When choosing between Cardinal Santos Maternity Package and The Medical City maternity package, we choose the former since the people at Cardinal are more compassionate than the people from TMC (saying this based on ER trip experiences). Isa pa, mas masarap food choices sa Cardinal.

My OB, Dr. Solema Granados-Rivera, assisted me on choosing the hospital but I specifically told her that I need the cheapest one possible. Hindi mura manganak no. I trust her fully naman so I know na kahit saang hospital basta andun sya, I’ll be in good hands. She recommended the Cardinal Santos Economized Maternity Package. The room included in the package is a small private room, own CR, with TV and small pantry (with ref).. super liit lang but at least not sharing or ward.

Last December, I already saw the economized room included sa maternity package:

Maliit lang yung room, pero keribels lang yan, importante mura at komfortable.

TMC banyo is way better but since Cardinal is warmer, keribels na ang ganitong klaseng banyo.

I have been under Dr. Solema Granados-Rivera care ever since the “My bladder is full but I can’t Pee!” episode. Dr. Rivera or Dr Granados (as she is known at CSMC) was recommended by my husband’s niece. Eh during that bladder episode, nagustuhan talaga namin ang service ng Cardinal and Dr. Rivera was very warm and all the OB department staff. Kaya dun na talaga ako nag pa check up and we decided na dun na rin manganak even though we’re no longer expecting twins. Prenatal check up for Dr. Rivera is by appointment only, clinic hours at Cardinal is usually in the morning. I can give you her secretary’s phone number for appointment if you want.

My Birthing Experience at Cardinal Santos Medical Center

(Cardinal Santos Maternity Package)

Alam nyo naman kung gaano ako kaiinip manganak di ba? During my check up last February 19, pwede na daw! I’m 3 cm dilated na. Dr. Rivera can strip my cervix na at pwede na i- induce ng kaunti. Hindi na ako pwede i induce ng bongga dahil malambot na daw ang cervix o matris ko because of multiple pregnancies. After my check- up, ayan na ang signs ng labor! By 6 PM that day, nagpunta  na kame ng Cardinal.

Giving birth to an 8 pounder is no joke! This is the hardest child birth but the most comfortable one! It really helps that Cardinal Santos OB department is very caring. Alam mo yung feeling na safe ka kahit wala pa ang OB mo?!? Yan, ganyan na ganyan ang naramdaman ko. From the Emergency room to the labor room, alagang alaga ang pakiramdam ko. Hindi ako prepared sa special treatment. LOL

Dr. Rivera arrived while I was in the labor room. Inabot din ako ng ilang oras na nag le labor, nakapanood pa nga ako ng On The Wings Of Love. By 12 midnight, I was transferred to the delivery room… na kinagulat ko din ng bongga! Sa public hospital kase para kang kakataying baboy sa delivery room. Pasensya sa termino eh ganun talaga na feel ko nung nanganak ako sa public hospital. Aside from letting me wear my eyeglasses (sa public bawal) and my socks, they even put leg warmers on my legs. Naiiyak ako sa sayaaaa!

Gaya ng sabi ko.. mahirap iiri ang batang 8 pounds!! But more than 3 people coaching you with the breathing techniques, nailabas din ang batang mataba at 1:04 in the morning, February 20.

Nakaktuwa kase I was awake the whole time… dinig na dinig ko ang lakas ng iyak ni Marius. Until he was given to me and allowed to latch, gising din ako… alam ko nakatulog na lang ako before I was transferred to the recovery room, tapos pagdating dun ginising ako to breastfeed again.

We availed the Cardinal Santos Maternity Package (economized maternity package) that includes the small room pictured above kaso lang there was no room available when I was admitted. Isang malaking kwarto ang bumuluga sa akin! We were advised that we have to transfer as soon as an economized room is available but if we refuse, the economized package will be forfeited. The economized room is 2500 PhP while the bigger room is 2800 PhP. Maliit lang diprensya ng room rate at Cardinal Santos di ba?

Here is the breakdown of the Cardinal Santos Maternity Package (economized package, NSD local anesthesia)

For Mother: P40, 486

• Total expenses: P51,286 (includes OB PF, delivery room charge, room and board, laboratories, pharmacy)
• Discount: -P7800 (room and board discount)
• Philhealth: -P3000

For Baby: P22,832

• Total Expenses: P19, 862 (includes Pedia PF, nursery charge, room and board, laboratory)
• Xray: P5,120 (OB requested for Xray because she heard a click on baby’s shoulder when he comes out)
• Discount: -P900 (room and board discount)
• PhilHealth: -P1,250

Total payment for Cardinal Santos Maternity Package: P63,318 

Kung hindi kame lumipat sa small room and we choose to stay on the bigger room, mawawala yung discount sa room and board. Mas OK din naman ang smaller room, mas malapit ang CR. Mahirap maglakad pag bagong panganak no.

If you’re planning to give birth, I highly recommend Cardinal Santos Medical Center. The economized maternity package (excluding OB PF and Pedia PF) is 30,700 Pesos only.

In a span of one year, I experienced how to Pass Kidney Stones Naturally in 4-5 months interval. That’s too much stones in one year! Sometimes I feel like my kidney is a stone garden.. but on the brighter side, I passed all those stones without having to undergo shockwave treatment.

[tweetthis]#KidneyStones problem? 5 Drinks To Help You Pass Kidney Stones NATURALLY(Plain Water Not Included!)[/tweetthis]

HOW? From my experience, drinking plenty of liquid really helped. I increased my fluid intake and in a few days, the stones passed.

5 drinks that helped me pass kidney stones naturally

1. Lemon Infused Water

Instead of drinking water, drink lemon infused instead. This is very easy to prepare. Wash the lemon thoroughly or soak it in water and salt solution in an hour before using. Slice the lemon and put it in 2 liters of water. That should be your liquid intake for the whole day.

I tried alternating my water intake with lemon infused water March of last year. I did that because I can feel a heaviness on my kidney,suspecting that I have kidney stones again. I also included a glass of cranberry from my diet. After a week, one kidney stone passed.

2. Cranberry Juice

Include a glass of this on your everyday diet. It does not only helps your kidney pass stones naturally. It can also prevent you from experiencing UTI. Read about my kidney stones passing experience last March 2015 (kidney stone photo included!).

3. Calamansi Juice

When I got pregnant last May, I can’t drink plain water. Morning sickness was really bad. The only fluid I can take is calamansi juice with honey. I don’t prepare the juice from scratch. I bought calamansi with honey concentrate from SM Hypermarket. If I am not mistaken, I consumed at least 2 liters of calamansi juice everyday.

I had so much painful experience during the 1st trimester of my pregnancy and never thought of my kidney’s health back then. I was surprised when I passed a soft kidney stone once again. I didn’t got the chance to take a photo of the stones but it was softer than I had last March.

4. Fresh Buko Juice

Another readily available natural remedy for Kidney Stones is fresh buko juice. Last December, I have been drinking buko juice regularly. A few days of drinking it, I can feel that I am about to pass a stone. The stone was bigger this time and difficult to pass. It was actually painful. I had to endure the pain in my urethra for a few nights before the stone passed (which was also painful)

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Here is the photo of the kidney stone:

Last is the Cogon Roots Juice:

5. Cogon Roots Juice

Cogon roots can be found at Quiapo or Ongpin (if you’re from the Philippines). It’s a grass that commonly used on nipa hut as roof.

My mother prepared the juice for me. I just took 500 ml of this concoction ast 2013 and after 5 months, I passed some crushed stones. That’s the first time I passed stones naturally. I’m thinking, if I took more than 500 ml of the cogon roots juice, things would have been different.

Are you experiencing some pain on your kidney right now? Try any of the drinks I mentioned and pass those stones naturally! I also recommend checking out Nutrition Inspector, a very helpful health tips and fitness resource for other health tips and home remedies.