Kumusta? Ako, okay naman. As a full-time breastfeeding mom for 10 months now (total of almost five years), I’m always on the lookout for breastmilk boosters. Hindi kasi madali magpadede, kaya kailangan natin ng tulong.
Nasubukan ko na ata most of the malunggay products in the market. Naging reseller din ako during the pandemic ng mga breastfeeding supplements. Fan na fan ako ng malunggay simula high school, kasi isa yan sa naging research topics namin. Haha. Studies also showed that malunggay helps increase breastmilk supply among mothers.
Kaya when I came across a mom’s post on Threads, saying, she and her husband made their own blend of malunggay drink for postpartum recovery and lactation, talagang nag-mental note ako na itatry ko ito. Plus, it is FDA-approved, so it’s a go.
Bagong Nanay Reviews: Cuddle and Coo Malunggay and Acai Berry Drink
So I spoke with Mommy Ara, the mom behind Cuddle and Coo Malunggay and Acai Berry Drink on Instagram. Kuwento niya, she and her friends came up with the formulation, and she’s very happy and proud of her product. Sila ni husband niya rin ang nagpapack ng orders and nagbebenta, so super inspiring!
I bought a sampler pack on her TikTok shop, and received it the next day. A sampler pack has two sachets, and it costs P60.
My 6-year-old Lia poses with our Bagong Nanay haul
Taste test
Siyempre, family affair ang pag-try namin sa bagong malunggay drink na ito. Si Tatay Kevin kasi, natuwa na merong ingredient na collagen for his joints. Si Lia naman, gusto itry dahil mahilig siya sa juice. Tinry muna namin with cold water and ice, and it’s a treat.
Packaging of Cuddle and Coo Malunggay and Acai Berry Juice sampler pack
“Lasang berry,” sabi ni Tatay. “It’s so yummy,” naman ang sabi ng aking 6-year-old. For me, masarap siya! Hindi mo agad malalasahan yung malunggay, which sometimes would come off as too herby or strong at aayawan ng iba. Ito, mas berry siya than herby kaya masarap at madali siyang inumin.
Effective ba sa padede mom?
Before bedtime, tinry ko naman ang hot version ng drink. Dito magkakaalaman, kasi first day ng aking menstrual period. According to doctors, may effect talaga ang period sa milk supply. Dahil sa changes in hormones, naaaffect nito ang breastmilk supply kaya naman perfect timing ang pag-inom ko ng aking malunggay juice.
My padede mug with hot Cuddle and Coo Malunggay and Acai Berry Juice
Nakailang feeds ang aking baby throughout the night, at nasatisfy ko naman siya. Though I couldn’t prove na yung isang tasa ng malunggay juice ang nakatulong, I must say I wanted to try more para maprove ko na it really helps increase breastmilk supply.
The verdict
For its price of P30 per serving, iisipin mo agad na medyo pricey siya compared sa competitors niya. Pero when you look at its active ingredients kasi, you’ll realize na sobrang sulit niya.
Aside from malunggay, it has marshmallow root (rich in antioxidants), fernblock (immune system support), milk thistle (prolactin like moringa), goji berry (fiber), collagen (skin elasticity), and L-glutathione (reduced oxidative stress). It’s sweetened by Stevia!
Dahil siksik sa nutrients with a very refreshing taste ang Cuddle and Coo Malunggay and Acai Berry Juice Drink, I highly recommend it to all Bagong Nanays!
Buy Cuddle and Coo Malunggay and Acai Berry Juice on TikTokor chat with them on Instagram.
After a three-year hiatus, Bagong Nanay is back for the best, and for good.
“It’s for the best, for now.”
‘Yan na lang ang naisip ko nung nag-decide ako mag-resign from my job as a Section Editor of Smart Parenting. Yes, halos four years in total din ako sa SP. Nagsimula as a community member, naging contest finalist, mom ambassador, contributing writer, hanggang sa inofferan ako ng full-time job as a Senior Staff Writer. Bago nun, two years akong unemployed dahil nagpaka-Bagong Nanay ako sa panganay kong anak na si Lia. Ngayon, may isa pa akong baby, si Titus. 10 months old na siya, which means Bagong Nanay ako all over again.
Lia (6) and Titus (<1)
How Bagong Nanay started (recap lang)
Ilang araw nalang, my firstborn will be turning six. Nakaka-senti kasi parang kahapon lang nung nag-break yung water bag ko at pumunta kami ni husband ng ospital, thinking baka hindi pa naman time. 33 weeks, 5 days palang kasi siya noon. Eh, sabi ng BabyCenter app, at least 34 weeks sana ang baby bago lumabas para ma-develop fully yung lungs niya. So ayun, nag-stay ng 3 days sa loob ng tiyan ko si Lia, until in-emergency C-section na ako ng aking OB-GYN na si Tita Ana Villaraza na kilala rin bilang si Dra. V sa Capitol Medical Center dahil ubos na ang aking amniotic fluid.
Si Lia, na dati ay 1.5kg lang noong lumabas, ay isang matalino at madaldal na Grade 1 student na. Ang bilis lang ng panahon. Kaya sabi ko, mabilis lang din naman lalaki si Titus, kaya susulitin ko na muna habang baby pa siya. Focus muna ako sa kanilang dalawa, at habang nasa school si Lia at nap time naman nung isa, makakasulat ako dito sa Bagong Nanay blog na sinimulan ko noong pang 2019. Naaalala ko pa, nasa shower ako noon, maternity leave ko. Hirap na hirap ako bilang first-time mom na nakabukod sa pamilya. Nakatira kami ni husband sa condo sa Quezon City, at walang ibang kasama. Sabi ko, “What if gumawa ako ng Instagram page kung saan pwedeng mag-crowdsource ng mga tanong about parenting? Tapos ako, bilang may communications background ako, icoconsolidate ko into a blog post para mas madaming makabasa at ma-share nila?”
What is Bagong Nanay?
So Bagong Nanay was born. Eventually, bilang unemployed ako nitong time na ito at pandemic, naisipan kong mag-try magbenta ng malunggay supplements. Ang lakas ng benta ko noon! Pano, ang business plan ko kasi ay mag-ship as needed ng mga malunggay tea and coffee, patok sa mga bagong panganak. Tipong nasa ospital pa sila, oorder sila at ipapadala ko ura-urada via Grab Express or Lalamove yung orders nila. Bilang gising ako halos buong araw, anytime delivery din ako. Kahit alas-5 ng umaga at kailangan nila ng pampalakas ng gatas, o gabi dahil yun lang ang time na pwede silang makalabas ng bahay, game ako.
Bagong Nanay, created in 2019
Gumawa din ako ng Viber group kung saan mga Bagong Nanay in different seasons of life ang members. Dito, free sila magtanong at mag-usap about anything under the sun. Pero nagsilakihan na din ang mga anak nila, kaya medyo naging inactive na ito. Nasa 90+ members ang Viber group, pero legit na mga nanay ito dahil by invitation link lang ang pag-join. Walang bots allowed.
Bakit may Bagong Nanay ulit?
Nag-resign ako sa SP dahil may company policy kami na two days report to office per week. Hindi ako maka-keep up dito dahil 1) hindi ko maiwan ang baby ko dahil breastfeeding kami at clingy siya; 2) ang layo ng office namin sa Mandaluyong, taga-Novaliches kami. Sabi ko, it’s for the best for now. Babalik nalang ako pag kaya ko na, dahil unfair din naman sa mga ka-officemate ko kung ako lang ang naka-work from home at sila ay pumapasok sa office. It’s the best for now because lahat ng oras at atensyon ko ay nakatuon sa aking mga maliliit na anak muna. Makakabalik din si Nanay sa work niya.
Long story short, gusto ko lang ituloy ang aking pagsusulat at pagiging nanay kaya binuhay ko ulit ang Bagong Nanay. Marami nga lang magbabago, kasi siyempre, natuto na tayo sa mga needs ng mga nanay. Naisip ko, sa dami ng mga content sa social media, ano ba ang kailangan nilang makita at mabasa? Bakit ako dadagdag pa sa mga isipin nila?
New and improved Bagong Nanay 2.0
As a Bagong Nanay of two, heto ang mga naisip kong magiging laman ng Bagong Nanay blog na ito at ng social media accounts natin.
Bagong Nanay, new logo for 2025 relaunch
Dati, Bagong Nanay served as a community of new and first-time moms, Bagong Nanay 2.0 is a safe space for mothers and their stories.
Kuwentong Bagong Nanay
Sa mundo na puno ng Chatgpt or AI-generated content, magpapakatao tayo. Ang kuwento ng bawat nanay ang bida dito. Tuloy pa rin ang mga Kuwentong Bagong Nanay, na sana one Nanay per week. May kuwentong Bagong Nanay ka ba? Send me a message and I will reach out to you. Read our past features:
Sa TikTok kung saan madaming nabubudol, tutulong tayo to make informed decisions. Tuloy pa rin ang Bagong Nanay Reviews, kung saan itetest ko personally ang mga bago o existing brands in a comprehensive article for every mom’s reference.
Bago naman ang Bagong Nanay and her Biz, kung saan iffeature ko ang mga mompreneurs at ang kanilang mga locally-made products for support and empowerment. (Haha, parang wordplay pala ng Beauty and the Beast, LOL). Open din ang Bagong Nanay for consignment or affiliate marketing! If you have a biz, hit me up at isulat natin yan.
Bagong Nanay Things
Eto ang excited ako. Gagawa ako ng isang page dito sa website kung saan makaka-download ang mga new moms ng mga files gaya ng proven and tested hospital bag checklist, postpartum depression test, at marami pang guides and how-tos. Syempre, para pa din ang lahat ng ito sa mga literal na Bagong Nanay.
Sa social media naman, expect affirmations, questions, and giveaways. Buhay pa rin ang Viber group natin, in case may gustong mag-join. Madami nang natulungan ang group to source breastmilk, brand recommendations, at event promotions. Active din ako sa Threads, kung andun din kayo.
Hanggang dito muna ang ire-reveal ko. Pero everything is possible with Bagong Nanay. Wala tayong hierarchy at burokrasiya dito, so feel free to share your thoughts on how we can help each other sa season na ito. Open ako diyan.
It’s for the best, for now.
Thank you sa pagbabasa, Bagong Nanay. It’s an honor to exist and write for you.
Love,
Nanay Judy
PS. Bagong Nanay is also a tribute to Dr. Maria Ana G. Villaraza, my dear tita and OB-GYN, who passed away in April 2024. May she rest in peace.
PPS. Sending a gift to Nanay Kyla Abrenilla Magbag (ky.mgbg) for commenting on my recent post. Yey!
Washing the dishes is a chore that most Bagong Nanays loathe, but need to do. Makita mo palang yung gabundok na hugasin, parang pagod ka na. This year, I had a resolution to never leave dirty plates on the sink overnight.
To keep myself inspired to wash the dishes at midnight, I then started “dish-watching.” I wash the dishes while watching K-drama on Netflix. For a while, it worked! I actually look forward to washing the dishes because that would mean I get to watch an episode of It’s Okay To Not Be Okay or Start-Up.
Last Valentine’s Day, my husband surprised me with a very unexpected gift: a dishwasher. Yes. The one that we only see in movies and can only afford in The Sims. I was very shocked because I never asked for it.
Unboxed Maximus Tabletop Dishwasher
“How about my K-dramas now?” I asked him. “Then watch your K-dramas in peace!” he said.
Why buy a dishwasher? Bakiiit?!
As a #BagongNanay, I’d like to share my honest review of Maximus Tabletop Dishwasher. Washing the dishes takes up one to two hours of my time, depending on how much plates we used from lunch to dinner. With a dishwasher, I just need five minutes just load it up with the dirty plates, and I can spend the time doing the more important things. So it is worth it. That’s it. That’s the review.
According to my husband, he read somewhere that there are only three kitchen appliances that are essential for any household: A refrigerator, a stove, and a dishwasher. Sana all. At first, I felt unworthy to use it. Haha. Ayoko sa kanya nung una kasi feeling ko useless na ako. Lol.
Here are some of the questions that I had in my mind the moment I met Maximus:
Does it really clean the plates?
Yes. You’ll be surprised that it washes the dishes better than you. Just make sure to remove the leftover food so they won’t clog the dishwasher. No need to pre-rinse though, just scrape them from the plates.
We are using Corelle plates, and they are squeaky clean after the wash. It also saves more water than manual dishwashing. So yes. It gets the job done. It can fit a lot of plates, cutlery, mugs, and at least one pot or pan.
Last night’s load
How long does it take to wash one load?
For this particular model, there are different options. But I always choose the ECO because it’s the most energy efficient.
It takes three (3) hours and 15 minutes to wash a single load of dishes in the ECO cycle. There’s also rapid wash (30 mins), normal (2 hours), and intensive (2 hours and 30 mins) for pots and pans.
In ECO mode
What’s the catch?
The only downside of getting a dishwasher is that you need to buy a specific brand of the dishwasher tablets, salt, and rinse aid from them. Magastos siya. You cannot use Joy or some cheap soap and table salt. So yes. You are paying for your precious time. You need to watch out when these items go on sale. They are available in Lazada and Shopee.
This is where you put the dishwasher tablet and rinse aid
What I do to save is I just use the dishwasher when I really have something important to do than washing the dishes. It enables me to rest after a long day of cooking and taking care of my child.
How’s the electric bill?
In terms of electricity, we didn’t see a spike in our electric bill so I guess it’s not costing us that much.
Until now, it hasn’t sink in (pun intended) that we have a dishwasher at home. I’m a full-time mom and wife, so you would expect that I should just wash the dishes because I don’t have a job. But having a dishwasher is like having an extra hand, and it made me realize this:
Life is short. Invest in things that help you spend your time and energy to do the more important things. If it’s going to help you save time, then it’s worth it. Get a dishwasher, Nanay!
PS. This is not a sponsored post. But I hope they get to read this and give me some free dishwasher tablets. Lol.
Are you also like me who is not fond of taking supplements in the form of capsules or tablets? I don’t know about you, but I don’t like the thought that I am taking medicines when I am perfectly fine. That’s why when I started breastfeeding, I prefer eating lactation treats or drinking malunggay as tea. You can read my review about my favorite malunggay tea here.
But then there are days when I feel like my breasts are empty and my daughter’s about to feed, but I’m too tired or just too lazy to prepare a drink. That’s when – fine – these green, awkward-tasting malunggay capsules come handy.
There are five reasons why I started taking Mega-Malunggay Capsules to help boost my breastmilk supply:
1. It is widely used by moms.
2. It doesn’t contain sugar.
3. It is easy to take.
4. It is cheap.
5. It’s worth it.
Not all hype
A lot of celebrity moms and influencers have been promoting Mega-Malunggay capsules. I remember seeing a giant billboard of Bianca Gonzales promoting this VPharma product along EDSA.
Photo credits: Bianca Gonzales’ Facebook account
My favorite momma peg, Iya Villania-Arellano, also uses it, and promotes it on Instagram. I thought it was all hype, not until I used it myself.
Photo from Iya Villania Arellano’s Instagram account
Healthy option
While it feels so good to give in to all the lactation treats available – tea, chocolate drink, coffee, cookies – name it, some moms just don’t like too much sugar. We Bagong Nanays are conscious about getting our prenatal body back. So a sugar-free lactation aid is always a good idea.
Photo from VPharma’s Facebook page
This is also the product preferred by pregnant moms who have been diagnosed to have gestational diabetes.
No-frills malunggay
Because of Mega-Malunggay, you don’t need to ask your husband to climb your malunggay tree, or ask your neighbor to spare you some leaves. You don’t need to go into the hassle of removing the malunggay leaves from the stems.
Mega-Malunggay is made of pure malunggay leaves, and one capsule is already equivalent to 3/4 cup of malunggay leaves. You can also open the capsule up, and just sprinkle the malunggay powder to your food and drink!
Photo from VPharma’s Facebook page
Did you know that you can start taking Mega-Malunggay capsules on your 32nd week?
Value for money
For only 9.50php per capsule, it gives you the peace of mind that you can produce enough milk for your baby. Its effect varies per person, but based on my experience, taking Mega-Malunggay before bedtime gives me enough milk to put my baby to sleep. That’s of course complemented with unli-latch and enough rest and sleep.
Mega-Malunggay has no approved therapeutic claims. But it is Halal-Certified and FDA-approved safe.
Best in the market
I used to take Natalac because it was readily available in drugstores. However, it only has 250g of malunggay. That’s why Mega-Malunggay is mega – it has the highest milligram available of malunggay plus 100mg of vitamin C.
Photo: bagongnanay
It works for me, and I hope it works for you too, Bagong Nanay. Would you like to try Mega-Malunggay? Comment below and I will give you a discount on your first order. You can also order your stocks at The Bagong Nanay Shop. Get it today.
As a #BagongNanay, one of our greatest concerns post-partum is our ability to feed and nourish our child.
In my experience, I attended seminars when I was still pregnant, and I was fully committed to breastfeeding my child. But sometimes, no matter how prepared we are, we become faced with challenges that would alter our plans and test our faith.
As for me, I gave birth six weeks earlier than expected. I didn’t know what went wrong: I had complete check-ups, took my vitamins, and ate healthy. But then it happened. My water bag broke when my baby was still 33 weeks and 5 days in my womb.
Thus, I had to undergo an emergency C-section. This caused my first breastmilk to only come out after three days of trying and pumping. You can read the full story here.
I’m happy that I didn’t give up, and I am still breastfeeding until today. My daughter is almost two years old. One of the things that helped me through my breastfeeding journey is the first product I would write about here in #BagongNanayReviews.
Breastfeeding is not easy. It is wonderful, but sometimes we could use some help.
Here’s why Bagong Nanay highly recommends the M2 Malunggay Tea:
1. It is healthy.
2. It is delicious.
3. It is very convenient.
4. It is affordable.
5. It works.
Healthy beverage
First things first – M2 Malunggay Tea is FDA-approved as a nutritional beverage, unlike other supplements that have no approved therapeutic claims. Thus, you are sure that it is genuinely healthy, and not just a placebo.
M2 Malunggay Okra Luya Tea is a product of NaturEarth Corporation. Visit their website here: naturearthph.com
Just read up on the nutrient content of malunggay, then look up okra and ginger. You can thank me later.
It’s not only good for lactating moms, but also for husbands and kids 1 year old and up.
Surprisingly delicious
I won’t judge you if at first you would hesitate to try this tea simply because you read that it’s made from malunggay, okra, and ginger.
Okra is one of the vegetables that most people don’t like to eat because of its texture. But surprisingly, the M2 Malunggay Tea tastes like the house-blend iced tea of some popular fastfood and restaurants.
Pro tip: Squeeze a slice of lemon or calamansi to make it more refreshing.
I love my M2 Malunggay Tea iced and with lemon.
Easy to prepare
If, like me, you are not that lucky to have a malunggay tree in your backyard, you would know that malunggay is a rare item in supermarkets.
And how many times would you cook tinolang manok just to use up all the malunggay leaves that you bought? Not to mention how daunting it is to remove the malunggay leaves (my husband is very particular, and doesn’t like to see stems in his tinola).
Imagine the time and effort saved by just drinking M2 – pour a little of the concentrate on your tumbler, add water, pop some ice cubes, and you’re ready to go!
Very affordable
When you are a breastfeeding mom, there is nothing more stressful than thinking that your breastmilk supply is not enough for your child.
If you buy a one liter concentrate of M2 Malunggay Tea at 280php, you can already use it to prepare up to 17 glasses of tea. That’s approximately 16php per serving. As for me, I drink two servings per day – one during lunch and then one during dinner.
M2 Malunggay Iced Tea and Lumpiang Togue for merienda!
For only 32php a day, you can already see the results. You would feel your breasts welling up milk, and you will be more confident that your child will have enough breastmilk for the day.
Proven effective
I can only speak from experience. I am breastfeeding my child for almost 19 months now. I attribute this success to the following factors: letting her latch whenever she wants, getting six to eight hours of sleep, and drinking M2 Malunggay Tea.
Yes, I believe that this product has greatly helped me in my breastfeeding journey that it is as important as unli-latch and sleep. I believe in it so much that I became an authorized reseller of the product since August 2020. Since then, I’ve been helping other Bagong Nanays in their breastfeeding journey as well – all thanks to M2.
M2 works for this mommy too! Happy to help.
If you want to try this product, send me a message here, and tell me that you found out about it by reading this blog. I will give you a discount on your first order. :)
So that’s it for the first of many #BagongNanayReviews! Comment down if you have anything to say about M2 Malunggay Tea too!
Bagong Nanay 