-on Parent While Earning, as she discussed about Hands-on Parenting. As I have talked about in this post, I experienced self-pity and depression for a couple of weeks. Caring for Georgina as she becomes more active is more difficult than I anticipated. Mommy Teresa’s talk reminded me of the advantages of Hands-on Parenting. Since I’ll be spending a lot of time with my baby, it will enable me to witness my child’s milestones firsthand and get to know my child and even myself as a parent better. Her testimony strengthened my resolve to be a hands-on parent to my little Queen B however frustrating and wearisome it maybe.

Listening and internalizing Mommy Teresa's talk about Hands-on Parenting. Photo courtesy of the event's official photographer. 

I love this quote from Mommy Teresa's talk. 

After a short lunch break, all the mommies posed for a group photo which admittedly was tricky to do as some babies are not in the cooperative mood. 

We started like this. 

Then we turned into this.

We are almost there. 

Almost done. 

Finally, we were able to have this beautiful photo. Photo courtesy of the event's official photographer. 

The next portion of the program is The Best Start: Preparing for your Breastfeeding Journey talk by Mommy Bing Sugue Guevarra, a founding member of Breastfeeding Pinays and a well-known breastfeeding counselor. Her discussion about the benefits of breastfeeding made me felt accomplished in my decision to provide the best milk for my little Queen B. She also briefly discussed the First 1000 Days Movement of UNICEF, while hopefully I will also be able to share with you one of these days in the blog. There was also a question and answer portion wherein Mommy Bing and Mommy Noelle of BFP patiently answered the queries of other mommies.

The mommies were then divided into groups depending on what type of carrier we were using at the event. More than half of the attendees were using the much coveted Tula Baby Carrier. I belong to the hybrid carrier moms as I am wearing Georgina in my SaYa SSK in Heather Gray. Our photos were taken as part of our commemorating the International Babywearing Week.

Hybrid carrier mommies in SPiN's 2nd Anniversary Celebration. Photo courtesy of  the event's official photographer. 

Afterwards, Mommy Pau of Wrap Diva, awed us with her talent and skills in babywearing using woven wraps in the Babywearing Basics talk and Explore your Carriers session of the program. She demonstrated the most basic carry, the Front Wrap Cross Carry (FWCC), to babywearing newbies parents in the event. It is actually the only way I know how to wear Georgina using my sports wrap from Izzy Breezy. Since J helped me to learn this type of carry, he assisted one couple to properly front wrap cross carry their baby with the woven wrap they have won in the raffle.

Daddy J helping out this lovely couple who won a Bahaghari woven wrap.  Proud of you Daddy J!

Mommy Pau also demonstrated the Back Wrap Cross Carry in which she made use of the superman toss to place her baby at her back. Since her baby is not in the cooperative mood, she was unable to do a step-by-step demonstration. Mommy Pau got our admiration as she flawlessly executed her technique in doing the Back Wrap Cross Carry. Hopefully, one day I’ll be to do that too but first J had to buy me a woven wrap as my sports wrap is not recommended for that type of carry.

While the program was ongoing, all mommies were free to visit the Mompreneur Bazaar where various sellers showcase their mommy and baby items. Lactacyd and Lactium, who have stalls in the bazaar, gave away some samples of their products. The Lactacyd samples will be of great use when we travel as they are in pocket sizes, perfect for travelling.

The famous CEO Emporium

Carry Babies with Love

Chubby Toes

There was also an art exhibit entitled Gintong Pag-ibig that featured nursing mommies. The following were my favorites:

Breastfeeding is indeed an act of love. 

This perfectly captures how Georgina and I sleep.

This reminded me of my little Queen B's eyes the first time we met. 

We were also encouraged to have our photos taken at the photobooth. We had fun putting different head wear on our little Queen B.

Raffle prizes from sponsors and participating mompreneurs were also drawn all throughout the event. I won an Izzy Breezy nursing cover and a pink Carter’s dress for Georgina.

New dress for my little Queen B. Photo courtesy of the event's official photographer. 

My loot from SPiN's 2nd Anniversary Celebration. 

Back in my early 20s, I have this misconception about motherhood which is probably one of the reasons why having a baby was the last thing in my mind back then. I believed that once I become a mother my social circle will get smaller. I will be so busy with caring for my baby that I won’t be able to meet up with my friends much less have new friends. Well, yes, meeting up with my friends are a little harder than before since most of them are also parents themselves but actually motherhood opened up a new and even wider pool of new friends for me. These are moms with whom I share similar advocacies in parenting like breastfeeding, babywearing, and attachment parenting.

With South PiNanays, I have newfound friends that will cheer, guide, and support not only me but other mothers as well as we all go through the sometimes difficult but always rewarding journey called motherhood. I hope that on our next event I will have the courage to talk personally with other members. SPiN’s 2^nd Anniversary Celebration was an enjoyable and educational day for all. Kudos to all our hardworking, patient, and beautiful admins! Thank you also to all the generous sponsors. Again, Happy 2^nd Anniversary South PiNanays!

Our little Queen B enjoyed her day too! She really likes the pink balloon. 

#xoxo