Breast Cancer Awareness 2014

October is breast cancer awareness month.Let's learn more about it.

What are the risks? These factors increase our risks but it doesn't guarantee anything. 

Data based from American Cancer Society's site . Further reading at Philippine Cancer Society

Given Risks:

1.      Gender

-Female are more at risk than men (yes men can have breast cancer too!)

2.       Ageing

-Risk increases as you get older

3.       Genetic Risk Factor & Family History

-Inherited gene defect

-1^st degree relative (mother, sister or daughter) doubles your risk, having two of them increases three times the risk

4.       Dense Breast Tissue

-Less fatty tissue makes it harder to read mammogram (breast x-ray), thus reading might be less accurate

5.       Previous Chest Radiation

-Exposed to chest radiation during adolescence

Lifestyle risks:

1.       Having No children or had after 30 years old

2.       Drugs

-Oral Birth Control (within 10 yrs of taking)  
-Injectable birth control (within 5 yrs of taking)

- Hormone Therapy, combined progesterone & estrogen

3.       Did not breastfeed

4.       Overweight, Obesity and No Exercise

5.       Heavy Alcohol Drinker

6.       Diet & Chemicals in the Environment

-healthy eating should be a choice of all

Lower your Risk:

1.       Early Detection

- 40s and above: annual mammogram (breast x-ray)

- 20s and 30s: clinical breast exam every 3 yrs

-  20s and above: self breast exam ten days after first day of menstrual period

           

2.       Exercise and Eat right
-             - We always say this but only a handful of people actually do it.
                 Start now!

 *clipart taken from different sites in the web compiled and compressed with no commercial intention or use

Activities for October 2014

• Makati Med’s Pink is Art

Organized by MMC doctors, workshop by Sip and Gogh

• Avon's Pink Walk And Run

Held at MOA grounds, 12th of Oct

students, supporters, survivors gather for the WAR

photos from inquirer & Avon Philippines

•     Wearing the Ribbon

home activities with my daughter

Learn and be aware,Stay healthy everyone!

Up, up in the Sky

Up, Up in the Sky theme has offered a wide variety of topics for us to explore.

1. Book & Music :

The book is about children playing under the sun, you may sing it as you read along.

The album theme is about birds, sun, star, moon, clouds everything up in the sky. We  adapted our activities to dated events and Philippine setting.

Album & Book by Kindermusik

2. Home Activities: Sky during Daytime

-Birds

  We usually do our bird watching every breakfast from our dining area. 

  Walking and learning about the common birds, pigeons and maya.

Geared with an empty tissue roll as a telescope, we were counting pigeons, as one by by one they flew away, a basic subtraction concept.

-Sun & Clouds

It's a sunny day, my daughter said she'll be wearing her sunglasses. What can we see up in the sky during daytime? - sun, birds, clouds and airplane!

Sun, clouds and birds in loose cardboard cutouts

3. Home Activities: Sky at Nighttime

- Moon

   We discussed moon phases.

Moon Cardboard cutouts

-Stars

  We were singing Kindermisik's Listen, Listen by Susan James Frye, it goes like this:

      The stars are making music in the sky tonight

      As i listen, listen, (play a musical instrument)

Construction paper strips folded and made into stars

- Blood Moon

  For older child, try  to explain the science behind this.

   For younger ones like mine, (less than 3yrs old), talk about color, the red moon, shape and intoduce the word eclipse, which you can explain in theory with a shadow.

Taken 8th of Oct 2014, seeing the red moon first time
(Moon photo taken online)

-Rocketship

Kids are always fascinated with things that fly.

4. Class Activities

-Storytelling about a Robin, making a bird house, a nest, it's endless

-Small Lighted ball represent stars as they  toss it and run around, the 'moon' comes later as a surprise to the kids

5. Go along books

Have fun making stars

It's pages open up and has an interesting
 layout to describe the events in the story

Imagine and reach for the stars

See like a child's eye and never cease to wonder at the beauty of the sky!

Preparing for the Baby

Anticipation for a baby to come is so exciting for every parent.

Preparing for his or her things make it even more fun!

Let me make a list of what I believe is essential to prepare:

1. Bathing

• Tub, tub support & towel

2. Toiletries

• Lotion, Sunblock and Baby Wash (paraben free)
• Barrier cream (for diaper changes), chest rub (camphor free), 
• Baby oil (natural coconut oil)
• Cotton, buds, Wipes (alcohol and fragrance free), 
• Mosquito lotion, (deet free), 
• Baby powder (talc free, like Tiny Buds), talc is dangerous when inhaled

3. Clothing and Diaper

• Best if Organic clothing, otherwise plain white will do (socks, hat, button type shirt pajamas)
• Minimize eco waste and use Washable Cloth Diaper (lampin, or the one with lining like Charlie Banana)
• Diaper
• Blanket or swaddle

Helping me sort things out

4. Pump and Bottles

• Dual electric pump, no formulas please
• Bottles (BPA Free)
• Nursing Cover (Shawl)

I promote 100% breastfeeding

5. Laundry, Wash, Sheets

• Laundry soap for babies (phosphate free like Cycles)
• Hanger and cabinet
• Waterproof lining for bed (Mothercare has the biggest one I've seen), else your bed will smell like pee
• Rubber mat
• Bottle wash (organic and bfad approved) in case there is soap residue
• Sterilizer with dryer, convenient, no more wiping

6. Furniture and Travel Essentials

• Crib (co-sleeper), for easy breastfeeding
• Stroller (lightweight)
• Diaper Bag (backpack), easy to use
• Car Seat (newborn to 3yrs old), can't drive on my own without it

7. Accessories

• Nose Suction (with hose, Pigeon) better control
• Hair brush & comb set
• Nail cutter, Toothbrush, Toothpase(for 0-2 yrs old)

checking of all is complete

8. Books, Music & Camera

read as early as now

To all expectant moms, happy coming of your baby ! :)

Book: If Jesus Came to My House

1. Reading

A part of Before Five in a Row Book, Jesus may come in many forms, as this child wishes the He visits him like a child, discussing fun, hospitality and his fear as he holds on to Him for strength. 

a great way for a child to see Jesus

2. Science & Art

- Shadow Play

Use interesting shapes, materials or hand puppets in the wall

- Shadow Colors 

Use colored cellophane

- Shadow Art

Project a light & create shadow, trace your
partner's silhouette cut and make paper art

- Silhouette

with Play of light and we have a Silhouette

3. Literature: Poetry 

My Shadow by Robert Louis Stevenson

That Shadow My Likeness by Walt Whitman

4. Word Activities

- First Letter Identification

Daughter identifies the first letter as i exaggerate picture reading 

- Story Making, Counting apples and Path tracing

As my daughter puts the sticker, she made her own version of the story which she adapted from the book

5. Religion & Fear

"Doing it to the least of these" , show kindness to everyone, for Jesus might be represented in the most unexpected ways

Perspective and rendering taken from our design files

Visiting a church and talking to God for fear never escapes us, it is how we face it and conquer it.

6. Go along book

Nicely answered verses to a curious child's queries