It’s been two weeks since our two older kids started school. They are in a new school, new environment, new policies and lots of other things new to them. Some of the changes were immediately accepted like wearing of school uniform.
With their former Montessori school, for four years, they enjoyed the freedom of deciding what to wear...no uniform, except for P.E. Surprisingly, they enthusiastically welcomed wearing one now. They are always excited to wear them and even thought of it as “cool.” Rica even complemented her younger brother with "Ang pogi ni Leon" when the latter wore his uniform for the first time.
Before, they only need to carry a small bag with extra clothes, food and a blue binder where parent notices and some school works are inserted (also, each student have their own locker in school). This time, they need to carry 7 to 8 textbooks, 7 to 8 notebooks (depending on grade level), pad papers, crayons, and other school materials every day. A bigger and sturdier bag is therefore a must. The question is… do my children have the strength and endurance to carry all those stuff?
We tried using our son’s old backpack and bought a similar one (only it’s pink) for our daughter. The bags look big and robust enough to contain all the required school materials. However, the very first time they carried the bag, they immediately complained of its enormous weight. They can hardly lift it. Still we decided to give it a try and hope that the kids get used to it.
It was explained to them that trolley bags are too expensive and besides a little more exertion on their part to carry their bags makes them tougher kids. We admired them for obediently abiding by the decision. But one morning as Papa Sez was carrying the bag to the school shuttle service, the strap of Leon’s bag broke. He even attested that even an adult with small body built will have difficulty walking with it, let alone climb the stairs. Heavy school bags have been linked to back problems like lower back pain, poor posture, spinal deformity over time and other back injuries manifested only in adulthood. The daily burden has also been found to cause neck pain, shoulder strain, headaches and general exhaustion. It was said that carrying more than 10% the child’s body weight is too much but we noted that our kids have been carrying loads of about one third their body weight.
Then one Friday night, Rica, who has been carrying a heavier bag and had to carry that weight to the second floor where her classroom is situated (the school actually has male assistants assigned to carry the bags up the stairs for the students), broke her silence. “Mom, please don’t wake me up very early tomorrow. I need lots of time to sleep and recover. I am really tired with my shoulders badly aching. School is fun if only I don’t need to carry a very heavy bag.”
A new decision came in quickly…we need to get them trolley bags or their health would suffer. Trolley bags for school provide the convenience of carrying loads of things while keeping them organized inside, but the price is equivalent or even more expensive than heavy duty traveling bags. Well, they are made of the same materials.
The season for buying school materials was almost over when the kids and I finally get to the store to buy their trolley bags, which actually got us a good deal! Most school bags were marked down for the second time already and the ones we bought were about 30% cheaper than the original price.
Now they are happier with their trolley bags at work and not their backs.
This stage of your parenting journey would require you to prepare two bags: one for you and the other one for your baby. These bags should be prepared on the seventh month of your pregnancy. In case of unexpected delivery, at least the bags are ready. Whenever you feel that it’s time to go to the hospital, then you can just lift your bags without any hassle. Like the checklist of baby things I posted in the previous blog, I am sharing here the checklist of items you should consider bringing to the hospital with you. These are the items that my hospital bags contained.
Mom’s Bag
- Maternity Sanitary Pads (4)
- Regular Sanitary Pads (8)
- Pajamas/Night Gown with front opening for easy breastfeeding (2)
- Panties (4)
- Nursing Bra (1)
- Set of Clothes for going home (1)
- Something to tie your hair with, if you have a long hair
- Toiletries
- Candies, crackers and bottled drinking water
- Extra pillow
Putting on adult diaper immediately after birth is preferable because bleeding is more profuse. The first one is usually provided by the hospital. Bleeding should lessen the following day so you can switch to using maternity sanitary pads instead. Maternity pad absorbs more fluids, but it is very thick and wide. When bleeding is less heavy and you are up and about to do frequent pad change, then switch to your regular sanitary pad. The crackers, candies and bottled drinking water are particularly useful when you arrive at the hospital while still on early labor but advised not to go back home. Candies and water will work well for dry mouth. But once you’re done with enema procedure, you cannot take anything anymore. Labor is expected to progress after this procedure because of stimulated uterine contractions.
Baby’s Bag
- Mittens (2)
- Booties (2)
- Bonnets (2)
- Wash cloth/bibs (4)
- Receiving blankets (2)
- Waterproof sheet (1)
- Cloth diapers (12)
- Diaper clips (2)
- Disposable diapers (6)
- Petroleum jelly (1)
- Cotton balls (1)
- Baby liquid soap (1)
- Ethyl Alcohol, 70% (1)
If you intend to breastfeed your baby, don’t bring feeding bottles and formula milk for fear of your baby getting hungry if breast milk doesn’t come at once. Mother-baby friendly hospitals do not allow these items as well. Having feeding bottles and formula milk available won’t do you any good in terms of inducing milk let down. More info on breastfeeding will be provided in a later blog.
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